Gjirafa, Inc.

For yet another year, Forbes Bulgaria’s DNA of Success forum and awards brought together some of the top Bulgarian business leaders, and this year we had the pleasure of welcoming Mergim Cahani, Founder and CEO of Gjirafa, Inc.. 📈 Dr. Andrey Bachvarov, founder of Anthill and Endeavor Bulgaria board member, opened the event with a keynote on the importance of being a giver. Or, as we at Endeavor like to say - the value of paying it forward. (And he's on the cover of this month's magazine edition!) 🍅 Lubomir Nokov, co-founder and CEO of Harmonica Foods, who is also part of our Regional Program, took the stage to talk about the challenges of scaling a new brand on the global market. 🏆 Ralitsa Ivanova, co-founder of Appolica | Venture studio and Dare2Scale alumnus, took the stage twice, once in an interview with Hristo Petrov, and a second time to accept her award in the “Female Entrepreneur” category. 🌍 And, of course, Mergim Cahani, inspired us with his experience with Gjirafa and gaining international funding for a company starting out in the Western Balkans. His take? Where there’s challenges, there’s opportunities, and along the way you find people who are willing to give you a helping hand. The synergies between Forbes Bulgaria’s DNA of Success and Endeavor Bulgaria’s mission are many. We believe in supporting entrepreneurs as best we can in their journeys. We believe in sharing knowledge and opening doors. We believe in expanding our reach as far as we can. Onto bigger and better things with the knowledge gained! Photo credits: High Noir for Forbes България

As we celebrate Gjirafa's 10th anniversary, I am thrilled to announce a remarkable milestone in our journey. We are promoting five exceptional team members, who have grown their entrepreneurial paths with us, to C-level positions—a testament to their dedication and our collective growth. This achievement is particularly significant because these leaders, along with their teams, have evolved in tandem with Gjirafa. Their ability to adapt and thrive alongside our expanding company embodies the very essence of Gjirafa's culture. It is this shared growth and adaptability that continue to drive our success. We look forward to the future under their leadership. Agon Daku Dren Shabani Drilon Kastrati Riad Asllani Shqipron Sezallari #Gjirafa #Team #10X

Our CEO, Mergim Cahani spoke at the Forbes DNA of Success Forum & Awards 2024, addressing key challenges for Balkan startups. He discussed the difficulties in securing funding, the misconceptions and biases investors often have about the region, and shared strategies that have proven effective in attracting international investors. Mergim emphasized that the Balkans offer great potential for investors to achieve high returns on investment. He also highlighted the critical role of networking and relationship-building in securing foreign investment, noting the positive impact organizations like Endeavor are having in connecting the region’s entrepreneurs and strengthening the ecosystem. Thank you to Forbes for bringing together visionary entrepreneurs and innovators. We’re excited to keep driving growth in the Balkans! #ForbesDNAofSuccess #Leadership #BalkanStartups #Innovation #Gjirafa

After a networking lunch and recharged batteries, energy remained high as our day in Prishtina continued with our host Mergim Cahani, co-founder and CEO of Gjirafa, Inc., leading a workshop on his founder’s perspective of the financing world. His story is synonymous with regional impact, as Gjirafa is one of the most successful tech startups in the Balkans. From the genesis of the Gjirafa idea, to his fundraising journey, mistakes he went through and lessons learned along the way, Mergim provided our entrepreneurs with invaluable insights and inspired another high-energy discussion from our cohort. Mergim emphasized throughout his workshop how relationship-building and a strong network are key for a successful startup, especially when fundraising. He even shared with everyone that if he starts a new company tomorrow, he would join Dare2Scale regardless of his experience - a real testament of our commitment to providing a valuable set of resources and perspectives to our participating founders. Thank you, Mergim and Greta, for hosting us at the Gjirafa office, sharing your remarkable story with our cohort, and continuing to support the growth of our Endeavor ecosystem. Thank you as well to PwC North Macedonia, PwC Albania and Kosovo, and PwC Bulgaria for supporting the program!

Celebrating 10 Years of Innovation and Growth at Gjirafa! 🎉 Today we mark 10 years of incredible growth since Gjirafa's first public launch in 2014. Since then, we’ve grown into a multifaceted online platform serving the Balkans region and beyond. As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we're proud to highlight our journey in building the Internet economy in the region: • Pioneering e-commerce with our online electronics store Gjirafa50 and online marketplace GjirafaMall. • Producing notable content like Rrushe, Stupcat, and Kafeneja Jonë through GjirafaVideo and GjirafaStudios. • GjirafaTech, providing end-to-end technology ecosystem for Online Media companies in the EU and beyond. • Leading online bus ticket sales in the region with GjirafaTravel. • Investing in future talent with our Leadership Institute of Future Engineers (LIFE) program. • Introducing online car sales from the EU via Carvago by Gjirafa soon launching in Albania. We're immensely grateful to everyone who's been part of this journey - the support of our users, the dedication of our team, and collaborations with our partners and investors. With unwavering confidence and relentless ambition, we are setting our sights on the next decade, aiming for 10x growth in the coming five years. 🦄🦒. Stay tuned for exciting things to come! #Gjirafa10Years #BuildingInternetEconomy

