HOME›REPORTS›WESTERN BALKAN STARTUP FUNDINGQ3 2026 UPDATE

REPORT / Q3 2026 UPDATE / DATA TO 30 SEPTEMBER 2026

Western Balkan startup funding report

Western Balkan startups raised €38m in 18 rounds in the first nine months of 2026, against €99m in 19 rounds a year earlier.

Funding data for Western Balkan startups is scattered. Rounds are announced by companies, funds, angel networks and the press, often months after they close, and no single database has them all or has them right.

This report builds one record from all of them. We cross check startup databases against company, investor and press announcements, take out grants and loans that are reported as rounds, and add the rounds that were never fully recorded.

It covers venture rounds and exits of startups headquartered in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo, and of startups that started there and moved their headquarters abroad. The six countries are set against each other and against the rest of the region on the same record and rules.

We add a quarter every three months. If you are raising in the Western Balkans, it shows how many rounds close, at what size, and who writes the first cheques.

Highlights

€38m
Raised in 9M 2026
-61% on 9M 2025

€38m in the first nine months, down 61% on a year earlier (€99m). The largest round is Tive's €18m growth round, 48% of the total.

9
Seed and later rounds in 9M 2026
11 in 9M 2025

9 seed and later rounds this year, against 11 a year earlier, and 18 rounds in all against 19. Pre-seed is where the record of recent rounds is least complete, and its count will rise as late rounds surface.

0
Venture-backed exits in 9M 2026
0 in 9M 2025

No venture-backed exits by September, against none in the same months of 2025.

01 / THE MARKET

The market

Capital down 61% on the same months of 2025. Rounds: 18 against 19.

Capital raised by stage, € millions
SHOW DATA
Capital raised by stage
RowPre-seedSeedSeries AGrowthTotal
20243.1170.03758
20250.913434299
9M 20261.37.8111838

The Western Balkans raised €58m in 2024 and €99m in 2025. The largest 2025 round, hellocare.ai's €43m, was 43% of that year. 2026 has €38m so far.

9M 2026 covers January to September 2026. The dashed line marks the same months of 2025.

Number of rounds by stage
SHOW DATA
Number of rounds by stage
RowPre-seedSeedSeries AGrowthTotal
202412100224
2025891220
9M 2026951318

24 rounds in 2024, 20 in 2025 and 18 so far in 2026. Some rounds are recorded months late, so the latest quarters will rise.

Same months, like for like: 9M 2026 against 9M 2025
Year to date against the same months last year
Row9M 20259M 2026Change
Capital€99m€38m▼ -61%
Rounds1918▼ -5%
Pre-seed rounds89▲ +13%
Seed rounds85▼ -37%
Series A rounds11flat
Growth rounds23▲ +50%
Capital by quarter, € millions

Quarter by quarter, capital swings with the timing of large rounds. The count of rounds is the steadier signal.

The latest quarter is still filling in and will rise.

02 / THE WESTERN BALKANS, COUNTRY BY COUNTRY

The Western Balkans, country by country

The Western Balkans raised €6 per person in 2025, against €14 across the 19 CEE countries.

The same record and rules for all 19 CEE countries in our record, so the comparison is like for like. Capital per person divides each country's capital by its population.

19 CEE countries and the Western Balkans together, 9M 2026 against 9M 2025, most capital per person first
Capital and rounds by country, 9M 2026, with capital per person
Country€m 9M 2026ChangeRounds 9M 2026Change€ per person 2025€ per person 9M 2026
Estonia133▼ -48%39▼ -49%25897
Lithuania182▲ +3%28▼ -42%7563
Czechia513▲ +101%47▼ -15%2847
Croatia160▲ +576%33▲ +57%941
Bulgaria199▲ +91%22▼ -4%3231
Kosovo29▼ -65%3flat5118
Hungary122▲ +3%22▼ -35%1313
Slovakia55▼ -24%11▼ -39%2110
Ukraine282▲ +336%50▼ -29%27
Poland226▼ -10%67▼ -27%106
Latvia12▼ -84%4▼ -73%436
Romania105▲ +14%30▼ -6%96
Slovenia5▼ -38%8▼ -11%52
Western Balkans38▼ -61%18▼ -5%62
Serbia9▼ -42%11▲ +10%21
Moldova2▲ +700%2▼ -67%21
Bosnia and Herzegovina0-0-00
North Macedonia0-2flat00
Albania0-2▼ -33%00
Montenegro0-0-00

