Digital4Business project is jointly financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and it is being implemented in the framework of GIZ’s Digital Transformation Center in the Innovation and Training Park (ITP) Prizren.
Through the provision of advisory, financial, and technical assistance, its main objective is to support the further development of Kosovo’s businesses, especially Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) and increase their resilience and agility through the process of digitalisation and digital transformation.
Kosovo enjoys a fertile ground for innovation and digitsalisation due to a very high Internet penetration, as well as a broad mobile network coverage with a significant number of mobile phone owners in the country.
However, Kosovo’s business community is currently struggling to exploit the full potential of new digital technologies and techniques for a wide range of reasons, like insufficient financial means, a lack of awareness and know-how in terms of digitalisation or a workforce with insufficient or not state-of-the-art digital skills.
In this regard, the Action pursues the aim to specifically support Kosovo’s micro and small sized enterprises (MSE) to further leverage the immense opportunities provided by the digital age for increasing business resilience and competitiveness.
The Action has commenced work in February 2022 and will run until January 2024.
The Action’s main objetive is to support the further development of Kosovo’s private sector, especially micro and small enterprises (MSE), in the process of digitalisation and digital transformation.
In this regard, the Action aims to have the following results:
The final beneficiaries (target group) of the Action are primarily private enterprises, especially of micro and small size, and their employees, as well as unemployed residents of Kosovo. A specific focus will be on gender empowerment in order to improve the participation of female entrepreneurs and unemployed women.
Another important beneficiary is Kosovo’s Research and Education Network (KREN) which is located at the Innovation and Training Park (ITP) Prizren
The Action is part of the ITP Prizren`s Digital Transformation Center. Launched in November 2021, the Center is working towards the development of a digital ecosystem by promoting and interconnecting science and education, as well as digitalisation of businesses and entrepreneurship.
The Action’s specific objectives, its areas of intervention and its mission are contributing to especially two of the main pillars of the Center, namely Science and Education (Support for Research Faculties, Institutes, Students and Training Facilities with relation to ICT by connecting theory with practice) and Technology for Business (Support to Kosovo’s traditional (non-ICT) businesses in digitalising their activities and processes).
Attaching this Action to the Digital Transformation Center allows the Center to scale up its activities and, on the other side, provides the Action with a relevant platform to turn activities into formats which can sustain beyond the Action`s lifecycle.
The Action is designed along four main result areas.
The Action is designed along four main result areas.
Provision of trainings and re-trainings in the field of IT and digital skills for in total 600 women and youth who are either unemployed in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis or are employed with MSEs.
Supporting businesses to digitalise their activities
The Action will support the further development of non-ICT MSEs (preferred to be owned or led by women) to increase their resilience and agility through the process of digitalisation (enabling or improvement of business processes by leveraging digital technologies and digitized data) and digital transformation (cultural, organisational and operational business transformation through a smart integration of digital technologies, processes and competencies in a strategic way).
Enhancing E-learning through the Kosovo Research and Education Network (KREN)
Through the direct procurement of additional equipment for the Kosovo Research and Education Network (KREN) the capacities for the implementation of e-learning activities among primarily the private sector, especially MSEs, shall be created, and capacity building regarding the sustainable usage of the KREN in terms of e-learning and beyond been provided.
Applied research
Promotion of applied research and technology transfer in Kosovo to increase local businesses’ resilience, competitiveness and sustainability in the domestic market and beyond.
Explore the Assessment of Applied Research Capacities in Kosovo from Edutask, highlighting opportunities for enhanced collaboration with industry and recommendations for fostering innovation and knowledge transfer.
Download assessmentShould you have any inquiries about the Action, please contact:
– Address
Innovation and Training Park (ITP) Prizren
Ukë Bytyçi
20000 Prizren, Kosovo
Mr Benjamin Cornils
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Coordinator of the Action
[email protected]
Ms Daniela Huhmann
EU Office in Kosovo
Programme Manager
[email protected]
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