As part of our mission to help techy founders become true entrepreneurs and through that helping over-looked startup ecosystems develop – we’ve been running a Tech Boost program in the Western Balkans together with EFSE Entrepreneurship Academy. This project has been a way for us to share our more than 8 years experience in running one of Europe’s best accelerators with 4 local partners in Croatia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia & Herzegovina and help grow capacity of this ecosystem to support future startup superstars.
Estonia, where Startup Wise Guys accelerator is born, is quite a unique phenomenon World wide – with already 4 startup unicorns, probably the most unicorns per capita, given the 1.2 million population. And the other 2 Baltic countries are catching up too, thus the region having more than half of total VC investments in startups volume in the whole Central Eastern Europe in year 2019. We are on a journey to replicate the success story of this small, but tech savvy startup ecosystem elsewhere. Balkans seemed a logical destination given the similarities in the troubled past, but also in the positive hunger level for the startup founders to succeed. Tech Boost program is only the first step and we are looking forward to doing more in the Western Balkan region together with our close partner EFSE
Egita Polanska, Partnerships in SEE region at Startup Wise Guys
Next week 37 startups from the Tech Boost program will be having a Demo Day as part of the Podim conference and we wanted to let you peak in the list of early stage startups to watch in the Western Balkans.
The idea behind this program is to provide capacity building, access to capital, and access to investors to the region’s ambitious entrepreneurs. As the EFSE Entrepreneurship Academy is an EFSE Development Facility initiative focused on supporting just these topics, we see this program and the partnership with SWG as very valuable.
Markus Aschendorf, Chairperson of the EFSE Development Facility
The first Tech Boost program was kicked off in December 2019 and will be concluded next week at the Demo Day. Selected teams have been through 8 weeks of pre-accelerator program on-site and also online. The goal of this program was both to build the capacity and know-how of the accelerators and incubators in the Western Balkans region, but more importantly – for the participating teams to scale, look into international markets, solidify their business and prepare for fundraising. While the program welcomed a wide range of teams, its focus was mostly on impact-driven entrepreneurs.
37 Early stage Balkan startups to watch:
| Stornest | We provide a very unique service: we store our client’s confidential information that they would like to keep private while they are alive but would not want this information to be potentially lost. “A digital legacy planning tool” |
| AirCare | AirCare is a web and mobile app that visualizes air pollution for anyone to understand using open data and intuitive UI |
| Challenger | Mobile application that serves as a rewarding system for its users for their socially responsible behavior, while providing green marketing channel for small and medium businesses. |
| Omni Deliveri | Omni Deliveri is developing a mobile and web application that combines efficient usage Eco vehicles for parcel delivery in cities with high density by matchmaking the companies and people that need parcel transport and people ready to deliver the parcels. |
| SpaceUp | SpaceUp is developing a platform and app which will bring students, newlyweds and newly employed a faster and more efficient way into building or finding a home. |
| InRoomPreview | With InRoomPreview visualization App, everybody can visualize art in real-time at any wall and see what a beautiful fit will be. |
| Dark-1 | Dark-1 is a game studio currently working on their newest title Skopje, a survival game set in a 80s brutalist Skopje that will present an alternative, science fiction history of the town we grew up in. |
| Getout | GETOUT is a business directory service for all of the places and events in a city, meanwhile offering online booking reservations and great deals within them. |
| Bizbook | We are the first digital service for the private sector. It is the place where users get a quick response to their demand or offer from other companies. |
| Portal World SIA | We are an AR solution for tourism, creating AR tours that reveal different historical layers of the city. |
| Paccie | Paccie is a platform to bring together people who are travelling with half empty luggage and people in need to have delivered stuff from A to B. |
| instantTicket | instantTicket is developing services for online purchasing tickets and to help their users to plan a trip,and avoid waiting in long lines |
| Attendo | Integrated Time-Attendance and Task Management system |
| Tayra | Tayra is a new performance analytics and rewarding tool that helps increase productivity for any business producing software. |
| Light4Life | Light4Life solves the problem of frequent traffic accidents that occur on crosswalks. It is smart pedestrian detection system. |
