WESTERN BALKANS – The RISE project selected 137 young entrepreneurs gathered in 46 teams coming from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to develop their social business ideas. Through a series of workshops, mobility programs and financial support, young people will have a chance to learn, grow, develop their businesses and at the same time help solve problems of their local communities.
The selected entrepreneurs are young people from the region, 18 to 35 years old, motivated to learn about social entrepreneurship and be involved in a regional intercultural program. Through this tailor-made program, they will develop their concrete ideas that will tackle social or environmental issues in their communities. Participation in the RISE project will develop their skills and contribute to their employability.
Implemented by six Local Structures from the Western Balkans and coordinated by a consortium composed of regional and European institutions, RISE (Regional Incubator for Social Entrepreneurs) aims to enrich the Western Balkans social entrepreneurship ecosystem and enable young people to develop innovative societal solutions thus contributing to reconciliation and cooperation in the region. A positive change in the Western Balkans is possible while stability and prosperity can be achieved only by fostering reconciliation and cooperation in the region.
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence