In a piece originally published in Blic, Ivan Jakovljević, investor and member of the program committee of the unlockit conference, explains why 2026 is a moment of truth for the regional technology ecosystem and how the most important conversations on this topic will take place at the unlockit conference on February 19–20 in Belgrade, organized by the Digital Serbia Initiative.
As we enter 2026, we are reaching a moment that global markets describe as a phase of proving real value—especially in the field of artificial intelligence. The period of rapid experimentation and eye-catching demos is slowly coming to an end. Today, investors are watching very simple signals: does the technology increase productivity, reduce costs, or open up new revenue streams?
For Serbia and the countries of the region, this could become a turning point. We have people who know how to build world-class software, but we still lack more companies that turn this knowledge into globally competitive businesses.
From product to sustainable company
Most local startups follow a similar path. A team builds a solid product, early users appear, and then growth hits the wall of everyday reality: sales fail to meet targets, customer support becomes chaotic, and constant firefighting consumes founders’ time.
Operational maturity means solving exactly these problems. It is the ability to establish clear processes in finance, marketing, customer support, and people management, enabling a company to scale sustainably. The unlockit conference was born from the idea of bringing such operational models—proven in large and fast-growing markets—closer to our founders as practical tools, not distant theory.
Examples from smaller markets
One of the speakers at the unlockit conference, Bar Winkler from the startup Wonderful, brings a perspective that is particularly valuable for our ecosystem. Wonderful grew outside Silicon Valley and focused on automating work for non-English-speaking markets, as well as industries often overlooked by major players.
Instead of AI solutions designed only for conversation, their agents independently complete concrete operational tasks—from document and invoice processing to logistics coordination. This story shows that a company from a smaller ecosystem can become globally relevant if it solves a hard, real problem in a way others ignore.
Building bridges
The experiences of countries such as Estonia, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates show that market size is not decisive for the reach of an idea. Connection is. unlockit aims to be a bridge between regional creativity and global operational standards, between young talent and experienced capital, between Belgrade and the global stage. The program is designed for three groups: founders with the ambition to build global products, investors looking to identify teams ready for a global leap, and students interested in how a global career can be built from here.
Operational maturity does not cancel enthusiasm—it gives it a backbone. If we accept 2026 as a year of proof, we can stop being just an interesting footnote and become a place where players of global significance are created. That opportunity is worth discussing in person.
See you in Belgrade at the Unlockit Conference on February 19–20.
