Co-founder meeting reference · Startup Albania · Phase 2 (Validation)
Deadline: 10–30 working days from call publication (check startupalbania.gov.al)
Application via e-Albania · Fund: ALL 4.5M (~42K EUR) at 85% coverage · Co-financing: 15% (~6.3K EUR)
All phases: F1 = 100% up to ALL 1.5M · F2 = 85% up to ALL 4.5M · F3 = 75% up to ALL 9M
Priority sector: Digital platforms, AI, software development
| Criteria | Max | Our Est. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team credentials, key personnel & ability to deliver | 10 | 7-8 | Dev guy's CV ready. Need co-founder CVs. |
| Innovative tech/product/service; innovation value & IP position | 10 | 6-8 | First cashback on fiskalizimi. Frame innovation + IP ownership explicitly. |
| Clear market need & commercialization potential | 10 | 7-8 | Need market size data, competitor scan. |
| Revenue/strategic partnership potential (2-3 yrs post-project) | 10 | 6-8 | Need revenue model with actual numbers. Was 5pts in 2025 — now 10. |
| Fund usage & budget appropriateness | 10 | 6-8 | Cost analysis exists. Map to grant caps (staff 25%, marketing 15%, R&D 10%). |
| Fund alignment & budget-project fit | 10 | 6-8 | Show 15% co-financing source. Budget items match proposed activities. |
| Tech risk, implementation & management | 10 | 7-8 | Add structured risk matrix. Was 5pts in 2025 — now 10. |
Current estimate: 45-56 / 70 (no facilitator criterion in 2026 — was 10pts in 2025, now removed)
No longer a scoring criterion (removed in 2026), but still valuable for support/mentoring. Contact Protik, Innovation Hub Tirana, or any registered Albanian startup incubator/accelerator.
Requirements: 2+ years startup support activity, registered in Albania. Lehtesues gets up to 75% coverage / ALL 13M max.
Committee scores the whole team (10 pts). Each co-founder needs a polished CV showing relevant experience.
The doc never says how we make money. Need: X merchants x Y% fee x Z receipts/month = revenue. Simple projections for 3 years.
Restructure the cost analysis to match grant limits: staff max 25%, marketing max 15%, R&D max 10%. Show 15% co-financing source.
How many businesses use fiskalizimi? Daily receipt volume? Smartphone penetration? Check INSTAT, tax authority reports.
Is anyone else doing cashback in Albania? If not: "First cashback platform built on Albania's fiskalizimi infrastructure." If yes: why ours is better.
Add a page: who we are, what each person does, why this team can execute. CV covers tech side — need business/finance narrative from co-founders.
5-6 risks with probability, impact, mitigation. Banking integration, single developer, regulatory, market adoption, etc.
5 members from: state administration, academia, national startup ecosystem, international startup ecosystem. Agency director is member by duty. Appointed by Minister for Innovation. Appeals committee: 3 members from same pools.
| Tranche | % | When |
|---|---|---|
| First | 30% | After contract signing |
| Second | 40% | After Phase 1 completion + financial report approval |
| Third | 30% | After final financial report approval |
First cashback platform built on Albania's fiskalizimi fiscal infrastructure.
Every receipt in Albania already has a QR code (fiskalizimi). We turn that existing government infrastructure into a consumer cashback system — no new hardware, no merchant integration cost. Scan the receipt you already get, earn cashback automatically.
Tech stack: SvelteKit, TypeScript, Node.js, PostgreSQL — the same stack the CTO has used to build and operate 6+ applications solo for 3+ years.
Updated March 13, 2026 · Source: Grant 2026 Regulation (Rregullore e Thirrjes Grant2026, Versioni 1, Shkurt 2026) + Startup Albania