{"id":2616,"date":"2025-07-24T09:51:50","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T07:51:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digigreen.ba\/uspjesna-prica\/bosnian-startups-shine-at-gitex-europe-2025-first-national-pavilion-opens-doors-to-the-european-market\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T16:38:33","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T14:38:33","slug":"bosnian-startups-shine-at-gitex-europe-2025-first-national-pavilion-opens-doors-to-the-european-market","status":"publish","type":"uspjesna-prica","link":"https:\/\/digigreen.ba\/en\/uspjesna-prica\/bosnian-startups-shine-at-gitex-europe-2025-first-national-pavilion-opens-doors-to-the-european-market\/","title":{"rendered":"Bosnian Startups Shine at GITEX Europe 2025: First National Pavilion Opens Doors to the European Market"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Berlin, May 2025<\/strong> \u2013 At the heart of Europe\u2019s tech landscape, the prestigious GITEX Europe<\/strong> trade fair (21\u201123 May) marked a historic milestone for Bosnia & Herzegovina. For the first time, BiH had its own national pavilion<\/strong>, creating direct access to international markets, investors, and tech partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Powered by the SEDEP programme<\/strong>, funded by the Government of Germany<\/strong>, the EU<\/strong>, and the Government of Switzerland<\/strong>, and supported through the Ecosystem Connectors initiative<\/strong>, the BiH pavilion showcased five innovative startups<\/strong> \u2014 Valens, ZenDev, E387, Sarajevo VRX Immersive Museum,<\/em> and Emaq<\/em> \u2014 alongside five leading ecosystem organizations: Elevate, Fondacija 787, IMPAKT, SSST,<\/em> and FabLab Sarajevo<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe delegation at GITEX Europe 2025 marked a significant leap forward for Bosnia & Herzegovina\u2019s startup ecosystem,\u201d said Slavi\u0161a Jovanovi\u0107<\/strong>, advisor at GIZ.\u201cFor the first time, BiH startups and support organizations were presented together on one of Europe\u2019s premier tech investment platforms, gaining visibility, forging strategic partnerships, and demonstrating competitiveness in EU markets.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Empowering Through Knowledge and Networks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants engaged in a carefully designed programme \u2014 from investment-readiness workshops<\/strong> and pitch training<\/strong> to structured networking with key players<\/strong> in Europe\u2019s startup scene. Visits to innovation hubs such as MotionLab<\/strong> and CIC Berlin<\/strong> showcased real-world models that connect technology, business, and community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond institutional support, local partners<\/strong>, particularly Sarajevo School of Science and Technology (SSST)<\/strong> and Fondacija 787<\/strong>, played pivotal roles in mentoring, strategic leadership, and programme implementation through SEDEP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SSST \u2013 Academic Innovator on an International Stage<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the only university from BiH<\/strong> at GITEX Europe, SSST<\/strong> positioned itself at the intersection of education, research, and entrepreneurship. Through its active participation in all phases of Ecosystem Connectors, the SSST team engaged directly with European deep-tech partners, investors, and innovation networks \u2014 reinforcing its role as a regional bridge to international opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cOur presence in Berlin enabled us to position Sarajevo as a hub connecting European innovation centres<\/em>,\u201d said Dr. Nedim \u010celebi\u0107<\/strong>, Vice\u2011Dean for Research and Associate Professor at SSST. \u201cGITEX Europe allowed us to test our international readiness through sandbox projects, joint AI programmes, and research partnerships. Berlin wasn\u2019t just an exhibition, it reaffirmed that we have the knowledge, teams, and vision to step into the global network. For me personally, it confirmed that a professor from Sarajevo can stand shoulder\u2011to\u2011shoulder with Europe\u2019s innovation elite.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Fondacija 787 \u2013 Building the Infrastructure for the Future<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Fondacija 787<\/strong>, participating in GITEX Europe and the Ecosystem Connectors programme meant gaining direct insight into top-tier startup ecosystems \u2014 not only their products, but also the support structures behind them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThis was a pivotal experience for Fondacija 787, enabling us to connect with Balkan startups, observe global innovations firsthand, and understand how a networked entrepreneurial ecosystem operates,<\/em>\u201d said Amela Br\u010daninovi\u0107<\/strong>, Project Manager at Fondacija 787. \u201cIt also illuminated the core elements we need at home to build a resilient and dynamic scene.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their participation included collaboration with the BLP initiative<\/strong>, identifying sustainable models that connect NGOs, private firms, and investors \u2014 a framework that can guide local ecosystem development.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A New Era for Bosnian Innovation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The visit to Berlin was more than a showcase \u2014 it was affirmation that BiH has valuable contributions to offer the global tech community. GITEX was a milestone for the local startup scene, opening doors to international growth, investment, and scaling opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through SEDEP, implemented by GIZ with support from Germany, the EU, and Switzerland, the initiative demonstrates how international collaboration with local stakeholders can generate tangible impact on the ground<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continuing Strategic Support Through SEDEP and DigiGreen<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participation in GITEX Europe 2025 is part of a broader digital and green transformation strategy for BiH<\/strong>, led by SEDEP. The programme continuously strengthens the startup ecosystem, support organizations, and systems that connect local innovators to European markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A central resource is the DigiGreen platform<\/strong> \u2014 an online hub at www.digigreen.ba<\/a> offering access to opportunities, educational content, and growth resources. Through DigiGreen, BiH startups can access calls for proposals, developmental tools, and international partnerships, along with regional best practices and direct support for EU integration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This success story was developed within the Sustainable Economic Development and Employment Promotion Programme (SEDEP) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, jointly financed by the European Union, the Government of Switzerland and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented by GIZ.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At the heart of Europe\u2019s tech landscape, the prestigious GITEX Europe trade fair (21 23 May) marked a historic milestone for Bosnia & Herzegovina.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2236,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"vrsta-uspjesnih-prica":[46],"class_list":["post-2616","uspjesna-prica","type-uspjesna-prica","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","vrsta-uspjesnih-prica-eu4psd-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/digigreen.ba\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/uspjesna-prica\/2616","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/digigreen.ba\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/uspjesna-prica"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/digigreen.ba\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/uspjesna-prica"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digigreen.ba\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2236"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/digigreen.ba\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2616"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"vrsta-uspjesnih-prica","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digigreen.ba\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vrsta-uspjesnih-prica?post=2616"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}