Butterfly Innovation Award fund at 30,000 EUR - 6 most successful ideas will get 5,000 EUR each

Sarajevo – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) is launching a Regional Butterfly Innovation Award seeking innovative, scalable and market-based solutions from the Western Balkans. The Butterfly Innovation Award fund is set at 30,000 EUR, where the best solution in each of the 6 categories will get the prize of 5,000 EUR.    

You can apply for up to two out of six categories: 

• Industry Innovation (metal-processing, creative industries, agrofood, green & circular economy, tourism, fintech, edtech, biotech, healthtech, etc); 
• Green Innovation (climate action, sustainable energy, mobility & agriculture, fight against pollution, nature and biodiversity protection, etc.); 
• STEM Innovation (science, technology, engineering and mathematics); 
• Youth Innovation (recognising undergraduate university or high school students);
• University Innovation (recognising entrepreneurial culture at universities); 
• Women Innovation (recognising women innovators and entrepreneurs). 

We invite eligible individuals and organizations to apply and  take part in this competition. 

Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia). Entries must fit within one of the official award categories and the  innovative solutions must demonstrate an active impact in the Western Balkans.

The first regional Butterfly Innovation Award is designed to encourage, display and endorse innovations and innovators from the Western Balkans. The expansion of the innovation culture in our region has to be supported by showcasing achievements and empowering sensitive groups such as youth and women. We know that success is often a lonely road, but we will be glad if we can help on that path. 

The application process is open from today until 13 May 2022. The Butterfly Innovation Award winners will be announced on 27 June 2022 at an event, which will be livestreamed at RCC social media profiles.

Join us in finding original and unique solutions from our region! 
You can APPLY HERE

All you need to know about Regional Butterfly Innovation Award is available at https://www.rcc.int/pages/156/regional-butterfly-innovation-award-2022  

Regional Butterfly Innovation Award is financed by the European Union and implemented by the RCC. It is a part of the Common Regional Market Action Plan for the Western Balkans. 

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.