Tivat, Porto Montenegro, 24 April 2026 – As part of the Adria Future Summit, a leading regional platform for innovation and sustainable development, the Adria Future Hackathon 2026 was successfully concluded today in Tivat. This unique 24-hour innovation challenge, focused on the theme “Artificial Intelligence and Sustainability” (AI x Sustainability), brought together the most promising young innovators from across the Western Balkans. Out of more than 30 registered teams from the region, the 10 most successful were selected to participate in the final competition held in Kotor and Tivat. Participants worked on developing prototype solutions that integrate artificial intelligence to address concrete environmental and social challenges.
The event was organised by AI Nation and the Adria Future Foundation, in collaboration with Reputeo and Sustineri Partners, with the support of the World Bank. The prize fund for the best innovative ideas was provided by MTEL, which is also a platinum partner of the Adria Future Summit. The expert jury, faced with the challenging task of selecting the best solutions among many innovative ideas, consisted of distinguished professionals in the fields of technology, investment, and innovation: Ravik Mima (Keiretsu Forum), Bojana Maraš (MTEL Digital Factory), Žan Dapčević (IBEX Fund), and Davor Sakač (TS Ventures Fund).
Following an intensive period of work and presentations, the jury announced the winners. First prize was awarded to Team “Nara” (Igor Đurić and Nikola Nestorović), second place went to Team “Firefly” (Luka Lučić and Damjan Karadžić), and third place to Team “BauSignal” (Amela Murić and Elda Kalač). A special recognition was also presented to Team “Horalix”, consisting of Kerim Šabić, Affan Kapidžić, and Neuman Alkhalil.
“Nara” is developing a platform for financial forecasting in the fruit and vegetable sector, using data such as weather forecasts, market prices, and seasonal patterns to generate reliable estimates of income and costs. “Firefly” utilises autonomous drones and computer vision for the early detection of forest fires, enabling faster response times and reduced damage. “BauSignal” is developing an intelligent system for managing urban traffic, optimising flows in real time, particularly in areas affected by infrastructure works.
Bojana Maraš, Head of MTEL Digital Factory and jury member, expressed her satisfaction with the quality of the solutions presented: “Everything was truly excellent. The energy, dedication, and innovation these young people demonstrated over the past 24 hours have been inspiring. MTEL Digital Factory is always proud to support initiatives like this, as we believe that investing in young talent and technology is crucial for the future development of our region.”
Neda Trifunović, Chief Operating Officer of Reputeo, highlighted the importance of such gatherings: “We are delighted by the response and the quality of ideas that young innovators brought to the Adria Future Hackathon. Our goal was to create a platform where technical talent meets sustainability, and the results we saw today prove that the Western Balkans has enormous potential for developing practical AI solutions.”
Ivan Kadić, CEO and co-founder of Reputeo and founder of the AI Nation initiative, added: “This hackathon demonstrates that we no longer need to export only talent—we can export solutions. AI Nation is committed to building an ecosystem of applied artificial intelligence, and the solutions these teams developed in just 24 hours show that we are on the right path to becoming a region that creates innovation, rather than merely consuming it.”
Nedim Jahić, Adviser for Strategic Initiatives at Sustineri Partners, the organisation behind the Adria Future Summit, concluded: “We are proud that the Adria Future Hackathon has become an integral part of our summit. Connecting young innovators with business leaders, investors, and decision-makers is essential for sustainable development and the green transition of our economies.”
The Adria Future Hackathon 2026 has reaffirmed the Western Balkans’ position as an emerging hub for technological innovation and laid strong foundations for future initiatives that bring together artificial intelligence and sustainability.
