Ten young teams from Serbia are actively working on developing their ideas within the Regional Incubator for Social Entrepreneurs (RISE), aiming to create social change and acquire key skills for launching social enterprises. With expert mentorship support, these teams are diligently working on innovative solutions that address various social and environmental challenges, with a desire to contribute to the development of their local communities.
Meet the young and inspiring teams dedicated to creating positive change in their communities:
Anti Productivity Club challenges the “hustle culture” by redefining success through balance, personal satisfaction, and mental health. Through thoughtfully designed products, immersive events, and a supportive community, their mission is to help people step away from the constant rush and embrace a more meaningful and authentic way of life. Anti Productivity Club focuses on challenges faced by young people and students, such as burnout, anxiety, feelings of being lost, and overload. Their community provides support, helping young individuals redefine success and find balance in daily life.
Career Launch aims to empower young people at the beginning of their careers through its platform. They connect young individuals with experienced career counsellors and HR professionals who assist with CV and LinkedIn profile enhancement, as well as launching a meaningful career. Through personalized career counselling, mentoring, and tailored resources, they aim to help young people bridge the gap between education and the labor market, equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge for successful professional development. The team behind Career Launch combines expertise in human resources, marketing, and technology. Their goal is to address youth employability challenges and empower the next generation of professionals.
CommUnity believes in the power of community and is working on a platform that will help employees find volunteering opportunities while enabling companies to become socially responsible and engaged in activities that contribute to positive change. Aware that many want to contribute but are unsure how or where, the CommUnity team is creating a space where everyone can become part of the solution. Through their vision, they aim to build stronger and more connected communities, encouraging actions that bring a sense of collective success.
DigiLand STEM has a special mission – to create an online community that gives every child equal access to quality education. Their program combines learning English and digital skills through a STEM approach – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, including programming and robotics. They focus especially on children from rural and less developed areas, providing them with the opportunity to gain the knowledge, confidence, and skills needed for the modern world. DigiLand STEM offers not just an educational space, but also inspiration to develop curiosity and a research spirit. With the support of mentors, they believe they can turn their idea into a sustainable project that brings real change and empowers new generations.
EcoKompost has decided to address the serious problem of waste management in urban areas, where large amounts of organic waste often end up in landfills, contributing to pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Their solution is the production of high-quality compost through the recycling of bio-waste! By using available resources, such as used coffee from cafes and grass clippings from parks, they not only reduce their ecological footprint but also provide a natural solution for improving soil quality. EcoKompost’s ideas will be beneficial to local farmers, gardeners, and communities pursuing sustainable practices, contributing to a healthier ecosystem and strengthening the local economy.
Fokus Pokus is dedicated to the future of children. Their mission is to help young children develop focus skills, which leads to more successful learning – both in school and later in life. Fokus Pokus is made up of young professionals from the fields of pedagogy, special education, and management, with experience working with children. Their business model is based on an educational platform offering materials, programs, advisory services, and an app with games, aimed at improving focus in every child. They also organize workshops for children and programs for parents through webinars and seminars. Their vision is a society that listens, and through innovative methods, they encourage children to actively listen and improve their concentration.
Potraži me, osnaži se! is focused on creating an informal support system that helps young people in the early stages of their careers develop soft skills and better navigate workplace challenges. Their mission goes beyond employed youth – they also pay special attention to those in the NEET category (youth not in education, employment, or training), providing them with support to enter the labor market and improve their professional prospects. Through years of experience with youth, the “Potraži me, osnaži se!” team has recognized that many lack key skills to navigate the workplace, and they have decided to be that much-needed support for young people.
SpajaLica creates a positive social impact by combining tradition, art, physical activity, and education! Their goal is to bring together experts from art, music, sports, pedagogy, special education, and humanitarian work to provide humanitarian assistance, raise funds for those in need, and foster the development of social awareness about the importance of humanitarian work. They are particularly dedicated to marginalized groups, organizing tailored activities for young people, people with disabilities, and those in the rehabilitation process. In addition, they plan music workshops, humanitarian concerts, promotions, and the publication of books and artworks by talented individuals from these communities. SpajaLica proves that art, tradition, and humanity go hand in hand!
ViVod is developing an innovative app designed as a virtual tourist guide. The main part of the app is an interactive map of tourist routes, which uses GPS location to offer audio and textual information about significant places the user is visiting. The map will also feature local businesses, entrepreneurs, products, and precise routes to them, aiming to significantly increase the visibility of the local economy. As a comprehensive platform for tourists, their app will make it easier for tourists to explore and communicate, allowing them to book accommodation, a restaurant table, schedule a haircut, find local producers of homemade food, and more. The ViVod team wants every tourist to have a virtual guide in their pocket, ready to provide a complete experience of local destinations.
Workland has the idea of creating a platform to connect people across the region with potential freelance or external collaborator jobs. Inspired by similar global platforms, their goal is to empower people to find additional or primary income through this platform. The Workland team aims to connect people across the region, strengthen their collegiality, and encourage them to trust their skills and online work opportunities. Their goal is to enable passive and additional income and contribute collectively to the transition of regional businesses into the digital phase.
These innovative teams became part of the RISE program after applying to the competition announced last fall, which received over 40 applications. During the “ideation phase,” these teams developed their ideas from scratch to concrete business models. Along the way, they received support from experts and mentors who guided them through the key steps in launching a social enterprise.
The young entrepreneurs are currently perfecting their presentations in preparation for the upcoming Demo Day, where they will have the opportunity to present their business ideas to an expert jury. The two most innovative teams will receive financial and practical support that will enable them to realize their projects during the “incubation phase” and contribute to creating a better and more sustainable region.
RISE – the Regional Incubator for Social Entrepreneurs is a support program for young social entrepreneurs, implemented in Serbia by the organization Smart Kolektiv since 2019. This is the fifth cycle of the free support program for the development of social entrepreneurship ideas. The RISE project is supported by the Agence Française de Développement, European Union (EU), Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), Franco-German Youth Office (OFAJ), PULSE (Groupe SOS). The RISE activities are implemented by six organizations from the Western Balkans: ARNO, Balkan Green Foundation, Nešto Više, Smart Kolektiv, IEC Tehnopolis, and Yunus Social Business Balkans.
