Speakers List
MEET THE SPEAKERS
Francesca Hodgson
Founder – We Are Ambition
Francesca is an accomplished entrepreneur with a Cambridge MBA who co-founded GoodBox, pioneering contactless giving in the UK charity sector. She now leads We Are Ambition, supporting entrepreneurs through education and mentorship, while promoting human-centered business and building connections in Macedonia.
Aleksandra Ristić
Business Dev Advisor, STP Niš
Meet Aleksandra Ristić, Business Development Advisor at Science and Technology Park Niš, guiding startups from idea to scale, sharing insights on founder success, ecosystem growth, and emerging tech leadership.
Nick velkovski
Co-Founder & CEO – HeyReach
Nick Velkovski is the Co-Founder and CEO of HeyReach, the fastest-growing LinkedIn outreach tool. In just 27 months, he scaled HeyReach to $8M+ ARR, proving that global SaaS success can be built from North Macedonia through innovation, vision, and relentless execution.
Khalid Al-Tawil
Co-Founder & Member – Riyadh Angels
Dr. Khalid Al-Tawil is a super angel investor, co-founder of Riyadh Angel Investors, and member of DAI, Cairo, and Alexandria Angels. With 70+ startup investments and 10 exits across MENA and India, he’s a visionary leader bridging innovation, finance, and technology.
Stjepan Zelić
Founder & CEO of Hypefy
Stjepan Zelić, founder of Hypefy, leads an AI-powered influencer marketing platform transforming brand-audience connections. With a background in mathematics and engineering, he has grown Hypefy to 1,500+ collaborations, 13 markets, 80+ clients, and €1.75M in funding, optimizing marketing through automation and data-driven precision.
Jerry Naumoff
Lead Independent Director at Rumble
Jerry Naumoff is Lead Independent Director at Rumble and Chairman Emeritus of Taskforce BPO, employing over 2,000 people in Macedonia. Formerly Minister for Foreign Investments, he has attracted millions in capital, created thousands of jobs, and remains a key figure in Macedonia’s business growth.
Eli Zhabevska
Principal – South Central Ventures
Eli Zhabevska is a Principal at South Central Ventures, bringing over 15 years of experience in finance, strategy, and business development. She supports early-stage tech startups across the Western Balkans, helping founders scale sustainably through strategic growth, financial excellence, and ESG-driven leadership.
Romana Jocić
Founder – Konverted
Romana Jocić is a Go-To-Market strategist behind 50+ early-stage tech startups across Europe and the US, turning complex products into clear, fundable, and market-ready stories. As the Founder of Konverted, she empowers founders to craft strategies that drive traction, growth, and investment.
Ufuk Batum
Founder & CEO – Ventures & Mentors League
Ufuk Batum, Founder & CEO of Ventures & Mentors League (Turkey), brings over 30 years of experience in entrepreneurship, innovation and venture building. With an MBA from Clemson University and a global mindset, he has guided countless startups toward growth and success.
Momchil Vassilev
Managing Director – Endeavor Bulgaria
Momchil Vassilev is Managing Director of Endeavor Bulgaria with nearly 30 years of leadership experience. Formerly at PwC and a VP in corporate development, he co-founded biotech Proviti Labs and is now an active mentor, angel investor, and industry board member today.
Blagica Eftimova
Global MRM & Program Officer – Swiss EP
Blagica Eftimova is the Global MRM & Program Officer at Swiss EP, leading data-driven innovation across seven countries. She tracks and accelerates the growth of 3,500+ startups and 200+ support organizations, transforming ecosystem insights into actionable impact.
Milena Milić
Manager – Garaža
Milena Milić is a Community Builder at Garaža with 10+ years of experience supporting startup growth. She connects founders, operators, and emerging leaders, fostering a community where knowledge, capital, and opportunities flow to strengthen ecosystems and empower women to enter investment roles.
Bojan Matovski
GM – Pathkeeper Surgical, CEO – Pathkeeper Surgical Skopje
Bojan Matovski is General Manager and CEO of Pathkeeper Surgical Skopje, leading the development of a radiation-free, highly accurate spine surgery navigation system. With experience in product, fundraising, and global expansion, he drives innovation, scaling the MedTech startup toward impactful international markets.
Emil Tabakov
Product Manager at Icanpreneur
Emil Tabakov is a Product Manager at Icanpreneur, helping founders turn ideas into real businesses. With experience at Coursera and Telerik, he brings practical product-building expertise, teaches Product Management, and develops apps for Bulgaria’s running community, combining tech, education, and an active lifestyle.
Nikola SOKOLOV
CEO and Co-Founder of Influencers Club
Meet Nikola Sokolov, CEO and Co-Founder of Influencers Club, a leading data-driven creator economy company. With vast creator databases and global clients, he shares practical insights on how AI-powered data transforms creator discovery, strategic partnerships, and marketing campaigns that truly convert.
DRAGAN JOSIFOVSKI
Founder and CEO of Paket.mk
Dragan Josifovski, Founder and CEO of Paket.mk, leads one of North Macedonia’s fastest-growing e-commerce startups. With a focus on technology, logistics, and customer experience, he is transforming how modern consumers shop for groceries and shaping the future of digital retail locally today.
Maggie Stancheva
Co-founder of VEDA
Maggie Stancheva, co-founder of VEDA, brings over a decade of experience supporting tech startups across the Balkans. She specializes in helping founders achieve sustainable growth, financial clarity, and operational discipline, guiding early-stage teams toward smarter decisions and long-term business stability.
Aleksandar Savov
COO at Microtica
Aleksandar Savov, COO at Microtica, helps tech teams scale their DevOps workflows, streamline operations, and adopt cloud automation with confidence. He also mentors early-stage founders in the local ecosystem, offering practical guidance on growth, product delivery, and building resilient technical foundations.
Rrita Reka
CEO of Shigi Studio
Rrita Reka, CEO of Shigi Studio, transforms bold ideas into compelling marketing narratives that elevate brand presence. With a strong blend of creativity, strategy, and digital insight, she helps companies communicate authentically, engage audiences effectively, and build memorable identities in competitive markets.
Gorjan Jovanovski
CEO & Co‑Founder of Hylosense
Gorjan Jovanovski, CEO & Co‑Founder of Hylosense, is a climate‑tech entrepreneur with a decade of weather and environmental data expertise. Previously a technical lead at Booking.com, he now builds hyper‑local AI forecasting to empower energy companies with precision and sustainability.
Dragan Geleski
Co‑founder of Hylosense
Dragan Geleski, Co‑founder of Hylosense, is a climate‑tech entrepreneur deeply experienced in environmental modeling. Alongside Gorjan Jovanovski, he builds predictive weather platforms that empower energy and infrastructure companies to optimize performance and make informed decisions.
GOGO RAFAJLOVSKI
Managing Partner at Zephyr Angels
Meet Gogo Rafajlovski, Managing Partner at Zephyr Angels and IP Consultant with 20+ years empowering founders. Having mentored 150+ startups, he brings insight on validation, scaling, and investment readiness. On stage, he drives impactful conversations with investors and ecosystem leaders.
Vasko Karangeleski
CEO at BRULZ
Meet Vasko Karangeleski, growth enthusiast and entrepreneur with 20+ years’ experience scaling organizations. He moderates founder discussions, guiding conversations, uncovering insights, and empowering startups to thrive in competitive markets.