Startup Macedonia

What Startup Macedonia does

Startup Macedonia is an association founded in 2016 that operates a data-powered web platform serving the startup ecosystem of North Macedonia from its base in Skopje. Its core offering is the Ecosystem Platform at app.startupmacedonia.mk, which maintains curated databases of Macedonian startups, mentors, and support organizations and provides matchmaking, club membership, badge recognition, and event listing features. Adjacent products include a Mentorship Platform connecting founders with regional and international mentors, a Soft Landing program supporting foreign startups entering the Macedonian market with company setup and residency guidance, a Corporate Collaboration service (Corporate Innovation Collaborators) brokering startup-corporate partnerships, and a Resources Hub publishing ecosystem reports (2018, 2021), policy analysis, the TechPack offering, and a Launch in Macedonia guide. Sub-brands MKstartups Space (physical community center) and Womenpreneurs Stories (women-founder initiative spanning all 11 Balkan countries) extend the platform into physical and community programming.

The underlying technology is a web-based platform with registration, database lookup, and matching functionality, plus content publishing; there is no evidence of proprietary AI/ML, APIs, SDKs, or mobile applications. The business model is freemium: free basic access to startup and organization databases, news, and events, with a premium monthly subscription unlocking active services, matchmaking features, club membership, mentorship, and badge support recognition. Go-to-market is community-led, driven by content marketing (Medium blog), social channels (Facebook MKstartups group, LinkedIn, Instagram), events (Startup Weekend, Global Entrepreneurship Week, meetups), and earned media in Macedonian business outlets. Customer segments include domestic Macedonian startups (primary), foreign startups seeking market entry, corporate innovation teams, and women entrepreneurs in the Balkans.

Operating viability is supported by a deep partner stack: development partners USAID, EFSE, and CIPE provide funding and program backing, while strategic partners Macedonian Telecom, PwC, and M6 Educational Center anchor corporate collaboration. The organization has served as the National Coordinator for Global Entrepreneurship Week in North Macedonia since 2018, reaching an aggregate 10 million people across 40,000 activities, and coordinates a 60+ partner ecosystem network. Leadership consists of co-founder Igor Madzov and National Coordinator Simona Chaminska. No funding rounds, revenue figures, or parent company relationships are disclosed in the source data.

Name

Startup Macedonia

Legal name

Startup Macedonia

Website

https://startupmacedonia.mk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Startup Macedonia is a North Macedonia-based association that operates a web platform connecting the local startup ecosystem through databases of startups and mentors, matchmaking, mentorship programs, soft-landing services for foreign startups, corporate collaboration, and community initiatives, supported by USAID and other development partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Ecosystem Platform

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Venture Creation Centers (EDAHAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC), Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD), Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

Keywords

• Startup ecosystem support
• Entrepreneurship development platform
• Startup mentorship services
• Corporate innovation programs
• Market entry assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Skopje

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Premium Membership Subscriptions: Premium accounts provide access to active services, matchmaking features, club membership, mentorship programs, and badge support recognition. Free tier provides basic access to database and news.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Startup Macedonia operates a data-powered startup ecosystem platform that maps and connects Macedonian startups with mentors, support organizations, and corporate partners. It offers an Ecosystem Platform with startup/organization databases and matchmaking, a Mentorship Platform connecting founders with regional and international mentors, a Soft Landing Program for foreign startups entering Macedonia, and a Corporate Collaboration Program linking startups with corporations for innovation partnerships.

Product overview

Startup Macedonia operates as a unified data-powered startup platform offering multiple interconnected services: the Ecosystem Platform (core product) provides startup visibility through databases and matchmaking; the Mentorship Platform connects founders with regional and international mentors; Soft Landing Program supports foreign startups entering Macedonia; and Corporate Collaboration facilitates startup-corporate partnerships. The Resources Hub delivers ecosystem research and guides, while community initiatives including MKstartups Space and Womenpreneurs Stories support ecosystem development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MKstartups Space: Physical space and community center for the startup ecosystem in Macedonia, bringing together all actors under one roof.
• Womenpreneurs Stories

Products and services

• Ecosystem Platform

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Macedonian Telecom (Македонски Телеком)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partnership for developing the startup community, part of broader ecosystem collaboration efforts.
• PwCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate collaboration partnership providing expertise and resources for ecosystem development.
• M6 Educational CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership supporting startup ecosystem development through training and education programs.
• Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational coordinator for Global Entrepreneurship Week in North Macedonia since 2018, coordinating activities across 180 countries.
• 60+ Partner OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 60 partner organizations participating in ecosystem activities including Global Entrepreneurship Week, startup events, and community initiatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Global accelerator operator with programs across multiple geographies; broader incumbent offering accelerators, mentorship, and corporate innovation programs that overlap with Startup Macedonia's services.
• Founder Institute: Global pre-seed accelerator with chapters worldwide; provides structured founder mentorship and validation programs that overlap with Startup Macedonia's mentorship platform offering.
• Impact Hub Network: Global network of innovation hubs offering physical co-working, community programs, and founder support; comparable through the MKstartups Space community-center model and cross-border network ambition.

Emerging players

• F6S: Global platform for startup applications, deals, and ecosystem programs (accelerators, government programs); directly competes with Startup Macedonia's matchmaking/database function for international founder visibility.
• Seedstars: Global emerging-markets-focused startup competition and accelerator platform operating in many of the same geographies (including the Balkans); relevant comparison for cross-border founder scouting and ecosystem coverage.

Regional players

• Digital Serbia Initiative: Serbian digital/startup ecosystem organization running ecosystem research, policy advocacy, and founder programs; directly comparable as a Balkan neighbor with a national ecosystem-building mandate.
• BESCO (Bulgarian Startup Association): Bulgarian startup association representing founders, investors, and corporates; comparable regional Balkan ecosystem-builder that competes for cross-border founder attention and corporate partnerships.

Direct peers

• Startup Lithuania: Lithuania's national startup ecosystem development agency operating a platform, events, and corporate-introduction programs; highly analogous operating model to Startup Macedonia at country level within the EU/CESEE region.
• Startup Estonia Foundation: National startup ecosystem platform running the Startup Estonia program; directly comparable as a non-profit/foundation-style entity mapping a country's startup ecosystem, running mentorship, and acting as a national coordinator for global initiatives like GEW.

Others

• Invest Europe / Western Balkans EDIF ecosystem programs: EU-backed Enterprise Development and Innovation Facility running ecosystem programs across the Western Balkans; thematic peer because Startup Macedonia sits within the same donor/program ecosystem and benefits from overlapping EU/WB funding flows.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mkstartupsspace
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/startup-macedonia
• Xx.com/Startupmkd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Startup Macedonia