Entrepreneurs in Wollongong will now have the opportunity to collaborate with the most innovative high-tech startups from Central and Eastern Europe with the latest announcement of MIT Enterprise Forum CEE in Warsaw, Poland joining the iAccelerate Innovation Network.

MIT Enterprise Forum CEE is a Central Eastern European based, startup acceleration program and member of the global network of the MIT Enterprise Forum, a non-profit organization founded by entrepreneurs who graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the world-renowned technology-oriented university.

The reciprocal program referral arrangement between MIT Enterprise Forum CEE and iAccelerate will include warm introductions to help entrepreneurs access new markets, expertise, and capital. Along with the opportunity for the exploration of further collaboration opportunities.

 “The inclusion of MIT Enterprise Forum is a welcome addition to the iAccelerate Innovation Network. Accelerating the pathway for international collaboration between entrepreneurs in Central and Eastern Europe, Australia and the rest of the world through our expanding global network,” said Omar Khalifa, CEO iAccelerate.

 

“The goal of the iAccelerate Innovation Network is to work with curated partners to make trusted international collaboration easier, which is a benefit to our growing entrepreneurial ecosystem.  With the challenges COVID-19 has brought to traditional approaches, networks have never been more important for the success of entrepreneurs” he added.

Collaboration between partners in the network includes bi-monthly calls from around the world to share case studies, best practices, and overcome challenges. Partners can choose to engage in further collaboration with each other at their discretion.

“CEE tech founders communicate international expansion as their top priority. On the other hand, the CEE region is an attractive hub for the ICT and deeptech skills. We believe in the power of international trade and opportunities exchange. We are delighted to form the partnership between MIT EF CEE and iAccelerate, and to bridge to the curated Pacific Rim ecosystem. We believe startups from both ecosystems can hugely benefit from it” a spokesperson from CEE said.

This expansion of the iAccelerate Innovation Network builds on the national and global partnerships iAccelerate has established over the past year.

MIT Enterprise Forum CEE marks the seventh international member to join the iAccelerate Innovation Network, after Global Venture Alliance in Moscow and San Francisco, Startup Lisboa in Portugal, Da Nang Entrepreneurship Support in Vietnam, Hatch in Sri Lanka, the National Science and Technology Park in Pakistan, and the University of East London’s Knowledge Dock Business Centre in the UK.

Alongside Australian members: Bega Valley Innovation Hub in Bega, Collab Highlands / The Mill in Bowral, Upstairs in Bathurst, Grounded Space in Parramatta and Desert Knowledge Australia in Alice Springs.

iAccelerate is currently open for applications for the July intake.

Media contact: Chris Petersilge, [email protected]