The Challenge
Fragmented Markets & Investment Readiness. The startup scenes in Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Albania were isolated and nascent. The region possessed high technical talent but lacked the "soft infrastructure"—access to angel capital, product-market fit methodology, and experienced mentorship—required to scale ventures beyond local borders.
The Approach
1. Cross-Border Capability Building: Executed a regional strategy to break down silos between Pristina, Skopje, and Tirana. By standardizing mentorship frameworks and facilitation methods, we created a unified language for growth across these distinct markets.
2. The "Train the Trainer" Model: Shifted focus from one-off mentoring to capacity building. I worked directly with local Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) to develop sustainable internal mentorship programs, ensuring long-term ecosystem resilience independent of external aid.
3. Investment-Grade Mentorship: Leveraged 18+ years of operator experience to guide startups through the "Valley of Death." Focused heavily on GTM strategy, pitch refinement, and operational scalability to prepare founders for pre-seed and seed-stage investment.
Key Outcomes & Legacy
- Scale of Impact: Directly mentored 200+ startups and 500+ young founders, students, and scaleups
- Institutional Foundation: Played a key role in the establishment of Startup Macedonia
- Program Development: Reformed a core business support program for BP and supported new incubator curriculums for Protik Albania
- Ecosystem Sustainability: Strengthened operational capabilities of local accelerators through direct knowledge transfer