On the first day of the event, "Digital Den connects: Women Leading Innovation," Marijeta Barjaktarović Lanzardi, General Director for Innovation and Technological Development, and Valentina Radulović, Coordinator of the Innovation Task Force for ICT, led a panel discussion on the importance of innovation and the Smart Specialization Strategy (S3) for economic development and societal improvement. Valentina Radulović, co-founder of the startup Flourish, also conducted a workshop on the basics of innovation, the startup ecosystem, and digital business, inspiring all attendees.

The second day of the event focused on the inspiring stories of successful women in the startup world. Our panelists—Tamara Čolić Milosavljević from the University of Belgrade, Arta Shehu Zaimi, founder of the startup Labbox from Kosovo, and Jelena Janković, founder of the startup 3hills from Montenegro—shared their experiences about the role of women in the innovative entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The final day of the event featured examples from the region and the United States. Our speakers from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, New York, and Arizona shared the challenges they faced, as well as the advice and strategies that helped them on their journey to success. Erna Šošević from the Best Network and Neda Trifunović from the Western Balkans Startup Alliance discussed regional examples, incentives, and networking opportunities. Kathryn McManus, founder of CNN Japan, spoke about the role of women as thought leaders, while Kelly Sandin, Associate Director at Arizona State University, discussed the perspectives and challenges women face in the global startup world.

Through lectures, workshops, discussions, and panels, the program ensured that participants gained concrete knowledge and skills, as well as the opportunity to network with relevant professionals in the fields of innovation and technology.