Startup Weekend Balkans
Gathering in Tirana to boost innovation and promote entrepreneurship
What is Startup Weekend Balkans?
Startup Weekend Balkans is a 54-hour long event, part of the global community of Techstars. It gathers youth from different countries with innovative entrepreneurial ideas, who form teams and work during the weekend to concretize their idea into a prototype, product or service which offers a solution to a respective community. On Sunday, they pitch their innovative solution and idea in front of a jury of successful entrepreneurs.
This is an annual event under the scope of promoting entrepreneurship among young ages and to offer them business opportunities. Each team has an assigned mentor who guides them with the best strategic decisions that benefits their idea.
We believe that entrepreneurs are the leading drivers of prosperity, jobs, and innovation. Without entrepreneurship, we would cease to move forward within our local economies and in our world. With this belief at the core of our organization, we strive to support entrepreneurs and the communities that allow them to thrive in any way we can.
Values and Activities
Day 1: Team Day
On the first day of the event, Startup Weekend begins with open-mic 60-second pitches that result in the formation of teams around the best, most viable concepts and business ideas.
Day 2: Prototype Day
After forming their teams, the participants start working on developing their business idea focused on customer development, validating their ideas and building prototypes with the help of experienced mentors. Knowing you’re not alone can make all the difference. Startup Weekend provides participants many opportunities to engage and connect with like-minded individuals — and truly start something amazing.
Day 3: Demo Day
During Sunday participants continue working with mentors and start preparing their presentation to pitch during the Pitching Ceremony which is the final day of the 54-hour long event of Startup Weekend Balkans. Each team pitches the final presentation of their business idea in front of potential investors. At the end of the final ceremony, awards will be given to the winning teams.
About Startup Weekend Global
Techstars has held more than 7000 programs in more than 150 countries of the world. We believe that people and ideas are equally distributed, opportunity and resources are not. That’s why we are committed to increasing access to entrepreneurship.
Supporting Startup Weekend Balkans’ 54-hour event will play a vital role in building startup culture and creating impact in a large community. Join an extensive network of passionate, capable, and connected organizers around the Balkans and not only, while meeting and networking with talented, driven people from around regional community.
Programs
Countries
Total Participants
Community Leaders
Countries
Albania
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Kosovo
Montenegro
North Macedonia
Serbia
Become a Sponsor!
Join an extensive network of passionate, capable, and connected organizers around the Balkans and not only, while meeting and networking with talented, driven people from around regional community.