From Idea to Growth: Strengthening Business Models and Supporting SME Development in Montenegro
Podgorica, Montenegro | 6 November 2026
Turning a promising idea into a competitive business requires more than ambition. It involves understanding market needs, developing a clear value proposition, identifying realistic growth opportunities and building a model that can adapt as the company develops.
These were the central themes of the seminar “From Idea to Growth: Building a Competitive and Scalable Business,” organised on 6 November 2026 in Podgorica by the Chamber of Economy of Montenegro, in cooperation with the Western Balkans 6 Chamber Investment Forum (WB6 CIF) and with the support of the European Union.
The training brought together participants for a practical exploration of the challenges and opportunities involved in developing competitive business models and strengthening the growth potential of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Understanding What Makes a Business Scalable
A key focus of the seminar was the distinction between business growth and scalability.
While increased sales can indicate business growth, they do not necessarily mean that a company has developed a scalable model. If higher revenue requires a proportional increase in costs, employees and other resources, maintaining sustainable growth can become challenging.
The training explored how companies can approach this challenge by developing stronger value propositions, validating their ideas against market needs and identifying strategies that allow operations to expand more efficiently.
Participants also examined the role of innovation, internal processes and strategic adaptation in building business models that can respond to changing market conditions.
Exploring Growth Strategies and Financing Opportunities
Another important part of the programme focused on identifying realistic opportunities for business development and understanding the financing options available to support growth.
Discussions covered different sources of financing, including bank loans, public support programmes, EU grants and private investment.
Particular attention was given to the importance of matching financing decisions with a company’s development objectives and growth strategy.
By combining market validation, innovation and financial planning, companies can make more informed decisions about their next steps and the resources needed to pursue them.
Turning Business Ambitions into Practical Actions
The seminar concluded with an interactive workshop entitled “My Business Growth Roadmap.”
During the exercise, participants worked on defining measurable objectives, identifying the main barriers affecting their development and selecting three priority actions for the next stage of their business growth.
This practical component connected the topics discussed during the training with individual development priorities, encouraging participants to translate strategic thinking into concrete steps.
Supporting SME Competitiveness Across the Western Balkans
Developing stronger business models and improving the capacity to adapt to changing markets are important elements of SME competitiveness.
Through training activities and knowledge-sharing initiatives, WB6 CIF supports the development of entrepreneurial skills, encourages innovation and contributes to strengthening the capacities of companies across the Western Balkans.
The seminar in Podgorica was organised under the EU-funded project “EU Support to the Western Balkans 6 Chamber Investment Forum for the Development of a Common Regional Market,” reflecting the importance of supporting companies in building competitive models and identifying opportunities for sustainable growth.
