Prime Highlight :
- STP has partnered with the Competitiveness Council and BI Communication to boost women’s entrepreneurship and innovation.
- The collaboration provides mentoring, development programs, and structured support for women-led businesses.
Key Facts :
- The partnership applies women’s entrepreneurship criteria in STP’s incubation, acceleration, and mentoring programs under MEST IWA 34:2021.
- It is part of the Women’s Business Trademark project, helping women-led companies access financing and business development tools.
Background :
The Science and Technology Park (STP) has signed a cooperation agreement with the Secretariat of the Competitiveness Council and BI Communication to strengthen support for women’s entrepreneurship, innovation, and gender equality in Montenegro.
The agreement forms part of the Women’s Business Trademark project, an initiative designed to identify and support companies owned and managed by women. The project provides a clear and trusted framework that helps women-led businesses gain easier access to support programmes, financing options, and business development tools.
Under the partnership, STP will include criteria for women’s entrepreneurship in its incubation, acceleration, mentoring, and other development programmes. These criteria are based on the international standard MEST IWA 34:2021, which serves as the foundation for awarding the Women’s Business Trademark. STP said this approach will help ensure fair and transparent support for women entrepreneurs within the country’s innovation ecosystem.
STP Executive Director Valentina Radulovic said the agreement represents an important step toward building a more inclusive and balanced business environment. She added that supporting women entrepreneurs is essential for long-term economic growth and innovation.
Marija Sukovic from the Secretariat of the Competitiveness Council stressed the value of working closely with STP. She said the partnership strengthens institutional backing for women-led companies and helps align national competitiveness goals with gender equality efforts.
Ljiljana Burzan-Nikolic, Founder and Executive Director of BI Communication, said the Women’s Business Trademark was created to address the need for a structured and long-term approach to supporting women in business.
The agreement also includes joint promotional and educational activities, the exchange of knowledge and best practices, and STP’s active participation in events focused on women’s entrepreneurship.
