The Science Technology Park Belgrade (STP Belgrade) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Samuel Institute from Ottawa, a Canadian organization dedicated to advancing technological innovation and commercialization. This agreement establishes a framework for intensified collaboration, offering Serbian startups and tech companies new opportunities to expand into international markets and providing direct connections to Canada’s technological and innovation ecosystem.
The memorandum was signed during an official delegation visit to Canada led by Serbia’s Minister of Science, Technological Development, and Innovation, Dr. Jelena Begović. Gordana Danilović Grković, Director of STP Belgrade, and Goran Samuel Pešić, President and CEO of the Samuel Institute, signed the MoU.
– This memorandum aims to equip our startups, preparing for the global market—particularly North America—with the knowledge, skills, and education needed to approach such a robust and competitive market. The Samuel Institute will provide precisely the expertise we lack – said Minister Dr. Jelena Begović. She emphasized that this agreement represents the first step toward deeper collaboration with the institute, which she noted could significantly help Serbia’s startup ecosystem learn from Canada’s remarkable success in this field.
– We are grateful to Serbia’s Ministry of Science, Technological Development, and Innovation for initiating this collaboration and the Samuel Institute’s willingness to work with us and share their best practices. By creating direct links with Canada’s advanced tech sector, we have the opportunity to connect Serbian startups with potential clients, investors, tech partners, and key players for business expansion and market entry. Additionally, we can offer them access to expertise, specialists, and resources to help them become global leaders in their fields – said Gordana Danilović Grković, Director of NTP Belgrade.
– This memorandum reflects our belief that the future of technology and innovation lies in partnerships. Serbia excels in IT, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence – stated Goran Samuel Pešić, President and CEO of the Samuel Institute. He added that their experience would be valuable for startups from Europe aiming to succeed in the North American market.
– This could be a powerful partnership – he concluded.
The memorandum also opens the door to designing joint specialized training programs for business development, focusing on marketing and sales. This will provide innovative tech companies in Serbia with additional support for product commercialization and international expansion.
The agreement marks a significant step forward for Serbia’s innovation community. Joint initiatives are expected to have a lasting impact on the development of the country’s high-tech sector.