THE GREEN BUSINESS NATIONAL COMPETITION 2025

Open call for applications until 23rd of June!

GREEN BUSINESS COMPETITION AND ITS VALUE PROPOSITION

Green Business Competition aims to stimulate and encourage innovation for green businesses at the local level and explores the role of philanthropy in engaging local communities to generate green business ideas that utilize local resources and revitalize disappearing traditional production chains and community-based markets.

By supporting innovative, local sustainable economic development initiatives, Green Business Competition aims to substantively contribute to building a peaceful, competitive, and prosperous Western Balkans region.

The program is providing financial support and targeted assistance to selected businesses that are offering innovative solutions and contribute to the achievement of the following seven (7) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the region of Western Balkans, namely:

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
• SDG 7: Clean Energy. Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
• SDG 13: Climate Action. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
• SDG 15: Life on Land. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

The Green Business Competition works on the principles of environmental responsibility, ethical conduct, diversity, inclusion, and empowerment, not dependency for the purpose of promoting the well-being of local communities, by boosting entrepreneurship and enabling people to understand and take control of their full potential.

The Green Business Competition in Albania is financially supported by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and Credins Bank.

THE MAIN PURPOSE

The aim of the Green Business Competition is to support business initiatives that promote social inclusion, through integration and employment, and local economic development through environmentally friendly ideas.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Any proposal submitted under this call, should come from businesses that are already operating in the market, in the early stages of development, but existing for no more than 3 years. The fund will support business proposals for a period from six (6) to nine (9) months, with a maximum of funding of no more than 1,000,000 ALL.

It is encouraged to have funds from alternative sources!

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

WHO CAN APPLY?

The competition is open to small business ventures with a maximum annual profit of 2,000,000 ALL in the latest year of operation (2024).

ELIGIBLE APPLICATION CRITERIA FOR BUSINESSES IN PRE – SEED STAGE:

• The business is still in the early stages of development, and it is legally registered in the National Business Center (QKB) no longer than three (3) years from the date of the announcement of this call for applications;
• The business should have an ‘active’ operation status at the moment of the application;
• The business relies primarily upon local resources, including by employing local people and utilizing traditional skills;
• The business has a vision or action plan for environmental sustainability;
• The business has a plan for economic viability and/or incremental growth;
• The business has an innovative approach and valuable social impact;
• The business has assessed the local market and is aware of its competitors and comparative advantages;
• The business is innovative and unique compared to other businesses and initiatives in the community;
• The business is having a focus or contributes to one of the listed SDGs: 2, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13 and 15.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS

THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

The applicant should submit the following:

1. Application Form;
2. Financial Form;
3. Business Model Canvas.

“The “Application Form”, “Financial Form” and the “Business Model Canvas” must be submitted in accordance with the templates made available from the Green Business Competition 2025. No other similar format or template will be accepted as application documents.

Additional documents to be submitted:

In addition to the above listed documents, applicants will also need to submit:

1. A document certifying the legal status of the applicant entity: Registration Certificate at National Business Center (QKB) and the Historical Extract issued by QKB – scanned and in PDF format.
2. Financial statements of the last year (2024), submitted to the Tax Authority and certified by them.
3. CV of the administrator/director of the entity, as well as a description of the implementing team – in PDF format.
4. Judicial Records Certificate (Certificate of Criminal Status) of the administrator/director of the entity, issued within three months from the application date – scanned and in PDF format.
5. Document issued by the Court, testifying that the administrator/director of the entity does not have penal court cases in process, issued within three months from the application date – scanned and in PDF format.
6. Document issued by the Prosecution certifying that the administrator/director of the entity is not prosecuted by the prosecution, issued within three months from the application date – scanned and in PDF format.
7. Certificate of tax payment obligations (No Debt), issued within three months from the application date – in PDF format.
8. Certificate of local tax payment obligations (No Debt), issued within three months from the application date – in PDF format.

LANGUAGE

The applications should be submitted in the Albanian language.

INFORMATION 

To assist all interested applicants, Partners Albania organized orientation information sessions regarding the procedures and the application process. Follow the registration of the online information session at Partners Albania Youtube channel in this link.

Every question regarding the Green Business Competition 2025 should be sent in the following email address: info@duapartnerinvest.com or please refer to the previous Q&A in this link. 

The new deadline to submit the applications for the Green Business Competition 2025 is June 23^rd 2025, at 16:00!

HOW TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION?

Applications can only be submitted after registering at the Dua Partner Invest platform, by following the necessary steps. If you have not been registered before, you need to go to the “Entrepreneur” menu, the “Process” submenu to see the necessary registration steps on the platform.

Step 1:

• For this call, you will register as an ‘Entrepreneur – Registered Start-up’.

Step 2: 

• Complete all the questionnaire fields. In the ‘Business Idea Name’ and ‘Business Idea Description’ put the idea you are applying to Green Business Competition call.
• After you send it, you will receive a pop-up asking you to verify your email. Verify the email you entered in the questionnaire.
• Using the password and email you entered in the registration questionnaire, log in to the platform and fill in the “About me” field in your profile with no more than 300 characters. You will then have to wait for the platform administrator to approve your profile.
• Once the administrator approves your profile you will receive an email informing you of this. Please log in the platform with the email and password provided so you may also receive messages from the administrator if guidance is needed.

Step 3:

• Once approved, you will find a “Funding Opportunity” menu on the dashboard. After clicking this menu, you will find “Green Business Competition 2025”.
• You will click on the “open” button in the “Green Business Competition 2025” scheme. There you will be introduced to general information about the scheme.
• Then you will click the “Apply” button where you will find 3 document templates: 1. Application Form; 2. Financial Form; 3. Canvas Business Model.
• You can fill in the online application form and after downloading the 3 documents, you will work according to the respective template and when you are ready you will upload them. You will also upload the necessary requested documents, as required in the “Additional documents to be submitted” section of this call.
• Then you will click the “Send” button.
• ATTENTION! You can save your application at any time, and press “Send” only after being completely sure that you have uploaded all the necessary documentation!

Step 4: 

• After the deadline, you will receive an automatic email regarding your application status. Log in to the platform from time to time after the application submission deadline to see the status of your application. Whether you will be selected from the first phase or not, you will receive a message within the platform in both cases.
• Even if you are not selected from the first phase, your idea will remain on the platform to benefit from the advantages offered by the platform.
• In case you are selected (short-listed) from the first stage, you will receive communications from Partners Albania within the Dua Partner Invest platform as well as by email for the preparation for the national competition where you will present in front of a jury.
• If you face any problems with the registration or application process, please contact us in the email: info@duapartnerinvest.com.

THE SELECTION PROCESS               

The selection process will be conducted by a jury of experts, from the economic, environmental, business and academic fields.

The evaluation process will be conducted in three phases:

• The first phase will consist in the selection of business proposals that fulfill the basic application criteria along compliance with the required documentation. The shortlisting of the candidates from the first phase will be conducted by Partners Albania.
• The second phase will consist in an open competition of the shortlisted candidates from the first phase. Six business proposals will be awarded through a selection made by an independent Jury of experts.
• The third phase will consist in an onsite verification process and budget negotiation, if deemed necessary.

Being awarded winner from the national competition, does not constitute an obligation for financing on behalf of Partners Albania. The grant allocation will be conditioned by the successful completion of all the phases of the process.

Competing in the regional level:

Three business proposals awarded at the national level, will compete in the regional “Balkan Green Ideas” competition, for additional funds.

GRANTING

The disbursement of the grant will be made through reimbursement, after presenting all the necessary invoices for the expenses and justification documentation, in accordance with the approved budget and based on the Grant Agreement and the specific timeframes set out in the agreement.