1. 3. 2018 | PR, Start:up Balkan, Youth
For the last 3 weeks a team from the Centre for European Perspective, Start:up Slovenia initiative, PODIM Conference and different start-up community experts from all over Europe (UK, Austria, Estonia, Hungary, Germany etc.) visited all six Western Balkans capitals. A real “road trip”. ?
In each capital, we teamed up with a partner of the local start-up community and organized a workshop for young entrepreneurs, where investors, corporates and more experienced entrepreneurs forwarded their personal business experience on the new generation of future business success stories. Thank you all for a great support.
The whole idea of the project was initiated some 4 years ago and was in its “seed” phase supported by Slovenia’s Official Development Cooperation (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia). The pilot project was carried out in Bosnia and Hercegovina and then expanded to Kosovo a few years later. Last year, United Kingdom’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office supported the whole idea and enabled to spread the programme – a vision of a more coherent and connected start-up ecosystem – through the whole region by visiting all the countries and transferring knowledge. I would like to thank the UK and the Slovenian government for all their understanding in supporting the programme.
While writing this, still waiting for the airplane in Podgorica, which was our last pit stop of the tour, I am trying to summarise what was going on for the last couple of weeks. In each capital: Belgrade, Sarajevo, Tirana, Pristina, Skopje and Podgorica, we received extremely positive feedback. In each capital, around 70 young entrepreneurs showed up. Altogether, we are thus speaking about 400 start-upers, which is an impressive number by itself.
Especially, I would like to stress extreme proactivity and huge interest of the participants at the events, who were working hard, posing questions, debating and presenting their ideas and businesses from usually 5 pm towards the late 10 pm. Interesting, the focus among the participants was never lacking, despite the late “working hours”.
In each capital, we also selected 10 most promising start-ups, who had the possibility of pitching in front of international investors and successful business men and women, providing them with priceless feedback information and suggestions for their future career.
It is not easy to explain one’s “life” idea in 180 seconds, but that is all the time you get in front of an international jury. And some of these youngsters did very well. The best ones will get the chance to come to Slovenia to the PODIM conference in May, to the largest start-up event in the region and out of those, the best two teams will receive a reward – a custom made acceleration programme in the UK. It is a life time opportunity.
All in all. Around 400 young interested entrepreneurs joined the project. Around 50 pitches in front of an international jury were presented and commented. Great numbers. Great job. This is the regional start-up ecosystem.
At the end of the road show, I have to stress again the proactivity of the start-up community in each country. One female entrepreneur, not more than 20 years old, was explaining how she can’t understand her friends, who complain all the time that there are no jobs, no possibilities, no opportunities. However, they sit all day long in bars and drink coffee and wait for a job, she added. “Why not follow your dream, establish your own company and create your own job?” were her final words.
These words coming from a young female entrepreneur were so real and down to earth, especially since they were coming from a young person and from a region, where the last decades were not the most positive.
Yet, the start-up community is a positive community by itself. Thus, successful young entrepreneurs are the positive role models for all the others in the region, who made it with hard work and believed in their dreams.
That for me, is a positive agenda in its essence. A positive agenda for the youth.
Op-ed was written by Dr Gorazd Justinek, CEO at the Centre for European Perspective.
The views expressed in CEP commentary are the views of the author alone.
28. 2. 2018 | PR, Start:up Balkan, Youth
Centre for European perspective (CEP) has successfully concluded its sixth and last event in the framework of the Start:up Balkan tour in Podgorica. 50 young entrepreneurial people participated in the workshop and 6 start-ups pitched their idea in front of business experts and potential investors.
