Regional Cooperation Council says women’s entrepreneurship is central to competitiveness, innovation and Europe’s economic future
SARAJEVO, July 1 (BV) — The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) on Monday announced the Western Balkans Six Women Entrepreneurs of the Year 2026, recognising six business leaders whose companies are driving innovation, sustainability, digital transformation and creative industries across the region.
The awards, presented at a ceremony in Sarajevo ahead of the Berlin Process Gender Equality Forum, highlighted the growing role of women-led businesses in strengthening economic resilience and competitiveness in the Western Balkans.
Selected from around 180 nominations from across the region, the six winners were recognised for building successful enterprises, developing innovative products and services, and contributing to their local economies and communities.
“Women entrepreneurs are not asking for a separate economic universe. They are asking for their fair share: fair access to finance, markets and networks, fair visibility, and fair recognition of the value they already create,” RCC Secretary General Amer Kapetanović said at the ceremony.
“Women’s entrepreneurship is not a side agenda; it is a competitiveness agenda,” he added.
The awards reflect broader efforts by the Western Balkans and the European Union to promote inclusive economic growth and strengthen women’s participation in the region’s green and digital transitions.
The 2026 laureates include:
- from Albania, recognised as the Social Star Woman Entrepreneur for her work through Oz Marketing in helping businesses strengthen their digital visibility and brand identity.
- from Serbia, awarded Artistic Woman Entrepreneur for combining contemporary fashion design, textile innovation and sustainable production through Magbago.
- from Kosovo, recognised as ICT Woman Entrepreneur for developing artificial intelligence and data-driven business solutions through Data4X.
- from Montenegro, awarded Young Woman Entrepreneur for transforming recycled materials into sustainable products through innovative design and 3D printing.
- from North Macedonia, recognised as Green Woman Entrepreneur for promoting workplace safety, environmental protection and sustainable business practices through Premium Safety Solution.
- from Bosnia and Herzegovina, awarded Tourism Woman Entrepreneur for developing technology-driven solutions for digital reservations, automation and smart hospitality management.
The Western Balkans Women Entrepreneurs of the Year initiative was launched in 2022 under the framework of the Common Regional Market Action Plan and forms part of the RCC’s broader agenda to strengthen women’s economic empowerment, regional competitiveness and inclusive growth.
European Union officials attending the event stressed that supporting women-led businesses is increasingly viewed not only as a gender equality issue but also as an economic and strategic priority for the region’s integration into European markets.
The ceremony took place ahead of the Berlin Process Gender Equality Forum, linking recognition of entrepreneurial achievements with wider discussions on women’s participation in economic development, regional cooperation and European integration.
As the Western Balkans seek to accelerate economic convergence with the European Union, policymakers increasingly view women entrepreneurs as key drivers of innovation, job creation and long-term regional resilience.