Podgorica, (MINA-BUSINESS) – A panel of experts has selected the ten best teams advancing to the final stage of this year’s Social Impact Award (SIA) 2026, the largest international programme empowering young people to transform social challenges into sustainable entrepreneurial solutions.

This year’s competition brought together 101 participants across 52 teams, confirming the growing interest of young people in social entrepreneurship, social innovation, and the development of sustainable solutions to challenges faced by their communities. 

“Over the next three months, the selected teams will develop their ideas through an intensive support programme that includes mentoring, educational workshops, and practical tools for building sustainable social businesses,” the organizers said in a press release.

The goal is to provide young people with the knowledge, network, and resources needed to turn their ideas into concrete projects with measurable social impact.

In the coming period, the finalist teams will select their mentors and work on refining business models, validating ideas, and preparing for the final presentations in September, when the competition winners will be chosen.

In Montenegro, the SIA programme has been implemented since 2022 by the NGO Youth Education Centre, with the support of the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Dialogue, Erste Bank, Five Group, the Secretariat for Entrepreneurship and Investments of the Capital City, and the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro.

In addition to the general sponsors, partners of the SIA programme include Coca-Cola HBC Montenegro, One Montenegro, GRAWE Non-Life Insurance, the Development Bank of Montenegro, and XEnergy, while additional support is provided by NELT MNE, MFI Alter Modus, the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro, and The Chedi Lustica Bay.