Population on 1 January 2025.

The Western Balkans by country, capital by year, € millions
SHOW DATA
The Western Balkans by country, capital by year
Row202420259M 2026
Serbia20169
Bosnia and Herzegovina300
Montenegro000
North Macedonia700
Albania000
Kosovo278229
The Western Balkans by country, rounds by year
SHOW DATA
The Western Balkans by country, rounds by year
Row202420259M 2026
Serbia151111
Bosnia and Herzegovina100
Montenegro010
North Macedonia522
Albania232
Kosovo133

In 2025, Serbia closed 11 rounds and raised €16m, Bosnia and Herzegovina closed 0 rounds and raised €0, North Macedonia closed 2 rounds and raised €0.3m, Albania closed 3 rounds and raised €0, Montenegro closed 1 rounds and raised €0 and Kosovo closed 3 rounds and raised €82m.

03 / STAGES AND ROUND SIZES

Stages and round sizes

The typical seed round in 2025 was €2.2m.

Rounds by company stage. Where one round can move a stage's total, the count and the typical round tell more than the capital.

Rounds, capital and median round by stage
Rounds, capital and median round size by stage and year
RowRounds 2024€m 2024Rounds 2025€m 2025Rounds 9M 2026€m 9M 2026Median 2024Median 2025Median 9M 2026
Pre-seed12€3.1m8€0.9m9€1.3m€0.1m€0.3m€0.5m
Seed10€17m9€13m5€7.8m€1.5m€2.2m-
Series A0-1€43m1€11m---
Growth2€37m2€42m3€18m---

Median shown where at least three rounds of the stage disclosed an amount.

Pre-seed

12 rounds in 2024, 8 in 2025 and 9 so far in 2026. The typical pre-seed round in 2025 was €0.3m.

Seed

10 rounds in 2024, 9 in 2025 and 5 so far in 2026. The typical seed round in 2025 was €2.2m.

Series A

No rounds in 2024, 1 in 2025 and 1 so far in 2026.

Growth

Two rounds in 2024, 2 in 2025 and 3 so far in 2026.

04 / SECTORS

Sectors

Hardware and robotics raised the most this year: €24m in three rounds.

By number of rounds since 2024, the largest sectors are AI (26), enterprise software (12) and mobility and logistics (6). A company can sit in several sectors, so sector totals overlap.

Capital by sector, € millions
SHOW DATA
Capital by sector
Row202420259M 2026
Hardware and robotics0.03624
Mobility and logistics3.03618
AI325614
Education0.51.50.5
Fintech205.40.0
Health and bio0.0430.0
Energy and climate3.00.30.0
Enterprise software2.98.10.0

Ranked by 9M 2026 capital. Sectors overlap.

Rounds by sector
SHOW DATA
Rounds by sector
Row202420259M 2026
Hardware and robotics013
Mobility and logistics222
AI7136
Education211
Fintech311
Health and bio031
Energy and climate111
Enterprise software453

Same sectors, counted by number of rounds.

05 / LARGEST ROUNDS

Largest rounds

The largest round this year: Tive, €18m.