| iDEAL DAY | Ideal Day aims to create a time-efficient, stress-free, and prioritized schedule for any individual. |
| Quantum Workflow | Decentralized applications which live on computers of its users making them owners of the project they use by owning tokens representing project value shares. |
| FINDBUG Inc. | Upwork for cyber security |
| Nerdy Creative Sh.p.k | Nerdy helps Shopify and WordPress merchants with maintaining their eCommerce. We offer service that’s quick, reliable and within 24h through the Nerdy platform. Trust in Nerdy so you can focus on running your business!. |
| JIROO | JIROO is a peer-to-peer vehicle sharing platform which allows private vehicle owners to rent out their vehicles to interested tenants through high quality services at more affordable prices than traditional rental companies. |
| Enchele | Enchele is developing smart systems to help people to use energy in the most efficient way using machine learning systems. |
| Datao | Datao is developing new data-driven solution to the machine maintenance strategy by using a predictive maintenance approach. The proposed approach will utilize historical data to predict the likelihood for an error to occur, predict the remaining useful lifetime (RUL) of a machine and visualize the predictive algorithms and other information about the machine in a dynamic dashboard. |
| ICONA | For small and medium enterprises who want user-generated content and for content creators who want to monetize their creativity, Icona – is a beautifully designed and user-friendly platform that connects brands with content creators/influencers to create powerful influencer marketing campaigns. |
| AEP Innovations LLC | BOTANICA is the air filtration method reducing the impact of pollution. In fresh indoor air , you can focus on your work better and have energy enough to enjoy your free time as well. |
| DFuture – Digital Chef | DFuture, is developing a cooking and shopping guide through a platform made available as a mobile application and in-store module, to help people select recipes with ingridients which may be found at our local stores. |
| Deinde | Deinde is a digital marketing agency that wants to create an online freelancing platform to connect designers and clients. |
| Stuey | Etobico is developing electronic devices that help people who stutter into making phone calls. |
| Hero Factory | Hero Factory enables SME gain feasible marketing results without going bankrupt or spend countless hours on education |
| Worig | We provide tenants with a reliable credit score to help landlords make an informed decision when renting apartments. |
| Moto SOS Locator | Moto SOS Locator is developing an automatic crash notification and telematics system for motorcycles. |
| Pernica | PencilBox is developing portable optical device for real time mapping of thermals to help paragliders fly safely. |
| Farseer | Predictive performance management platform for automation of planning and budgeting processes for medium enterprises. |
| dinolab.hr | “dinolab” is developing custom solutions for e.g. hotels, conference centers, public institutions in light & sound tech |
| Carigrad j.d.o.o. | Cryptocurrency fintech startup developing a blockchain solution meant for easy integration into current systems. |
| Equinox | Equinox is a marketing and entertainment platform for publishing interactive and dynamic augmented reality content. |
| XPL | XPL is developing digital and logistics solution to offer brick and mortar retailer affordable online sales model. |
| Unsizify | Unsizify automates boring stuff for development agencies and freelance developers. |
The Tech Boost Program is designed to accelerate the growth of early stage startup founders who wish to prepare for the first investment round. The program covers a wide range of verticals and industries while prioritizing impact-driven entrepreneurs. The program is executed with recorded and live content over the duration of 8 weeks and concluded with a Demo Day.
If you’d like to be updated about upcoming Tech Boost initiatives, sign up here and you’ll be the first to receive updates in your email.
The Tech Boost Program is designed as a partnership between Startup Wise Guys and selected regional accelerators – Entrepreneurial Center Of Krapina-Zagorje County, Innovation Center Kosovo, Seavus Accelerator and Foundation787, supported by European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE) Entrepreneurship Academy.
The EFSE Entrepreneurship Academy, an initiative of the EFSE Development Facility, encompasses a range of programs to support local business development throughout the EFSE target region. By working together with on-the-ground organizations that drive incubation and acceleration projects, the Entrepreneurship Academy provides entrepreneurs with guidance, resources, mentoring, networking opportunities, the chance to receive financial backing, and other means necessary to turn good ideas into successful enterprises. In this way, the Entrepreneurship Academy and its partners help create an environment where entrepreneurs can thrive – driving the spirit of EFSE as “The Entrepreneurship Fund”