The BOLD Fellowship
on Entrepreneurship, Youth Employment, and Economic Development
About the Fellowship The BOLD Fellowship is an intensive academic and practical program that provides a group of young students and recent graduates from across Bosnia and Herzegovina with in-depth training on entrepreneurship and leadership through a combination of in-person training modules and activities in New York State and virtual experiential sessions. Fellowship Program Overview for 2022 Format The Program will provide Fellows with an overview of entrepreneurial approaches by reviewing the development, challenges, and successes of entrepreneurial enterprises, including social enterprises, business leadership and women’s economic empowerment, in the U.S., globally, and in BiH. Areas of further know-how development may include, but are not limited to, trade, investment, financial literacy, banking, marketing, organizational development and management, innovation, emerging markets and risk analysis, strategic business planning, corporate social responsibility, and minorities in entrepreneurship. The Fellowship will be done through a combination of classroom learning, site visits, workshops, field trips, and virtual sessions designed to:
Network 20/20 in Southeast Europe In 2015, as part of Network 20/20’s Entrepreneurial Diplomacy Program, we launched a research project to understand the challenges facing the countries of Southeast Europe and innovative solutions that could address those hurdles. In 2016 a delegation of private sector leaders from Network 20/20 conducted on-the-ground research in countries of Southeast Europe, meeting with government officials, business leaders, media professionals, NGOs, academics, and other members of society. The trip resulted in the report: A Plan B for the Western Balkans: Reigniting U.S. Leadership in Southeast Europe. Among other findings, the report highlighted the necessity to support young, educated, and tech savvy individuals that are developing their own companies and tech-based startups. The entrepreneurial ecosystem in Southeast Europe provides a counterweight to the mass exodus of youth abroad and could be the driving force towards positive socio-economic change. For further details and the executive summary click here. Since then, Network 20/20’s team has conducted hundreds of interviews across Southeast Europe with leading startup hubs, entrepreneurs, academics, innovators, and diaspora members in the U.S. to gain a better understanding of the specific gaps and areas relevant to the further development of the entrepreneurship ecosystem. In 2019, Network 20/20, with the support of U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo, launched the BOLD Fellowship for Entrepreneurship, Youth Employment and Economic Development. To meet the 2020-21 fellows, please click here or check out the video below. Apply and read more about the 2022 Fellowship This Program was funded in part by a grant from the United States Department of State. The opinions, findings and conclusions stated herein are those of the author[s] and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.