Participants in Podgorica were welcomed by H.E Mr Mitja Močnik; Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia, who stressed the importance of transfer of good practices from Slovenia to the countries of WB and role of CEP as one of the key players in the region. Further on participants were welcomed by Vanja Madzgalj, Director at British Council, Podgorica, with importance of quality of education for all children and growing inequalities in the region. She also presented various projects British Council is currently working on in the region. Further on, participants were welcomed by the local host, Predrag Lešić, Smart Whatever enthusiast, Co-founder, Digitalizuj.Me, who expressed his satisfaction with the large crowd that gathered at the premises and said couple of words on the startup ecosystem in Montenegro. Gorazd Justinek, CEP Director shed a light on role of CEP as the initiator of the project held as one of the first projects within Positive Agenda for the Youth in the Western Balkans adopted at the Brdo-Brijuni process summit in Slovenia in April 2015. Finally Matej Rus presented Podim conference and ways for startups to join.
Three keynote speeches were delivered. First one on the stage was Florian Kandler, Fundraising Expert and Startup Mentor, GetFunding.how, from Vienna with tips and tricks for successful fundraising. He focused his speech on how can startups at the beginning of their path get funding, how to recognize a fundable business and elaborated on why founders often fail (start too late, under-estimate the time required, don’t know how investors work and don’t know how to create momentum). Further on debate revolved around fundraising process and importance of good research. Second lecture was by Matt Kuppers, Founder&CEO, Startup Manufactory, London who elaborated on how to identify competitive advantage in AgroBusiness, with offering some advices on acquiring EU funds. Third lecture was delivered by Letitia Seglah, Fintech and RegTech Consultant, Startup Manufactory, from London with a lecture on: “Is your business ready for Blockchain, cryptos or ICOs?”, elaborating on what is an ICO; ICO vs IPO; campaign timeline and ingredients for successful ICO: skill, game theory, fast reflexes and luck.
Elma Hot, BeeAnd.Me, Jovana Miljanić, DVARP, Jan Kobler, SC Ventures, Predrag Lešić. Digitalizuj.Me and Verena Wahlandt, Startup PR joined into a panel an investor’s panel, discussing funding landscape in the region. Debate revolved around smart cities, technology and architecture, ICOs, block chain technology, startup PR and getting media attention. Panelists discussed also current status of funding landscape in the region, recognizing main issues and troubles that startups at the beginning of their path are facing, such as funding, scaling, finding support, good team, lack of entrepreneurship mentality and dealing with failures.
6 local and international start-ups were given a chance for a three-minute pitch, followed by a feedback delivered by experts and potential investors. Event concluded with informal meeting in relaxed environment between investors and startups.
Start:up Balkan is program in the framework of the project ‘Establishing an Integrated Start-up Ecosystem in the Western Balkans’ powered by CEP and PODIM and supported by the British embassy in Ljubljana.
21. 2. 2018 | PR, Start:up Balkan, Youth
Centre for European perspective (CEP) has successfully concluded its fifth event in the framework of the Start:up Balkan tour in Skopje. 70 young entrepreneurial people participated in the workshop and 6 start-ups pitched their idea in front of business experts and potential investors.
Participants in Skopje were welcomed by H.E Prof. Dr. Milan Jazbec; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Slovenia, who stressed he sees CEP as a key instrument of Slovenian soft power and compared it to top ten European think tanks around Europe. He also mentioned the importance of such projects for the region and encouraged youth to develop their ideas into plans. Further on participants were welcomed by local host, Vesna Ivanoska, CEO, Seavus Educational and Development Center who shared her satisfaction with seeing such a large crowd of highly potential and inspirational people. Gorazd Justinek, CEP Director shed a light on role of CEP as the initiator of the project held as one of the first projects within Positive Agenda for the Youth in the Western Balkans adopted at the Brdo-Brijuni process summit in Slovenia in April 2015. Finally Matej Rus presented Podim conference and ways for startups to join. Two potential investors, Iskratel and Sava representatives presented themselves, work they do, and ways youth can join into their activities, while stressing the importance of such events for giving new possibilities and creating new opportunities.
Three keynote speeches were delivered. First one on the stage was Igor Madzov, Associate, South Central Ventures, who gave an insight into what it means to be investable, what funding to consider, how to be prepared for the avalanche of questions, and listed five essential elements that lead to success: idea; team/execution; business model; funding; timing and explained what they offer is infrastructure for succeeding. Second was Elena Draganovska, InPlayer, with suggestions on how to build and grow the company into a successful business, explaining that road to success leads through market analysis, getting the expertise you need, and building a good team. Third speech was done by Maris Prii, Startup Wise Guys, with an insight on accelerator programs and their value offers. She explained her views on different start up phases, accelerator vs. incubator; as well as selection criteria done by different organizations, where largest focus is given to the selection of the team.
