Today, the Founder Institute, the world's premier idea-stage accelerator, and startup launch program, is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for the Serbia 2025 Semester!
If you want to build a startup in Belgrade and could use expert training and feedback, then apply to the Belgrade Founder Institute today, or attend a free event.
Those who apply by the Early Admissions Deadline (Aug 17, 2025) will have their application fees waived (typically $50), and if you enroll by the Early Deadline you are also eligible for Founder Institute Fellowships.
Since launching in Belgrade earlier this year, the Founder Institute has helped launch several promising companies in the region, like Cvik & Treger, Dot Media Fleet, and Santo Solo, and our efforts in Belgrade have also been profiled by several high profile media channels.
To celebrate the launch, the Belgrade Founder Institute will several free startup events for the general public, where you can meet top entrepreneurs and learn more about the program:
Serbia Events:
- Belgrade Founder Hotseat: Pitch Your Startup to Investors & Advisors: 6:00pm, May 20, 2025 (Europe/Belgrade): https://FI.co/e/371880
- Novi Sad Founder Hotseat: Pitch Your Startup to Local Investors & Advisors: 6:00pm, Jun 11, 2025 (Europe/Belgrade): https://FI.co/e/371879
Global or Regional Events:
- Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession
- Ask an Investor Anything: Q&A with Nathan Beckord: 7:00pm, May 12, 2025 (Europe/Belgrade): https://FI.co/e/366474
- Future-proofing CPG Brands: Key Strategies for Sustainable Growth: 4:00pm, May 15, 2025 (Europe/Belgrade): https://FI.co/e/371037
- Launching and Scaling Startups in Europe: Insights from FI Founders: 7:00pm, May 19, 2025 (Europe/Belgrade): https://FI.co/e/368390
- Lessons Learned Raising from Top Silicon Valley VCs: AMA with Rajeev Behera: 6:00pm, May 29, 2025 (Europe/Belgrade): https://FI.co/e/371281
- How to Come Up with Great Startup Ideas: 7:00pm, Jun 02, 2025 (Europe/Belgrade): https://FI.co/e/370635
- How to Build Your MVP Using Artificial Intelligence : 7:00pm, Jun 04, 2025 (Europe/Belgrade): https://FI.co/e/371403
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 2:00am, Jun 10, 2025 (Europe/Belgrade): https://FI.co/e/370805
- FI Alumni Panel: Meet Portfolio Companies and Ask Questions: 7:00pm, Jun 23, 2025 (Europe/Belgrade): https://FI.co/e/371831
- Startup Finance & Banking Basics: AMA with Grasshopper Bank: 7:00pm, Jun 25, 2025 (Europe/Belgrade): https://FI.co/e/372032
- Co-Founder Networking: Find a Business Partner: 7:00pm, Jun 30, 2025 (Europe/Belgrade): https://FI.co/e/371672
- Startup Pitch Practice: Share Your Idea and Get Expert Feedback: 7:00pm, Jul 07, 2025 (Europe/Belgrade): https://FI.co/e/370396
Leaders of the world’s fastest-growing startups have used the Founder Institute to transition from employee to entrepreneur, test their startup ideas, build a team, get their first customers, raise funding, and more - like Udemy, Realty Mogul, iCarsClub, Itembase, goplaceit, and Appota. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200 cities and 100 countries, the Founder Institute's mission is to "Globalize Silicon Valley" and create sustainable startup ecosystems that will create one million new jobs worldwide.
Running the Founder Institute's efforts in Belgrade are local startup leaders Daniel M. Boehi (Founder and Investor, MAD Strategy), Tatjana Kalezic (Founder, SerbiaStartUp), Ana Milicevic (FI Co-director), and Sinisa Perovic (Microsoft Evangelist).
In addition, some of Belgrade's top entrepreneurs will mentor founders in the program, providing them with expert training, feedback, and evaluation. The list of mentors for the Serbia 2025 includes:
- Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO PLATFORM
- Adeo Ressi: CEO, Decile Group / VC Lab
- Aleks Rakitch: Founder & CEO, MixAart
- Aleksandar Celeski: Executive Director, DUEL Consulting
- Aleksandar Stamboliev: CEO & Co-Founder, BAU Accelerator
- Aleksandar Bakoč: CEO & Founder, Algotech doo
- Aleksandar Bijelić: President of the Board, Serbian Venture Network
- Aleksandar Marić: Head Of Finance, Alt Labs
- Aleksandar Hangimana: Advisor & Investor, Noordenster B.V.
