The BOLD Academic Fellowship
on Entrepreneurship, Youth Employment, and Economic Development
Fellowship Program Overview
- Program dates: August 31 – October 1, 2021
- Program duration: Four weeks in the U.S. (expect pre-trip and post-trip preparation and virtual meetings)
- Program locations: Buffalo and New York City, both in New York State
- Cohort size: Ten fellows (objective will be to have a gender-balanced cohort)
- Program type: Full time commitment and weekend activities (during the time in the U.S.)
- Expenses: All program-related expenses in the U.S. including airfare are covered (please see below for more details)
About
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 classroom and experiential learning in New York State.
Format
The Program will provide Fellows with an overview of entrepreneurial approaches by reviewing the development, history, 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 exploration may include, but are not limited to, trade, investment, financial literacy, banking, micro-finance, organizational development and management, innovation, emerging markets and risk analysis, strategic business planning, corporate social responsibility, and minorities in entrepreneurship.
Instruction will be done through a combination of classroom learning, site visits, workshops, and field trips designed to:
- Build awareness of the components of an entrepreneurial eco-system, resulting in a map of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Generate self-reflection and understanding of leadership styles and risk-taking
- Provide insight and tools so that each Fellow will develop their own ideas in the form of a business plan, pitch, and an implementation action plan.
Apply for the 2021 Fellowship by clicking here
CLICK HERE
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 read more about the 2020 fellows, please click here.
Apply and read more about the 2021 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.
