EIT’s Transformative Impact in the Western Balkans

The European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) has emerged as Europe’s largest innovation ecosystem, uniting over 2,400 partners across more than 70 hubs to drive forward-thinking solutions for global challenges. With a mission to foster sustainable growth and a green future, EIT’s unique approach integrates business, research, and education through its Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs), supporting ventures from inception to market success. To date, EIT has supported more than 9,900 ventures, launched over 2,450 new products, and trained upwards of 880,000 learners, with EIT-supported companies now valued at over EUR 72 billion.

EIT in the Western Balkans

Recognizing the potential of the Western Balkans, EIT has prioritised engagement with the region during the 2021–2023 programming period. All EIT KICs, both individually and collaboratively, have rolled out initiatives tailored to local needs. The region’s participation rate in EIT Community activities reached 2.24%, outperforming the Horizon Europe average and underscoring the relevance and impact of EIT’s offerings for Western Balkan innovators.

EIT Jumpstarter: Empowering Early-Stage Entrepreneurs

EIT Jumpstarter is a flagship pre-accelerator programme, providing mentoring, training, and pre-seed funding to early-stage innovators. The Western Balkans have shown strong engagement, with 10–11% of annual applications originating from the region. In 2023, 65 out of 621 applications came from the Western Balkans, resulting in two teams winning three prizes at the Grand Final. In 2024, nine regional teams were supported, with standout performances from Rehem (Serbia), which won third prize in the InnoEnergy category, and WellscanPro (Kosovo*), which secured second prize in Health and was named the most promising Western Balkans team.

Looking ahead, a dedicated Western Balkans cohort within EIT Jumpstarter will launch in 2026, funded by IPA III (EUR 600,000), to further increase annual support. The region’s innovation is also reflected in success stories like NeoPill, a Serbian, female-led start-up that developed a novel dental device using electrolysis to improve oral hygiene for orthodontic patients. NeoPill’s journey from EIT Jumpstarter winner to commercialization exemplifies the programme’s impact, with the company now scaling production after successful pilots in Serbia and Bulgaria.

The 2025 application cycle underscored the region’s growing entrepreneurial dynamism, with 82 submissions from the Western Balkans-approximately 10% of the global total. North Macedonia led with 23 applications, followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina (18), Albania (17), Serbia (16), Montenegro (5), and Kosovo (3)1. Thematic trends revealed a strong focus on Food & Agritech (22 applications) and Healthcare (20), reflecting regional priorities in sustainable agriculture and medical innovation.

EIT InfraBooster: Bridging Research and Industry

EIT InfraBooster is a modular training programme designed for scientific organizations in the Western Balkans and neighboring countries. It builds capacity for developing infrastructure-based services for industry, fostering collaboration, and generating new revenue streams. In 2023, the programme supported 60 participants (68