Call for Green Entrepreneurs: “Green Ideas 2025” now open

ARNO has opened the call for the 11th edition of the national competition “Green Ideas”, which will run until August 27, 2025. Once again this year, everyone with an innovative idea or an existing green business is invited to apply and compete for support for their green idea. Each year, three representatives from each country compete at the regional level for financial support of $10,000 or $5,000. Applications are submitted by filling out the online form available at www.zeleniidei.mk. For all interested applicants, ARNO will organize an information workshop on July 29, aimed at clarifying the process and providing additional support for applying.

The competition in Macedonia, for the 11th consecutive year, is organized by ARNO, with the support of MKA2000 (value vouchers for consulting services from certified consultants), Macedonia 2025 (free registration on Connect2MK and mentoring services), and the Chamber of Commerce of Northwest Macedonia (two years of free membership). To the three national winners, ARNO will award a voucher for six months of ChatGPT Plus access.

In the past ten years, $100,000 have been invested in Macedonian green businesses through regional awards. The competition supports ideas that have the potential to bring environmental and social value, as well as economic sustainability. Ideas can vary: agri-businesses with local food, production of pesto from Macedonian basil, birdwatching tours, eco-offers for tourists, digital solutions (e.g., for ride-sharing), innovations with eco-products, or solutions that turn waste into useful products. Last year, a Macedonian invention—a mobile stove for outdoor cooking—won a regional award.

The competition is open to all citizens who, through their idea or existing business, want to contribute to a sustainable future and local development. People from rural areas, youth, women, and everyone working on initiatives connecting the green economy with social entrepreneurship are especially encouraged to apply.

“In times when the world is facing a climate crisis, energy insecurity, economic instability, and wars, green ideas are not a luxury, but a necessity. We are aware that it’s summer, but the temperatures and climate changes should remind us there’s no time to relax. It’s time to work, to love our country—not with words, but with actions. Submit your application. Macedonia needs green solutions, both big and small. Now—more than ever.” – Irina Janevska from ARNO

ARNO has been administering the national “Green Ideas” competition since 2015, and proudly highlights that so far, the country has regional winners and a total investment of $100,000 for the development of green businesses in the country. The first cooperative of organic consumers, “Nasha Dobra Zemja” (2015), marked the beginning of this journey. Then followed the old furniture repair initiative, which grew into a small business led by architect Marta Mojsova – “SPIN” (2016). The next success story was the low-cost meals platform “Hrana za Site” (2017), along with “Green Magic Production” (2017), which provided environmental education through illusionist eco-messages.

In 2019, the competition supported “Bio Smart Rice”, a project focused on sustainable rice production, and “Challenger”, a mobile app that rewards citizens for walking. The year 2020 brought “Wise Additive”, a green business producing food additives from processed pomace. In 2021, the youth social enterprise “O-Krug” emerged, producing air fresheners and oils from waste orange peels. The following year, “We Dog Food” (2022) piloted an “Insect Room” for producing protein for animal feed. In 2023, Mirjana Josofoska launched a fashion brand that uses textile scraps to produce hats and accessories, while in 2024, Trajce Rusev presented his innovation – a portable stove for outdoor cooking.

Each winner receives support of $10,000 or $5,000 (depending on their competition category) to implement their green business idea, with ARNO participating in the monitoring and evaluation of the process, as well as providing additional networking opportunities with other supporters.