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The Startup Ecosystem of Serbia

Serbia has 3 cities in the top 1000 and is ranked 14th in Eastern Europe.

COUNTRY RANKING

Since 2024, Serbia lost 2 spots in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index, having now positioned itself as 53rd worldwide.

Population

6.7
Million

Regional Ranking

14th
0
In Eastern Europe

Global Ranking

53rd
-
2
Worldwide

Ecosystem

Startup Ecosystem Overview

city buildings near body of water during daytime
The Serbian IT sector is the country’s most recognizable economic growth engine, positioning Serbia as a freelancing hub for western companies due to its affordability. A challenge faced by Serbia is convincing its IT talent to pursue entrepreneurship over the abundance of outsourced tech jobs. However, Serbia’s startup ecosystems have made significant progress with the launch of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR), focusing on biotechnology and artificial intelligence in healthcare. With access to the European market, Serbian startups are excelling in innovative industries such as Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence, with particular potential in Agtech due to the country’s significant agricultural endeavors. Initiatives like Agremo, utilizing AI to monitor crops, showcase Serbia’s potential in Agritech.


The Digital Serbia Initiative and organizations like Startit provide crucial support for the growth of startup ecosystems, facilitating networking and funding opportunities. The government also plays a direct role in supporting innovation through the Serbia Innovation Fund, while Serbia Ventures incentivizes venture capital investment. Public sector initiatives, such as the Strategy for the Development of Startup Ecosystems, aim to accelerate the growth of Serbian startups by supporting successful ventures and integrating entrepreneurship into education.


With strong public sector support and a talented pool of individuals, Serbian startup ecosystems are poised for further success. Looking ahead, it is crucial for Serbian startups to focus on international markets to enhance their global visibility and recognition.

Startups

Serbia Top Startup Industries

Software & Data icon
Software & Data
#47 worldwide

106 startups

Fintech icon
Fintech
#51 worldwide

20 startups

Social & Leisure icon
Social & Leisure
#40 worldwide

29 startups

Ecosystem HealthCheck

Serbia Ecosystem Health Check

The health check tables allow you to look at the performance Serbia has in each of the parameters that are part of StartupBlink's ranking algorithm. There are five tables, corresponding to the three subscores, the subscore analysis and industry ana...

  • Overperformance
  • Performance equal to global ranking
  • Underperformance
IndustryGlobal rankMomentum YoYNumber of Startups
Global53242

ECOSYSTEM

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Startup Ecosystem Charts

Startup Funding in Serbia2017 - 2024

Startup Funding in Serbia 2017 - 2024

From 2022 to 2023, startup funding in Serbia has decreased by 84.51%. During this period, the number of deals in Serbia has decreased by 11.76%. Since 2017, total startup funding in Serbia exceeded US$ $302.45M.

Average Funding in 2023

$542.54K

Serbia
Eastern Europe
-82.44% YoY

Funding in 2023

$8.14M

Serbia
Eastern Europe
-84.51% YoY

Deals in 2023

15

Serbia
Eastern Europe
-11.76% YoY

USD

Amount of Funding (USD)

Number of Deals

20172018201920202021202220232024$0.00$15.00B$30.00B$45.00B$60.00B07142128

Ecosystem

The Startup Ecosystem in Serbia

In 2024, Serbia register a rise in Software & Data startups. Some of the most notable success stories in this industry are those of , Mobi Banka.

Global Rank

Serbia is ranked within the top 100 startup ecosystems globally.

Top Industries

Serbia’s startup scene is best represented in Software & Data, Fintech, and in Social & Leisure.

Top Cities for Startups in Serbia - Ranked by StartupBlink

StartupBlink ranks the startup ecosystems of more than 100 countries and 1,000 cities. Download our latest Global Startup Ecosystem Report.
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2024 National Rank CityGlobal Rank
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Total Score
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Quantity Score
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Quality Score
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Business Score
No Data Available
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Startups

Notable Startups in Serbia
Mobi Banka startup icon
Mobi Banka
Tenderly startup icon
Tenderly
City Expert startup icon
City Expert

BLOG

Recent Posts

Mon Apr 14 2025

From Service-Based to Product-Based Economy – Lessons from North Macedonia

In this special episode of the Startup Ecosystem Podcast, we revisit a conversation from two years ago, recorded during a visit to North Macedonia. Eli David Rokah, CEO of StartupBlink, sits down with Igor Madjov, founder of Startup Macedonia, to explore how Skopje is evolving from a service-based IT outsourcing city into a product-driven startup […]

Wed Apr 02 2025

Corporate Startup Activity Index 2025

For the first time ever, 372 corporations across 30 countries, 11 major industries, and 10 sub-industries have been ranked based on how actively they engage with startups. StartupBlink’s Corporate Startup Activity Index  is the world’s first benchmark for corporate startup engagement — powered by real data, global partnerships with top corporations, governments and data sources, […]

Thu Mar 06 2025

The Impact of Government Support on Startups

A robust startup ecosystem creates a sense of community that brings entrepreneurs together and helps them feel less isolated. It gives them access to mentors, advisors, fellow entrepreneurs, and talents. The foundation of such an ecosystem largely relies on government support. Good policies create a fair and supportive environment that helps startups grow. Bad policies […]