Csaba Kakosy, Managing Partner, CEO, Day One Capital, Elena Draganovska, Head of Customer and Sales Support, Inplayer, Ivana Stanković, Investment Manager, South Central Ventures and Maris Prii, COO, Startup Wise Guys joined into an investors panel, discussing funding landscape in the region. Debate revolved around differences between different investors, cooperation between investors, private vs. public funds, ICOs and general state of affairs in the region.
6 local and international start-ups were given a chance for a three-minute pitch, followed by a feedback delivered by experts and potential investors. Event concluded with informal meeting in relaxed environment between investors and startups.
Start:up Balkan is program in the framework of the project ‘Establishing an Integrated Start-up Ecosystem in the Western Balkans’ powered by CEP and PODIM and supported by the British embassy in Ljubljana.
20. 2. 2018 | Kosovo - Entrepreneurs, PR, Start:up Balkan, Youth
Centre for European perspective (CEP) has successfully concluded half of its way with fourth pit-stop of the Start:up Balkan tour in Pristina. 70 young entrepreneurial people participated in the workshop and 15 start-ups pitched their idea in front of business experts and potential investors.
Event in Pristina was opened by H.E Mr Bojan Bertoncelj, Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia, who thanked CEP for organizing the event and stressed CEP is one of the leading organizations in development cooperation field in the region. He expressed his satisfaction with the turnout at the event, and the importance of such events for Kosovo, which is facing large brain drain and is in need of such opportunities. Participants were at the venue welcomed by host, Uranik Begu, Executive Director, Innovation Centre Kosovo, presenting start-up ecosystem in Kosovo, and arguing such events are not only important for the region, but especially to Kosovo, as one of the most isolated countries in the region, and involving them into such conferences presents a window of opportunity for Kosovo youth, a meeting space for meeting peers from the region, and removes a big communication barrier. Third on the agenda was Tatjana Zabasu, Managing Partner, South Central Ventures, who strongly encouraged the participants to apply for Podim challenge, and is looking forward meeting youth startups, since they have not yet had any investments in the region. She was followed by Meliha Muherina, CEP Project Manager, who gave an insight into the beginnings of the project started by CEP within Positive Agenda for the Youth in the Western Balkans, adopted at the Brdo-Brijuni process summit in Slovenia in April 2015. Finally Matej Rus presented Podim conference and ways for startups to join.
Keynote speech was delivered by Igor Madzov, South Central Ventures Partner, giving an insight into what it means to be investable, what funding to consider, how to be prepared for the avalanche of questions when pitching, and gave five essential elements that lead to success: idea; team/execution; business model; funding; timing. Fireside chat was done with Mergim Cahani, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Gjirafa, who presented the beginnings of their start-up journey, current start-up ecosystem in Kosovo, advices on keeping competitive, stressing the use of local languages, and importance of minimalizing the risks, dealing with failures and improving after recognizing the failures. Investors and startups joined into a panel on current funding landscape in the region, where good pitching, red flags, team dynamics, role of advisors and many more were discussed.
15 local start-ups were given a chance for a three and one-minute pitch, followed by a feedback delivered by experts and potential investors. Event concluded with informal meeting in relaxed environment between investors and startups.
Event in Pristina is part of the project ‘Empowering Kosovo young entrepreneurs’, financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Slovenia in the framework of Slovenia’s development cooperation.
20. 2. 2018 | PR, Start:up Balkan, Youth
Centre for European perspective (CEP) has successfully concluded its third pit-stop of the Start:up Balkan tour in Tirana. 50 young entrepreneurial people participated in the workshop and 7 start-ups pitched their idea in front of business experts and potential investors.