- Aleksandar Momiroski: COO & Co-founder, Comeunity Business Incubator
- Aleksandar Matanović: CEO & Founder, ECD
- Aleksandar Janičić: Founder/CEO, J Consulting Group
- Aleksandar Marić: Partner, Adore Chocolat
- Aleksandra Lazović-Lønningen: Building Collaborative Entrepreneurial Ecosystems l Growth and Innovation Strategist, Impact Hub Belgrade/InoSmart
- Aleksandra Vuković: Founder and Director | Nura digital & Singular Advantage, Nura Digital | Singular Advantage
- Ales Pustovrh: Partner, Bogatin doo
- Alex Migitko, UNIQUE.VC
- Alex Lunginovic: Broker/Vice President, Montalvo Ventures
- Alexander Naydenov: Head of Sales, GraphCMS
- Alexander Sumin: co-founder, Chief Marketing Officer, ClaimCompass
- Alexander Martynov: Head of Bio-IT, Biovision Ventures
- Alin Vacian: CEO, enovatika
- Alin Vacian: CEO, Enovika
- Almir Zejneli: CEO and Co Owner, ADRIA EXCLUSIVE LTD
- Ana Milicevic: Coordinator, Research and Development Hub at Faculty of organizational sciences
- Anđel Bošković: Co-founder & Head of Growth, Booking Dentist
- Andrei Cosmin Munteanu: Co-Founder & CEO, Cowork Timisoara
- Andrija Bednarik: Entrepreneur serving Humanity, Life Playing Club
- Anja Stanisic, Foundation Novak Djokovic - Original platform
- Anton Osipov: Product Designer & Founder, DdD Lab
- Ari Veltman: Business Strategy Advisor | Board Director | CBDO@, Sparko.TV
- Arseniy Dabbakh, Innotechnics
- Arthur Gusev: Founder and CEO, Launch Deck
- Athanasios Ladopoulos: Founder & CEO , MemoryGarden
- Ben Stacey: CEO, Pitchverk
- Benoit Doumas: Managing Director, BlackRock
- Berg Moe: Chairman, Gründervekst AS
- Bilyana Dimitrova: Managing Partner, Dimitrova and Staykova Law office
- Blanka Supe: Founder, Haos Community Space
- Boris Kolev: Founder and Managing Partner, DigiMark Ventures
- Boris Hristov: Founder and CEO, 356labs
- Borislav Miljanović: CEO, Represent System
- Borut Čeh: Co-owner and CEO, Labena ltd
- Boštjan Čeh: Co-Director, Labena Ventures
- Branko Bajić: Marketing and Products Director, Yettel Bulgaria
- Brian M Pasalich: Chief Executive Officer | Co-Founder, Behave Technologies (Formerly Syntoniq, Inc.)
- Charles Cormier: CEO, TopLeads Agency
- Chintan Oza: Founder, Anantam Ecosystems
- Christophe Nègre: General Partner, Western Balkans Private Equity Fund
- Clarisse Dr. Behar Molad: CHief Strategy Officer , Whistesteps Technologies
- Dajana Džindo: Executive Director, F787
- Daniel Lorer: Advisory Board Member, Quadrodynamics
- Daniel Michael Böhi: Executive Coach, Founder & Investor, Founder Institute
- Danijela Matovic: CEO & Founder, Parlok Consulting
- Darko Ivanović: General Partner, Balkan Tech Fund
- Darko Vidakovic: Darko Vidakovic, EASME
- Darko Burčul: Chief Marketing and PR, Infostud
- David Schoch: President and member of the Board of Directors, Serbian Private Equity Association
- Davor Sakač: Director, TS Ventures Fund
- Dejan Dramićanin: CEO, Bitgear
- Dejan Tonić: EBRD Associate, Regional Coordinator of Star Venture Programme for Western Balkans, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
- Dejan Vukmirović: Chief Technology Officer, Bakson Ltd
- Dilyan Dimitrov: Partner, Eleven Ventures
- Djordje Filipovic, 30Hills
- Dmytro Lokshyn: Head of Alternative Investments, Stockpile Inc.
