Access to information

Start-up support programs for young people are regularly announced at the entity and cantonal levels, offering grants, access to incubators, and mentorship. These programs often include training and professional guidance to help young people through the application and start-up process, with key support provided by organizations such as UNDP, EU4Business, and Caritas. Information about these opportunities is widely available on official websites of entity and district institutions, where young people can find detailed instructions, eligibility criteria, and available support options. 

Public institutions that provide information on start-up funding for young entrepreneurs include:

• Bosnia and Herzegovina Chamber of Foreign Trade

• Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Government,

• Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Development, Enforcement and Obligations,

• Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Employment Institute,

• Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Development Bank,

• Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Chamber of Commerce,

• Republika Srpska Government,

• Republika Srpska Ministry of Economy and Entrepreneurship,

• Republika Srpska Chamber of Commerce,

• Republika Srpska Entrepreneurial Portal,

• Brčko District Government - Department for Professional and Administrative Affairs,

• Brčko District Chamber of Commerce,

• Brčko District Employment Institute.

Resource Networks in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The term "resource networks" refers to institutions, agencies, and other associations that Bosnia and Herzegovina entrepreneurs can use as a form of financial, infrastructural, or advisory support. When it comes to their ownership forms, a distinction should be made between public and private entities. The most important public institutions available to entrepreneurs are:

• Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations - responsible for foreign trade and customs-tariff policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which serves entrepreneurs as a regulatory framework when creating foreign offers. Although it is not focused on providing financial incentives, the Ministry is responsible for the development and promotion of entrepreneurship both domestically and internationally. 

• Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Development, Entrepreneurship, and Crafts - initiates activities that are important for entrepreneurship development through various forms of advisory, promotional, and financial incentives, and starts initiatives related to improving the business environment.

• Employment Services - as public institutions, provide financial incentives for employment through subsidizing contributions to net salaries on an annual or semi-annual basis.

• Republika Srpska Ministry of Economy and Entrepreneurship - its most important activities include providing support for the development of entrepreneurial infrastructure and planning and implementing procedures related to incentive funds aimed at entrepreneurship development and promotion. The Ministry also supports the development of women's entrepreneurship in the context of their application for funds from the European Union, as well as constantly working on forming databases and registers in the field of entrepreneurship.

• Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Chamber of Economy - The chamber consists of a total of 12 chamber networks, including the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Chamber of Economy of the Federation (office in Sarajevo), Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Chamber of Economy (office in Mostar), Chamber of Economy of the Sarajevo Canton (office in Sarajevo), Chamber of Economy of the Tuzla Canton (office in Tuzla), Chamber of Economy of the Una-Sana Canton (office in Bihać), Chamber of Economy of the Zenica-Doboj Canton (office in Zenica), Chamber of Economy of the Bosnian-Podrinje Canton (office in Gorazde), Chamber of Economy of the Posavina Canton (office in Orasje), Chamber of Economy of the West Herzegovina Canton (office in Posušje), Chamber of Economy of the Canton 10 (office in Livno), Chamber of Economy of the Central Bosnia Canton (office in Jajce), and Chamber of Economy of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Mostar (office in Mostar). The most common activities of the chambers of economy are reflected in the organization of business information and education aimed at providing specific knowledge to entrepreneurs.

• Republika Srpska Chamber of Economy - This chamber consists of its regional chambers, namely: Regional Chamber of Economy Banja Luka, Regional Chamber of Economy Doboj, Regional Chamber of Economy East Sarajevo (office in Pale), Regional Chamber of Economy Trebinje, and Regional Chamber of Economy Bijeljina. Similar to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Chamber of Economy, the Republika Srpska Chamber of Economy organizes its work mainly through the consolidation of business information available to members and through the organization of professional education and panel discussions on topics of interest to the entrepreneurial population.

• Brčko District Chamber of Economy - Unlike the previously mentioned chambers, this chamber does not provide access to financial support through various grants. Instead, its work is focused on providing assistance in various forms of information regarding the initiatives it undertakes and providing training or education according to the needs of entrepreneurs who are chamber members.

• Local Self-Governments - Part of the qualitative research was conducted with representatives of local self-governments, where it was concluded that some local self-governments have specially organized entrepreneurship centers. In addition, the most important role of local self-governments in entrepreneurship is that they represent the initial starting point in establishing crafts as a legal form. Local self-government units provide information and carry out establishment procedures, thus having insight into the number of established crafts at the level of their municipality. Unlike chambers of economy, all local self-governments have regular financial incentive programs directly through the economy department or a specially formed department in the form of entrepreneurship centres.

• Sarajevo Regional Development Agency (SERDA) - Supports entrepreneur development mainly through specialized training programs. The year 2020 was marked as a period during which this agency organized a series of free education programs for developing successful applications to the funds of the European Union.

• Republika Srpska Agency for Small and Medium Enterprises Development - This Agency is responsible for providing support for the incentives of entrepreneurship establishment, operation and development, as well as providing constant support for infrastructure development. It is also responsible for researching and collecting data related to revising the state of entrepreneurship at the level of business zones in Republika Srpska.

