The event was organised by the Italian Trade Agency, in cooperation with the Italian Embassy in Albania and Albanian stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem, with the aim of creating new avenues for cooperation in technology, financing and entrepreneurship.

The focus was on opportunities for partnerships, investment and startup financing, technological development, and the expansion of innovative businesses. The initiative also aims to position Italy as a gateway for Albanian startups seeking to expand into European markets.

Picariello: We aim to establish new partnerships to develop Albania’s startup ecosystem

The Director of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) in Tirana, Matteo Picariello, said that Italy had adopted a new approach to cooperation with Albania’s startup ecosystem. According to him, the aim is not only for Italy to share its experience, but also to benefit from Albania’s potential to expand cooperation across the Balkans.

“We wanted to bring our ecosystem here to develop the partnership between the two countries. That is why we have brought venture capital funds and many other ecosystem stakeholders here, with the aim of creating new partnerships and helping to develop Albania’s startup ecosystem. At the same time, we want to gain new ideas and perspectives on growth opportunities in the Balkans. Albania can also serve as a hub for neighbouring countries,” he said.

According to Picariello, one of the initiative’s long-term objectives is to establish an Italian-Albanian acceleration or incubation programme through cooperation between partners in the two countries.

“Our long-term goal is to set up a fully-fledged Italian-Albanian accelerator or incubator here. We hope to be able to co-finance this programme. We are discussing it with our partner, ‘Innovation4Albania’, an agency established by the Ministry of Economy and Innovation. We also have several partners in Italy. So, we hope that within a year we will be able to bring you some good news,” he said.

Italian Ambassador to Albania Alberti: Innovation is not a luxury, but a necessity for survival

Italy’s Ambassador to Albania, Marco Alberti, stressed that innovation is directly linked to economic competitiveness. According to him, there can be no progress and prosperity without competitiveness, while competitiveness requires innovation. The Italian ambassador also highlighted the role of startups in turning ideas into concrete solutions.

“There is no progress, there is no prosperity without competitiveness. But there is no competitiveness without innovation. This is the link we need to focus on, first and foremost. Innovation is necessary, but it is not enough. The issue today is being able to keep up with new developments. And startups are the means of transforming ideas into real-world solutions, quickly. Speed is the new currency today. It is very difficult to be competitive if you are not an innovator,” he said.

He also highlighted the need for public institutions to be more open to new ways of solving problems. According to him, one of the main responsibilities of governments is to create the conditions for such an ecosystem to develop.

“Startups are the driver for creating the practices of tomorrow, and a government should provide support for the ecosystem. Because it is extremely difficult for a startup to thrive on its own. The responsibility and task we can set ourselves when we talk about startups is to help consolidate an ecosystem that is innovative,” he said.

Minister Ibrahimaj: We can build bridges between Albanian talent and Italian capital

At the end of the event, Minister of Economy and Innovation Delina Ibrahimaj highlighted the political will to strengthen relations between the two countries in the field of innovation.

“We all want this cooperation to be stronger in many areas. And I think that, in the field of innovation, it is our responsibility to work in innovative ways so that this cooperation can become stronger,” she said.

Ibrahimaj highlighted the strong economic and people-to-people ties between Albania and Italy, arguing that these relations also provide an important foundation for cooperation in innovation. According to her, cooperation can go beyond traditional investment to include universities, incubators, accelerators, financing, knowledge transfer and talent development.

“We have worked hard to build an ecosystem that is still evolving. I believe there is significant potential for us to achieve more together through cooperation in areas such as financing, knowledge and expertise sharing, universities, incubators and startup development programmes, as well as through a shared approach and mindset toward innovation. The political will is there, as is the strong cultural bond between our two countries,” Minister Ibrahimaj said.

The conference also featured several panels discussing innovation financing, the experience of Italy’s ecosystem, growth opportunities for startups and cross-border cooperation. Italian ecosystem stakeholders were also introduced at the event, with the aim of establishing direct connections with Albanian entrepreneurs and institutions.

The event conveyed the message that Italy–Albania cooperation in innovation aims to move beyond the exchange of experience towards concrete partnerships, investment and the creation of new opportunities for startups in both countries.

/sm/