Jahorina, Bosnia and Herzegovina – At the FINNO 2026 Regional Conference, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Western Balkans, with a strong focus on bridging gaps in finance, skills, and digital readiness.
Bringing together business support organizations, financial institutions, and industry stakeholders under the umbrella of the Enterprise Europe Network, the conference provided a platform to address key barriers limiting SME growth and innovation across the region.
A central highlight of UNIDO’s participation was the role of the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Centre (SMIC), a regional hub supporting SMEs in adopting advanced manufacturing technologies and Industry 4.0 solutions. Hosted at the University of Novi Sad and supported by international partners, SMIC works to strengthen investment readiness, enable technology adoption, and foster cross-border industrial collaboration.
At FINNO 2026, UNIDO announced that the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Centre will serve as the Western Balkans regional chapter of the AIM Global Alliance on AI for Industry and Manufacturing. In this role, SMIC will act as a key platform for translating global AI expertise into practical solutions for regional industries, supporting SMEs in accessing finance, scaling innovation, and integrating into global value chains.
Jason Slater, Chief AI, Innovation and Digitalization Officer at UNIDO, underscored the urgency of addressing structural gaps that limit SME growth:
“Developing countries and emerging economies face a $4 trillion annual financing gap for sustainable development, while global investment in artificial intelligence is projected to reach $2 trillion this year.”
He further highlighted the importance of connecting technological advancement with inclusive industrial development, particularly in regions where SMEs face both financing constraints and low levels of digital adoption.
Speaking during the panel discussion “Innovation & Growth Finance: From Idea to Scale,” Aleksei Savrasov highlighted the systemic barriers preventing innovation from reaching scale:
“Innovation does not fail because of a lack of ideas, it fails because we have not built a reliable bridge between validation and capital. From idea to scale is an ecosystem challenge. When companies can test in real industrial environments, generate measurable performance data, and enter markets with policy-backed support, growth finance becomes a decision based on proof not promise.”
Through initiatives such as the AIM Global Alliance on AI for Industry and Manufacturing and its regional implementation via SMIC, UNIDO is working with partners to transform these challenges into opportunities by strengthening ecosystems that connect businesses with finance, technology providers, and innovation networks.
Looking ahead, SMIC will play a critical role in accelerating the transformation of SMEs into digitally enabled, sustainable, and human-centric enterprises. This includes training and certifying advisors, supporting tailored digital transformation roadmaps, and connecting companies with international partners across UNIDO’s global network.
UNIDO called on governments, financial institutions, and private sector stakeholders in the Western Balkans to scale up investment in innovation, strengthen skills development, and deepen regional collaboration ensuring that SMEs can innovate, compete, and thrive in the digital economy.
Interested in learning more about SMIC?
Discover our activities and initiatives by visiting our website: Smart Manufacturing Innovation Centre
