02.06.2022

TechPark Prishtina enters the final phase of construction

Work on the construction of TechPark Prishtina has resumed, thus entering the final phase of the project. The Ministry of Economy has signed the contract with the contractor for the completion of the third phase of the works.

TechPark Prishtina is a project initiated by STIKK to provide development opportunities for all those ideas that bring innovation.

One such opportunity is the StarUp program. This project, financed by the EU and implemented by STIKK, aims to help small and medium-sized businesses as well as mature startups, offering space, professional services, modern infrastructure and adequate promotion.

At the same time, TechPark will provide connections and synergies between local and international markets, universities and other supporting institutions.

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30.05.2022

The board of STIKK meets with the adviser of the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Jagxhiu: STIKK is the main partner of the government for the development of the ICT sector

STIKK is the government’s main partner for the development of the ICT sector and for the national ICT strategy, according to the ICT advisor of the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Mr Lulzon Jagxhiu.

At the invitation of STIKK, a meeting was held between the Board of Directors of STIKK and Mr. Jagxhiu. The meeting discussed the challenges of the ICT sector in Kosovo as well as the strategy with which the government is planning to approach these challenges.

STIKK Board members presented the priorities of the association and some of the proposals that require addressing in the government for the benefit of the ICT sector. The board also expressed its readiness and willingness to cooperate with government institutions in achieving common goals for the benefit of the sector and the economy of Kosovo.

Mr. Jagxhiu emphasized that STIKK is the government’s main partner for the development of the ICT sector and for the national ICT strategy, and he revealed some of the steps it plans to take in this direction, also seeking STIKK’s support. Among other things, Mr. Jagxhiu informed the Steering Board of STIKK about the details of Prime Minister Kurti’s visit to ICT companies in the USA and the results of these meetings.

At the end of the meeting, it was agreed to hold regular meetings between STIKK and the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo where we will address the development issues of the ICT sector in Kosovo.

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26.05.2022

The first regional e-commerce web platform – “ecommerce4all.eu” was launched

Compared to the countries of the Western Balkans, Kosovo is behind Serbia, but before North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro in percentage of the population that  does online shopping. Compared to neighboring countries, Kosovo ranks first in Europe or 77% of online shoppers buy clothes online, followed by Montenegro with 71%, while North Macedonia with 57%, BiH with 56% and Serbia with 52% are below the European average. Profit tax as a percentage of commercial profit is highest in Albania – 14.1%, and lowest in Montenegro – 8.3%, while time required for export and import of products is shortest in Moldova. These and many other business facts and information related to running an e-commerce business as of today are officially available on the first regional e-commerce platform “E-commerce for all” – ecommerce4all.eu. 

The regional web platform is developed by the Macedonian E-Commerce Association as a main implementer in cooperation with the e-commerce associations аnd organizations from related industries from CEFTA, or to be more precise with the following partners from Albania: Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Tirana (CCIT) and Albanian eCommerce Association, from Bosnia and Herzegovina:Bosnia and Herzegovina e-Commerce Association and BiH eComm Association, from Kosovo: Kosovo ICT Association (STIKK), from Moldova: American Chamber of Commerce in Moldova, from Montenegro: Chamber of Economy in Montenegro, and from Serbia: E-commerce Association of Serbia.

The platform, which is a regional expansion of the Macedonian initiative “Ecommerce4All”, from today will be available in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and Moldova.
Users from the region will be able to use the regional e-commerce web platform –  ecommerce4all.eu for free, out of which the first of the five modules is already available – “E-commerce Data” module. The module presents the state of e-commerce in the CEFTA markets through statistics and other data (interactive graphs of the state of e-commerce in each market and comparisons of e-shoppers, UNCTAD e-readiness index – commerce and other relevant data from Eurostat, World Bank, etc. ), information related to countries’ preparedness to conduct e-commerce business, information on how often, how much and where do shoppers buy online, etc. This data can help companies improve their operations in their local markets, but more importantly, it can serve their plans to expand to other markets in the CEFTA region.

In addition to this module, the platform will be upgraded with four more modules in the future. Of all these, the first three modules cover key aspects of doing business in e-commerce, such as regulation, e-payments and delivery. Additionally, the platform will be enriched with another additional module – success stories from each market. Each of these modules will contain relevant information specific to each of CEFTA markets respectively, as well as tutorials, manuals, topic related documents and video presentations.

The web platform is available in English and local language for each market.

