EU|BIC Excellence Awards: Meet the Semi-Finalists contending for Most Impactful Programme

The project is designed to address the lack of skilled workforce in Kosovo ICT sector by providing advanced ICT training for students, graduated students from computer sciences, engineering, programming, and mathematics, even for staff from ICT companies, start-ups, and freelancers. The project seeks to improve the digital knowledge and skills of young people to enable them to secure their employment and future careers in ICT sector, start their own businesses as start-ups in existing Kosovo innovation or incubation centres, or to become an ICT freelancer/consultant. The project also contributes to increasing the business skills of ICT companies and promoting their products through the organisation of targeted business and management training, B2B events in EU countries.

DIGIAGE (Digital Game and Animation Center) program, which was designed to prevent inequality of opportunity in technology, to reach young talents in the digital gaming industry and to bring the discovered talent to a level that turns it into business, started its activities as a game cluster center in Bilisim Vadisi in 2019. Aiming to contribute to the game development ecosystem and enable young people to benefit more from the global digital economy, DIGIAGE organizes workshops, camps and trainings on a sector basis. It continues to organize two game development camps every year, summer and winter, since 2019. A total of 18000+ applications were made to these camps from 71 different cities and 30 different countries. 3200+ online and 1440+ physical people attended the camps. 250+ games developed. With the knowledge and experience it gained, DIGIAGE became the spin-off company of Bilisim Vadisi and started working as an incorporated company in January 2023. To entrepreneurs; it provides support on issues such as legal, accounting, team, training and investor negotiations, from company establishment to series A investment processes.

CV Innova is a pioneering program dedicated to fostering international collaboration and addressing the innovation needs of Valencian companies. Through open innovation principles and strategic partnerships, CV Innova connects local businesses with global expertise and resources to develop transformative solutions. By facilitating knowledge transfer and technology exchange, the program enables Valencian companies to access cutting-edge solutions and stay competitive in the global market. CV Innova’s collaborative approach brings together corporates, startups, and research institutions, driving impactful innovation that benefits both local industries and the broader international community. With a focus on real-world application and measurable outcomes, CV Innova serves as a catalyst for growth and advancement, positioning Valencian companies as leaders in innovation on the global stage.

CEIN HEALTH is a regional annual based programme that offers an integrated itinerary to support, promote and accelerate innovative business projects and startups/scaleups in the health field in Navarra, setting up their business, their market launch and their commercial development with its first-class services and professionals. It acts in all the phases of the business creation process involving the main stakeholders of the ecosystem. CEIN HEALTH works mainly in 3 areas: MEDICAL DEVICES (MedTech), DIGITAL HEALTH (e-Health) and BIOTECH. It is aimed at entrepreneurs, startups/scaleups, health professionals and researchers with innovative ideas or projects related to the health sector that are located in Navarra. Its itinerary offers 7 services: o Project acceleration to help structure and launch health startups o Startup scaling to develop startups o Masterclass and trends o Health innovation Academy o International development and projection o Access and connections with Navarra Health Ecosystem o Business incubation center services.

The ACT (Agrifood Clean Tech) Smart Innovation Hub takes a sector-wide approach for economic growth by stimulating innovators to put their creativity at the service of the agrifood and cleantech sectors, encouraging them to develop solutions to the challenges faced by Lebanon and the globe through:

1. Sector specific Accelerators: Agrytech and Clyntech accelerators, nurturing innovations in agrifood and clean technology.
2. Business & innovation Clusters: Berytech launched QOOT cluster to enhance Lebanon’s agrifood sector and is establishing Two New clusters in waste valorization and renewable energy. These clusters aim to foster innovation, competitiveness, and market access, focusing on governance and sustainability.
3. Growth Accelerator: The ScaleSmart Accelerator assists startups in scaling and securing funding, emphasizing investment readiness.
4. EcoSystem Partner Development: capacitates and supports five Lebanese regional to nurture entrepreneurs in the abovementioned sectors, guiding them towards accelerator programs. The Program was launched in 2019 and revamped in 2023 for 4 additional years.

A sustainable support system which:

• within the study or education process strengthens the innovation literacy and entrepreneurship spirit of Vidzeme’s youth,
• has promoted the strong cooperation of Vidzeme university and students with industry and entrepreneurs, and
• has enabled the development of practical solutions to the challenges offered by industry.
  A complex and multifaceted support mechanism was introduced, which promoted and strengthened mutual cooperation between students, the industry and municipalities, providing the opportunity to engage in two different activities: Innovation Laboratory (solutions for industry) and Business Laboratory (support for new business ideas). The project was implemented in strategic cooperation between Vidzeme University, Valmiera Development Agency and Ventspils University, also involving Vidzeme University Student Board, LIAA Valmiera Business Incubator, Vidzeme University Foundation and industry associations matching the profile of Vidzeme University.

The Creative Start-up program: Entrepreneurial School for People with Hearing Loss was established to enhance social inclusion for individuals with hearing loss in entrepreneurial skills. It aimed to provide practical knowledge in soft entrepreneurial skills, promote lifelong learning, and facilitate integration into the labor market. Key activities included developing a tailored curriculum, conducting creative thinking training, and implementing entrepreneurial ideas. Implemented by Incubator Sežana in 2022 and 2023, it’s the first school in Slovenia and Europe for varying degrees of hearing loss. Participants developed entrepreneurial ideas, learned company establishment, and utilized lean entrepreneurship tools for disabled individuals. Mentorship enabled Slovenian participants to embark on independent entrepreneurial journeys.

The business support programme provides support – funding, advice, information, education, consultancy, expertise – to existing companies, start-ups, and freelancers to encourage innovations, development, export, the creation of new jobs, public and private partnerships, and social entrepreneurship. The gaps in the innovation support ecosystem and the need for more innovations and innovative companies in the region inspired Valmiera Development Agency to develop a business support programme ZILE with the local municipality and other stakeholders. The programme’s support has allowed its participants to develop. Two-thirds of the companies have increased turnover and profit. An increase in turnover means higher taxes paid, which brings more funds for development to the municipal budget. During the six-year period of the programme, 68 new jobs were created, which is an essential contribution for such a small support programme and a small municipality. Within the programme, enterprises have created 37 innovative products services or prototypes.