SUNNYVALE, Calif., May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Plug and Play, the ultimate innovation platform based in Silicon Valley, has made its first direct investments in Albanian startups, backing six companies and signaling growing international confidence in the country’s emerging tech ecosystem.
The six startups are Synaps, Insect Intel, Bliss, Infinitcode.ai, NEKOD, and kidsday, all part of Batch 1 of Plug and Play Albania. The founders also completed a six-week GOAL program in Silicon Valley, gaining direct exposure to global investors, mentors, and the world’s leading innovation hub.
“Our first investments in Albania mark the beginning of a long-term commitment to the region,” said Seena Amidi, Managing Partner, EMEA at Plug and Play. “We’re seeing a growing ecosystem that is increasingly connected to global networks, with founders capable of building beyond borders.”
Participation in the Silicon Valley program has already translated into tangible results for startups, from faster product validation to stronger access to investors and clearer growth strategies.
“Through the Plug and Play program and investment, we validated and launched our beta, secured global investors, and grew our team fourfold,” said Brendon Ahmeti, Founder of Synaps. “Since November, we’ve reached over 50,000 users.”
The Albanian-American Development Foundation (AADF) has played a key role in enabling this initiative, supporting the program in collaboration with IN Groupe, Piramida Tirana, Municipality of Tirana, and Innovation Hub. These partners contributed to program delivery and supported connections between local startups and international stakeholders.
“These investments are a clear indicator that the ecosystem is entering a more mature phase,” said Sokol Ymeri, Program Director at AADF. “Through our partnership with Plug and Play and AADF’s support, we have aimed to build concrete bridges between Albanian startups and global innovation networks. Direct investments in local companies today demonstrate a clear shift: from supporting potential to creating real opportunities for growth and expansion into new markets.”
The six investments represent an early step in Plug and Play’s activity in Albania. The company is currently running Batch 2 of the accelerator program and continues to evaluate additional investment opportunities in the market.
“This moment signals a real shift for Albania’s startup ecosystem,” said Uranik Begu, Director for the CEE Region at Plug and Play. “With six investments already made, we are no longer talking about potential. We are seeing real backing for Albanian founders building globally competitive companies.”
To learn more about Plug and Play Tirana, visit the website.
About Plug and Play
Plug and Play is the leading innovation platform, connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we’re present in 60+ locations across five continents. We offer corporate innovation programs and help our corporate partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. We also organize startup acceleration programs and have built an in-house VC to drive innovation across multiple industries where we’ve invested in hundreds of successful companies, including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, LendingClub, N26, PayPal, and Rappi. For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/.
Plug and Play Media Contact
Jacky Tsang
Senior Communications & PR Associate
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SOURCE Plug and Play
