Strengthening Kosovo's Startup Ecosystem Through Innovation, Incubation and International Collaboration
Entrepreneurship & Startup
17 months
18-35, young aspiring entrepreneurs, early stage startups, young innovators and founders
over 100 participants engaged, up to 30 startups graduated
Project duration: 2024-2026
Location: Prizren, Kosovo
Implemented by: Makerspace Innovation Center Prizren (MICP)
Partners: GIZ Kosovo, Innovation & Training Park (ITP) Prizren, Municipality of Prizren, SwissEp
About the project
The LISA Project (Linking Incubation and Supporting pre-Acceleration) was designed and implemented by Makerspace Innovation Center Prizren (MICP) to address key challenges faced by early-stage startups in Kosovo. While entrepreneurial interest and innovation activities have steadily increased in recent years, many startup teams continue to face barriers in validating their ideas, reaching customers, accessing mentorship, and preparing for growth and investment opportunities.
Building on years of experience supporting entrepreneurs through incubation programs, MICP identified a critical gap between startup incubation and acceleration. To bridge this gap, LISA was developed as a comprehensive support initiative aimed at guiding startups from ideation and validation to growth readiness.
The project was implemented in close cooperation with Innovation & Training Park (ITP) Prizren and focused on creating a stronger and more connected entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region.
Supporting Startups Through Every Stage of Growth
LISA was structured around three complementary components designed to support startups at different stages of development.
Idea-to-Scale Incubation Program
As part of the project, MICP delivered the third cohort of its flagship incubation program, Idea-to-Scale, supporting nine early-stage startup teams through a six-month incubation journey.
Participants took part in practical workshops, mentoring sessions, and interactive learning experiences covering topics such as business model development, branding, product development, customer discovery, investment readiness, and pitching. The incubation process concluded with a Demo Day event, where startup teams presented their business ideas to investors, ecosystem stakeholders, and entrepreneurship support actors.
Customer Development Support
Recognizing that many startups struggle to validate their products and understand customer needs, LISA introduced a dedicated customer development component for startups operating within the Innovation & Training Park ecosystem.
Through tailored mentoring and practical guidance, startup teams tested their minimum viable products (MVPs), engaged directly with users, collected customer feedback, and refined their products and business strategies based on real market insights. This process enabled founders to strengthen product-market fit and make more informed business decisions.
Pre-Acceleration Program
To support startups ready for the next phase of growth, the project launched a specialized Pre-Acceleration Program focused on scaling readiness and investment preparation.
Participating startups received individual assessments, strategic growth roadmaps, expert consulting support, and personalized mentoring sessions. The program also provided investment-readiness training and facilitated connections with potential investors, clients, partners, and relevant ecosystem actors, helping startups prepare for regional growth opportunities.
Impact and Results
Throughout its implementation, the LISA project directly supported more than 20 startups and entrepreneurial teams, providing them with the knowledge, tools, mentorship, and networks needed to advance their ventures.
The project contributed to:
By creating clear pathways from incubation to pre-acceleration, LISA helped transform innovative ideas into validated and growth-oriented business ventures while laying the foundation for a stronger startup support ecosystem in the region.
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