Macedonia2025 Shapes the Future of Macedonia – Over 100 Businesses and 1,680 Leaders and Talents Supported

Skopje, December 25, 2024 – Strengthening competitiveness, promoting robust economic growth and reforms, and empowering the private sector through partnerships and collaboration are at the core of Macedonia2025’s mission. This year, the organization implemented over 45 activities aimed at enhancing human capital in Macedonia as a foundation for development across all sectors of society and the economy, strengthening company competitiveness, and supporting structural reforms. In 2024, Macedonia2025 implemented programs in economic development, education, and leadership with a total value exceeding €840,000. Over 100 companies received expert support, mentorship, and connections with experts and other companies, contributing concretely to the improvement of their competitiveness and export potential. Within the education programs, 1,680 managers, talented high school students, and university students participated in training programs, received scholarships, and mentorship, thereby improving their skills and leadership capacity.

This year also marked the launch of the GoDigital Center for Digital Transformation, a non-profit organization founded by Macedonia2025. The Center certified 17 experts who initiated digital transformation in 9 Macedonian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

For the sixteenth time, the business and entrepreneurship training program Leader was organized in collaboration with the Richard Ivey Business School from Canada. Through this mini-MBA-style program, 20 young entrepreneurs gained new practical knowledge and mentorship from experienced professionals both locally and internationally. Ten SMEs received expert support from Canada to develop their businesses and access foreign markets through the Bitove Family Entrepreneurship Program. The online platform Connect2MK connected 8 Macedonian businesses with Macedonian professionals from the diaspora, providing advice and mentorship; currently, 97 companies and 72 experts are registered on the platform. Through these initiatives, Macedonia2025 helped domestic entrepreneurs improve their competitiveness and market access.

Through the Zafirovski Executive Education Program, 6 Macedonian business leaders participated in the prestigious Kellogg School of Management. This year, the Manager Development Program in Canada was renewed through a new partnership with the Smith Business School at Queen’s University, where 5 managers enhanced their skills in leadership and strategic planning and participated in a work-exchange program at top Canadian companies.

To support young people who will become the future driving force of society, 10 scholarships were awarded to talented high school students from socially vulnerable families through the Talents Today – Leaders Tomorrow Fund. A competition for the best green business projects by young people was organized, and the top 4 proposals were awarded cash prizes by Macedonia2025. The organization supported the selection of 40 new scholarship recipients and the continuation of scholarships for 99 university students under the Atanas Bliznakoff Student Excellence Program, reaching a total of 139 active scholarship holders. Through the Science and I project in partnership with Johnson Matthey, 5 science fairs were organized across the country, involving over 1,200 students. Twenty-one science teachers were trained, and 20 schools received science kits. Additionally, through various programs, over 400 young people developed or enhanced their skills in programming, coding, robotics, STEM, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy.

Macedonia2025 also contributed actively to important economic reforms in the country, including digitalization and digital transformation of businesses, education policy, improving social dialogue, the national development strategy, enhancing fiscal policy, and diaspora relations. The organization strongly advocates and promotes zero tolerance for corruption. Macedonia2025’s reform plan, One Vision for Accelerated Growth, was widely shared with political and business stakeholders to advocate reforms in several key areas crucial for Macedonia’s development. We are proud that measures from the Reform Plan were included in political party pre-election programs, and today, 90% of the plan is part of the Government Program (2024–2028). We actively support the implementation of these measures, making all our capacities and expertise available to policymakers.

This year also saw the successful organization of the 13th Macedonia2025 Summit, with over 700 participants and 50 speakers, serving as a platform to promote economic reforms, regional connectivity, and networking among businesses and the diaspora.

We are proud of the continuous growth in the number of members in our Board of Directors, Advisory Board, and Ambassadors Club, as well as our partnerships and friendships, which reflect the trust in our mission and work.

Macedonia2025 will continue its activities in the coming year, with plans to expand programs, especially in the areas of competitiveness, youth support, digitalization, anti-corruption, and diaspora relations.

Macedonia2025 Achievements in 2024 in Numbers:
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