Sarajevo, September 30, 2025 – The Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), together with UG Nešto Više and partner organizations, hosted the RISE Local Forum in Sarajevo. The gathering brought together institutional representatives, civil society actors, the business community, and young social entrepreneurs to exchange perspectives on how social entrepreneurship can boost youth employment, strengthen local communities, and encourage regional cooperation.
The event combined several formats, including opening remarks, inspiring testimonies from RISE alumni, and an interactive discussion on where is social and youth entrepreneurship now, and a practical workshop aimed at mapping both obstacles and opportunities for youth-led social ventures.
Opening the Forum, Nikola Kandić, Head of RYCO’s Local Branch Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina, underlined the importance of continued investment in youth:
“Today, as we celebrate the RISE journey, let’s remember the power of investing in youth. Let’s continue fostering networks, inspiring innovation, and advocating for policies that support social entrepreneurship. Because every idea supported here, every conversation started today, has the potential to create meaningful change in the Western Balkans.”
Addressing participants, H.E. François Delmas, French Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, highlighted the support to social entrepreneurship which enables young people to contribute to economic development of Bosnia and Herzegovina, promote eco-responsible solutions and strengthen regional cooperation in the Western Balkans.
Sharing the local perspective, Adem Lisičić, Project Manager at UG Nešto Više, spoke about the broader value of working with young entrepreneurs and witnessing their growth, he expressed the need to understand the impact these young people are able to achieve and to create an environment that will bring to that.
Looking back at six years of RISE, Ardita Bonatti, Project Manager, presented the program’s main outcomes:
- 682 young social entrepreneurs supported during the ideation stage.
- 108 teams incubated, of which 72 teams received grants worth €180,000.
- 108 young people supported with €54,000 for regional mobility, enabling exchange and cooperation across the Western Balkans.
- More than 30 trainings, 180 mentoring sessions, and 130 coaching sessions delivered, as well as regional bootcamps held in Sarajevo, Tirana, Bečići, and online in 2025.
The Sarajevo Forum marked the end of one RISE cycle while opening doors for new cooperation. It highlighted social entrepreneurship not only as a tool for economic empowerment, but also as a force for solidarity, innovation, and positive change across the Western Balkans.
