Through a series of workshops, lectures, meetings, mobility programs, and financial support, young people will have the opportunity to learn, grow, do business, and simultaneously help solve problems in their local communities.

Applicants should identify a social or environmental issue they wish to address and/or work on their idea on a smaller scale, without having previously engaged in a full-fledged business.

Through the RISE program, we aim to support and encourage a new generation of change-makers to address problems in their local communities. For this reason, we have developed a support program – the RISE journey, which consists of two phases: the IDEATION chapter and the INCUBATION chapter.

Ideation

In this part of the RISE journey, 36 selected RISE teams from the region will participate (6 teams from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia). During the 3-month Ideation phase, they will develop their idea from scratch to a business model. Throughout this journey, they will receive support from experts and mentors, who will guide them through all the crucial steps in starting a social enterprise.

After the three-month program, the selected teams will have the opportunity to publicly present their ideas at Demo Day.The two best teams from Montenegro, along with a total of 12 teams from the region, will receive financial and additional mentorship support to develop their ideas and create a positive impact on the local community.

Incubation

The second phase of the program is dedicated to:

1. Testing and validating the business model through a tailor-made program and with a grant for the development of the business idea.
2. Regional mobility opportunities, such as the RISE Bootcamp and RISE Expeditions, during which participants will have the chance to meet, get inspired, and gain new knowledge from their peers, successful social entrepreneurs, trainers, mentors, and experts from the Western Balkans region.

All additional information is also available on the IPC Tehnopolis website.

nterested participants can apply by filling out a simple form available at the following LINK.