- Don Samoil: Managing Partner, Trusted Scale
- Dóra Marosvölgyi: Founder & CEO, DARE Innovations
- Đorđe Ćelić: CEO, Poslovni inkubator Novi Sad - Business incubator Novi Sad doo
- Đorđe Zdravković: Cofounder & CEO, Protokol.io
- Dragana Vujovic Djermanovic: Growth Guide, PCG
- Drago Gverić: CEO, Innovation Center Banja Luka
- Dušan Karan: Enterprise acceleration consultant, Innovation Fund
- Dušan Obradović: Cofounder & CEO, Bold International Group
- Evgeny Podlesny: Director, CEECAT Capital
- Filip Sasic: Managing Director for Southeast Europe, Network 20/20
- Filip Komnenović: Product Manager, LambdaWorks
- Filip Bovan: Board member & Co-Founder, ESEM Business School | Ex J.P. Morgan M&A
- Filip Ivančić: Advisor
- Florin Grosu: Co -founder, Traderion
- Frank Mertens: Founder & CEO, FM Consulting GmbH
- Frank Petry: CEO, EuroTechInnovation
- Gaia Montelatici: Founder, STUDIO X Ventures
- Gajo Vanka: COO, Aim Cube Limited | UK
- George Sidjimkov: General Partner , Sofia Angels Ventures
- Georgi Malchev: Managing Partner, XploraBG
- Georgi Kadrev: Co-Founder & CEO, Imagga & Kelvin Health
- Glen Hellman: Glen Hellman - CRO & Business Development, CXO Elevate and University of Maryland
- Gogo Rafajlovski: COO, SEEUTechPark
- Goran Mladenović: CEO, Nis Cluster of Advanced Technologies (NI CAT)
- Goran Ćulibrk: Community Lead, Serbian Entrepreneurs
- Gregor Rebolj: Managing Partner, Silicon Gardens Fund
- Hristo Hristov: CEO, Darik
- Igor Madzov: Investement Director, NEST
- Igor Arsovski: Founder & CEO, Merakzy
- Ingeborg Gasser Kriss: Board Member, Advisor , Agent21
- Ivan Minić: Co-Founder, Pojačalo
- Ivan Nonković: Partner, Karanovic & Partners Law Firm
- Ivan Radojičić: Lecturer and Marketing manager, Turnkey
- Ivana Pesic Forbes: VP of design, Interactio
- Ivan E. Germanov: Certified Coach, Founder Institute
- Ivaylo Ivanov: Director, Founder Institute Eastern Europe
- Ivo Vasilev: Founder and CEO, Reloyalty
- Jakob Gajšek: GP, RUJ Ventures
- James Zanewicz: Chief Strategy Officer, Tulane University School of Medicine
- Jan Kobler: Managing Partner, South Central Ventures
- Janet Todorova: Head of Expansion, Founder Institute
- Janet Todorova: Head of Expansion, Founder Institute
- Jasmina Knežević: Founder and Supervisory Board Member, Acibadem Bel Medic
- Jasmina Jankičević: Chief Medical Officer, Innovaderm Inc.
- Jasna Pejović: CEO , Flourish
- Jeff Skiba: Consultant, Med Minding
- Jelena Plavanski, Business angels association of Serbia
- Jia Hong Shaw: Founder, Turn Off Turn On Ventures
- Jivko Ivanov: Managing Partner, Simbula Ltd.
- Johannes Benkhoff: Founder, innocellerate
- Jonie Oostveen: CEO , Digital Den
- Joshua Cheng: Founding Team, COO, Behave Technologies
- Jovan Tišma: Co-founder, ALL-ART
- Jovana Radlović: Head of EU Integration Centre, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia
- Juan Antonio De Lassaletta Fernández: General Secretary and Global Head Legal & Compliance , Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma/CSL Vifor
- Kamen Bankovski: Partner, Vitosha Venture Partners
- Karina Sotnik: Founder/CEO, WorldUpstart
- Keo Sar: Mentor, Advisor & Business Angel, August Hill
- Kostas Karolemeas: Founder, CEO, Allcancode
- Kristina Stevanović: Co-Founder, EPICentar
- Kristjan Zemljic: Founder, Odobreno, Kristjan Zemljič s.p.