• Other public resource networks organized by competent institutions - for example, Emerging Business Clinic implemented by the Centre Municipality Sarajevo, Innovation Centre Banja Luka, Agency for Small and Medium Enterprises Development Trebinje, City Development Agency of East Sarajevo, and many others. 

Identified as the most important private resource networks are:

• YEP - This organization represents a business idea incubator. In addition to financial support, YEP regularly publishes various types of calls aimed at stimulating other skills in entrepreneurship development, especially among young people.

• LINK - Located in Mostar, this association provides support through various types of research beneficial to entrepreneurship in Bosnia and Herzegovina, creates projects, offers various forms of education, and is available for the development of business ideas.

• MOZAIC - Located in Sarajevo, this foundation supports young entrepreneurs in developing their ideas. One of the programs developed within the foundation is the Startup Studio, which offers future entrepreneurs an environment for idea development and implementation, not only through advisory but also through financial support.

• INTERA TECHNOLOGY PARK - Offers specialized IT education, co-working spaces, business idea development counselling, and other forms of education through regular calls published on their portal.

• SEENET - Located in Banja Luka, this organization provides support through the organization of seminars, webinars, conferences, and participates in the preparation of publications aimed at improving the business environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

• RIS ("NEŠTO VIŠE") - Through the "NEŠTO VIŠE (SOMETHING MORE)" Association, RIS as a regional incubator for the development of social entrepreneurship, provides support for the development of business ideas. It offers support in education, networking, and sharing previous experiences.

• AGORA - A foundation based in Banja Luka, provides support to young entrepreneurs from idea generation to implementation, offering not only advisory but also financial assistance.

• Foundation 787 - Implements many programs aimed at developing the capacities of women and young entrepreneurs by offering various types of training, events, networking platforms, and various forms of business consulting. Users of this foundation's services can attend various programs, among which modules such as the development of an individually tailored business model, market research, and comprehensive knowledge regarding the legal framework within which legal entities operate stand out.

• STARTUP STUDIO - Available at three addresses: Sarajevo, Banja Luka, and Bihać. This studio also provides information on accessing various grants and legal assistance in all stages of business operations.

• GIRLS ADVANCE LAB - Organized as assistance to young women through a mentoring program, offering financial assistance in creating and developing business ideas. 

Official Information Portals

A wide range of institutions regularly publish youth-focused start-up information. At the entity level, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Government, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Development, Entrepreneurship and Crafts, Chambers of Commerce, Employment Institutes of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, Republika Srpska Ministry of Economy and Development Bank, and Brčko District Department of Economic Development and Employment Institute post public calls, program details, application guidelines, eligibility criteria, and mentorship/training opportunities.

Public calls and grant programs

In March 2025, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Development, Entrepreneurship and Crafts launched a series of public calls for grant funding targeting start-ups, small and medium enterprises, and innovation projects, including support for tech and export-oriented businesses. 

The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Employment Service continued its active labor market support with the “Start Up 2025” program, offering co-financing for self-employment and business start-ups, including micro-grant support designed to encourage entrepreneurship in labor market entry. 

In 2024, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Development, Entrepreneurship and Crafts also awarded non-refundable grants (totaling several million KM) under calls for Support for SME in  IT sector intended to support innovation and competitiveness of local businesses. 

The Ministry of Economy of Sarajevo Canton implemented its Incubator Grant Program (2025), providing financial grants of 30,000 KM each, office space and utility support to 21 young start-ups, strengthening early-stage entrepreneurship in the canton.

The Republika Srpska Ministry of Economy and Entrepreneurship issued a public call for economic incentives (2025) to support investments and business development throughout Republika Srpska. 

The Republika Srpska Agency for Development of Small and Medium Enterprises continue to provide grant support tools for innovative projects and SME development across Republika Srpska. 

In Brčko District, local public calls and program announcements for self-employment support (e.g., Self-Employment Program 2025), internships and start-up incentives are published through the Brčko District Employment Institute. 

Bosnia and Herzegovina also benefits from wider regional programs such as the EBRD/EU “Go Digital Western Balkans” initiative (2025), which offers grants and technical assistance for digitalization and SME support, including opportunities accessible to Bosnian entrepreneurs.  

Targeted Training & Mentorship

• EU4Business – Support for Start-up (2020): Banja Luka's City Development Agency (CIDEA) and the Innovation Centre launched a competitive call in IT field for individuals aged 18–35. The initiative combines entrepreneurship training for up to 100 participants, business plan development, followed by mentoring and financial support for selected ideas.

• UNDP & Caritas “YourJob” Program (2021) offered bootcamps, technical and financial support to young innovators. Caritas Bosnia and Herzegovina supported 25 business ideas from aspiring entrepreneurs with grants between EUR 2,000–5,000, following training in Mostar and Banja Luka.

Support Services & Incubators

Development Bank of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina provides loans, guarantees and business counselling to SMEs and start-ups, including youth-led enterprises, with favorable conditions and advisory services.

