ERIK BOER: "A 5000 EUROS GRANT FOR THE BEST TEAM IN THE END OF TIRANA INC."

Innovation Corpus

Erik Boer

BY RUDINA HOXHA

Starting a Student

Incubator in Albania with multiple universities was always top of mind for me. That’s how Erik Boer starts the exclusive interview with TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE following Tirana Inc. project. When the invitation came to him from Tirana to contribute in this regard, he did not think twice. “For me personally, it is amazing to see, how we could build this Tirana Inc. project despite of the pandemic obstacles. I am impressed with all the university leaders and professors and EU for Innovation that took the time and created the energy to make this happen,” he said in this interview. According to Boer, Tirana Inc. Is something new among different initiatives that are happening in Albania. “It puts the focus to the students, their entrepreneurial skills, creativity, and their ambition. Tirana Inc. selects 10 teams to support and mentor in their entrepreneurial journey,” he said. Erik Boer is the founder of Venture Labs and director of Amsterdam Center for Entrepreneurship (ACE Incubator). ACE is an Amsterdam based incubator located at Amsterdam Science Park Campus at the Startup Village. Erik is on the board of directors of many organizations. He has a major in Political Science from VU university Amsterdam and University of Amsterdam.

Erik, please take us back to the very beginning of Tirana Inc. How did it all start and how do you predict this model to work out over time?

It was somewhere in the spring of 2019 that my phone was ringing and Valbona Koci phoned. She was wondering if we would be interested to get connected to EU for Innovation and share our Amsterdam experience on stimulating entrepreneurship with Albanian universities. I was immediately thrilled about this opportunity and from this point on we got more and more involved in different activities to build capacity at Albanian universities. To start a student incubator in Albania with multiple universities was always top of mind for me. But you need to learn more about the local context first, meet people and see if this is a really good idea at all. So, first we had meetings, discussions, and workshops out of which slowly have grown personal relationships, mutual understanding, and trust. We focused on the idea of universities becoming entrepreneurial, on teaching entrepreneurship and connecting universities to the wider ecosystem.

For me personally, it is amazing to see, how we could build this Tirana Inc. project despite of the pandemic obstacles. I am impressed with all the

INNOVATION/STARTUPS university leaders and professors and EU for Innovation that took the time and created the energy to make this happen.

Can you share some numbers about the current state of Tirana Inc? Like number of startups, raised capital, number of exits, etc?

We received 43 applications in total. What we can say for sure is that the interest has been high. The students have responded very well through social media channels and by participating actively in the info sessions. The winners, selected around mid-June, are as follows: Three Sixty (Lisbora Likaj, Nertil Zhuri,

Belinda Myteberi and Amela Rahimi) I-Move (Xhoni Pashollari, Anxhelo Xhediku, Erigers Mamoci and Daniel Leka) DigiCaptivatiors (Meri Demerxhiu, Doriana Demerxhiu) The Aliens (Dionis “But what we can say for sure is that the interest has been high” Alliu, Amoreld Mija and Xhesjana Brahimi) Parklink (Grasjela Qyli) Aces (Xhino Hasani, Rea Lybeshari, Anxhela Boshnjaku) Healthy Mind (Ana Limani) Latte Team (Hygerta Pjeshka, Artemisa Pjeshka and Alba Pjeshka) Golden Devs (Sonia Memaj, Diona Halilaj, Stiliana Jano and Kevin Kurtaja) Pro Mind (Ysiana Agalliu, Seldjon Duro, Laura Dalipi and Megi Kaziu) Regarding the raised capital, we are currently creating partnerships with different ecosystem actors in Albania. There will be a 5000 EUROs grant for the best team in the end of the program.

What are the benefits of Tirana Inc. for the young Albanian startups? What differentiates Tirana Inc. from most other accelerators out here? Why and which startups should apply at Tirana Inc.

Tirana Inc. Is something new among different initiatives that are happening in Albania. It puts the focus to the students, their entrepreneurial skills, creativity, and their ambition. Most of the similar initiatives are often in the forms of two days competition and few ideas get selected after that to incubate their idea, meanwhile Tirana Inc. selects 10 teams to support and mentor in their entrepreneurial journey. The applications are opened for students from all the universities. Tirana Inc. gives the opportunity to start up teams to grow and succeed by providing free or low-cost workspace, training, mentorship, expertise, and access to investors. They will work around other entrepreneurial businesses, often with a similar focus as theirs.

The why is simple: You should apply if you want to turn your idea into a business and if you are ambitious enough for this.

What are the thoughts about the ideas presented by the teams of Albanian universities and how far do you think they might go when it comes from the idea presentation to the market validation? What are some of the major features you are spotting?

The Albanian students are creative, talented so we have high expectations that their ideas will one day will turn into successful businesses. Most of the ideas tend to be related with technology, in the form of platforms of applications that give solutions to several problems they face in their everyday life. We did, however, encourage students with non-technology

INNOVATION/STARTUPS ideas and social business to apply as well. An entrepreneurial attitude can be very helpful in solving Albania’s wicked societal challenges as well. We saw a high number of applications with ideas related to tourism development. The Albanian students do pay attention to what is missing in the market and are

proactive to create their own innovative solutions.

What are your plans and goals for the next 3 years regarding Tirana Inc.?

Tirana Inc. is a pilot project, and our vision is that in 3 years’ time, Tirana Inc will be the main destinations for ambitions students with a business idea. We envision that the number of partner universities might increase, and Tirana Inc. will have a dedicated location where all talented and ambitions teams can work and grow their business. We are recruiting a local team of people that will be willing to take up the responsibility to make it happen and make Tirana Inc. sustainable. We are engaging different levels of partners, like business coaches, mentors, experts in different areas, governments, business chambers, investors, etc. Tirana Inc. is about to unleashing the pool of talented students with entrepreneurial ambitions.

TIRANA INC. IS SOMETHING NEW AMONG DIFFERENT INITIATIVES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN ALBANIA. IT PUTS THE FOCUS TO THE STUDENTS, THEIR ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS, CREATIVITY, AND THEIR AMBITION.

REGARDING THE RAISED CAPITAL, WE ARE CURRENTLY CREATING PARTNERSHIPS WITH DIFFERENT ECOSYSTEM ACTORS IN ALBANIA. THERE WILL BE A 5000 EUROS GRANT FOR THE BEST TEAM IN THE END OF THE PROGRAM.