Connecting Continents: ASU Entrepreneurs Help Balkan Startups Break Into the U.S. Market

A team of Arizona State University faculty entrepreneurs is bringing global impact to life by helping small businesses and startups from the Balkans expand their reach into the United States. The initiative – part of a U.S. Department of State program – demonstrates how ASU’s entrepreneurial ecosystem can serve as a bridge between emerging innovators and international markets.

Led by electrical engineering professors Visar Berisha and Zachary Holman from the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, ASU’s effort is part of the Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) Innovates the Balkans initiative. With funding from the U.S. State Department and support from the Melikian Center and ASU’s J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute, the program equips Balkan startup founders with the tools they need to adapt their products and services for U.S. customers.

A Program With Heart and Purpose

Berisha, who grew up in Kosovo, brought personal passion and professional experience to the project, seeing it as an opportunity to showcase innovation from his home region to the world. “The development and growth of the Balkans region has always been close to my heart,” he said, reflecting on the program’s start.

Over ten weeks between July and October 2023, the first cohort of 13 companies participated in intensive training. The curriculum – modeled after the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program but adapted for non-academic startups – included workshops, mentorship, and customer discovery activities designed to help founders learn how to understand and respond to U.S. market needs.

Mentorship That Makes a Difference

Participants were paired with ASU-affiliated entrepreneurs whose industry experience helped guide them through roughly 40 customer interviews per company, giving founders real data to assess product-market fit and refine their solutions. Companies ranged from AI speech-to-sign-language translator SignAvatar to sustainable hat brand Mirjana Josifoska and digital marketing platform the Brand Pack.

Denise McKenzie, an academic associate at ASU’s College of Health Solutions, led the in-person sessions held in Kosovo, while Berisha and Holman offered expert insight throughout the online segments. McKenzie emphasized the importance of customer-driven problem solving, teaching founders to develop repeatable processes for identifying and addressing user needs – a core entrepreneurial skill that can help businesses flourish long after the program ends.

Real Impact, Real Voices

One standout participant, Brummell – a company creating a blazer jacket that meets professional style and motorcycle safety standards through clever use of Kevlar – praised the experience. CEO and co-founder Nina Levic said the mentorship deepened the team’s understanding of their customers and helped shape their business strategy. “This program has allowed us to extensively explore our customer segment, acquire fresh insights and share experiences with fellow entrepreneurs,” Levic said.

Looking Toward the Future

As the program continues to develop, Berisha envisions a self-sustaining model built through partnerships between ASU and local institutions, possibly leveraging ASU’s Global University Partnerships. He also hopes the initiative will help promote a new narrative about the Balkans – highlighting innovation and entrepreneurial potential rather than past conflicts.

By connecting international founders with ASU’s entrepreneurial expertise, the GIST Innovates the Balkans program embodies the university’s mission to empower innovators everywhere and demonstrate that impact knows no borders.

Read the full story and learn more about how ASU entrepreneurs are helping Balkan startups reach global customers here.