Only two days left until Mergim Cahani, founder & CEO of Gjirafa, Inc., will take the stage at Forbes Bulgaria's DNA of Success forum & awards. Mergim will be part of a wonderful lineup of speakers, including Endeavor Bulgaria portfolio entrepreneurs and board. Join us on 10 October and get your tickets now 👉https://lnkd.in/dSbcuJR5

Today, we’re proud to support the Race for the Cure as Gjirafa, Inc., standing united in the fight against breast cancer. Together, we run for awareness, hope, and a future without cancer. 💖

In 2024, we launched our first European Union project, #CREATResili, co-funded by the Creative Europe program and implemented by a Hungarian-Kosovar-Albanian consortium. This project focuses on supporting abused women in Kosovo through #SocialDesign tools. It exemplifies cross-sector #collaboration, with key partners including Pro Progressione, the Jahjaga Foundation from Kosovo and Gjirafa, Inc. Albania. Additionally, the MOME Budapest provides expertise in social design, ensuring the project’s success. Read the interview with Alba Cikaqi, project assistant for the CREATResili Project at the Jahjaga Foundation, discussing the challenges faced by women in Kosovo and her hopes for the project. https://lnkd.in/dw7VaDpx #CreativeEurope #EUfunded #women #empoverment #entrepreneurs #WomenEntrepreneurs #HungaryHelps

Let’s get to know the companies in the Dare2Scale Western Balkans cohort better. On our blog you can read what each of the companies has said about their journeys so far → https://lnkd.in/dbsHi2GD Aqtos: An all-in-one SaaS business operating system designed for small and medium-sized enterprises, offering easy implementation of digital transformation within the company and productivity boost. happy productions: They provide video production services to nonprofit organizations in the U.S and around the world. The video services are primarily used for nonprofits' social media growth.  Inellipse: A bespoke software development company, founded in 2009 in Bitola, North Macedonia. Among many IT technologies they have worked on they have extensive expertise in telecommunications and media streaming technology as well as mobile software solutions tailored for audiences of millions. The latest products and platforms they work on are within green energy sector and EV charging. Paket: North Macedonia's leading online grocer, offering a premium supermarket experience with a wide assortment of high-quality products delivered within 3 hours. Their seamless customer experience combines efficiency and reliability, making grocery shopping convenient and enjoyable for their customers. Synapse Aviation: A fusion of experienced aviation experts, IT professionals and entrepreneurs joined to create innovative software solutions for contemporary aviation. They create transformative technological upheaval that helps redefine pilot preparation and operational excellence within airlines. Xessable: Addresses the global outsourcing market gap by connecting businesses with exceptional local talent. With dedicated development teams, they focus on building long-term partnerships and delivering tailored, scalable, and reliable software services. Their approach challenges the traditional agency model with transparency and results that meet each client's unique needs. The Dare2Scale Western Balkans program will run from September to December and will include 1:1 mentorship sessions with PwC senior experts as well as the Endeavor network in the region, and 6 workshops on topics such as leadership & scaling, funding, sales, and more. We are happy that PwC North Macedonia, PwC Bulgaria, and PwC Albania and Kosovo are providing the mentorship for this new Western Balkans cohort. We are also looking forward to seeing the journeys the companies will take both during the program and after. A big shout out to Gjirafa, Inc., who are partners of Dare2Scale’s Western Balkans program.

We are very excited to announce that this year Dare2Scale is expanding to the Western Balkans, with mentorship provided by PwC North Macedonia, PwC Bulgaria, PwC Albania and Kosovo. We are happy to welcome 6 companies into this second Dare2Scale 2024, a great mix from the Western Balkans. Joining are 9 entrepreneurs from 4 different industries - Software & IT, Retail, Transportation, Media and Entertainment. More about them? 🗺️ 2/3 already have operations outside of their home countries and yet the majority of the cohort are planning to expand into new geographical markets, including the Balkan countries, US, Asia, and other high-potential regions. ⚙️ The cohort plans to expand their product or service portfolios significantly within a timeframe ranging from 6 to 18 months. 📊 1/3 of the companies have already raised funds, with the majority of the cohort looking to open future funding rounds thus fueling their growth further. 👥 Common priorities between the companies in the Western Balkans cohort are related to financing, sales and marketing, and team expansions. These topics will be covered in our program by prominent Bulgarian and regional business leaders. Congratulations to happy productions, Inellipse, Aqtos, Paket, Synapse Aviation, and Xessable! We also want to extend our gratitude to our partners in this venture Gjirafa, Inc., who will be a vital part of the Dare2Scale Western Balkans program.