About Us

Who we are

Business Accelerator UKIM (BAU) is a business and technology accelerator established to identify and support the growth of the most promising entrepreneurs, start-ups, and early-stage companies in Macedonia with strong commercial and market potential. Support includes financing/investment and tailor business acceleration program, including mentoring, access to international markets and business networks, business development, and fundraising support.

Co-financed by the Fund for Innovation and Technology Development (FITD) of North Macedonia, BAU is unique due to its founding partners, which include leading Financial Advisory Service Provider, SME Finance Fund, and the largest and most reputable university in North Macedonia (which consists of 23 faculties and five research institutes).

Founders

Board of Directors

Ivan Chorbev

Representative of BAU Co-Founder UKIM in the Board of Directors

PHD ASSOC. PROF. DEAN OF THE FACULTY FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, UNIVERSITY SS CYRIL AND METHODIUS IN SKOPJE (FCSE, UKIM)

Michael Gold

Representative of BAU Co-Founder Crimson Capital and Development Foundation in the Board of Directors

Chairman, Crimson SME Finance Funds (North Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania).

Vojdan Jordanov

Representative of BAU Co-Founder RSM in the Board of Directors

PRESIDENT OF THE MANAGING BOARD AT TRIGLAV PENSION COMPANY JSC MACEDONIA

Aleksandar Stamboliev

CEO of Business Accelerator UKIM

DIRECTOR OF FOUNDATION PROF. D-R DIMITAR STAMBOLIEV

Operations Team

Perica Vrboski

COO / Business Development Specialist

Nina Atanasovska

CFO

Mentors

Anupam Lavania

Inventor | Serial entrepreneur | expert in commercialization of technology based solutions.

Irina Acosta

Professional in Social Communication and Journalism, Marketing Specialist with more than 15 years of work experience in areas of Marketing and advertising in companies in the pharmaceutical sector, and Mass Consumption in segments such as Female Protection and OTC Medications.

Jorge Vargas

Experienced in Software development, entrepreneurship, community building, pre-acceleration and acceleration, innovation and project management.

Ricardo Espinoza

Engineer, consultant, teacher, entrepreneur and optimistic experience in the world of business and startups with an international vision. Lean Startup expert.

Lisa Rose

I am a versatile manager with a wide portfolio of development, logistics, organizational and project planning expertise with the the UK government and and INGOs in India and Africa.

Rashid Aliyev

İ'm social active guy and connecting entrepreneurs, startups, investors and so on. I'm well connected in 20+ countries around world and think can help with my experience and connections.

Rustam Mammadov

Project Coordinator with experience in different spheres and industries. Participation in logistics, operations, environment, education and development projects with successful implementation of innovative solutions.

Iva Jankovic Uzunovski

I use this knowledge to help pin point, foster and develop change and innovation

Jakob Gajšek

Connecting Investors & Startups / Helping Academic Entrepreneurship / DM

Wilhelm Lappe

Founder of Emprelab & theBizTour, mentor for startups and digital transformation. Professor and speaker. Berlin-Madrid.

Keith Ippel

An Ecosystem Builder, Keynote Speaker, and Advisor to Incubators, Accelerators, Donors, and Governments.

Kamen Bankovski

Principal at Vitosha Venture Partners

Orhan Demirovski

Senior Lecturer in entrepreneurship at Coventry University London

Dr. Johanna Jiang

Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship

Dimitri Morarcaliev

Swiss and EU (Luxemburg) qualified lawyer (titulaire du brevet d'avocat)

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Understands how to balance real-time business and technology initiatives while maintaining a big-picture perspective in line with set goals.

BAU strongly believes that effective mentorship can really affect the success of your venture, which is why mentorship is at the core of our tailored business acceleration program (post-investment support). Selected from our founding partners and in collaboration with United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD), BAU can precisely support your business based on your specific need, sector, market, pain point, etc. In collaboration with Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje (UKIM), we also have leading technology experts at our disposal.

To further enhance our post-investment support, we ongoingly look for experienced mentors. If you would like to join us, please complete the form below (and please check out our mentor guidelines):

Email Address

accelerator@ukim.edu.mk