Yunus Social Business Albania launches the third edition of Accelerator Program

On June 20, Yunus Social Business Albania funding organization launched this year’s Accelerator Program for wannapreneurs and active entrepreneurs who seek to implement their social business ideas. After the first successful implementation of the first accelerating programs where several startup ideas where funded and mentored by Yunus Social Business Albania, the platform comes with a novelty this year. The program will accept social business ideas from entrepreneurs of Balkan countries (Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina).

The expansion of the activity map of Yunus Social Business Albania (now to be called Yunus Social Business Balkan) comes as a necessity to boost entrepreneurship in Balkan countries and provide funding opportunities for social business ideas which are considered to give an important contribution to the growth of these countries’ economies and in decreasing unemployment.

As cited in their official website “Yunus Social Business (YSB) helps create social businesses around the world, which aim at bringing measurable and sustainable social and economic impact at the base of the economic pyramid. YSB Accelerator Program in the Balkans helps entrepreneurs develop their ideas into successful startup businesses.”

This year’s Accelerator Program was presented by the Country Director of YSBA, Shkelzen Marku, Daniel Nowack, Program Director at Yunus Social Business – Global Initiatives and Leonard Dalipi, Senior Business Consultant at YSBA. Present in the ceremony was also the Minister of Innovation and Technology, Milena Harito which showed her support for this initiative and spoke about the Week of Innovation Albania, considering it as a gathering platform for all the innovative projects, startups and initiatives which are being undertaken in the country. The Minister also declared that the government is trying to make synergies between different actors in the business field.

Yunus Social Business Albania invites all wannapreneurs and entrepreneurs which have a social business idea, to apply for their idea before September 30, 2015. The next Accelerator Program will be held during November 2015 – February 2016 period.

Photo: YSBA