You are young, energized, with a team and an idea to positively impact your community?
A rise is a group of 11 partners from the Western Balkans, Germany and France, looking for young change-makers from the region, like yourself, to help them develop social businesses for better societies.
They strongly believe that social entrepreneurship can be a great bridge between young people, but also societies and that it can bring amazing opportunities for growth and development.
This is why they have formed a network of 6 local incubators which will be a valuable support to all of the great ideas emerging in the Western Balkans.
They have dedicated the next two years to the development of social enterprises, a regional community of change-makers, raising awareness of this important topic, and fortifying already existing initiatives. Why? For a great reason, to bring the young people of the region closer together in building a prosperous and stable region, because we know that you can do it.
Eligibility
They will support a new generation of regional changemakers to RISE up and help solve problems in their local communities. This is why they developed their supporting program, the RISE Journey, which consists of two phases: Ideation and Incubation Chapter.
For the first phase, Ideation Chapter, 36 RISE Ventures from the region are going to be selected for a 4-month-long ideation process (6 from each – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia). The Ideation Chapter will help you build your ideas from scratch to a solid project, while being supported by experts and mentors, covering all of the important subjects in social entrepreneurship.
After building up your idea, you will have an opportunity to pitch your idea on the Demo day and get a chance to be financially and practically supported to implement your ideas towards a positive impact on the community. In total, 12 teams will be selected, two per Local Incubator.
The selected Ventures will continue the RISE Journey with the Incubation Chapter. This phase is dedicated to:
Testing and validating your social business model through a tailor-made support program and a business development grant
Regional mobility opportunities, such as RISE Bootcamp and RISE Expeditions to visit your peers, role-model businesses, and trainers/mentors/experts across the Western Balkans region and get more inspiration, knowledge, know-how, and connections
The Journey comes to an end with a Final RISE regional event, attended by all of the stakeholders of the project to recognize and celebrate our achievements!
To summarize, RISE Journey consists of:
– The Ideation Chapter – lasting for 4 months
– Tailor-made program to help you develop your idea
– Demo day – pitch presentation in front of a Jury
The Incubation Chapter – lasting for 4 months
– Testing and validating your idea supported with a business development grant
– Regional mobility opportunities
– Final event
As program organizers, they will adapt the program timeline and modules of implementation in accordance with COVID-19 situation development.
*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.
Who can apply:
Young people from 18 to 35 years old from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, speaking English well enough to actively participate in an international program, in a group of a minimum of 2 persons that have:
Availability to participate in a program with 4 hours of active participation per week and meetups during 4 months ideation phase, whether these are in an online or offline format.
– High motivation to learn about social entrepreneurship and to be involved in a regional intercultural program
– The ambition to develop a concrete idea with social impact
– The willingness to learn from other actors in the region
– At least, have identified a social/environmental issue they want to tackle
– At most, worked on their idea on a small scale / at a personal level, without having engaged in a real business activity yet.
– The idea impact is regional or local
Benefits
Here’s your chance! Join RISE Journey and get:
- Tailor-made program to help you develop your idea
- Support from passionate trainers and mentors
- Access to regional changemakers community
- Mobility in the Western Balkan region!
Also, read about Startup Terminology You Need to Know!
Application process
Contact info
| Theme | : Changemakers Program |
| Applicant Country | : WorldWide |
| For more information | : RISE |
