European Business Development Award 2025 - national round winner is BUM

The European Enterprise Promotion Award is an initiative of the European Commission that has recognized outstanding civil or publicly funded initiatives since 2006. Its aim is to showcase and reward projects and programs that innovatively encourage entrepreneurial spirit, support small and medium-sized enterprises, and contribute to economic growth and job creation across Europe.

Every year, a national round is announced by the Ministry of National Economy, where the most successful participants can represent Hungary at the EU final.

In the category of improving the business environment and encouraging entrepreneurship, the national winner is BUM Shopping and Thematic Streets Nonprofit Ltd. with the Shopping Street Management project.

The national winner in the category of businesses and social equality is the Will Foundation for Women Leaders with its namesake project. Both national winners will also participate in the international competition, with the European final of the award taking place in November in Copenhagen at the SME Assembly.

Image: MTI/Balogh Zoltán

SMEs account for 99 percent of domestic companies and employ 72 percent of workers – when we support them, we are actually helping the livelihoods of Hungarian families and hundreds of thousands of people. This objective is supported by the Government's 21-point New Economic Policy Action Plan, which includes the 8+1 point Sándor Demján Program aimed at facilitating the growth of domestic businesses. - said Richárd Szabados at the award ceremony.

The Shopping Street Management project and all its involved partners see this as a real recognition and an opportunity to make our collaboration visible to a wider audience. After all, we can only create a vibrant, sustainable, and livable environment together, thus supporting commerce and tourism in the capital - with the support of the Budapest Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and this year we have also started its nationwide expansion with the support of the MKIK.

Photos from the award ceremony - the images were taken by staff from the Ministry of National Economy.