As one of the most important strategic documents, the Startup ecosystem development strategy of the Republic of Serbia for the period 2021-2025 recognizes that the Southern and Eastern Serbia region holds significant potential for further growth of its innovation ecosystem. However, it also faces a lack of collective experience and community knowledge about startups. Limited access to the resources necessary for advancing to higher stages of ecosystem development has been identified as a major obstacle.
The city of Niš, as the natural center of the region, has already established institutions such as the Science Technology Park and the Startup Center, while other parts of the region remain considerably underdeveloped. The underdevelopment of the innovation and startup ecosystem is particularly evident in peri-urban, mountainous, and rural areas—especially in the Jablanica and Pčinja districts.
If rural and mountainous areas remain inactive in terms of ecosystem development, there is a growing risk of deepening regional disparities and accelerating the outflow of young talent. Through the “Start in Mountains” project, the Institute for Development and Innovation aims to reduce regional inequalities and contribute to building the infrastructure necessary to strengthen individuals’ positions in the labor market within the Jablanica and Pčinja districts – with a special focus on promoting entrepreneurship.
The first Transnational Learning meeting of the project “Start in Mountains” was held in Krakow
The Transnational Learining Meeting (TLM), held on 11–12th September 2025 in Krakow, organized by the project partner Region Małopolska (Województwa Małopolskiego), brought together representatives of 8 partner organizations from 7 European countries, along with local stakeholders from the regions where the project is implemented.
Participants had the opportunity to exchange knowledge, present their Good Practices and create common guidelines for future work. The key topic of the meeting was physical resources as a enabling condition for the development of youth entrepreneurship and startup ecosystems.
Discussions focused on how infrastructure such as business incubators, co-working spaces, startup centers, and the availability of local resources can support entrepreneurship and make rural areas more attractive places to live and work. Successful initiatives from partner regions were presented, and participants had a chance to visit to a local business incubator in the village of Trzciana, in the Małopolska region.
For the Institute for Development and Innovation, as a discovery partner in the project, applying the lessons learned in Serbia will be of particular importance, especially in the Jablanica and Pčinja districts.
A major constraint in both districts is the insufficient physical infrastructure, particularly the absence of modern business incubators and other infrastructure that are critical for fostering entrepreneurship.
