The journey of Innovation NEST 2019 began with an Open Call inviting young visionaries, entrepreneurs, and innovators from across the region to apply with their brilliant ideas — ideas “where the future goes to be born.” The call remained open until March 1st, 2019, encouraging bold thinkers to take their first step toward turning creativity into impact. Following the call, the Selection Phase took place, where the Top 20 Best Business Ideas were carefully chosen by the IN Leading Board, recognizing projects with the highest potential for innovation and scalability.

Following the selection, participants entered the intensive Bootcamp Phase, a hands-on learning journey designed to transform ideas into investment-ready ventures.

• Module 1 & 2: The first Bootcamp, held on April 2–3, 2019, focused on Customer Discovery and Customer Validation, helping participants understand their target markets and test their business assumptions.
• Module 3: On May 10th, 2019, the focus shifted to International Marketing & Sales, hosted by Ms. Kristina McMenamin, providing tools for market expansion and cross-border scaling.
• Module 4: On June 7th, 2019, the session on Investment Readiness — “Fundraising and Capital Access” — was delivered by Ms. Ivana Stankovic and Mr. Igor Madzov from SC-Ventures, offering insights on investor relations and funding strategies.
• Modules 5–6: From September 9–13, 2019, participants refined their skills in Professional Pitching, Fundraising, and Feedback Rounds, including one-on-one mentoring and personalized guidance.
• Modules 7–8: The same week, additional sessions focused on Agile for Leaders, introducing modern management approaches for adaptable and resilient startups.

Upon completing the bootcamps, the top entrepreneurs gained access to the Top Investor Club, connecting with leading angels, accelerators, and LPs from across the Balkans and Europe.

This was followed by the Matching Event, where the top 20 business ideas were presented to regional and international investors, creating direct opportunities for partnerships and investments.