- Lazar Lekić: Supercluster Manager, Serbia Innovates
- Lazar Grujicic: CEO
- Liang Sun: Founder, Solar Solutions HK Ltd.
- Luka Prišunjak: Ecosystem Facilitator, Swisscontact
- Luka Pejović: Director, BDO Ventures (Ventu.rs)
- Maaike Doyer: Founder, Epic Angels
- Maja Križan: Investment Manager, Business Angels of Slovenia
- Marat Shaidulatov
- Marita Price: Founder & Director, Hello
- Mark Rogers: CEO, Futurist Labs
- Mark Liepinsh: Managing director, Pulsar VC
- Marko Vučetić: PR manager, HelloWorld.rs
- Marko Dzombic: Co-Founder, K-EoP Protocol
- Marko Mijatović: CFO & Investment Principal, Fifth Quarter Ventures
- Marko Rosic: Senior Innovation Consultant, Science Park Graz
- Matej Rus: Head & Co-founder, PODIM
- Matija Srbic: Deep-tech venture builder programme director, Innovation center Nikola Tesla
- Max Gurvits: Managing Partner, Vitosha Venture Partners
- Maya Zlatanova: Co-Founder & CEO, FindMeCure
- Michael Kosic: Founding Partner, Loyal VC
- Mike Lingle: Entrepreneur / Mentor, Rocket Pro Forma
- Mila Milenkovic: Director of Sector for Strategy, Telekom Srbija
- Milan Ranđelović: Managing Director, Science and Technology Park Nis
- Milan Dobrota: CEO, Agremo
- Milen Ivanov: Managing Partner, Sofia Angels Ventures, Co-Founder, CEO Angels Club
- Milena Micanović: Director for Communications and Public affairs, OTP banka Srbija
- Mili Ibrulj: Principal , Fil Rouge Capital
- Miloš Milovanović: Co-founder & COO, Blinking
- Miloš Lazović: Ecosystem Facilitator, Swiss EP - Swisscontact
- Miloš Došen: CEO, Accounting and Tax Advisory Agency ‘Došen’
- Miloš Lukić: CEO & Co-Founder, ReadyCMS
- Miloš Polovina: CEO, TransferNova
- Miodrag Nenadović: Co-Founder, Brush Galaxy
- Miodrag Bukvic: Technology Sales, Business Development & Innovation, Startup Mentor & Strategic Advisor
- Mirjana Perkovic: Founder & CEO, LookStyler
- Miron Lukač: Co-founder, Portal World
- Misa Nikolic: CEO, Resonator – Creative Tech Hub
- Mladen Radišić: CEO, Foodscale Hub
- Mustafa Cakir: Co-founder, PATENT EFFECT
- Natali Delić: Director of the Directorate for Strategy and Digital, Telekom Serbia
- Nataša Rađenović Živanović: Chief Innovation Officer, OTP Connect
- Nataša Filipović: Managing Director, OvationBBDO
- Nathan Pike: Prior, Oxford Oracle
- Nebojša Đurđević: Partner, Vega IT
- Neda Trifunović: Manager, Business Angel Network DSI
- Nedeljko Milosavljević: Co-Director, Founder Institute Serbia
- Nedžad Lomigora: Managing Partner, Falcon Venture Partners LLC
- Nemanja Stefanović: CEO & Co-founder, HireApp
- Nemanja Petrović: Co-Founder, Traken
- Nemanja Zivkovic: Founder , Funky Marketing
- Nenad Paunović: Co-founder, Serbian Venture Network
- Nenad Novović: CEO and Founder, Amplitudo
- Nenad Božić: CEO & Co-founder, SmartCat
- Nenad Mladenović: Product Consultant / Strategic Advisor, Ingsoftware
- Niko Slavnić: Founder, IQbator
- Nikola Balić: Head of Growth, Daytona Platforms Inc.
