A unique event called “Synergy of institutions for sustainable innovation development in Montenegro – Finale of the BoostMeUp Program vol. 3: Montenegro Pitching Competition” was held in Podgorica.

The primary goal of the event was achieved – to bring together and showcase the joint efforts of key stakeholders for innovation development in Montenegro, while simultaneously enabling a broader perspective of the situation, identifying potential areas for improvement, and providing support for the further development of innovative projects and practices.

In her opening speech, the Minister of education, science, and innovation, ms. Anđela Jakšić Stojanović, emphasized the importance of collective collaboration and support for innovative ideas: “By fostering a culture of cooperation and knowledge exchange, we create synergies that multiply our impact and accelerate the development of innovations. Each institution in our innovation ecosystem has a unique and irreplaceable role, and each contributes to creating a world that supports existing and nurtures new generations of innovators and entrepreneurs.” The Advisor to the Prime Minister of Montenegro for Culture and youth, Mr. Vučić Ćetković, highlighted that the Government of Montenegro is firmly supporting the development of innovations and science as key factors for economic progress. As he stated, by improving the legal and strategic framework, increasing investments in research and innovation, and strengthening cooperation with the EU and regional partners, a favorable environment for innovation development and commercialization will be created, making Montenegro a globally competitive country open to the challenges of the 21st century. “This event is one of the most significant this year for Montenegro’s innovation ecosystem,” emphasized the executive director of IPC Tehnopolis, Đorđije Malović. “It presented the roadmap that the state has built in this area. The synergy of three institutions – the Innovation Fund, STP, and IPC Tehnopolis for the sustainable development of innovations under the Ministry of education, science, and innovation is an example of one of the most successful systems functioning in the country. The Montenegro Pitching Competition, as the finale of the pre-acceleration program for the development and launch of Montenegrin startups BMU, is one of the most striking results of this synchronized system. It has grown into a brand recognized both by Tehnopolis and the structured framework of Montenegro’s innovation ecosystem.”

The significance of the systemic collaboration between state institutions was also presented, along with their specific activities in the development of the innovation ecosystem: the Ministry of education, science, and innovation, the Innovation Fund, IPC Tehnopolis, and the Science and technology park of Montenegro. Their joint efforts are focused on accelerating the implementation of Montenegro’s innovation agenda, promoting sustainable development, and fostering the growth of Montenegro’s innovation-driven economy.

In the grand finale of the pre-acceleration program BoostMeUp vol. 3 – Montenegro Pitching Competition, eight Montenegrin startups presented their innovative ideas. Over the past six months, they have diligently worked on developing their ideas, utilizing both material and immaterial support provided by the program. The winner was the DeltaHes team – a platform for business process integration and optimization in the industry using machine learning and artificial intelligence. The second place went to the NetAI team, which allows us to create websites in seconds using generative artificial intelligence, while the third place was awarded to the Visit Village team, which aims to provide easy access to authentic and active farm vacations with just a few clicks. All three teams received a prize of 4,000 EUR each to cover the costs of attending international conferences to promote their startups. The task of determining the winners was by no means easy, and it was entrusted to an expert jury consisting of: Anđela Jakšić Stojanović (Ministry of education, science, and innovation), Đorđije Malović (IPC Tehnopolis), Nevena Janković Borozan (STP Belgrade), Dušan Banović (Montenegro Telecom), Miloš Miketić (Lovćen Bank), Valentina Radulović (STP Montenegro), Ana Ašanin (Spectro Solutions), Igor Đurović (UCG), and Kosta Andrić (ICT Hub).        

The BoostMeUp vol. 3 program is co-financed by the Innovation Fund, and it was implemented by IPC Tehnopolis, the Science and technology park of Montenegro, Montenegro Telecom, the University of Montenegro, and the Science and technology Park Belgrade.

The event gathered over 150 participants, including representatives from the Montenegrin and regional innovation ecosystem, ambassadors, and representatives from the academic, non-governmental, banking, public, and private sectors.