Macedonia2025 | Helping Build a Stronger Nation

Business Development Program

Macedonia2025 is implementing the "Business and Entrepreneurship Development Training: The Leader Project" in cooperation with the renowned Ivey School of Business in London, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1991 by MBA students from the Ivey Business School, with the mandate of empowering promising entrepreneurs in frontier markets to envision, launch, and/or scale new ventures. Through this approach, the Leader program aims to enable high-potential individuals to develop local, regional or international business solutions that create opportunities for their communities. At this ten-day program, participants have the opportunity to learn through business case studies, which are part of the Ivey MBA (Management and Business Administration) curriculum.

Open Call 2026

The aim of the Program is to educate Macedonian young professionals, managers, entrepreneurs, and aspirating entrepreneurs, on the fundamentals of doing business. Participants learn how to turn their business ideas into a reality, or to successfully expand their existing companies in the country.

With the implementation of this program, we support the growth of Macedonian businesses and entrepreneurship, thus positively affecting the overall economic development of the country. The program is aligned with the mission of Macedonia2025 as to help create a prosperous economic climate and a “stronger nation”.

Key Benefits

Interactive Learning

You will learn the skills and tools needed to properly run a business through the interactive “case study” learning method;

Knowledge

You will gain valuable knowledge and skills for each stage of business development related to strategy, finance, marketing, promotion, sales and growth;

Critical Thinking

You will be able to identify the biggest obstacles to running your business, in collaboration with the instructors;

Mentoring

Candidates have access to individual mentoring sessions with one of the Ivey School of Business’ instructors and/or mentors provided by Macedonia2025.

Target Participants

Participants up to 35 years of age
Entrepreneurs
Managers
Those interested in deepening their knowledge in the fields of business and entrepreneurship
Company owners
Young professionals who want to turn their business idea into reality or to progress in their career

Testimonials

Matej Milosievski

CEO & Founder - Mechatronics Student | YYGS Alumni Ambassador | NYU Stern Future Business Leaders Alumnus | UNICEF Volunteer

I have always been a big believer in attaining knowledge and experience from more experienced individuals, and in most cases, individuals relatively older than myself. As the youngest participant of the 2023 LEADER Project in Macedonia, this experience was exactly that, only multiplied by the number lecturers and participants of the 2023 cohort. I truly enjoyed broadening my knowledge in various business-related fields through the dynamic case studies which were covered throughout the program. The invaluable connections I established during those two weeks are ones that I nurture to this day and will continue doing so for years to come.

Katarina Tasevski

Chief Operating Officer, DEKRA Arbeit Macedonia

I’m quite honored to have had the opportunity to be a part of this excellent program. The Ivey Business School of Canada really has valuable things to offer, knowledge and experience wise, but also great people that represent it. I am thrilled to incorporate everything that I’ve learned here and grateful for being a valuable member of this quite distinguished group of leaders.

Damjan Kochov

Business Development and Business Analysis, Management Board Energo Sistem DOO

The Leader program has given me the confidence and skill set I need to evaluate a company idea, determine what works and what doesn’t, and ultimately bring it to market and make it profitable. But most importantly, the program is conducted in a highly collaborative, supportive environment with a broad group of exceptionally intelligent, engaged, hard-working individuals who are in different industries at huge corporations, small companies, and startups, which allows the students to network and broaden their business perspectives.

Ivan Durgutov

Executive Director of the European Business Association in Skopje

The Leader program was a very valuable experience for me and there are more than a few reasons for that. It gave me the confidence to work on some of the concrete business challenges nowadays and it networked me with a mixed group of great international lecturers and peers at home with whom you can implement even the greatest ideas.

Dimitar Arnaudov

DI-AR Consulting Group

The LEADER Project by Macedonia2025 was a transformative experience that expanded my vision and helped me recognize new opportunities around me. Through intensive sessions led by exceptional mentors from Ivey Business School, we explored the core fundamentals of leadership and the key principles behind building an unbeatable business.