Smart Kolektiv took part in the Business Angel Summit (BAS26), held in Sarajevo from 7 to 9 October and organised by Foundation 787 and BHBAN, in partnership with Impact Europe. The summit brought together business angels, investors, startups and other innovation ecosystem stakeholders, with a focus on access to capital, cross-border cooperation and new opportunities for business development.
Željko Mitkovski represented Smart Kolektiv at the summit, while Aleksa Peruničić ( BoarVenturers) and Zorana Branković were also part of the Serbian delegation within the Invest for Change project. The participation at the Summit is part of the four-year regional Invest for Change project, which aims to develop social entrepreneurship and the impact investment market across the region, with Smart Kolektiv participating as the project’s partner organisation in Serbia.
The summit programme covered topics such as investment readiness, cross-border cooperation, artificial intelligence and access to capital for startups. Discussions highlighted the importance of mentorship, business connections and access to international markets for business growth. Particular attention was given to impact investing and opportunities to better connect investors with businesses addressing social and environmental challenges.
Impact Morning
Impact Morning was organized on the final day of the summit, focusing on the development of the impact investment market, the mobilisation of private capital and opportunities to engage the diaspora in financing entrepreneurship across the region. The programme included two presentations, a panel discussion and a workshop. Andreja Rosandić, Project Manager at Impact Europe, presented the Invest for Change project, while Vera Bersudskaya introduced the Cartier Women’s Initiative.
The panel on impact investing featured Justine Palermo (Inpulse, Belgium), Eric Asmar (Happy Smala, Morocco), Vanja Širbegović (Erste Social Finance Holding, Austria) and Mikael Hietala (FeelsGood Capital, Croatia). The discussion was moderated by Martijn Blom from Impact Europe. It focused on opportunities to attract private capital and broaden the pool of investors financing businesses with positive social and environmental impact.
One of the key takeaways from the workshop for the participants from Serbia was the need to build and strengthen the impact investing community, as well as to improve understanding of this investment model. It is particularly important to communicate more clearly that impact investments generate a positive social or environmental impact alongside financial returns, thereby contributing to market development and attracting new investors.
Regional Startups in Front of International Investors
At the summit, 16 selected startup teams from across the region presented their business models to international investors. The Serbian startups included CyberParent, Ride and Stride, Outpostchess, Intrascope.app and Dynamic Mockups.
Starko, from Montenegro, was among the five finalists of the regional pitch competition, securing the opportunity to represent the region at the global final of the Startup World Cup in San Francisco, scheduled for 6 November 2026. Participation in the summit gave startups from the region an opportunity to present innovative business solutions to international investors, exchange experiences and establish connections that could support their further development and expansion.
Invest for Change
The four-year Invest for Change project, running from 2025 to 2029, aims to develop social entrepreneurship and the impact investment market across the Western Balkans. Through regional cooperation, the project contributes to improving access to finance, strengthening capacities and connecting social enterprises and other businesses with positive social and environmental impact with investors.
Through its participation in the project and regional initiatives such as the Business Angel Summit, Smart Kolektiv contributes to the development of the impact investing ecosystem in Serbia and to connecting businesses with potential sources of finance.
The Invest for Change project is funded by the European Union and implemented by Impact Europe in partnership with organisations from the Western Balkans, including Smart Kolektiv in Serbia.
