In Georgia, the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program UPSHIFT will be implemented by BTU in partnership with UNICEF.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in partnership with the Business and Technology University (BTU), has launched the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program (UPSHIFT) in Georgia. The initiative aims to equip young people aged 14–18 with the skills and knowledge needed to solve local problems through innovation and entrepreneurship. The project is being implemented in Tbilisi, Batumi, Zugdidi, and Akhaltsikhe.
The program is based on a globally recognized methodology that focuses on understanding human needs and developing creative and practical solutions grounded in those needs. It combines training, mentorship, and project development, enabling young participants to identify local challenges and design innovative, community-oriented solutions. During the pilot phase, the program will include 80 participants—20 from each city—who will receive hands-on training in social innovation, entrepreneurship, and child rights. Registration for interested participants is currently open.
The program also aims to train and mentor local facilitators, helping them observe workshops and project work, thus building a sustainable team of future trainers. Representatives from civil society organizations, businesses, academia, and public institutions will take part in targeted working sessions to create a supportive environment for youth-led initiatives.
“UPSHIFT is not just a program—it’s a movement that empowers young people to become active drivers of change in their own communities. By equipping youth with innovative and leadership skills, we are investing in a more inclusive, sustainable, and rights-based future for Georgia,”
said Jesper Møller, UNICEF Representative in Georgia.
“Business and Technology University is proud to support the UPSHIFT initiative, which perfectly aligns with our mission—to foster innovation and entrepreneurship among young people. By combining academic excellence with real-world impact, we help youth transform their ideas into solutions that benefit their communities,”
stated Nino Enukidze, Rector of BTU.
The initiative will also collaborate with Child Rights Centers at the state universities of Batumi, Zugdidi, and Akhaltsikhe. These centers will serve as hubs for training and youth engagement, ensuring that the program aligns with national child protection standards and remains inclusive.
To ensure a safe and supportive environment, all mentors, trainers, and partners will undergo mandatory training on child protection and child rights, in accordance with UNICEF’s policies on child safeguarding and ethical programming.
The Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program – UPSHIFT aims to build a more inclusive and innovative future for young people in Georgia. By investing in youth today, the program lays the foundation for the sustainable development of society in the years to come.
UPSHIFT is a global social innovation program for youth. It integrates leading approaches to youth development with best practices from the private sector (human-centered design) to empower young people to identify and develop entrepreneurial solutions to challenges in their communities. Through this process, young participants acquire both life skills and employability competencies, while the broader community benefits from the positive impact of their innovations. Ultimately, UPSHIFT helps strengthen the perception of youth as agents of positive change.
