SMEs ministry opens nominations for nine local-revival awards

The SMEs ministry said Monday it opened nominations through Aug. 31 for nine 2026 commendations, seeking to recognize overlooked contributors to local economic renewal in regions facing population decline.

The program was created to identify individuals and groups that have helped revitalize economies in areas at risk of population decline and to spread successful local cases, the ministry said.

Eligible nominees include individuals, small and medium-sized businesses, institutions and organizations credited with creating jobs or expanding the local living population in areas confronting demographic decline. Applications must be submitted by email to the Small and Medium Enterprises Technology Information Promotion Agency.

The ministry will review application documents, verify candidates and convene a merit review committee before selecting recipients. Recipients are due to receive their commendations in November at the 2026 Small and Medium Enterprises Convergence Conference.

This year, the ministry is also running pilot projects that link the production, processing and distribution of locally specialized resources within a region and add design and branding to products in underserved areas.