10 Kosovar startups to watch in 2014

We might often share stories about billion-dollar companies like Facebook, Google, Instagram or Snapchat, and to the general opinion it might look like a very good year for tech startups. While in reality it was not such a year and many have struggled with investments, while some big names went for IPO, like Twitter that boosted investor interest in other social startups.

We’ve never done this before and we’re doing it this year for the first time, rounding up the most notable startups that are a must watch in 2014 and are thriving for success. Some of them may get acquired, some of the may die during 2014, but all of them are worth mentioning.

S.A.P.

At first sight it sounds like the tech giant focusing on enterprise software but in fact the story around Kosovo’s S.A.P, starts around the Syndicate of Independent Algorithms, which is a joint venture between Trembelat, founded by Visar Arifaj, and Yll Rugova, Tripika, founded by Valon Badiviku as well as Jetmir Mehmetaj,  as an adventurous startup focused on design and web development. In 2013 they worked under the radar, while 2014 it’s the year when we’ll get the chance to see their big clients, since they are also working on outsourcing.

Solaborate

Founded by Kosovar diaspora entrepreneur Labinot Bytyqi, Solaborate is a combination of the words “social” and “collaboration” and comes as a social network for technology professionals. Solaborate uses quite some interesting technologies like HTML5, peer-to-peer video communication for quick chat inside the platform without any additional plugins, SAP HANA for real-time business analytics, etc. In April 2013, Solaborate announced it raised more than $1 million from investors, and at TechEd Las Vegas, the company officially announced the availability of its public beta. Solaborate is part of of the SAP Startup Focus program, which supports startups in developing new applications on SAP HANA. We hear about new upcoming investments in the platform in 2014, and we expect to break the news here as well.

Bitacademy

Bit Academy Intro from Granit Halili on Vimeo.

A case study on ICT trainings in Kosovo performed by Cisco Networking Academy (NetAcad) states that there is an educated and experienced workforce as a whole, but it’s searching higher salaries and better working conditions abroad. In this study NetAcad revealed that Kosovo makes a perfect ICT Outsourcing country, and time difference between USA makes it more appealing for the U.S. market. BIT Academy founded by Korab Osmanaj, tries to fit in those market gaps and deliver quick and professional training courses in networking as primary focus, but also on other fields, and deliver professionals to the market. Even though there are other competitors in this field as well, we have selected BIT Academy since it’s new, fresh and has invested in having a fantastic brand that represents and stands more strongly than the others.