Objectives

The main focus of this workshop is to exchange best practices in supporting investment readiness for technology-based scale-ups and start-ups in South East Europe and the Western Balkans and understand the requirements for developing bankable projects. Policy initiatives, implementation processes, instruments and capacity building activities will be presented, as well as first-hand experiences and case studies from across the region and beyond.

The conclusions of this event are expected to feed into broader political developments, and contribute to existing and new tailor-made instruments that can wider support innovative companies in the area.

Location and co-organisers

The event will take place at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture of the University of Zagreb, which is the oldest and biggest faculty of this field in Croatia.

The event is sponsored and organised in association with:

• The European Commission
• The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture of the University of Zagreb
• The Croatian Agency for SMEs, Innovations and Investments (HAMAG-BICRO)

Participants

This two day workshop envisages bringing together innovation practitioners and decision-makers with an interest in supporting scale-ups and start-ups, and regional stakeholders from EU member states, enlargement and neighbourhood countries in South East Europe.

Participants are likely to include: research and innovation policy makers, representatives of academia and technology transfer offices, chambers of commerce, entrepreneurs, and early stage and venture capital investors including business angels.

The number of attendees is estimated at around 100-120, and selected participants from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo*, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Ukraine, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey may be eligible for reimbursement of their travel and accommodation expenses.  

Apply to participate

Attendance to the event is by invitation only. If you wish to participate you are encouraged to submit an expression of interest (deadline 08/06/2018). More details on programme can be found here.

Given the limited number of places, we will not be able to admit all interested applicants but will perform a selection based on applicant's background, affiliation and motivation with due respect to a fair geographical representation.

Who we are

DG JRC's Enlargement and Integration Action promotes the exchange of innovation related best practices, knowledge, tools and methods between innovation practitioners and policy and decision makers from South East Europe including the Western Balkans. The JRC, and in particular its Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Unit, are in possession of operational and technical expertise in the domains of Technology and Knowledge Transfer. JRC flagship activities and tools are highly relevant to the development of the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem in South East Europe.

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.