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challenge fund
The Challenge Fund is a competitive financing facility which will be used as a means of addressing the issue of access to finance for innovative companies at an early stage of development, as well as for organisations engaged in services to innovative start-ups and promotion of the Albanian innovation system.
The fund builds on the idea that both start-ups and innovation service providers receive capacity building through various forms of technical assistance from GIZ and grants through Swedish Embassy in Tirana.
The Challenge Fund would provide funding to the most promising companies to carry them through the ‘valley of death’ and scale up their innovative businesses.
The Challenge Fund is a competitive financing facility which will be used as a means of addressing the issue of access to finance for Albanian start-ups and innovation support organizations.
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Take the SurveyEU for Innovation aims to strengthen the innovation ecosystem and to boost start-up creation in Albania.
The project will focus in developing three distinct result areas:
• Strengthening the capacity for innovation
• Building linkages within the Albanian innovation ecosystem and internationally
• Funding innovative startups and innovation support providers
She Starts Up: Fabiola Duro – INNVEST
“Innovation knows no limits and now it’s an extraordinary time for it, as technological change and industry disruption seem to be accelerating and linking individuals, organisations, and nations as never before.” – highlighted Fabiola Duro, founder of INNVEST in her interview with EU for Innovation for “She Starts Up”. Since 2017, Fabiola through her initiative – INNVEST – […]
She Starts Up: Flora Krasniqi & Paola Iljazi – Innovation Factory
Innovation Factory (IF) is a cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary unit within POLIS University, that seeks to support researchers, students, young creators, entrepreneurs, and businesses to innovate. In addition to technical expertise and knowledge, through the recently created Makerspace, IF offers the opportunity for digital prototyping and fabrication for start-ups and businesses, with a special focus on […]
She Starts Up: Prishila Gjoka – AlbaniaTech
If you are an innovation and start-up ecosystem enthusiast, then surely you have encountered AlbaniaTech. AlbaniaTech, is a platform to inform about the Albanian Start-up and Innovation Ecosystem, its actors and their offers as well as a place to share success stories and an overview of active start-ups. It serves as an online place bringing together […]
She Starts Up: Anisa Lloja – Culturalyst
Anisa Lloja and her sister stand behind Albanian Creative Industries Incubator (ACII) and Culturalyst [Kultura-list], which is a shared digital infrastructure for cultural communities. This is a follow-up of the work started in 2014 with Nji Mar, Nji Mrapsht, the first handmade concept-store in Albania, supported by a network of +200 artisans from all over the […]
She Starts Up: Mikaela and Xhorxhia Maçka – Thurje Handmade
For the first interview of “She Starts Up” – EU for Innovation’s latest campaign which aims to put the spotlight on pioneering, creative and inventive Albanian women in the fields entrepreneurship, tech, creative industries and more – we will introduce you to two sisters Mikaela Maçka and Xhorxhia Maçka, founders of “Thurje Handmade”. The innovation […]
“How can the Diaspora contribute to the Start-up & ICT ecosystem in Albania?” panel
In framework of Tirana Digital Nomad Festival, a very motivating and thought-provoking panel addressing the topic of “How can the Diaspora contribute to the Start-up & ICT ecosystem in Albania?” took place on Wednesday, September 14th at Someetings. The panel moderated by Anila Hyka Smorgrav – Engagement Director, at Orange France, and composed by well-established […]
Replace fear of the unknown with curiosity.
Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.
