An International Trip Builds Global Innovation Ecosystems

From YTILI Fellow to Global Accelerator

In the fall of 2024, the Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship had the pleasure of hosting Vladislav Pavlov from Belgrade, Serbia, through the Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative (YTILI), a U.S. Department of State program. Vladislav had an incredible vision: to help the burgeoning startup ecosystem in Southeastern Europe overcome challenges in startup expertise, US market access, and availability of early-stage investment capital.

I worked with Vladislav to build a framework for his accelerator, Scale Southeastern Europe (Scale SEE), drawing on successful resources and models here in the U.S. I also helped connect him with people and organizations in my network who could help shape the design and launch of Scale SEE. This ultimately led to my joining the accelerator team for the first Scale SEE Immersion Week in Belgrade this past September.

Lessons Learned on the Ground

My experience in Serbia was about much more than just advising; it was about learning and connecting with a new entrepreneurship ecosystem. Here are a few key takeaways:

• The Capital Gap: The most significant difference I observed is the lack of readily available early-stage angel and venture capital in the SEE region compared to Philadelphia. This means founders must be incredibly resourceful and focused on generating early revenue.
• The Failure Factor: We spent considerable time coaching founders on the concept of failure as a learning experience. In many parts of the world, failure is frowned upon, but here at the Close School, we know it’s a necessary step to pivoting and succeeding.
• A Global Competitor: The trip reinforced a critical lesson we teach our students: “Entrepreneurs are everywhere. Innovation is everywhere.” The democratization of technology means that our students will increasingly compete with bright, skilled founders coming from all parts of the world, not just their backyard.

Bringing the World Back to Drexel

The value of this international work is immediately transferred back to the Close School for our students.

In my Innovation Ecosystem course, I can now discuss my trip to Serbia, share program details and highlight the accelerator participants and the specific startups we worked with. This ensures that our curriculum isn’t just theoretical—our students can actually see what’s happening in the global market.

Furthermore, experiences like hosting Vladislav enrich our ecosystem by bringing in diverse perspectives to Drexel’s entrepreneurship incubator. My hope is to formalize this connection by launching a future Intensive Course Abroad that will feature a trip to Serbia, allowing our students to participate in the Scale SEE Immersion Week directly as part of their curriculum.

Ultimately, the most important lesson I teach as a mentor is to help founders identify the two or three essential next steps they need to take, focusing on actionable steps at any scale. Being on the ground in Serbia allowed me to apply those skills globally and bring back real, actionable lessons to the Close School, ensuring our students are prepared for a truly global marketplace.