Decision “On the Organization and Functioning of the State Agency for Support and Development of Startups and Facilitators”

On 28.07.2023, the Decision of the Council of Ministers no. 467 dated 26.07.2023 “On the Organization and Functioning of the State Agency for Support and Development of Startups and Facilitators”, (the Decision), was published in the Official Gazette.

The decision introduces the establishment of the State Agency for Support and Development of Startups and Facilitators, hereinafter referred as Startup Albania, and defines its structure, operational methods, and functional responsibilities.

Startup Albania operates as a legal public entity under the authority of the responsible minister for entrepreneurship.

The Decision sets out the following functional responsibilities of Startup Albania:

• Manages and monitors the implementation of financial support measures through public or third-party funds for initiatives in the startup ecosystem in the Republic of Albania as well as organizes the work for attracting and supporting funding from foreign donors for the Albanian startup ecosystem;
• Offers “startup one-stop-shop” service designed to provide assistance and support to startups and facilitators;
• Organizes efforts to promote initiatives in the startup ecosystem of the Republic of Albania both domestically and internationally.

Furthermore, the Decision outlines the primary tasks performed by Startup Albania as part of its responsibilities:

1. Administers the ‘Startup and Facilitator Register’;
2. Assists the interested entities during the application process for startup passport;
3. Administers and updates the official online portal startupalbania.gov.al;
4. Provides information to entities about government support opportunities or schemes in the startup ecosystem;
5. Initiates agreements and monitors their implementation with the beneficiaries of financial grants;
6. Reviews and evaluates the financial documentation in relation to the progress of supportive measures implementation;
7. Prepares and submits relevant proposals and reports to the responsible minister for entrepreneurship;
8. Operates as the technical secretariat for the committees established to assess requests and appeals for supportive measures for initiatives in the startup ecosystem;
9. Collaborates with international organizations and entities operating in the field of startup promotion in order to facilitate the access of local startups to international markets;
10. Promotes cooperation among various collaborators within the startup ecosystem, including governmental bodies, business representatives, academia, and other external parties, with the goal of establishing a conducive regulatory and institutional framework and fostering the development of a functional startup market.