“The development of this web platform is of great importance for e-commerce, for the involved organizations and for the regional cooperation between the CEFTA markets. E-sellers can find out important business facts and relevant information for all markets in the region, which they can use to expand their businesses beyond their own market. In addition to the fact that they have already started to cooperate with each other, the organizations in the region that work on the web platform will be able to establish themselves as the “voice of e-commerce” in their markets, but also regionally.” says the project manager of this project,  Marija Ristovska.

The development of the platform “Ecommerce4All” is supported by the Open Regional Fund Foreign Trade project implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The main goal is to improve international cooperation that promotes regional and local economic development and supports the autonomous implementation of EU-aligned policies aimed at balancing the country’s regional development. The Fund aims at improving the implementation of the reform agenda for trade and competitiveness in the CEFTA region in line with the requirements of the EU approximation process.

Find out more about e-commerce in the region at: ecommerce4all.eu.

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10.05.2022

STIKK and Europe House Prishtina organize ICT themed events for Europe Day

STIKK in cooperation with the House of Europe in Pristina, organized on Europe Day, a networking event between its members and students of technology and information.

The topic of the meeting was ICT, youth and green future. Technology and information students met with executives of some of the largest companies in the IT sector.

This was an opportunity for them to learn more about the countless opportunities in the IT sector, internships and employment at these companies.

The meeting was also valuable for STIKK member companies, which used it as a networking opportunity between them and the officials of the EU office in Pristina.

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Girls in ICT Days – Activities in Pristina by DigiWomen Cluster

On the occasion of the International Day of Girls in ICT, the Municipality of Pristina, in partnership with 16 organizations that contribute to the promotion and empowerment of girls and women in ICT, organized the #VAJZATNETIK22 campaign. This event took place on April 26-28, turning the “International Day of Girls in ICT” into the “Days of Girls in ICT”. This initiative will continue to be organized every year, with more activities and partner organizations.

DigiWomen Cluster Kosovo, which operates under the umbrella of STIKK, is one of the main partners of this campaign. Throughout the duration of the campaign, DigiWomen Cluster held discussions, trainings and information sessions with girls from primary and secondary schools in Pristina.

Aiming to create a more favorable environment for the development of ICT with the inclusion of women, DigiWomen Cluster Kosova (DWCK) determined the scope of the problem of engaging girls in the ICT sector, proposed solutions, communicated and promoted them by creating opportunities for networking, motivation and reducing the gender gap. In this line, the following activities were carried out.

Members of DigiWomen Cluster Kosovo participated in the opening of the campaign with a panel discussion “Past, present and future of technology”. The Executive Director of STIKK, Vjollca Çavolli, made an overview of the development of the ICT sector over the last 30 years, where she underlined that despite the obstacles, the number of women entrepreneurs in this sector has increased, also developing the quality of products and businesses.

The entrepreneur and co-founder of Starlabs and the Digital School, Hana Qerimi talked about her experience as a woman in the ICT sector and also about the potential that the sector offers to young men and women in Kosovo.

The opening ceremony of the activities was joined by the mayor of the Municipality of Pristina, Përparim Rama and the vice-mayor Donjeta Sahatçiu, who is also a member of the DigiWomen Cluster.

The Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Pristina, Mrs. Donjeta Sahatçiu, in the opening speech of the Girls’ Days in ICT 2022 campaign

 

Ms. Vjollca Çavolli, Mrs. Teuta Sahatqija, Mrs. Hana Qerimi and Mrs. Jora Zeneli on the panel “Past, present and future of technology”

During the three days of the campaign, DigiWomen Cluster held two sessions “Ask me anything” and three sessions on “ICT as a career choice” with girls from primary and secondary schools in Pristina.

“Ask me anything” session with Ms. Zana Tabaku, Mrs. Zana Budima and Mrs. Hana Qerimi at the Sami Frashëri Gymnasium in Pristina

 

The session “ICT as a career choice” with Ms. Iliriana Ibraj at “Hasan Prishtina” elementary school in Pristina

 

The session “ICT as a career choice” with Ms. Diora Binxhiu at the primary school “Xhemail Mustafa” in Pristina
The session “ICT as a career choice” with Ms. Rugova grew up in the “Gjergj Fishta” elementary school in Pristina

 

DigiWomen Cluster members also held a joint session on “Why ICT”, where they explained why they chose ICT as a profession even though their beginnings in some cases started in different fields.

DigiWomen Cluster members during the “Why ICT” session at Innovation Center Kosovo

As part of the activities, the “Soft Skills” training was also held with the mentor Shenaj Shala.

