Support initiatives
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.
'EU for Innovation' aims to strengthen the innovation ecosystem and to boost start up creation in Albania.
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EU 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

Masterclass 2.0 – “HOW TO TEACH ENTREPRENEURSHIP”
As part of its mission to strengthen the innovation ecosystem of Albania & in line with other capacity building interventions for Albanian Universities, the EU for Innovation programme in collaboration with Preneurz.Amsterdam will present a new program for Entrepreneurial Universities. The “HOW TO TEACH ENTREPRENEURSHIP” programme, targeting all Albanian University Lecturers who are enthusiastic about […]

iKorça Hackathon – Final
This Hackathon organized in Korça from the Municipality of the city, with the support of EU for Innovation project and in collaboration with ICTSlab and Crazy town. About 40 students, university researchers, academy staff members, Start-ups and other talents got together during 11-13 December virtually as well as physically for the teams coming from the […]

Matchmaking and Exposure Programme – 2nd Cohort
The Pitching Event for the selection of the start-ups for the 2nd Cohort of the Matchmaking & Exposure Programme, was held on the 7th and 9th of December. Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, the whole event was carried out virtually! 20 shortlisted applicants in ICT, Online Business and Online Gaming sectors, were invited to pitch […]

Balkan FLOSStival 2020
On the first weekend of December, the Balkan FLOSStival 2020 took place. A virtual conference that brought together organizations from the Balkan region, that promote open source software & hardware, open data, open government & cyber security. The participants of the event were students, professionals in different fields of technology and various civil society actors […]

Ethics and Integrity in Research – Week of Integrity Albania
On December 7, 2020 in framework of Week of Integrity Albania, EU for Innovation and the Albanian National Agency for Scientific Research and Innovation (Agjencia Kombëtare e Kërkimit Shkencor dhe Inovacionit) organized a virtual conference regarding integrity in scientific research. The 6 speakers were representatives from higher education institutions, that have endorsed the European Charter […]

Women Founders Network Albania: Demo Day Pitch Competition
The big day is almost here! On the 4th of December, Women Founders Network Albania, Spring Activator and EU for Innovation are proud to invite you to the “Demo Day Pitch Competition” of the 1st Women Founder Accelerator in the Western Balkans, where the participants will pitch for the final prize of 5000 Euros! Register […]
Replace fear of the unknown with curiosity.


Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.

