A panel of judges at Atlas Network's Liberty Forum chose Nataliya Melnyk of Ukraine-based organization Bendukidze Free Market Center as the winner of the 2026 Smart Bets pitch competition. As winner of the Europe Liberty Forum 2025 semi-final competition, she earned the opportunity to deliver her pitch in New York City at Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner.
Nataliya pitched her organization’s plan to expand their already-successful work reaching students and teachers with free market education. Interest in their educational programs are so strong that waitlists are now two or three times longer than the number of participants they can accommodate. To meet this demand and take the next step in this program’s evolution, Bendukidze Free Market Center hopes to expand their impact by embracing digitalization by creating an online training platform for teachers who want to use their economic education curriculum. The platform will also serve as a space for educators to interact, share ideas and results, and develop peer-reviewed content.
Benedukidze Free Market Center has already reached over 100,000 students with rigorous economic education. This growth plan will help them reach the next 100,000 even faster.
The Smart Bets Grant encourages Atlas Network partners to dream big by funding innovative ideas that accelerate freedom and prosperity. While only a handful of applicants advance to the final pitch competition, the caliber of submissions underscores the dynamism of the worldwide liberty movement. Nataliya was one of five standout proposals vying for Smart Bets support in 2025, each showcasing a unique strategy to advance free markets, civil society, and youth empowerment in their region.
The runner-up finalists included Kathya Berrada from Arab Center for Research (North and East Africa), Arif Nezami from Preneur Lab Youth & Innovation Trust (Bangladesh), Juan Pablo Chamón from LIBERA Bolivia (Bolivia), and Jacob Mchangama from The Future of Free Speech (United States).
Atlas Network’s Coach, Compete, Celebrate! model is on full display at each of our four Regional Liberty Forums, through the Smart Bets semi-final pitch competition. In this event, three pre-selected Atlas Network partner organizations take the stage to pitch a panel of judges on why they should be a part of the next Smart Bets cohort—gaining access to unique opportunities to accelerate their work—and the winner of a $40,000 grant and an additional $25,000 matching grant. Winners also have the opportunity to pitch on stage at Atlas Network’s Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner in New York City for the chance to win an additional $50,000 prize.
Visit AtlasNetwork.org/Events to find out more about events in your region.
