Montenegro has approved €2.206 million in grants for 16 technology projects under the second phase of its GovTech programme, with total investment expected to reach approximately €2.748 million after including contributions from beneficiaries.
The projects will involve 18 public institutions and address digitalisation needs across healthcare, public procurement, energy, transport, emergency services, tourism and general government administration.
The programme attracted 141 applications, reflecting demand among technology companies, research teams and other innovators for projects involving public-sector services. The approved funding establishes a targeted market for software developers, engineering companies and digital-service providers, with financing assigned to projects addressing operational requirements within public institutions.
Government contracts can provide domestic technology companies with an initial public-sector customer and a reference for solutions that could subsequently be marketed to private businesses or exported to other administrations. The programme also offers an opportunity to develop technology products and intellectual property with potential applications beyond individual public-sector projects.
For public institutions, the projects are intended to support process automation, database integration and reduced manual administration. Their economic impact will depend on whether implementation delivers measurable cost savings or improvements in public services. Integrating the new systems into regular institutional operations will be important for ensuring that the projects extend beyond isolated pilot implementations.
The initiative also supports Montenegro’s EU accession objectives, which involve requirements for interoperable digital systems, improved public data management and stronger administrative capacity. Digital procurement, healthcare information systems, transport management and public-service platforms are among the areas requiring technological development. For Montenegro’s technology sector, the programme provides an opportunity to use publicly supported projects to develop exportable solutions, intellectual property and established project references that could help domestic companies expand into regional markets.
The extent of wider government deployment and the ability to scale successful projects will determine how far the programme contributes to domestic demand for digital services and the development of Montenegro’s digital economy.
