Engineered an innovation ecosystem managing a €3M budget to create sustainable job growth and established the first digital export channels to Scandinavia.
The Challenge
The mandate was not simply to support startups, but to engineer an innovation ecosystem in a region with limited infrastructure. The challenge was twofold: effectively managing a €3M budget funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to create sustainable job growth in Kosovo, while simultaneously overcoming severe logistical barriers (limited online payment gateways, complex customs, and shipping restrictions) to enable local businesses to export to mature Scandinavian markets.
The Approach
Operating under Athene Prosjektledelse AS, I executed a multi-pronged strategy focusing on institutional setup and direct product creation:
Institutional Architecture (ICK): We worked together with a very lean team to established the center. This involved defining the operational model, designing incubatior curriculums, and structuring training programs. We operationalized the €3M fund to create a repeatable engine for founder development.
Product Roadmap & Logistics (BalkanSpring.com): To solve the export problem, we architected the product roadmap and partnerships for the region's first fashion e-commerce platform. This required engineering solutions around the lack of payment processors and shipping logistics to successfully export products to Scandinavia.
B2B Brokerage (MatchYourBusiness.com): Developed a digital matchmaking platform connecting Kosovo's ICT sector with Scandinavian enterprises, moving beyond theory to facilitate actual commercial transactions.
Key Outcomes & Legacy
- Fiscal & Operational Stewardship: Successfully managed and deployed a €3M budget, organizing 100+ events and training hundreds of professionals, effectively creating the first generation of modern founders in the country.
- Market Penetration via B2B Platforms: Through matchyourbusiness.com, secured initial deal flows in the €20k–€50k range, converting one-off pilot projects into long-lasting, recurring client relationships for local ICT firms.
- Pioneering E-Commerce Exports: Broke new ground with balkanspring.com, successfully navigating early-stage infrastructure friction to establish the first viable digital export channel for local designers into the Scandinavian market.