Innovates | The Balkans
Supporting Early Stage Innovators Across Kosovo, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Bosnia & Herzegovina
Learn more about the 2026 GIST Innovates The Balkans kickoff.
Click to read about the 2025 GIST Innovates The Balkans Cohort.
INNOVATES | The Balkans is a ten-week pre-accelerator training program modeled after the Lean Startup methodology.
This program is designed to teach innovators about applying Lean Startup entrepreneurship methodology and how to do effective customer discovery for problem/solution fit of participants’ ideas.
By the end of the program, teams will have completed at least 40 interviews with target customers, gaining valuable insight on how to shape their product for maximum impact. The program will provide innovators with the training, mentoring, and resources they need to build their entrepreneurial skills and bring their ideas to market. The program will provide opportunities for teams to connect with mentors in the US and provide opportunities to interact with U.S.-based investors and companies.
This program accepted 12 teams (2 members per team). The program is open to all science and technology companies led by entrepreneurs and innovators from Kosovo, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Application window: 2 February 2026 – 6 April 2026
10-week training program: The training will begin with an in-person workshop 15-18 June, 2026 in Tirana, Albania followed by 9 weeks of virtual learning.
Venture Devils Demo Day at ASU in Greater Phoenix, AZ: November 2026.
Questions about this program? Email [email protected]
We’re proud to be back!
Highlights from our previous session:
FAQs
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The application is available on this page from 2 February 2026 – 6 April 2026. You can apply at the form linked above.
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No. All application questions must be answered in English.
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All instructors will be native English speakers. At least one member of your team must be proficient enough in English to participate in the one-on-one meetings with the instructors.
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The program is open to all science and technology companies led by entrepreneurs and innovators from Kosovo, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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There will be 1 week in-person in Tiranë, Albania in addition to 9 weeks of virtual training.
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The age of the selected participants is usually between the ages of 18 and 40.
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You should expect to spend an average of 10-15 hours per week.
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A fully-working prototype is not required. A proof of concept will suffice. The purpose of this program is to talk to potential future customers to help shape the initial minimum viable product.
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No. If you do have IP we will not ask you about it during the program nor will we expect you to share that information. This program is not about your technology; it is about the process of exploring market potential and whether you are solving a need in the marketplace.
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IP information will not be shared by anyone during this program.
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We will only accept one application per applicant.
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Each team can only submit a single innovation.
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No. All fees are covered by the program.
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Yes. The U.S. Department of State will provide you with an offer letter as proof of your acceptance into this program. We will also work with a J-1 visa issuer to attempt to facilitate your visa issuance. You must get a J-1 visa to participate in this program. No other type of US visa will be eligible. Please read and understand all the J-1 visa requirements at the State Department’s website before applying for this program. It is the participants’ obligation to adhere to the requirements associated with a J1 visa.
Funded by the U.S. Department of State
This program is funded with support from the U.S. Department of State.
Powered by Arizona State University
Innovates | The Balkans is administered by Arizona State University (ASU).
ASU is a public research university that is committed to access, excellence, and impact at scale. In 2022, for the eighth year in a row, ASU was named No. 1 among the nation's most innovative universities by U.S. News & World Report. ASU is one of the fastest-growing research enterprises in the U.S. and a national leader in bringing innovations to market. It is currently ranked #4 by the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) among universities for U.S. patents issued and ranked #4 for startups generated. ASU is the lead university of the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps Hub: Desert and Pacific Region building on its experience as an I-Corps Site since 2016.
One of the core tenets of ASU’s vision is the pivotal role universities can have to maximize the impact of use-inspired research through entrepreneurship. Over the last ten years, more than 180 startup companies based on ASU intellectual property (IP) have been created, which has generated over 1300 jobs and raised nearly $1B in funding.
