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Max Gurvits CCC Startups
Putting a Small Country on the Map with IT
A Recipe for Western Balkans
@MxGur
Let’s Have a Look at 3 Inventions
Speedometer
Zero motion point
Fastest electric car in the world
What do they have in common?
ALL are Balkan inventions!
But when we look where the money is made… !
Another former socialist republic Sciences
In 2011, Skype got acquired for USD 8.5 billion…
… exactly the size of Estonia’s budget
So how do we RINSE and REPEAT?
Keep in mind:
1.3b < 8.5b
Let’s take a look at the IT sector in the Western Balkans
Regional IT services markets
Between USD 2m and USD 35m in revenues Between 2% and 6% of GDP Employing 15,000 – 20,000 across the region Growth stagnated in 2010-2014, but slowly back in 2014-2016
Pros and Cons
Abundant tech skills Fundamental research
No product expertise No conditions for breakout success
+ _
Reason 1: Education
Reason 2: Freedom (to emigrate)
Reason 3: No Strategy
Strategy requires GOALS
Remember Japan
Look at China today
Goal: Move from Technology to Products
This means: shake off the socialist “Engineering Good, Business Bad”
Which Steps Can Region Take?
Step 1: Retain the Smart Kids
Step 2: Incentivize Specific Jobs
Step 3: Help Your Best Startups Learn
Step 4: Attract Talent to the Region
Keep in Mind, Don’t Just
To Be Able to Start With This, a Country Needs to Instill
And to Provide for Minimal
Value 1: Openness
Value 2: Sharing
Value 3: Self-improvement
Logistics 1: Brand
Logistics 2: Community
Logistics 3: Education
Don’t forget: GIVE IT TIME
And
