Science Technology Park Belgrade (STP Beograd), with the support of the Swiss Government, in partnership with Science Technology Park Niš (STP Niš) and Science Technology Park Čačak (STP Čačak), opened a new, fourth public call for the Raising Starts accelerator program. The program supports startups in the earliest stages of development, bringing business guidance, 1-1 sessions with globally experienced mentors, and grants up to 20,000 CHF (no equity).
Startup teams with at least two members and innovative companies founded up to two years before the date of publication of the Public Call can apply for the current Public Call. The call is open until October 11 at noon on the program’s official page.
Financial support for the program is intended to cover the costs of prototyping, business model development, market research, testing with first customers, protection of intellectual property, and other expenses related to developing new products or services.
Raising Starts is the first pre-seed accelerator in Serbia. It simultaneously provides business and financial support precisely when it is most critical – during the nascent phases of developing innovative products and services. Through intensive lectures and training, startups receive the necessary guidance in developing go-to-market strategy, testing target groups, and overcoming obstacles from an innovative idea to investment readiness and global breakthrough. Following their specific needs, each startup gets its business and tech mentors (local and international experts, startups, and investors) with whom they work intensely through 1-1 mentoring sessions.
Along with professional training, startups also receive support in intellectual property protection. In addition, they will be given access to modern innovation laboratories, mentors, investors, and other startup founders in the network of science and technology parks.
Through the previous three calls for the Raising Starts program, more than 120 teams and companies went through business training held by top experts, while 54 newly established startup companies in Belgrade, Niš, and Čačak were supported and received professional support and financing. The supported startups have raised more than CHF 2 million in additional funding.
The Raising Starts program aims to support the establishment and development of new innovative companies that will contribute to increasing exports, new employment, and reducing brain drain, enabling young people to develop innovative businesses in Serbia, from their cities, side by side with the world.
The program was created through the project “Technopark Serbia 2 – Boosting exports through Technoparks” by which the Swiss Government supports the further development of innovation and tech entrepreneurship in Serbia, and is implemented by STP Belgrade, in partnership with STP Niš and STP Čačak, according to the Memorandum of Cooperation signed between The Government of the Republic of Serbia (on behalf of the Government: Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development) and the Government of Switzerland (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO).