Kickstarting businesses and development in emerging markets
The lab of tomorrow is one of the services for private sector cooperation of the Agency for Business & Economic Development (AWE). AWE operates as part of the business and development network Partners in Transformation.
Partners in Transformation is supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to actively promote and strengthen cooperation with actors in the private sector: companies, trade unions, chambers of commerce, associations
and other interest groups. Partners in Transformation emphasizes the partnership between the private sector and development cooperation, with the shared goal of achieving a social and environmental transformation in BMZ’s partner countries.
The programmes work with companies, trade unions, chambers of commerce, associations and other interest groups.
Find out more at Private sector | BMZ (German only)
Challenge in spotlight
Take a glance at our most recent lab of tomorrow business opportunities.
Improving cross-border e-Commerce services in the Western Balkans
📢 Manuel disponibles en français!
Our track record
The lab of tomorrow has been the programme of choice by GIZ projects, the Austrian and the Swiss Development Agencies as well as companies to solve specific development challenges all over the world.
Your opportunities
Learn how you can benefit from the lab of tomorrow programme.
Solve your development challenge
The lab of tomorrow programme activates the private sector to achieve SDG impact. Your advantages of initiating a programme include:
- Let the private sector solve your development challenge – we help you identify unmet needs with business potential.
- As an initiator, you steer the programme and bring in all the people necessary for success.
- Benefit from our network and gain access to business partners, development agencies, investors, mentors and policy makers.
- The impact created by the lab of tomorrow programme goes beyond development cooperation project lifespans.
Develop your business in emerging markets
Expand into emerging markets together with new business partners! Your benefits of participating in the programme include:
- Business case sourcing: We identify business opportunities in emerging markets for you to choose from.
- Participant sourcing & matching: We match you with relevant local and international companies in interdisciplinary teams.
- As a team, you co-create a new product or service and benefit from business development coaching.
- Partner network access: you gain access to business partners, investors, mentors and policy makers.
Invest in solutions and support innovations
Gain access to impact investment opportunities in various markets and sectors! Your benefits in supporting our ventures include:
- Be the first to know about investment opportunities in untapped markets.
- You become part of our strong network of innovators and entrepreneurs.
- Receive access to invest in our ventures at different stages. We invite you to pitch sessions, demo days and share our dealbook.
- Bring in companies from your portfolio and offer them interesting business development opportunities.
How it works
Find out how sustainable and profitable business models are created in a lab of tomorrow programme and what’s in it for you.
Ready to create impact?
Currently running challenges
Take a look at our currently running challenges and the potential business opportunities they present for you.
Improving cross-border e-Commerce services in the Western Balkans
This challenge is in phase: Sustainable Business
How might we make cross-border delivery services more reliable, faster, cheaper and climate-friendly for businesses and consumers?
E-Commerce is one of the fastest growing business sectors in the Western Balkans. On average, more than 10% of products and services are purchased online today. However, compared to markets in the EU, the great economic potential of e-Commerce remains untapped. Hindering factors for local businesses are, for example, the lack of transparent, fast, reliable and affordable cross-border delivery services. There is also a growing awareness of climate-neutral business practices.
To address these challenges, GIZ initiated the 21st lab of tomorrow programme, which focuses on improving delivery services for inter-party e-Commerce in the Western Balkans region.
01
Understand
Embarking on this journey within lab of tomorrow we will look for the opportunities how might we increase reliability and transparency of the delivery process, how delivery process could be become more energy efficient while reducing the total cost of this service or how can we decrease the time of delivery as well as the number of damaged packages due to the inadequate delivery.
Tackling these issues would not only lead to a decrease in the time and cost of delivery, but also to an increase in consumer trust in e-commerce and a rise in the competitiveness of the entire Western Balkan region in doing business on a global level.
Business Opportunities
02
Ideate Solutions
03
Incubate business
04
Sustainable Business
FlexiBA
FlexiBA consolidates eShop orders, cuts costs, and carbon footprint. Operating B2B with transaction fees, aiming to reduce 50kg CO2 per shipment. Developing MVP, expanding from local to Western Balkans.
BALKANHOP
BalkanHop streamlines customs and cross-border trade for B2C e-commerce. As a Merchant of Record (B2B), it consolidates shipments and prepares customs documents. The team will develop an MVP and refine it through testing in the Western Balkans.
More information
Downloads
Improving cross-border e-Commerce services in the Western Balkans
This challenge is in phase: Sustainable Business
How might we make cross-border delivery services more reliable, faster, cheaper and climate-friendly for businesses and consumers?
E-Commerce is one of the fastest growing business sectors in the Western Balkans. On average, more than 10% of products and services are purchased online today. However, compared to markets in the EU, the great economic potential of e-Commerce remains untapped. Hindering factors for local businesses are, for example, the lack of transparent, fast, reliable and affordable cross-border delivery services. There is also a growing awareness of climate-neutral business practices.
To address these challenges, GIZ initiated the 21st lab of tomorrow programme, which focuses on improving delivery services for inter-party e-Commerce in the Western Balkans region.
01
Understand
Embarking on this journey within lab of tomorrow we will look for the opportunities how might we increase reliability and transparency of the delivery process, how delivery process could be become more energy efficient while reducing the total cost of this service or how can we decrease the time of delivery as well as the number of damaged packages due to the inadequate delivery.
Tackling these issues would not only lead to a decrease in the time and cost of delivery, but also to an increase in consumer trust in e-commerce and a rise in the competitiveness of the entire Western Balkan region in doing business on a global level.
Business Opportunities
02
Ideate Solutions
03
Incubate business
04
Sustainable Business
FlexiBA
FlexiBA consolidates eShop orders, cuts costs, and carbon footprint. Operating B2B with transaction fees, aiming to reduce 50kg CO2 per shipment. Developing MVP, expanding from local to Western Balkans.
BALKANHOP
BalkanHop streamlines customs and cross-border trade for B2C e-commerce. As a Merchant of Record (B2B), it consolidates shipments and prepares customs documents. The team will develop an MVP and refine it through testing in the Western Balkans.