Jems
Throughout 2025, the CODES project has been marked by the implementation of a cross-border startup support program for teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro. The program began with the development of a pre-acceleration program jointly designed and implemented by project partners City of Zadar, INTERA Technology Park Mostar, IPC Tehnopolis Nikšić and BIT Center Tuzla.
Following the publication of a public call, 24 teams with business ideas from three countries were selected to take part in a five-day bootcamp held in Mostar. The program included training sessions on business models, finance, marketing and related topics, as well as intensive mentoring support. The bootcamp concluded with a pitching competition, after which 12 teams continued their journey in a three-month pre-acceleration mentoring program. Upon its completion, the five best teams were selected to enter the final, six-month validation phase.
In the final phase of the program, selected innovative solutions from various sectors are being developed. The Brain Busters team from Montenegro created Pub Kviz – a digital platform for organizing and playing pub quizzes that introduces automated scoring, multimedia content and regional competitions. From Tuzla comes the Girl Thing team, which is developing Wattsy – a smart system for monitoring and managing electricity consumption, aimed at increasing energy efficiency and safety. During the validation phase, INTERA Technology Park supports two teams: SkyGuard, which is developing an autonomous surveillance system for agricultural estates using drones and AI analytics to reduce theft and improve security in agriculture, and Desfolio, which is developing a SaaS platform for digital tour management and enhanced communication between tour operators and tourists. With the support of the City of Zadar, the Dijaspora Servis startup is also being developed—a platform that connects the diaspora with verified local service providers, enabling secure and efficient handling of administrative, legal, and logistical needs in their home country.
Today, all teams are in the final stage of the validation program, where they are working closely with mentors to test market readiness and prepare for market entry. As the final step of the program, the teams are preparing to participate in the PODIM Conference – one of the largest startup conferences in the region, where, thanks to the CODES project, they will have the opportunity to present their ideas, connect with investors, and open new opportunities for future growth.
The developed cross-border pre-acceleration program is one of the key results of the CODES project and the project partners will seek to jointly implement it even after the project’s completion, with the aim of providing long-term support to startups in the cross-border area.