Largest rounds, 9M 2026
Largest rounds 9M 2026
CompanyCountryStageAmountMonthLead or first investor
TiveKosovoGrowth€18mJan 2026Undisclosed
SentKosovoSeries A€11mJul 2026Companyon Ventures
BoolSiSerbiaSeed€5.5mJun 2026Fine Structure Ventures
SuperPlaneSerbiaSeed€2.4mJun 2026Credo Ventures
RefineSerbiaPre-seed€0.5mMar 2026Undisclosed
SmartsySerbiaPre-seed€0.5mMar 2026Aleksander Schütz
Shosha GamesSerbiaPre-seed€0.3mFeb 2026DSI business angel network

Rounds with a disclosed amount.

Largest rounds, 2025
Largest rounds 2025
CompanyCountryStageAmountMonthLead or first investor
hellocare.aiKosovoSeries A€43mApr 2025HealthQuest Capital
TiveKosovoGrowth€36mJan 2025WiL (World Innovation Lab)
LeanpaySerbiaGrowth€5.4mSep 2025Undisclosed
nextesySerbiaSeed€3.5mFeb 2025SICTIC
SentKosovoSeed€3.2mMay 2025Companyon Ventures
B2BeeSerbiaSeed€2.5mJan 2025TS Ventures Fund
Bubo²SerbiaSeed€1.8mSep 2025Fifth Quarter Ventures
PrepiaSerbiaSeed€1.5mMay 2025Inovo.vc
Radoznali VrabacSerbiaSeed€0.7mMay 2025Jadeplat Kft.
Web2WaveSerbiaPre-seed€0.3mMar 2025Funders VC

06 / STARTED IN THE WESTERN BALKANS, BASED ELSEWHERE

Started in the Western Balkans, based elsewhere

19 rounds since 2024 by companies that started in the Western Balkans and are based elsewhere. They count in the totals.

Companies that started in the Western Balkans, or keep their main team there, but are headquartered elsewhere. They count in the totals, under the country they started in. Companies that Western Balkan founders built abroad, with no base there, are not included.

Rounds since 2024, newest first
Rounds of companies started in the Western Balkans and based elsewhere
CompanyStarted inBased inAmountMonthIn totals
TiveKosovoUnited States€18mJan 2026Yes
SentKosovoUnited States€11mJul 2026Yes
BoolSiSerbiaUnited States€5.5mJun 2026Yes
SuperPlaneSerbiaUnited States€2.4mJun 2026Yes
RefineSerbiaUnited States€0.5mMar 2026Yes
hellocare.aiKosovoUnited States€43mApr 2025Yes
TiveKosovoUnited States€36mJan 2025Yes
LeanpaySerbiaUnited Kingdom€5.4mSep 2025Yes
nextesySerbiaSwitzerland€3.5mFeb 2025Yes
SentKosovoUnited States€3.2mMay 2025Yes
Bubo²SerbiaUnited States€1.8mSep 2025Yes
EU PresenceAlbaniaUnited StatesUndisclosedSep 2025Yes
KODE LabsKosovoUnited States€27mApr 2024Yes
LeanpaySerbiaUnited Kingdom€10mJul 2024Yes
GoUrbanSerbiaAustria€3.0mMar 2024Yes
HunchSerbiaUnited States€1.5mDec 2024Yes
Lupa TechnologySerbiaUnited States€1.4mJul 2024Yes
BpacksSerbiaUnited Kingdom€1.0mDec 2024Yes
Connect The DotsSerbiaUnited StatesUndisclosedOct 2024Yes

07 / INVESTORS

Investors

Plug and Play joined the most pre-seed and seed rounds since January 2025: 4.

Most active at pre-seed and seed since January 2025: Plug and Play (4 rounds), Fifth Quarter Ventures (4 rounds) and Fil Rouge Capital (3 rounds). Investors are ranked by the rounds they joined, led or followed, over 2025 and 2026 together.

