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The PONI EXPO 2026 Festival is here.
Slovenia🏛️ PoliticsCenter9/5/2026

The PONI EXPO 2026 Festival is here.

On September 4, 2026, the PONI EXPO 2026 event took place in Ljubljana, showcasing over 220 participants from Slovenia's 12 development regions who presented innovative products, services, and ideas developed through the PONI program. The PONI initiative, launched in early 2024, has already involved 749 individuals from 186 municipalities and resulted in the creation of 309 new businesses. Participants receive four months of support at regional development agencies, including mentorship, professional guidance, and market testing. The event highlighted diverse innovations ranging from pet care solutions and fashion to sports equipment, culinary creations, design products, and digital solutions. Local officials praised the program for fostering entrepreneurship, creating jobs, and retaining knowledge within local communities. The event was supported by European cohesion funds and featured guest speaker Rok Šimenc, the state secretary responsible for cohesion policy.

Festival PONI EXPO 2026 took place in central Ljubljana on September 4, 2026, from 10 a.m. until evening. Over 220 entrepreneurs, including representatives from the Gorenjska region, showcased their business ideas at the event, which was organized by Kovačnica Kranj. The exhibition featured products and services ranging from technological solutions and design items to culinary delights, handicrafts, sports, social games, home-made cuisine, sweets, and digital innovations. The PONI program, which supports entrepreneurial development, has already enrolled 749 individuals from 186 municipalities across Slovenia since its start in early 2024. As of now, the program has led to the creation of 309 new businesses, surpassing its halfway target. Participants receive four months of dedicated time and safe environment to develop their business models, with regular pay, mentors, and experts from various fields assisting them. Their ideas are tested in the market during this period. Mag. Lilijana Madjar, director of the Ljubljana Urban Region Development Agency (RRA LUR), stated that European funds have made it possible for individuals with good ideas and courage to take their first steps. She emphasized the importance of maintaining this ecosystem even after 2027. The event marked the first time so many entrepreneurial ideas were gathered in one place. Visitors could explore over 220 entrepreneurs' offerings from the 12 development regions across Slovenia. Dejan Crnek, mayor of the Municipality of Ljubljana, noted that developing a city and region is largely driven by people's creativity and heart, which he felt strongly during the PONI teams. Rok Šimenc, state secretary responsible for cohesion policy, highlighted that PONI demonstrates how targeted support can create tangible results. He stressed the importance of reaching entrepreneurs throughout Slovenia, noting the program’s excellent outcomes indicate such investments strengthen knowledge, entrepreneurship, and lead to new businesses, jobs, and development opportunities in regions. Key participants shared their experiences, emphasizing the value of the program. Val Tine Rusc described the four-month development period as her actual job. Anja Prusnik credited the exceptional mentors for giving her idea wings. Mojca Mejak admitted she had initially been skeptical but found the program invaluable in learning to prioritize success over comfort.

How this report was made. Objective News wrote this report from 3 source articles, using AI-assisted synthesis under our methodology. It is our own text, not a copy of any single outlet. Read our methodology.

Responsible editor: Matej BašaSpotted an error? Report it

3 reports

Si21 logoSi21IndependentCenterFactual 95Objective 909/5/2026
The PONI EXPO 2026 Festival is here.

On September 4, 2026, the PONI EXPO 2026 event took place in Ljubljana, showcasing over 220 participants from Slovenia's 12 development regions who presented innovative products, services, and ideas developed through the PONI program. The PONI initiative, launched in early 2024, has already involved 749 individuals from 186 municipalities and resulted in the creation of 309 new businesses. Participants receive four months of support at regional development agencies, including mentorship, professional guidance, and market testing. The event highlighted diverse innovations ranging from pet care solutions and fashion to sports equipment, culinary creations, design products, and digital solutions. Local officials praised the program for fostering entrepreneurship, creating jobs, and retaining knowledge within local communities. The event was supported by European cohesion funds and featured guest speaker Rok Šimenc, the state secretary responsible for cohesion policy.

Bias read (Center): The article provides a balanced overview of the PONI program, highlighting its achievements, structure, and benefits without overtly favoring any political perspective. It includes quotes from various stakeholders, such as the director of the Regional Development Agency and a local official, which表明

Why factuality (95): The article provides specific details such as the date (5. 9. 2026), location (Ljubljana), number of participants (over 220 from 12 regions), and program statistics (749 people from 186 municipalities, 309 new businesses). These figures align with a plausible cross-source consensus, though no primar

Why objectivity (90): The article presents information in a neutral tone, focusing on facts and direct quotes from Lilijana Madjar. It avoids overt bias or emotional language, though it does highlight the success of the program, which may slightly favor the positive outcome.

Gorenjski glas logoGorenjski glasIndependentCenterFactual 75Objective 908/31/2026
Festival of entrepreneurial stories

The article announces the upcoming 'Festival podjetniških zgodb' (Entrepreneurial Stories Festival), which will take place in central Ljubljana on September 4th, 2026, from 10 AM until evening. The event, known as PONI Expo 2026, will feature over 220 entrepreneurs who successfully completed the national entrepreneurship training program PONI. The local branch of the program, PONI, is being implemented by Kovačnica Kranj in the Gorenjska region. The article mentions that participants from the Gorenjska region will also be showcased at the event.

Bias read (Center): The article presents information about a national entrepreneurship initiative and its regional implementation without overtly favoring any political ideology. It focuses on factual reporting about the event's structure, participants, and location, without taking a clear stance or using emotionally-l

Why factuality (75): The article provides basic factual information about the PONI Expo 2026 event, including the date, location, and number of participants. However, it lacks specific details about the content of the event or the broader context of the business community's demands. The facts presented are consistent wi

Why objectivity (90): The tone is neutral and informative, focusing on the logistics of the event without any overt bias or subjective commentary. It avoids taking sides or expressing opinion, making it highly objective.

Dnevnik logoDnevnikIndependent🔒CenterFactual 75Objective 808/30/2026
At 22 he took over the family business from his father, today they are the first in their business

The article tells the story of Andrej Klančar, who at age 22 took over his family's business during the 2008 financial crisis. His father was the sole employee in a company selling mobile cranes, and Andrej started working there alongside a friend who sold insurance. Recognizing a shift towards rental services rather than purchases due to construction industry downturns, he invested heavily in crane acquisitions. The business evolved by introducing digitalization, branding, and marketing strategies, becoming one of the first Slovenian construction companies to use Facebook effectively. They developed a strong visual brand identity through uniformly branded cranes and uniforms, and launched creative marketing campaigns like a jump-off event with a trampoline. These efforts helped increase their market share both domestically and internationally, leading to partnerships with notable construction projects across Slovenia.

Bias read (Center): The article presents a balanced narrative of a business success story without overtly promoting any political ideology. It focuses on economic trends, entrepreneurship, and business strategy without taking a clear ideological stance. While the subject matter relates to economic policy and business,它

Why factuality (75): The article provides a detailed account of Andrej Klančar taking over his family business at age 22 during the financial crisis, including specific details about the business model, trends in demand for cranes, and internal company developments. While no primary source is available, the information

Why objectivity (80): The tone remains professional and informative, focusing on the entrepreneurial journey and business strategies. There is no overt bias or emotional language, though some phrases like 'drzna' (bold) may slightly color the narrative, but overall the article maintains a balanced perspective.

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