Albanian innovation ecosystem presented at Bits & Pretzels: 17 startups from Albania, Kosovo and the diaspora

The Albanian innovation ecosystem, which is consolidating as a network of startups with international ambitions, is being presented at Bits & Pretzels 2026, one of Europe’s most important startup and innovation events, held in Munich, Germany.

At this festival, Albania, which this year has partner-country status, is represented by 17 startups from Albania, Kosovo and the diaspora, which bring not only their success stories but also a panorama of the transformation the Albanian innovation ecosystem is undergoing.

Present at Bits & Pretzels, the Minister of Economy and Innovation, Delina Ibrahimaj, said that “the 17 selected startups operate in the fields of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and education. These sectors were not chosen by chance, as they are among the most sought-after currently in international markets. The goal is for these startups to share their ideas, meet their peers and attract as much funding as possible to our market. Such fairs serve to put Albania on the global map of the startup ecosystem, so that we reach the levels of countries that are established in foreign markets.”

The promotion of the Albanian innovation ecosystem at Bits & Pretzels is an initiative of Startup Albania and EU4Innovation (GIZ), as part of efforts to expand the international presence of Albanian startups and connect them with European innovation and investment networks.

Participation in Bits & Pretzels 2026 comes after an increasingly active presence of Albanian startups at major international innovation events, such as ITB Berlin, VivaTech and Slush, gradually strengthening Albania’s positioning on the European map of innovative entrepreneurship.