Most active at pre-seed and seed, 2025 to 9M 2026
Most active pre-seed and seed investors in the Western Balkans
InvestorBased inRoundsLed
Plug and PlayUnited States43
Fifth Quarter VenturesSerbia42
Fil Rouge CapitalLuxembourg33
TS Ventures Fundn/a33
Zephyr AngelsNorth Macedonia32
DSI business angel networkn/a21
South Central VenturesSlovenia21
Aleksander Schützn/a11
Companyon Venturesn/a11
Credo Venturesn/a11
Most active from Series A, 2025 to 9M 2026
Most active Series A and growth investors in the Western Balkans
InvestorBased inRoundsLed
Companyon Venturesn/a11
HealthQuest Capitaln/a11
Origin Onen/a11
Sageview Capitaln/a11
WiL (World Innovation Lab)n/a11
AXA Venture Partnersn/a10
Bessemer Venture Partnersn/a10
Bon Secours Mercy Healthn/a10
BSTHong10
Caterpillar VenturesUnited States10
Rounds with at least one investor based outside CEE
SHOW DATA
Share of rounds with an international investor
Row202420259M 2026
All rounds44%20%86%

Rounds with a fund from outside CEE: 44% in 2024, 20% in 2025 and 86% in 2026 so far, of rounds where investor headquarters are known.

Share of rounds where investor headquarters are known: 9 in 2024, 5 in 2025, 7 in 9M 2026.

08 / EXITS

Exits

The most recent: GoUrban, bought by Wunder Mobility, September 2024.

Four venture-backed exits since 2024: 4 in 2024, 0 in 2025 and 0 in 2026 so far. Deal values are rarely disclosed, so we count exits instead of summing them.

Venture-backed exits since 2024
Exits since 2024
CompanyCountryMonthTypeBuyer
GoUrbanSerbiaSep 2024AcquisitionWunder Mobility
Wonder DynamicsSerbiaMay 2024AcquisitionAutodesk
OrgnosticSerbiaMar 2024AcquisitionCulture Amp
RubiconAlbaniaMar 2024AcquisitionDev Al

09 / METHODOLOGY

Methodology

What the report covers

Period: January 2024 to September 2026. Past years are shown in full. The current year runs to the end of the last complete quarter.

Companies: startups headquartered in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo, and startups that began there or keep their main team there and later moved their headquarters abroad. Every kind of startup is included: software and hardware, business and consumer.

Events: venture funding rounds, and exits (acquisitions, buyouts and stock market listings).

Sources: public sources only, namely startup databases, company, investor and angel network announcements, and the press.

Every round and exit named in the report links to its announcement. Totals, changes and charts are built from all rounds and are not linked.

This edition covers 62 venture rounds (41 with a disclosed amount) at 56 companies, and 4 exits. Next update: January 2027, adding Q4 2026.

Stages

Stages are the label the company announced or the source assigned. Where a label clearly does not fit the size of the round, such as a very large round called seed, the round is placed by its size. Where there is no label, round type and size decide.

How it is counted

  • Funding rounds are equity and convertible venture rounds, including angel network rounds. Grants, loans, state support programmes, crowdlending, secondary sales and investments after a listing are not counted.
  • Amounts are in euros, converted at about 1.10 US dollars to the euro. Rounds without a disclosed amount count toward the number of rounds but not toward capital.
  • Companies that are not startups are left out even when they raise venture money, such as established manufacturers, service firms and lenders.
  • Rounds and exits are cross-referenced against company, investor and press announcements where possible.

Limits

  • Public data does not capture every round, so counts are a floor. Small angel rounds are the most likely to be missing.
  • Some rounds are recorded months after they happen. Each update adds them to the month they happened in, so recent quarters, the latest above all, will rise.
  • Each country's record includes our own search of local press, investor portfolios and companies based abroad (October 2026), which added rounds the startup databases had missed.
  • Where a country raises a few dozen rounds a year, one round can move a total by more than half. Read changes in capital with the largest round in mind.

RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS: BADIDEAS.FUND.

Raising pre-seed or seed in the Western Balkans

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