- Nikola Obradović: Founder & CEO, Bridgewater Labs
- Nikola Mitic: Mr, SuperScale
- Nina Dremelj: President, Business Angels of Slovenia
- Olga Mirković Maksimović: COO, Videobolt
- Olivier Tilleuil: Founder and managing director (former), EyeSee
- Oskar Marko: Co-founder, Cropt
- Pavel Cholakov, Chief Ventures
- Peđa Predin: GP, Fifth Quarter Ventures
- Petar Atanasovski: Managing Partner, Attic42 Venture Builder
- Petar Savić: Partner, Supreme Factory
- Petar Tsachev: Investor, Launchub Ventures
- Péter Mogyorósi: CEO, Creative Accelerator
- Predrag Krupez: CEO, Blue Coast Brewing Company
- Primož Karpe: Partner / Chairman / Investment Committee member, Cedars Ltd / NLB Bank / Aroma Global Ltd / ALFI PE I & II
- Raanan Shenhav: Founder, RS-CPD
- Rada Đurović Vassena: Business Developer Consultant, Freelance
- Rade Rakočević: CEO & Founder, Senzal capital doo
- Radoslav Stankov: Head of engineering, Product Hunt
- Rishi Chowdhury: Founder & CEO, Incube Space
- Rok Zorko: Co-Founder, Outfit7
- Salim Virani: Founder, Source Institute
- Sam Eisenberg: Co-Founder, Design For Decks
- Sandra Nesic: Co-founder & Senior Innovation Consultant , Zavisi Consulting
- Sanja Brdar: co-founder, Cropt
- Saša Popović: Co-Founder and CEO, Vega IT
- Sascha Österle Nincic: Business Development, FT AG
- Stavros Pavlidis: Head Direct and Strategic Investments, Deep Capital Group
- Stefan Vladimirov: Creative Director, monolig.
- Stefan Mrvaljević: Founder and CEO, ACHIVR Educational Technologies
- Stephen O’Rourke: Founder & Principal Consultant, RegulatoryStory – Regulatory Affairs Consultancy
- Tadej Kurepa: Programme Manager of the Venture an Idea Project, Digital Sebia Initiative
- Tamara Čolić Milosavljević: Co-Director, Founder Institute Serbia
- Tatyana Mitkova: Co-Founder and CEO, ClaimCompass
- Teodor Panayotov: CEO, CourseDot
- Thibaut Taittinger: Founder & CEO, Puzl CowOrKing
- Tilen Šarlah: Managing Partner, Feelsgood Capital
- Todor Breshkov: Managing Partner, LAUNCHub Ventures
- Tom Vodopivec: Principal, Silicon Gardens
- Tomasz Golinski: Founding Partner, CofounderZone
- Vassil Popovski: CEO & Co-founder, Connecto.ai (Acquired by Leanplum)
- Vedran Rasic: CEO/Founder, LeadDelta
- Vedran Šimunović: Director, INTERA Technology Park
- Victor Schiller: President, R Cubed Group
- Viktor Minchev: VC Investor, Eleven Ventures
- Viktorija Petrov: PhD, Faculty of Economics, University of Novi Sad
- Vladan Todorović: CEO & Founder, Advanced Security Technologies ltd
- Vladimer Botsvadze: Advisory Board Member , The United States Artificial Intelligence Institute
- Vladimir Nedović: Owner, Synemedia
- Vladimir Bozovic: CEO, ZenHire
- Vladimir Pavlović: General Partner, Omorika Ventures
- Vladimir Vojvodić: Director of operations, Fuller Vision
- Vladimir Pletyukhin: Founder and Creative Director, Launch Deck
- Vladimir Vlahović: Founder & Managing Director, SOLVENTRY GmbH
- Vladislav Pavlov: Founder, Furtherance Network
- Vojin Šenk: Professor, University of Novi Sad
- Volen Vulkov: Co-Founder, Enhancv
- Voon Yee Ho: CEO, Techbridge Ventures Pte Ltd
- Vuk Lau: Partner, Silicon Gardens Fund
- Željko Ilić: Co-founder & General manager, InCentar
- Zoja Kukic Dordevic: VP Digital Transformation, Signet World
- Zoran Vasiljev: CEO, Centili
- And many more to be announced.
The Founder Institute is the most challenging and effective step-by-step startup launch program for talented and motivated aspiring entrepreneurs. If you are serious about launching a startup, the Founder Institute can give you the structured process, constant feedback and evaluation from expert mentors, and a global network of entrepreneurs you need to start an enduring company. In addition, the Founder Institute is the only program of its kind that focuses on people versus ideas, accepts founders with day jobs, and shares equity with all participants.
We hope you will join us in Belgrade and launch a company in 2016.
