Deadline: 28 March 2025
Submissions are now open for GIST Innovates The Balkans, a ten-week pre-accelerator training program modeled after the Lean Startup methodology.
They will coach teams about how to apply the Lean Startup entrepreneurship methodology and how to do effective customer discovery for problem/solution fit of participants’ ideas. By the end of the program, teams will have completed at least 40 interviews with target customers, gaining valuable insight on how to shape their product for maximum impact.
The program will provide innovators with the training, mentoring, and resources they need to build their entrepreneurial skills and bring their ideas to market. The program will provide opportunities for teams to connect with mentors in the US and provide opportunities to interact with U.S.-based investors and companies.
After the training, teams may have an opportunity to pitch their ideas to investors at the Venture Devils Demo Day and visit Arizona State University (ASU).
Eligibility Criteria
- The program is open to all science and technology companies led by entrepreneurs and innovators from Kosovo, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- All application questions must be answered in English.
- A fully-working prototype is not required. A proof of concept will suffice. The purpose of this program is to talk to potential future customers to help shape the initial minimum viable product.
- They will only accept one application per applicant.
- Each team can only submit a single innovation.
For more information, visit GIST.