Employment Service in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina delivers co-financing programs for self-employment, employment creation, business training and mentorship. In March 2024 it opened calls for employment co-financing and start-up self-employment support.

Republika Srpska Employment Service operates employment and self-employment incentive programs that offer subsidies for employment, training, retraining and labor mobility support. These programs include initiatives like Start-up Srpska and targeted incentives for hard-to-employ groups, trainees and interns, which remain part of the suite of active labor market measures in 2024–2025.

Government of the Republic of Srpska has adopted mechanisms for granting incentives for investments of special importance, including for SMEs and business expansion projects, which can benefit young business founders seeking support for investment and job creation.

Within the Socio-Economic Inclusion (SEI) Project, implemented with support from the Czech Development Agency and partners such as CARE International and the Brčko District Development Guarantee Fund, grant agreements for employment and self-employment were signed in June 2025 with beneficiaries including young people, women, Roma and long-term unemployed persons — supporting new business ideas and job creation in the district. SEI Project also provided targeted training sessions in May 2025 for prospective entrepreneurs, focusing on business plan development, employment support and self-employment preparation following competitive public calls. 

Access to capital

Currently, there is no program to encourage entrepreneurship in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the state level due to underdeveloped structure to support entrepreneurship at the state level. The SME Development Agency and the SME Development Financing Fund have not yet been established to withdraw and distribute European funds for this sector. In most countries in transition, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, there are only universal banks that are mostly involved in fundraising. Funds do not play a significant role in lending to entrepreneurship.

Young people mainly receive financial incentives from the competent entity, cantonal ministries, municipalities and competent institutions of Brčko District. The biggest financial incentives for young people come from EU funds, international organizations, through projects of non-governmental organizations and embassies.

According to the competencies assigned to the institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Development, Entrepreneurship and Crafts is the institution responsible for the development of entrepreneurial incentives in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Employment Institute supports youth and other population groups through self-employment programs such as the Co-financing of Self-Employment 2022.

The Republika Srpska Ministry of Economy and Entrepreneurship is the competent institution for providing financial support to entrepreneurship in Republika Srpska. In addition to the Ministry, there is also the Republika Srpska Investment-Development Bank (IRBRS), whose role is to enable more favorable lending for youth entrepreneurship. Also, the IRBRS co-finances youth employment through loans or grants to start agricultural businesses. In cooperation with the Republika Srpska Agency for Development of Small and Medium Enterprises, as well as the Gender Centre, the IRBRS implements credit support programs in order to start entrepreneurial activities of young women. The Republika Srpska Agency for Development of Small and Medium Enterprises, among other things, has competencies in the establishment of business incubators, technology parks and free customs zones with favorable conditions for the development of youth entrepreneurship.

The Brčko District Government provides financial incentives for entrepreneurial ideas of young people.

When it comes to international and NGO support, sometimes offered in cooperation with government institutions, several grant and loan opportunities are available to support young entrepreneurs in starting their businesses.

For grant financing, the EGG2 grant initiative was launched in April 2023 by Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Development, Entrepreneurship, and Crafts and UNDP. Through this initiative, a total of BAM 320,000 was made available to strengthen business support services for start-ups and young entrepreneurs, with funding provided for incubation, mentorship, and business development activities. Additionally, the Caritas "YourJob" program in 2021 provided direct financial support to young entrepreneurs by awarding grants ranging from EUR 2,000 to EUR 5,000 to 25 start-up projects. These grants were awarded after participants completed bootcamp training sessions in Mostar and Banja Luka.

In terms of debt financing, Mikrofin, backed by the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), has provided microloans since 2015 through a EUR 2.5 million facility, specifically supporting low-income entrepreneurs and small businesses, particularly in rural areas. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) also supports Mikrofin with a EUR 20 million loan package that aims to expand microfinance opportunities for young people and women, including businesses with a climate focus.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) offers the "Youth in Business" program, which provides loans through local partners like Mi-Bospo and Banca Intesa. This program combines financial support with technical assistance and mentoring for youth-led small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Furthermore, Bosnia and Herzegovina benefits from the EU-backed Western Balkans Enterprise Development and Innovation Facility (WB EDIF) Guarantee (2024), which has unlocked up to EUR102 million in affordable loans for SMEs, including businesses started by young entrepreneurs. Additionally, the European Investment Bank (EIB) provided a EUR 25 million loan in 2018 through Raiffeisen Leasing to finance SME investment projects, with a specific focus on supporting youth employment under the European Youth Employment and Training for the Western Balkans (EYET) initiative.

Regarding access to EU funding programs, Bosnia and Herzegovina became eligible to participate in the Digital Europe Program in 2024, which offers start-up funding opportunities in areas like advanced digital skills and innovation. The country also participates in the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs program under the Single Market Program, which provides young entrepreneurs with mentorship opportunities in EU member states. Bosnia and Herzegovina also benefits from the European Union-funded WB EDIF Guarantee for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) Resilience Initiative launched in 2022, which is a comprehensive EU initiative that offers credit guarantees, grants, and risk-sharing mechanisms to encourage youth entrepreneurship.