Agreement Signed for the Innovate Forward Project
The Government of Switzerland, through the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), and the Science and Technology Park Belgrade (STP Belgrade) signed an agreement yesterday to implement the Innovate Forward project, marking a new phase of support for the development of innovation and the startup ecosystem in Serbia.
On behalf of Switzerland, the agreement was signed by H.E. Anne Lugon-Moulin, Ambassador of Switzerland to Serbia, while on behalf of STP Belgrade, the signatory was Dr. Marija Milić, Acting Director.
Ambassador Lugon-Moulin emphasized that Switzerland has been supporting Serbia for years in developing a knowledge-based economy, innovation, and entrepreneurship, underlining that joint investments and the exchange of experience bring lasting results. “Supporting innovators and young entrepreneurs is key to competitiveness and long-term development. Together, we are building the foundations of an economy that connects people, knowledge, and technology,” said the ambassador.
The Innovate Forward project, with a total value of €4.9 million, provides 3.6 million Swiss francs through the support of the Swiss Government, while the remaining amount is financed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia. The project will further strengthen Serbia’s innovation ecosystem, support the creation of new startups, and ensure the continuation of the Raising Starts accelerator program.
Innovate Forward builds upon the longstanding cooperation between Switzerland and STP Belgrade and the results achieved through the Science and Technology Park Serbia 2 program (2020–2024). Through four cycles of the Raising Starts program, more than 150 startup teams have completed intensive training, while 75 of them received financial support for business development.
The signing ceremony was attended by representatives of SECO, the Swiss Cooperation Office in Serbia, the Ministry of Domestic and Foreign Trade of Serbia, and the Innovation Fund. Following the ceremony, the Swiss delegation visited the companies Phytonet, Beam Global, and Meter&Control, as well as the startups Dynamic Mockups, My Flow, and Fuller Vision.
