Client Overview‍

Techstars Startup Weekend is a globally recognized 54-hour event where aspiring founders pitch ideas, form teams, and bring their concepts to life — all in one weekend. Organized by Solveo since 2018, Startup Weekend Skopje has become a launchpad for young entrepreneurs in Macedonia. The 8th edition was hosted at the Innofeit premises in November 2019, once again powered by Google for Entrepreneurs and supported by a wide range of regional partners.

The Challenge

‍Solveo’s goal for the 8th edition was to inspire a new generation of startup builders and provide them with the tools, mentors, and environment to turn ideas into viable products. The challenge was simple but ambitious: create a high-energy space where young people could take their first entrepreneurial step, validate ideas, and connect with like-minded collaborators — all in just 54 hours.

Our Approach

‍Over the course of one intense weekend, 50 participants took part in a fast-paced innovation sprint. The event kicked off with a keynote from Martin Andrle, a visiting representative from Techstars in the Czech Republic. Following his talk, participants pitched their startup ideas. The top 10 were selected by vote and became the foundation for the rest of the weekend.

With support from 28 dedicated mentors — including professionals in marketing, UX/UI design, legal, finance, and product development — the teams spent Saturday and Sunday refining their concepts, validating ideas, and preparing to pitch. Mentors helped each group define their business models, outline marketing plans, and work through practical challenges around monetization and scalability.

Each team had the chance to test their ideas in a safe but demanding environment, receiving feedback at every stage of the process. This was more than just a startup competition — it was a crash course in entrepreneurship.

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Outcomes

• 🥇 First Place: SpaceUp — a property rental platform using 3D space previews and roommate-matching features
  
  
• 🥈 Second Place: Homade — a homemade food delivery service connecting home cooks and customers
  
  
• 🥉 Third Place: Tree D — an innovative marketing hologram concept that also purifies the air
  
  

Each winning team walked away with prizes to help move their ideas forward — but even more importantly, with clarity, feedback, and momentum.

This edition of Startup Weekend once again proved that Macedonia is full of creative thinkers who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty and build something from scratch. Big thanks to the volunteer mentors, judges, and supporters who made this edition possible.

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