Young people from San Marino and university students between the ages of 18 and 28 can participate.
In May 2026, for the fourth consecutive year, San Marino will participate with its own business idea in the POPRI Youth Project, an international contest dedicated to youth projects: the business plan to be presented will be a previously selected through a competition open to citizens of San Marino and enrolled at the University of the Republic of San Marino aged between 18 and 28.
Following the presentations held since 2023 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Greece, where the best ideas developed in the blue and white territory over the years were showcased, the project selected for the next edition of the contest will be directed to North Macedonia, chosen to host the 2026 edition of an initiative included in the framework of the European Union Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region (EUSAIR).
The call for proposals to identify the idea that will represent San Marino, part of a competition organized by the University in collaboration with San Marino Innovation, opened on Friday, December 19th and will close on March 1st. By that date, the authors of the submitted projects, either individually or in groups, must submit a business plan outlining the economic, commercial, and social feasibility of the entrepreneurial idea. It must include, among other things, a business plan, an environmental impact analysis, marketing initiatives, organizational structure, market research, and a description of the product or service offered.
The projects will undergo two phases: an initial screening will select those with the greatest potential, which will then advance to the final round scheduled for March 27, 2026, after which the winner will be announced. A prize pool of €4.000 will be distributed among the top three. The winner will also have the opportunity to present their idea at the POPRI Youth Project, a framework that connects young people with international entrepreneurial opportunities.
The focus, on the San Marino side, will be on promoting and developing local entrepreneurship and a culture of innovation through a mechanism created to foster the creation of new businesses in the region. The jury will include representatives of San Marino Innovation, the Department of Education and Culture, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Territory, the Secretariat of State for Labour, and the University of San Marino. The key aspects taken into consideration include accuracy, clarity, originality, degree of innovation, impact on the region, and industrial feasibility.