Kosovo Startup Ecosystem Forum 2026: two days of alignment and action for a stronger ecosystem
On 22–23 January, at Tech Park Prishtina, we hosted the Kosovo Startup Ecosystem Forum—an event designed to strengthen Kosovo’s early-stage startup ecosystem by building a shared understanding of where the ecosystem stands today, identifying gaps and opportunities, and creating meaningful connections across ecosystem players, investors, and startups.
The forum was co-organised by Swiss EP, Startup Wise Guys, Kosovo ICT Association STIKK, HiSpace, VentureUp, and Makerspace Innovation Center Prizren. In total, 15 startups participated on Day 1 and 50 ecosystem representatives joined on Day 2—bringing together hands-on startup support with strategic ecosystem-level dialogue.
Day 1: practical startup support
Day 1 focused on investor readiness and startup execution, featuring workshops on fundraising and investor mindset, business model work, company valuation, 1:1 mentorship, pitch improvements, and startup pitches. At the end of the day, startup pitches were held and 6 startups were selected to present on Day 2.
Day 2: mapping, dialogue, and actionable recommendations
Day 2 opened with an ecosystem mapping and due diligence discussion, focusing on key ecosystem actors, startup maturity, dealflow quality, early-stage and follow-on capital, and the structural bottlenecks that must be addressed to unlock faster growth.
The program continued with experience sharing from other ecosystems and focused roundtables across four core themes: capital access, startup support, talent and culture, and institutions and corporates. These discussions were driven by practical questions aimed at producing concrete next steps.
The day concluded with startup pitches and networking, turning insights into real connections and collaboration opportunities.
Why this forum mattered
Kosovo has energy, talent, and ambition. What accelerates growth is alignment: clearer support pathways, stronger signals to investors, and more structured investment readiness for founders. These were the core themes of the forum—helping make the ecosystem more investable and enabling international capital to connect more naturally through the growth of local startups.
With Startup Wise Guys engaging in Kosovo, a new chapter opens for startup support and broader ecosystem development. At the same time, real progress is built together—thank you to every participant and partner who contributed ideas and recommendations.
A sincere thank you to all co-organisers and participants. Special thanks to Gunce Onur and Davide Coppola for their contribution throughout the program.
