We are happy to announce that the nomination process for the Western Balkans Women Entrepreneurs of the Year 2022 has begun! We launched this initiative last year in the framework of the Common Regional Market Action Plan 2021-2024 and our Women Economic Empowerment Agenda, to recognise women who have started and developed their own business and contributed to new and sustainable jobs for other women and men in our region. It was not easy to choose only six among many great nominations last year, however Blerina, Aida, Valentina, Dragana, Pakize and Arta, carried this prestigious title Western Balkans Women Entrepreneurs of the Year 2021, proudly and justifiably, and we are certain this year will not be different.

Women entrepreneurs are vital contributors to the prosperity of the Western Balkans. Their hard work, innovative thinking and unwavering commitment truly helps our economies grow and our societies thrive. Through this initiative, it is our intention to give a humble recognition to those brave and fierce women who dared to fight stereotypes and make the change.

The RCC welcomes nominations for women entrepreneurs in the region for the categories presented below.

Anyone can nominate. The RCC invites individuals, representatives of public and private institutions, Chambers of Commerce, Business Associations and regional and international partner organisations in the Western Balkans to nominate women entrepreneurs for the Western Balkans Women Entrepreneurs of the Year for the categories presented in the next section.

If you know a woman entrepreneur that:

• has developed a company with cleaner technologies, provides products and/or services that reduce environmental damage, minimize pollution and resource use, enhance product lifecycle and/or that have adopted training programmes for emerging green jobs;
• has developed a company related to Arts, Culture, Design, Fashion, Audio-visuals, Music, Festivals and Crafts;
• has developed a company bringing positive socio-economic impact, even more so in light of the challenges brought to the tourism industry by the COVID-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine etc.;
• has developed a business model, product or service that demonstrates economic empowerment, innovation, labour market integration and income generation for under-represented, vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, such as Roma communities;
• has established a start-up, being 1-3 years in business - demonstrating innovative solutions and growth potential;
• is a young woman entrepreneur (up to 32 years old) who has demonstrated an innovative business solution or a product/service with regional impact and visibility

Just Click on the blinking button NOMINATE, fill out the form and that is it.

The nominations are open until 28 February 2023.

Any woman that is a citizen of and owns a business in the defined categories (please see below) that operates in Albania, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.

Note that jury will not consider nominees that already received any grant or award from RCC, or hold an active contract with RCC at the time of the nomination.

The RCC will select 6 (six) women entrepreneurs to be presented with the Western Balkans Women Entrepreneur of the Year recognition in 6 categories:

• Green Woman Entrepreneur
  Dedicated to a Woman Entrepreneur who has developed a company with cleaner technologies, provides products and/or services that reduce environmental damage, minimize pollution and resource use, enhance product lifecycle and/or that have adopted training programmes for emerging green jobs
• Creative Woman Entrepreneur
  Dedicated to a Woman Entrepreneur who has developed a company related to Arts, Culture, Design, Fashion, Audio-visuals, Music, Festivals and Crafts
• Travel and Hospitality Woman Entrepreneur
  Dedicated to a Woman Entrepreneur who has developed a company bringing positive socio-economic impact, even more so in light of the challenges brought to the tourism industry by the COVID-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine etc.
• Roma Woman Entrepreneur
  Dedicated to a Woman Entrepreneur who has developed a business model, product or service that demonstrates economic empowerment, innovation, labour market integration and income generation for under-represented, vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, such as Roma communities
• Startup Woman Entrepreneur
  Dedicated to a Woman Entrepreneur who established a start-up, being 1-3 years in business - demonstrating innovative solutions and growth potential
• Young Woman Entrepreneur
  Dedicated to a young woman entrepreneur (up to 32 years old) who has demonstrated an innovative business solution or a product/service with regional impact and visibility

The call for nominations will be open from 3 February 2023, inviting nominations through the application form until 28 February 2023. During this phase individuals, representatives of public and private institutions, Chambers of Commerce, Business Associations and regional and international partner organisations can nominate women entrepreneurs.

Second phase: The judging panel

RCC will establish a judging panel (jury) to select the winners based on the database of nominees and data collected through the digital application forms. The panel will be composed of 7 (seven) members, including representatives from each economy (members of women entrepreneur‘s networks, Chambers and/or partner organizations) and one RCC representative.

During this phase, the jury will base the judgment and selection based on the following:

• Number of nominations received;
• Nominees (women entrepreneurs) who have started and registered their businesses legally, at least one year before (latest date of registration by January 31st, 2022);
• Indicated impact, positive feedback by nominators and other additional information (such as proven previous Appreciation or Success awards or nominations) in any of the above-mentioned categories.

Who NOT to nominate?

Be careful! The jury will not consider:

• Nominees (women entrepreneurs) who have received a grant or award in previous RCC activities;
• Nominees (women entrepreneurs) who hold an active contract with RCC at the time of nomination.

Third phase: Public Event

The winners will be informed and asked to provide a video pitch, and invited to participate in the Awards Ceremony.

• Mentorship support based on demand and existing resources.
• Membership and contributor status at the Regional Network of Women in Entrepreneurship (RNWE)
• Invitation to workshops and trainings in the region or EU, facilitated by RNWE
• Promotion through RCC communication channels
• Invitation to various RCC-organized events to showcase their success stories.