Generally, the startup environment of Bosnia and Herzegovina is still in its early stages and startups are still looking to expand internationally. However, when compared with its condition 5-10 years back, the country has seen a lot of positive changes and newer ideas are being introduced into the ecosystem.

Similarly, we can also see some newer and active names in the startup investment community. To help you know these investors, we have prepared a list of the top 6 angel investors in Bosnia and Herzegovina along with some additional tips to help you in your fund raising journey.

Top Angel Investors In Bosnia and Herzegovina

“Pitching to angel investors is more than just speaking your mind out. You need to carefully explain your idea and present your business as a profitable investment”

Moving forward with the list now. 

Startup Europe Network

Website: Startup Europe Network

Investor Type: Venture Capital Firm

Investment Interests: Tech

Investment Stage: Seed

SEN was established as part of the Startup Europe initiative by the European Commission. Its primary goal is to connect startups, investors, accelerators, universities, and other ecosystem players. They have an initiative to create synergies, facilitate knowledge sharing, and enhance the startup-friendly environment in European regions.

Moreover, SEN focuses on startups that can generate decent revenue and promote innovation. These investors also have a strong preference for businesses that are tech-related and can leave a positive impact.

Although SEN doesn't have a pitching competition for Bosnia and Herzegovina-based startups, they still fund startups through investor meetings. The investment range of SEN is around $1M, as they fund early-stage startups. Some of their notable portfolio companies are:

EcoTech Innovations: EcoTech develops sustainable solutions for waste management and recycling. Secured €500,000 from a combination of angel investors and a government grant.

HealthTech Solutions: HealthTech provides telemedicine platforms for remote patient monitoring. Raised €1 million in a seed round led by a prominent European VC.

AgriTech Aggregator: AgriTech connects farmers with buyers, streamlining agricultural supply chains. Received €300,000 through a regional accelerator program.

EdTech Innovators: EdTech offers personalized learning platforms for K-12 education. Secured €800,000 in a Series A round from a consortium of investors.

South Central Ventures

Website: SC Ventures (sc-ventures.com)

Investor Type: Venture Capital Firm

Investment Interests: Digitalization, AGtech, Innovative Software, Data Management, and Consumer Products

Investment Stage: Early and Seed

South Central Ventures (SCV) is a renowned venture capital firm that provides funding to startups based in Southern Europe. The firm operates out of offices in Ljubljana, Zagreb, Belgrade, and Skopje. 

SCV primarily targets early and seed-staged startups in the tech sector. The network consists of some of the most experienced investors in Europe and they only invest in businesses that can prove their profitability.

Once they have invested, their goal is to facilitate the startups in international business expansion and provide them with expert mentorship. The investment range of South Central Ventures can range up to $5M. Some of their portfolio companies are:

Cognism: A data and intelligence platform that helps businesses find and engage with potential customers. SCV invested, along with other investors, to support Cognism’s growth at the seed stage.

AdScanner: A platform that analyzes and optimizes advertising campaigns. SCV participated in funding rounds to accelerate AdScanner’s development.

Agrivi: An agricultural technology company providing farm management software. SCV supported Agrivi’s expansion with an investment at the early stage.

Orgnostic: A startup focused on AI-driven solutions for workforce optimization.

BH TechLab

Website: BH TechLab – Zvanična web stranica

Investor Type: Venture Capital Firm

Investment Interests: Tech

Investment Stage: Early

 

BH TechLab is an investment network that was established by BH Telecom. The platform’s primary goal is to continuously recognize and support the development of new, innovative ideas and business models in the smart environment. Their sectors of investment include smart, IoT, and cloud technology solutions

Plus, the investment that is made by BH Telecom provides them with a 10-25% stake in the startup. The funds received through this investment can only be used for product or market development

Aside from routine investments, BH Techlab is also known for its educational events where they guide fresh entrepreneurs about how to deal with startup challenges when things don't go in their favor. The investment range of BH Techlab can range up to $200,000. Some of their portfolio companies are:

Born XDS: Born XDS is the largest independent, integrated agency for world-class strategy, creative, content, and commerce offerings with strong technology capabilities. Their expertise lies in providing end-to-end solutions for digital transformation.

