These outstanding initiatives will now go forward to compete for the European title at the SME Assembly in Copenhagen later this year.

Organised annually by the European Commission as part of European SME Week, the EEPA celebrates projects that strengthen entrepreneurship, resilience, and competitiveness. With categories spanning impact, inclusiveness, and sustainability, the awards spotlight innovative approaches shaping the future of Europe's business landscape.

The six category winners from each participating country represent the very best in entrepreneurial spirit, and set the stage for an exciting countdown to the European finals in November.

Category 1 'Improving the Business Environment and Promoting the Entrepreneurial Spirit' recognises initiatives that cultivate a strong entrepreneurial mindset, particularly among young people and women and improve the overall business environment through education, mentoring, and ecosystem-building.

Austria - Meister Alumni Club, Wirtschaftskammer Österreich, Bundessparte Gewerbe und Handwerk (Austrian Economic Chamber, Division Crafts and Trades)

Bulgaria - NATIONAL MENTOR PROGRAMME FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS MENTORS.BG, FOUNDATION "FOR GOOD PRACTICES IN BUSINESS"

Croatia - INVEST IN ZAGORJE- An Ecosystem for a New Generation of Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurial Centre of Krapina Zagorje County

Czech Republic - Legal Electronic System, Czech Chamber of Commerce

Denmark - The Danish Foundation for Entrepreneurship, Danish Industry (DI)

Estonia - kood/Jõhvi, MTÜ Tuleviku Tehnoloogiaharidus

Finland - Campus Incubators programme, City of Helsinki

Greece - Green and Digital Business Transformation in Preveza, Chamber of Preveza

Hungary - Shopping Street Management, BUM Nonprofit Ltd.

Latvia - School Goes into Life - Life Will Enter the School, Entrepreneurs of Mārupe

Lithuania - U(In)Power - entrepreneurship training program for displaced Ukrainian Women, Ukreate Hub of Open Lithuania Foundation

Malta - Supporting Enterprises to Unlock their Potential through EU funds, Servizzi Ewropej f'Malta

The Netherlands - Startup in Residence Intergov

Romania - Laser Valley Innovation Bootcamp, Magurele Science Park Association

Spain - EKINN+: San Sebastian Innovative Businesses Acceleration Program, Formento San Sebastian

The second category, 'Investing in Entrepreneurial Skills', honours initiatives that improve entrepreneurial, managerial, and employee skills, recognising the essential role of lifelong learning in boosting innovation and competitiveness across sectors and regions.

Bulgaria - Best Youth Startup in Bulgaria (BYS in BG), Fund Manager of Financial Instruments in Bulgaria (Fund of Funds)

Croatia - Secondary School Zabok CUT - TalentHub: Transforming skills into enterprise, Srednja škola Zabok / Secondary School Zabok

Czech Republic - The Academy for Small Businesses in the Beskydy mountains, Progresko

Estonia - Innovation Hub KOBAR, Pärnumaa Arenduskeskus

France - Young and bold, Région Hauts-de-France

Ireland - ACORNS, Accelerating the Creation Of Rural Nascent Start-ups, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and Fitzsimons Consulting

Luxembourg - BLOOM & Start-up Aid Scheme: Empowering First-Time Entrepreneurs in Luxembourg, House of Entrepreneurship- Chambre de Commerce de Luxembourg

Montenegro - Montenegro Business Challenge, Student Business Center

Poland - Entrepreneurial Youth - Unleash Your Potential!, Startup Academy

Serbia - Promotion and preservation of arts and crafts, homecrafts and handcrafts, The City of Zrenjanin

Digital transformation is key to Europe's competitiveness and innovation. This category recognises initiatives that support SMEs in adopting and integrating digital technologies, from smart services to platforms that simplify access and connectivity.

Ireland - Advancing Innovation in Manufacturing (AIM) Centre, Sligo Leitrim ITS Regional Development Project DAC (Trading as AIM Centre)

Romania - CLUJ COUNTY - SMART TERRITORY - One Stop Shop for the region, Cluj County Council

Serbia - Single window for public services - creating better business environment, Public Policy Secretariat

Sweden - Promoting digital transformation in SMEs in rural areas, The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth

Türkiye - Smart SME, Türkiye Odalar ve Borsalar Birligi (TOBB)

Scaling across borders is a major step for many SMEs. This category rewards innovative approaches that help businesses grow internationally and leverage the full potential of the EU Single Market.

Germany - Gründungswerft - Die größte Startup-Community in Norddeutschland, Gründungswerft e.V. ("Founders Shipyard")

Malta - inMALTA,Tech.mt Foundation

Slovakia - International Innovation Festival 2025, INOVIA- Innovation Centre (in Žilina region of Slovakia)

Slovenia - POPRI -Entrepreneurs of the future, Primorski tehnološki park d.o.o.

Ukraine - Collaborate for Impact, Silab Ukraine

From circular economy initiatives to clean energy, this category spotlights projects that are helping enterprises reduce their environmental impact and contribute to Europe's green transformation.

Belgium - Ecosysteem voor duurzame chemie, Stad Antwerpen

Italy - SUSTAINability, UNIONCAMERE

Latvia - Circular Makerspaces for sustainable business support, Valmiera Development Agency (VDA)

Slovenia - IRDO CERTIFICATION SCHEME AND TRAININGS FOR THE GREEN TRANSITION (IRDO CERTIFIKACIJSKA SHEMA IN USPOSABLJANJA ZA ZELENI PREHOD), IRDO - INSTITUTE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (IRDO - Inštitut za razvoj družbene odgovornosti)

Spain - IMFOREST: Natural Apiculture, COSE

Türkiye - ALKU Campus Solar Power Plant and Integrated Sustainability Actions, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University (ALKU)

The sixth category, titled 'Responsible and Inclusive Entrepreneurship' celebrates efforts to make entrepreneurship more inclusive and accessible, from supporting women, migrants, and people with disabilities to promoting social innovation and fair work.

Austria - More Than One Perspective (MTOP), wirkt. social innovation GmbH (gemeinnützig)

Belgium - #SheMeansBusiness, #SheDidIt

Denmark - Styrk dine styrker, Danske Iværksættere

Finland - Spark, The Startup Shortcut Oy

France - "Make it legit" : supporting the formalisation of informal entrepreneurship, Adie - the association for the right to economic initiative

Germany - The Migrant Accelerator, Hochschule der Medien

Greece - WEHub - Female Empowerment Hub, SEGE - Greek Association of Women Entrepreneurs

Hungary - WILL Foundation for Women Leaders

Italy - Project Futurae, UNIONCAMERE

Lithuania - Design Wings, The Lithuanian Council for Culture

The Netherlands - Hervorming Betalingsregeling MKB INFRA©, door en voor ondernemers- Payment solutions for SME, MKB INFRA

Poland - Rehabilitacja przez zatrudnienie - integracja społeczna i zawodowa osób z niepełnosprawnościami poprzez pracę, Vocational Activity Establishment in Goleniów (Zakład Aktywności Zawodowej w Goleniowie)

Slovakia - Noove

Ukraine - Veteran Business Initiative, Association of Entrepreneurs of ATO Veterans