Impact Pioneers ‘26 EUROPE is a leadership programme and collaboration accelerator designed for entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem leaders from Eastern Europe, the Baltics, and Sweden. Organized by the Swedish Institute, the program provides a platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and gaining firsthand insights into Sweden’s innovation ecosystem. It aims to connect impact-driven leaders to explore partnership opportunities and find new ways to accelerate the green transition, focusing on building ecosystems that help entrepreneurs and innovators shape resilient futures.
Program Overview
• Program Theme: Entrepreneurship and Innovation for Resilient Futures.
• Thematic Sub-themes: Renewable Energy, Buildings and Urban Infrastructure, Waste and Circularity.
• Duration: A 10-week program running from June to October 2026.
• Format: A hybrid model combining weekly online sessions with a one-week immersive on-site visit to Stockholm, Sweden.
• Objective: To strengthen capacity among leaders and enablers who support entrepreneurship and innovation, fostering local development and regional collective impact through cross-border networking and collaboration.
Key Benefits for Participants
• Grow leadership skills through the exchange of knowledge and experience.
• Expand your international network with peers from across Eastern Europe, the Baltics, and Sweden.
• Connect with the Swedish innovation and startup ecosystem, learning directly from organizations enabling the green transition.
• Cultivate local and regional change and explore new partnerships to strengthen support structures for entrepreneurship and innovation.
Program Structure and Timeline
• Total Time Commitment: Approximately 100 hours over 10 weeks.
• Online Sessions: Two-hour sessions held on Tuesdays from 10:00–12:00 CEST on June 9, June 16, August 25, September 1, September 8, September 15, and September 22.
• On-site Module in Sweden: A full-time, on-site visit to Stockholm from September 27 to October 3, 2026. This interactive week includes workshops and field visits to leading innovation hubs.
• Final Online Session: October 13, 2026.
• Closing Phase: A final activity and individual assignment from October 4 to October 30, 2026, focusing on sharing learnings and developing future partnerships.
• Certification: A Certificate of Completion is granted upon successful completion of the program.
Eligibility Criteria
• Eligible Countries: Applicants must be citizens and residents of Ukraine*, Moldova, Georgia**, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, or Sweden.
• Professional Role: Applicants must be entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem leaders and enablers working in private or public sectors, academia, or civil society.
• Thematic Focus: Applicants should be working within, or developing collaborations linked to, the green transition, with priority sectors being Renewable Energy, Buildings and Urban Infrastructure, and Waste and Circularity.
• Applicant Requirements: Must hold a position with a mandate to develop international partnerships, have a strong working knowledge of English, and be at least 23 years old (born in 2003 or earlier).
• Organizational Requirements: The applicant's organization must be a locally owned entity in a program country, a Swedish company represented in a program country, or a company collaborating with a Swedish company.
• *Note for Ukraine: Ukrainian citizens are exempt from the residency requirement.
• **Note for Georgia: Public sector employees in Georgia are not eligible to apply.
Included Costs
The program is fully funded by the Swedish Institute, covering:
• Participation in all online and on-site program components.
• Return travel to and from Stockholm for the on-site week.
• Travel insurance during the on-site module.
• Pre-arranged accommodation in Sweden.
• Meals provided as part of the on-site program schedule.
Application Process
• Application Period: The open call for applications runs from March 26 to April 28, 2026.
• Submission: Applications must be submitted in English through the official application portal and must be complete to be considered.
• Application Components: The application includes questions to assess formal requirements and motivation, a 60-120 second video submission, and an upload of the applicant's most recent resume/CV.
• Admission Notification: Selected applicants will receive an acceptance letter no later than May 29, 2026.
Selection Criteria
Applications are evaluated based on the following criteria:
• Formal Requirements: Ensuring all eligibility requirements are met.
• Candidate Profile: The applicant's qualifications, experience, and ambition fit with the program's objectives.
• Organization Profile: The relevance, qualifications, and ambition of the applicant's organization in relation to the program's goals.
• Cohort Composition: The final selection considers the overall mix of participants, ensuring a distribution across countries, organizational profiles, and gender.
For those interested in learning more about the program, eligibility criteria, and the application process, detailed information is made available through an official information webinar and a downloadable program brochure. Prospective applicants are encouraged to consult these resources for a comprehensive overview before submitting their application.