Telecom Inženjering Sarajevo: Telecom Inženjering Sarajevo is a specialized engineering unit engaged in research and development, design, and provision of services and works in the telecommunication sector. They focus on innovative solutions and technical advancements within the telecom industry.

APX

Website: APX - Earliest-stage startup investor. VC in Berlin.

Investor Type: Venture Capital Firm

Investment Interests: Tech, Healthcare, Innovative Software, and, Diet. 

Investment Stage: Early

APX was founded as a successor to the Axel Springer Plug and Play Accelerator. The joint venture between Axel Springer and Porsche aims to support ambitious pre-seed startups.

Discussing their investment, the angels at APX focus on startups that provide technical solutions, and prototypes, and have proven business models. Startups that are working on innovative ideas are most likely to secure funding from this venture.

During the whole funding procedure, the investors take a very focused approach and arrange several meetings to ensure they can fund the most deserving startup that can easily scale on an international level. The investment range can go up to $500,000, with the initial investment being around $50,000. Some of their portfolio companies are:

Dieter: Dieter is a startup that focuses on personalized nutrition and meal planning. They leverage data analytics, dietary science, and user preferences to create customized meal plans.

Emocional: Emocional is a platform dedicated to mental health and emotional well-being. They provide resources, tools, and support for individuals dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, and other emotional challenges.

Overtone: Overtone is a company committed to sustainable fashion and circular economy solutions. They address environmental challenges in the fashion industry by promoting eco-friendly practices.

Edin Mehić

LinkedIn: Edin Mehic | LinkedIn

Investor Type: Individual Investor

Investment Interests: Emerging Tech

Investment Stage: Early

Edin Mehić is a serial entrepreneur, proven business executive, angel investor, and advisor. He has more than 15 years of experience in the emerging tech sector and also provides funding to startups in the same field.

Edin Mehić, ever since the start of his angel career, has always invested in early-stage businesses as he likes to get involved with the growth procedure of the startup. He invests in businesses that are taking part in the emerging tech and are providing real time solutions.

The investment range of Edin Mehić lies around $50,000. Among his investments, one notable funding in a company was:

Koola: Koola is a CRM platform that connects car dealerships with their clients. Their mission is to enhance customer engagement, improve service quality, and increase dealership revenues. Edin invested in Koola during a seed round valued at EUR 50K.

Holland Startup

Website: hollandstartup.com

Investor Type: Venture Capital Firm

Investment Interests: Tech and Marketing

Investment Stage: Early

Holland Startup is also a reputable VC firm that invests in Bosnia and Herzegovina based startups. The network was founded in 2014 and it aims to help young entrepreneurs to rapidly grow B2B SaaS companies. Holland Startup wants to guide startups throughout the growth journey as they scale up.

The investors have a strict business on SaaS companies that are led by fresh entrepreneurs and are seeking investment for early-stage startups. Once invested, they also provide the startup leaders with access to their mentorship programs and different workshops.

The investment range of Holland Startup can range up to $100,000. Although they only make 1-2 investments in Bosnia and Herzegovina annually, the number is expected to grow in 2024. Notable portfolio companies are:

Viqal: Viqal is a startup operating in the digital space. They provide smart city solutions to enhance urban living. Holland Startup invested in Viqal during a pre-seed round valued at EUR 240K.

bynd.ai: bynd.ai is a company specializing in AI-driven content creation. They use artificial intelligence to generate creative content for marketing and advertising.

Neurolytics: Neurolytics focuses on neuromarketing and understanding consumer behavior. Holland Startup supported Neurolytics during a pre-seed round valued at EUR 200K.

Eterne: Eterne is a startup working on sustainable fashion. They create eco-friendly clothing and promote conscious consumerism. Holland Startup invested in Eterne during a seed round valued at EUR 250K.

Wrap-Up:

Summing things up, even when Bosnia and Herzegovina isn’t a hub for startups, it is still being supported by many VC firms and angel investors. 

Plus, the country still has low competition and entrepreneurs have a wide range of opportunities to start a new business and grow in that sector. A final tip, don’t underestimate the angel investors, they are always ready and do their due diligence. 

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