The members of DigiWomen Cluster Kosovo are: Vjollca Çavolli (STIKK), Donjeta Sahatçiu (Deputy Mayor of Pristina), Hana Qerimi (Starlabs), Diora Binxhiu (Polar Bear Agency), Zana Tabaku (Appdec), Zana Budima (SQL Consulting), Arta Shehu Zaimi (LabBox), Iliriana Ibraj (LinkPlus IT), Rrita Rugova (KODE Labs), Melita Ymeraga (Melita & Partners), Eldita Tarani (Junior Geeks).

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07.10.2021

Kosovo Association for Information and Communication Technology – STIKK organizes the 10th edition of the technology festival “KosICT”

On October 22 and 23, the largest tech conference in the region will be held in “ITP Park” in Prizren. This year marks the 10th edition of KosICT and it promises to be the best so far.

The main purpose of KosICT is to cover various topics related to information and communication technology. KosICT promotes the ICT sector in Kosovo and the region by highlighting the experiences of many international, regional and local speakers in the two festival scenes, ITP Main Scene, which will cover more general and motivational topics about new developments in the sector, and Kutia Developers stage, where technical topics and the latest news from software developers will be presented.

In addition to speeches and thematic panels, the festival will be enriched with other activities, each with a special focus on emphasizing the full ecosystem of the ICT sector in our country. These activities will be presented in segments such as: Innovation Fair, Start-up companies fair which is organized in partnership with ICK, numerous B2B meetings and matchmaking between local and international companies organized under the patronage of Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) , the largest business network in Europe, the Future Developers corner where children aged 6 to 16 will present their projects, the fair of local ICT companies which have paved the way for the development of this sector, and numerous other activities. At the end of the festival, space will be given to the community of gamers (players), where 2 tournaments in electronic games will occur, the first one a tournament in Counter Strike: Global Offensive, where teams created by local ICT companies will compete, and the winner will select a charitable cause for which the prize collected will be donated, while the second tournament will be dedicated to professional DOTA 2 teams from the country and region, where the pool prize is 3000 EURO.

During the last 9 editions of the conference, more than 9500 participants had the opportunity to hear and learn new things from experts in fields such as: Digital Transformation, the future of Nearshoring / Outsourcing, Entrepreneurship, IoT; Crowd Funding, Open Innovation etc.

Welcome to the biggest tech event in Kosovo, KosICT 10!

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08.09.2020

Call for Consultants on Digitalization Transformation Strategy

Call for Consultants on Digitalization Transformation Strategy

The project “Digitalization Path” – funded by the USAID Economic Development, Governance and Enterprise Growth Project and implemented by MASIT (North Macedonia) in partnership with STIKK (Kosovo) and ICT Net (Serbia) is seeking Consultants for Digital Transformation Strategies for SMEs .

The hired consultant(s) will be responsible for creating personalized Digital Transformation Strategies for 20 SMEs in Macedonia, Kosovo and Serbia, operating in the sector of agriculture and processing, light manufacturing (apparel and textiles, wood processing), and tourism (eco-tourism, rural tourism, and adventure tourism). The goal of each strategy is, to effectively identify and prioritize IT solutions that would potentially have the highest return on improving the business operations of each SME.

The application will be open until 18th of September 2020.

For more information please click here.

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30.03.2020

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs

The Kosovo ICT Association [STIKK], as of February 1st, 2020 is one of the implementing organisations participating in the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme initiated by the European Union. Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs is a cross-border exchange programme aimed at new or aspiring entrepreneurs, giving them the chance to learn from seasoned and experienced entrepreneurs managing businesses in various sectors of all participating countries of the programme.

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs is a programme that has been running for over ten years now, with over 14.000 new and host entrepreneurs featuring in the database and over 7.000 successful exchanges realised. The exchanges last from 1 to 6 months during which the new/aspiring entrepreneur gets to spend time with the host entrepreneur in their company and gain first-hand experience and knowledge of running a successful business.

If you see yourself as an aspiring entrepreneur, you just started a new business or if you’ve been running a business for a while and would like to host a young entrepreneur from other countries participating in the programme, please visit www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu for more information on how to become part of the programme and apply for participation. As Kosovo is for the first time eligible to be part of the programme, if you need any assistance with the application process or better understanding the programme, feel free to contact us at [email protected] or [email protected].

