GROWBIZ STARTUP · FIRST CUSTOMER
FROM IDEA TO
YOUR FIRST CUSTOMER.
Have a business idea? Let’s find out whether someone actually wants it.
"First Customer" is a 4-month, fully sponsored GrowBiz coaching program for people who have a business idea but haven’t launched it yet. Together with local and U.S. business coaches, you’ll work on your customer, the problem you want to solve, your offer, and real market testing — before investing more time and money. është një program 4-mujor mentorimi biznesi i GrowBiz StartUp, plotësisht i sponsorizuar, për individë që kanë një ide biznesi por ende nuk e kanë lançuar. Me mentorë biznesi vendas dhe ndërkombëtar, ti do të punosh mbi klientin, problemin, ofertën dhe testimin real në treg – para se të investosh më shumë kohë dhe para.
First application deadline: 23 OCTOBER 2026
FIRST CUSTOMER · 2026
4 months to test it for real
FREE
✓ 4 months of structured coaching
✓ Local + U.S. business coaches
✓ Individual support
✓ Testing with real potential customers
Phase 1 is fully sponsored for selected participants.
Places are limited, and the selection process has three stages.
WHO IS FIRST CUSTOMER FOR?
People in Albania with a business idea — not yet launched.
The program is open to ideas from different industries. It doesn’t matter whether your idea is a service, a product, or technology. What matters is that you have a specific idea and are ready to test it with real potential customers.
TOURISM &
HOSPITALITY
PROFESSIONAL
SERVICES
RETAIL &
E-COMMERCE
CONSTRUCTION &
REAL ESTATE
TRANSPORT &
LOGISTICS
MANUFACTURING
SOFTWARE &
TECHNOLOGY
…AND MUCH
MORE
Don’t see your industry? You can still apply. What matters most is having a specific idea that you can test with real people.
BEFORE YOU LAUNCH
The idea is the beginning. The customer is the proof.
You have an idea and keep thinking, “This could work.”
You know what you want to offer, but you’re not completely sure who it is for.
You don’t want to spend months and money before hearing what real customers think.
You want someone with experience to ask you the questions you may not have asked yourself.
Before the logo, the website, or registering a company,there is one more important question: who is going to pay for this?
WHO IS YOUR FIRST CUSTOMER?
Four questions that turn an idea into something real
At GrowBiz, you don’t only work on how good the idea sounds. You work on what you can learn when you put it in front of real people.
CUSTOMER
Who needs what you are offering the most?
PROBLEM
What is that customer actually trying to solve?
OFFER
What is the simplest version you can put in front of them?
TEST
What will you learn when you take the idea into the real market?
WHAT DO YOU GET?
Not just advice. A structure for testing your idea.
4 MONTHS
Time to talk to customers, test, learn, and change your idea based on what you discover. Sessions continue online twice a month.
Local + U.S. business coaches
Local understanding combined with perspective from people with experience in other markets and business environments.
100% FREE
Phase 1 is fully sponsored for selected participants. There is no participation fee.
FROM IDEA TO MARKET
What will you work on in First Customer?
1. UNDERSTAND THE CUSTOMER
Who is the person or business that most strongly experiences the problem you want to solve?
3. BUILD A SIMPLE OFFER
Create the simplest version you can put in front of a potential customer.
2. TEST THE PROBLEM
Talk to real people and find out whether the problem is as important as you think it is.
4. GET A REAL RESPONSE
Gather feedback, test the offer, and decide what needs to change before taking the next step.
TWO PERSPECTIVES. ONE IDEA.
Local experience + U.S. perspective
Your local coach understands the market and the environment in which you are developing your idea. Your U.S. coaches bring experience, questions, and perspectives from other markets.
LOCAL COACH
Context, market knowledge, and an understanding of the everyday reality in which you will need to build the idea.
AMERICAN COACH
Experience from other markets and questions that can help you see the idea from a different angle.
You know your idea. They’ll help you test it better.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Three steps to First Customer
Because the program is fully sponsored, places are limited. Selection is based on your idea, your willingness to work on it, and your conversation with the coaches.
1
SHORT APPLICATION
around 5 minutes
Tell us a little about yourself, your idea, and who you think it is for.
BY 23 OCT
2
DETAILED APPLICATION
30–45 minutes
Selected applicants will receive a second application where they can develop the idea in more detail.
BY 30 OCT
3
MEET THE COACHES
60 minutes
An in-person meeting with local and U.S. coaches. The final decision about participation will be made after this meeting.
9–10 NOV
If selected, the 4-month program begins in November 2026. Sessions continue online twice a month with U.S. and local coaches, while the local coach is also available between sessions.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Before you apply
What is "First Customer"?
"First Customer" is the name of GrowBiz Phase 1— a 4-month, fully sponsored coaching program for people with a business idea that has not yet been launched.
Who is the program for?
People from Albania who have a specific business idea but have not launched it yet.
Do I need to have a registered company?
No. "First Customer" is designed specifically for the period before launching your business. If you already run an active business, GrowBiz Phase 3 is a better fit for you.
Does the program guarantee that I will get my first customer?
No. The name describes the direction of the program: testing your idea with real potential customers and getting closer to your first sale based on real feedback.
How long does it last and how much does it cost?
How are participants selected?
When does the program begin?
APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN
WHO WILL BE YOUR
FIRST CUSTOMER?
The first application takes around 5 minutes. Tell us what you want to build and who you think it is for.
First application deadline: 23 OCTOBER 2026