Event in Tirana was opened by Milena Radenković, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia, who welcomed the participants and expressed her support to CEP for the work done, continued by Kebiana Doci, Political, Press and Public Affairs Officer at British Embassy who presented the work of UK in the field and stated that they are supporting initiatives like this as one of the leaders in technology and development. She also gave an insight into the topic of digital technology and youth, which in her opinion greatly helps in creating job growth and economic opportunities for the countries. Further on participants were welcomed by Ernest Nako, Ecocystem Manager at the host organization, Protik. He shortly presented the work they do and start-up ecosystem in Albania, while he also stressed the importance of such opportunities for youth and growth in Albania. Fourth on the agenda was Tatjana Zabasu, Managing Partner, South Central Ventures, who strongly encouraged the participants to apply for Podim challenge, as well to step out of their comfort zone and think globally, but especially not to give up early in the process. She was followed by Meliha Muherina, CEP Project Manager, who gave an insight into the beginnings of the project started by CEP within Positive Agenda for the Youth in the Western Balkans, adopted at the Brdo-Brijuni process summit in Slovenia in April 2015. Finally Matej Rus presented Podim conference and ways for startups to join.
First keynote speech was delivered by Igor Madzov, South Central Ventures Partner, giving an insight into what it means to be investable, what funding to consider, how to be prepared for the avalanche of questions, and gave five essential elements that lead to success: idea; team/execution; business model; funding; timing. Second keynote speech was delivered by Mateja Lavrič, Kolektor Ventures, elaborating on finding synergies and cooperation between corporations and start-ups. Start-ups (Tomi Kallanxhi, Altro Post; Vitjola Viso, Co-Founder at VIS(i)O(n) Design), potential investors (Tatjana Zabasu, Managing Partner, South Central Ventures; Mateja Lavrič, Kolektor Ventures) and local organization (Ergest Nako, Protik Innovation Center) joined into a panel on funding landscape and business opportunities in 2018 in the region
7 local start-ups were given a chance for a three-minute pitch, followed by a feedback delivered by experts and potential investors. Event concluded with informal meeting in relaxed environment between investors and startups.
Start:up Balkan is program in the framework of the project ‘Establishing an Integrated Start-up Ecosystem in the Western Balkans’ powered by CEP and PODIM and supported by the British Embassy in Ljubljana.
14. 2. 2018 | PR, Start:up Balkan, Youth
Centre for European perspective (CEP) has successfully launched its first event in the framework of the Start:up Balkan tour. 80 young entrepreneurial people participated in the workshop and 10 start-ups pitched their idea in front of business experts and potential investors.
Event in Belgrade was opened by Zoja Kukić, SEE ICT, who shortly presented start-up ecosystem in Serbia, and main issues in the region, followed by Simona Grobelnik, Head of Development, Slovene enterprise fund, who presented good practices of start-up ecosystem in Slovenia, touched upon the importance of hearing out the needs of startups and stressed the need for cooperation between public and private sectors. Gorazd Justinek, CEP Director shade a light on role of CEP as the initiator of the project held as one of the first projects within Positive Agenda for the Youth in the Western Balkans adopted at the Brdo-Brijuni process summit in Slovenia in April 2015. Finally Matej Rus presented Podim conference and ways for startups to join.
Keynote speeches were delivered by Darko Butina, Partner, BUDS (Slovenia), with a salient topic on blockchain, cryptos and ICOs, Philipp Stangl, Managing Director at Pioneers Ventures (Austria) with insights on how to successfuly start a start-up and Carlos Eduardo Espinal, Managing Partner at Seedcamp (United Kingdom) with importance and advantages of investments in the region. Investors joined into a panel on current funding landscape in the region.
10 local and international start-ups were given a chance for a three-minute pitch, followed by a feedback delivered by experts and potential investors. Event concluded with informal meeting in relaxed environment between investors and startups.
Start:up Balkan is program in the framework of the project ‘Establishing an Integrated Start-up Ecosystem in the Western Balkans’ powered by CEP and PODIM and supported by the British embassy in Ljubljana.