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05.03.2020

XIIth Assembly of STIKK

Prishtina, March 3rd, 2020 – The Kosovo Association of Information and Communication Technology (STIKK) on Tuesday held its annual assembly of the association, the twelfth (XII) of its kind. During the assembly, the results and achievements of STIKK’s activities throughout 2019 were presented in front of the assembly members, as well as, the plans for the upcoming year (2020) where laid out and thoroughly discussed. The plans for 2020 were conceptualized in a way that they are a continuation and re-enforcement of STIKK’s mission which focuses on creating a better ICT business environment, as well as, raise the competitiveness level of local companies in international markets.

We were honored to host the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Albin Kurti, at the assembly, who commenced the assembly with a speech for all the attendees during which Mr. Kurti emphasized the importance of the ICT sector in the economic development of our country and expressed the governments readiness for institutional support in the development of the local ICT sector. In his speech, the Prime Minister highlighted some of the government priorities that at their core are ICT related and include: offering training modules to teachers in order for them to adapt to the latest technological trends and the market demands, the establishment of technology centers with a sustainable and attractive infrastructure for international and local companies, the development of stimulating policies for the support of the ICT industry, with a special focus on start-ups, as well as, implementing international ICT standards for both public institutions and the business sector. Apart from the Prime Minister, STIKK’s XII’th assembly was also attended by special guests Ms. Leonora Kusari – EBRD, Ms. Fjollca Restelica – KODE Project by the World Bank and Mr. Ahmet Jetullahu – REA Prishtina (EU support for the competitiveness of Kosovo’s ICT sector), who presented their projects in front of the assembly members. The projects presented by the special guests are connected to the development of the ICT sector in Kosovo and great opportunities for local ICT companies to participate in their implementation.

After the speeches and presentations by the special guests, the Executive Director of STIKK, Ms. Vjollca Çavolli addressed the attendees by giving out a short presentation with the highlight of the year 2019 and the plans for 2020.

The assembly was concluded with the appointment of the new board members of the association, where after the voting process, the new confirmed board members of the Kosovo ICT Association are: Ms. Donjeta Sahatçiu (President of the Board), Mr. Çelik Nimani (Vice-President of the Board), Mr. Arianit Fazliu, Ms. Zana Budima, Ms. Hana Qerimi, Mr. Astrit Desku, z. Astrit Leti, Mr. Valon Canhasi and Mr. Dardan Velija.

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About STIKK

As a catalyst to the dynamic technology industry, STIKK accelerates growth and progress for the fast-paced economy. it shapes the industry at large. STIKK provides a platform that unites technology leaders to connect and collaborate, and it avidly supports members who push the boundaries to propel technology forward. Since its establishment in 2008, STIKK was able to achieve numerous successes and become one of the leading drivers of the ICT industry and ICT community in Kosovo.

STIKK’s mission is to help create a better ICT business environment by improving standards and educational opportunities, and advocating with the government on behalf of its members to ensure that the sector will attract new business and investment.

Currently, STIKK represents around 90% of the total ICT sector in Kosovo. 

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KOSICT – 8TH EDITION

AGILE, EAGER AND READY FOR THE WORLD

KosICT, the annual tech festival organized by STIKK, is rapidly approaching. For its eightth edition, KosICT will be held on the 24th and 25th of October, 2019 in the heart of Prishtina where the main stage will be placed at the historical KINO ARMATA, while the DevStage, Start-Up Fair, Kids Activities and the eSports Tournament will be held at the amphitheater of “Zahir Pajaziti” square.

This time around, the main topic of the KosICT will focus on “OUTSOURCING” and its impact in the development of the local economy, as well as, changes in company structures to adapt to global trends and needs in order to increase competitiveness and the quality of services offered. Over the two days of the conference, numerous speakers, experts and leaders in their respected fields will share, motivate, update and inspire the audience with the latest trends in the ICT industy, new technologies, better understanding and application of current methods and processes and much more. Amongst some of the speakers that will grace the stage of KosICT this year are the likes of Iva Matasich, an experienced keynote speaker regarding business development; Kerry Pearce, the Chief Product Officer and Senior Vice President of Engineering at UberMedia with extensive experience in leading, organizing and motivating teams; Markus Neubauer, the founder and CEO of Silbury Deutschland and an expert in Digital Transformation, Internet of Things, Gamification and more, just to name a few.

During the previous seven editions of the conference, KosICT hosted over 5000 participants from the ICT sector who had the opportunity to hear and learn from experts in the fields like: Digital Transformation, the future of Nearshor- ing/Outsourcing, Entrepreneurship, IoT; Crowd Funding, Open Innovation, amongst many other.

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