On October 11, 2024, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Europe and Central Asia announced a strategic partnership with Cyprus’s SocialTech Lab to deliver the ‘BOOST: Urban Future Finance’ acceleration program. The programme focuses on identifying, developing, and scaling innovative financial solutions that drive urban transformation in the Western Balkans.

This partnership marks a significant milestone for SocialTech Lab - a Cyprus-based organisation working at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and peacebuilding - as it expands its work beyond the island to support innovative solutions and contribute to sustainable development in neighboring regions. By bringing its expertise to the Western Balkans, SocialTech Lab aims to empower local changemakers and help transform urban development through tailored accelerator design and implementation.

The BOOST: Urban Future Finance acceleration programme seeks innovative financial solutions for urban transformation. It is open to a diverse array of applicants – from startups and social enterprises to non-profits, municipalities, and academic institutions – who are based in or plan to deploy their solutions in Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, or Serbia. Up to 20 solutions will be selected for support and acceleration, with the programme running from November 2024 to April 2025.

Interested organizations can apply for the programme until October 21, 2024, through the BOOST website. 

*References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).