A Journey of Hard Work and Opportunity
Growpreneur Accelerator closed its second cohort on September 19th with an unforgettable Demo Day at Library Valentini. It was not just another event, it was the conclusion of a journey that began months ago with over 42 ambitious startup teams, and ended with six who proved they had the grit, focus, and determination to stand on stage in front of investors.
From Many to Few
When the program launched, the room was full of ideas, energy, and ambition. Forty two startups entered the cohort, all with different backgrounds and visions. But acceleration is not only about inspiration; it’s about commitment, discipline, and execution. Along the way, some teams realized the path wasn’t right for them, others couldn’t dedicate the time needed, and some projects simply didn’t survive the pressure.
The six who pitched at Demo Day were not “the lucky ones” , they were the ones who worked relentlessly. They showed up to every workshop, reshaped their models after harsh feedback, tested with real users, and learned to defend their ideas in front of demanding investors. Their presence on stage was proof that persistence matters more than a perfect idea.
The Finalists
The six startups presented solutions across diverse sectors:
- EasyBookAI (SaaS) – AI-powered booking and scheduling for professionals.
- n’Arte (creative economy) – an online marketplace for artisans and producers.
- MedApp (healthtech) – digital records and telemedicine for better healthcare.
The Jury and the Moment of Truth
The investor jury, Shefqet Avdullau, Ravik Mima, Gerti Boshnjaku, and Grant Van Cleve, listened carefully, challenged assumptions, and asked the tough questions every founder must face when meeting investors. The atmosphere was intense but full of opportunity: for many startups, this was the first time standing before international-level investors.
Prizes That Open Doors
The excitement peaked when the prizes were announced, because Demo Day was not just about recognition — it was about giving startups real access to global opportunities.
- Web Summit Lisbon (Portugal): Recognized as one of the world’s largest and most influential tech conferences, Web Summit brings together 70,000+ attendees from more than 160 countries, including top investors, global tech companies, and media. Winning a ticket to Web Summit is not simply a pass to an event, it’s entry into a networking arena where a single meeting can change the trajectory of a startup. For Albanian founders, standing in Lisbon means pitching side by side with founders from Silicon Valley, Berlin, London, and beyond.
- Slush Helsinki (Finland): Known as Europe’s most founder-focused startup conference, Slush attracts over 13,000 people, including 3,500 startups and 2,000 investors. Unlike Web Summit’s scale, Slush is about depth: curated matchmaking sessions between startups and investors, hands-on workshops, and access to some of the toughest but most rewarding investor conversations in Europe. For Albanian startups, being part of Slush means learning to compete and connect at the highest level of the European startup ecosystem.
- Ecosystem Challenge Award: Beyond international exposure, the winning team of this year’s Ecosystem Challenge received tailored mentoring and extended connections with regional investors, ensuring that their growth doesn’t end with Demo Day.
- Investor Promises: Perhaps the most valuable outcome of the night was the direct commitment of investors present in Tirana to hold follow-up meetings with the teams. These conversations, about potential seed tickets, partnerships, and pilot programs, showed that the pitches were more than theory; they opened real doors to funding.
Lessons from the Journey
Demo Day was also a moment of reflection for the Growpreneur team and the ecosystem:
- Out of 42 startups, only 6 reached Demo Day. The lesson: discipline and consistency matter more than ideas.
- International exposure is not just a prize, but a strategic tool: founders gain benchmarking, investor contacts, and global visibility.
- Failure during the cohort was not wasted effort, the 24 teams that didn’t pitch still walk away with new skills, networks, and a deeper understanding of what building a startup requires.
Looking Ahead
With this cohort completed, Growpreneur has now accelerated more than 60 startups. The momentum doesn’t stop here, very soon we will open applications for the next batch of acceleration.
Stay tuned for the announcement and get ready to join Albania’s most dynamic investment-readiness program.
