Macedonia 2025 Charitable Foundation

What Macedonia 2025 Charitable Foundation does

Macedonia 2025 is a North Macedonian charitable foundation operating since 2007 from Skopje that functions as a "think and do" tank, combining policy research with on-the-ground program delivery. The organization runs more than 40 programs annually through a team of approximately 10 professionals, with programming concentrated in education, diaspora engagement, leadership development, and economic modernization. Its flagship initiatives include the Bitove Program, Kellogg and Queen's University-affiliated leadership cohorts, a Diaspora Recognition initiative conducted jointly with the Office of the President, and recent fintech-oriented work through a Finelevate memorandum.

The foundation's core products are programmatic rather than technology-based: scholarship and fellowship pipelines, policy publications, convenings, and recognition platforms. Underlying infrastructure consists of research and policy libraries accumulated over nearly two decades, alumni and diaspora networks, and partnership platforms connecting Macedonian stakeholders to international academic and corporate institutions (Kellogg School, Queen's University, Johnson Matthey, Catalyste+, Finelevate). The 2026-2030 Strategic Plan indicates an intent to formalize and extend this programmatic surface across new verticals.

The business model is a non-profit charitable funding model with no commercial revenue generation. Inflows come from corporate sponsorships, foundation grants (including Catalyste+), institutional partnerships, and donations. Pricing, GTM, and customer-acquisition mechanics typical of commercial companies do not apply; instead, the foundation competes for funder mindshare, fellowship applicants, and policy influence. Funding concentration is moderate-to-high, with a relatively small number of institutional donors underwriting the bulk of programmatic capacity.

Name

Macedonia 2025 Charitable Foundation

Legal name

Macedonia 2025 Branch in the Republic of North Macedonia

Website

https://macedonia2025.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Macedonia 2025 is a Skopje-based charitable foundation operating since 2007 that runs 40-plus annual programs in education, diaspora engagement, leadership development, and economic modernization, funded by corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and donations, and partnered with the Office of the President, Kellogg, Queen's University, Johnson Matthey, Catalyste+, and Finelevate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Economic Development Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Foundation/NGO & Philanthropic Scholarships (EDAIAOAH), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Non-profit think tank
• Leadership development programs
• Executive education scholarships
• Diaspora engagement services
• Economic development research

Headquarters

HQ city

Skopje

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorships: Major corporations including Philip Morris International, Triglav, Alkaloid, EVN, and many others provide financial and operational support. Sponsors contribute to specific programs and initiatives.
2. Foundation Grants: Foundations including ABF Foundation (Atanas Bliznakoff), Bitove Family Foundation, and Zafirovski Family Foundation fund specific scholarship and education programs.
3. Donations and Gala Events: Annual Fundraising Gala and individual donations from diaspora members and supporters.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Macedonia 2025 Charitable Foundation is a non-profit 'think & do' tank that delivers economic development programs, leadership training, scholarships, and diaspora-driven initiatives for Macedonia. It administers more than 40 programs annually, including executive education scholarships at top global business schools, student scholarship funds, mentorship platforms, entrepreneurship support, and economic research publications. All programs are provided free of charge to beneficiaries and funded through corporate sponsorships, family-foundation grants, and individual donations.

Product overview

Macedonia2025 is an international, independent, non-political charitable foundation ('think & do' tank) founded in 2007, focused on economic and leadership development in Macedonia. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected programs: scholarship platforms (E-Scholarships Platform, Mentorship & Internship Platform) that identify and develop talent; mentorship programs (Connect2MK Platform, Bitove Family Entrepreneurship Program) that connect diaspora expertise with local needs; executive education programs (Zafirovski Executive Development Program at Kellogg, Executive Education Program in Canada at Queen's University) that develop business leadership; and research/analytics tools (Country Dashboard, Economic Monitors, Position Papers) that inform policy advocacy. The portfolio spans education (Science and Me, Atanas Bliznakoff Scholarships, Talents Today – Leaders Tomorrow), entrepreneurship (The Leader Project), and strategic initiatives (Macedonia2025 Summit, policy frameworks), all unified by the mission of building Macedonia's economic competitiveness through diaspora mobilization and institutional reform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Zafirovski Executive Development Program Scholarship program sending Macedonian CEOs and CXOs to the Executive Development Program at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, with scholarships worth approximately USD 39,500 per participant funded by the Robin and Mike Zafirovski Foundation. Aimed at developing 100 Macedonian business leaders.
• Executive Education Program in Canada

Quantifiable outcome

• 100 Macedonian CEOs/CXOs targeted for Zafirovski Executive Education Program at Kellogg School of Management, already more than halfway there
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered major, flagship, core and supporting.

• FinelevatemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Macedonia2025 and Finelevate signed a Memorandum of Cooperation for joint initiatives in digital transformation, fintech, AI, cybersecurity, and modern financial services. Focus areas include supporting SMEs, technology companies, and the wider business community.
• Office of the President of North MacedoniaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 April 2023Macedonia2025 and the Office of the President signed a Memorandum of Cooperation for the Recognition of Contributions of Diaspora Members. The President presents the annual recognition awards and provides patronage for related ceremonies.
• Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2017, Kellogg School of Management has been the academic partner for the Zafirovski Executive Education Program, providing the Executive Development Program (EDP) for Macedonian business leaders. The program offers scholarships worth approximately USD 39,500 per participant, with Mike Zafirovski sponsoring the goal of developing 100 Macedonian business leaders.
• Smith School of Business at Queen's UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQueen's University Smith School of Business partners with Macedonia2025 for the Executive Education Program in Canada, offering Leadership and Strategic Execution programs. The 5-day programs are held at Donald Gordon Congress Center in Kingston, Ontario, with scholarships covering two-thirds of program costs.
• Johnson MattheycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohnson Matthey supports the 'Science and Me' project through their Community Impact Programme. The project includes professional development workshops for teachers, regional science fairs, mentorship programs, and school-to-lab visits at Johnson Matthey's Skopje factory.
• Catalyste+coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyste+ partners with Macedonia2025 for the Bitove Family Entrepreneurship Program, connecting Macedonian SMEs with Volunteer Advisers from the diaspora who provide expertise in operations, skills development, and strategic growth.
• ALTERNATIVA GROUPACIJAsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMacedonia2025 signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with ALTERNATIVA GROUPACIJA for youth personal and professional development, focusing on mental health support, mentorship, internships, and structured professional development programs.
• Philip Morris InternationalsupportingOthersCorporate sponsor of Macedonia2025 programs and initiatives.
• TriglavsupportingOthersCorporate sponsor of Macedonia2025 programs and initiatives.
• AlkaloidsupportingOthersCorporate sponsor of Macedonia2025 programs and initiatives.
• EVNsupportingOthersCorporate sponsor of Macedonia2025 programs and initiatives.
• NLB BankasupportingOthersCorporate sponsor of Macedonia2025 programs and initiatives.
• Marriott SkopjesupportingOthersCorporate sponsor of Macedonia2025 programs and initiatives.
• Johnson MattheysupportingOthersCorporate sponsor of Macedonia2025 programs and initiatives.
• VisasupportingOthersCorporate sponsor of Macedonia2025 programs and initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Fulbright Program: U.S.-government-sponsored international scholarship and exchange program that operates a similar academic-partnership-driven scholarship model for emerging leaders, including in the Balkans.
• Open Society Foundations: Global grantmaking foundation supporting education, economic development, and civil society in transition economies; comparable as a large-scale private foundation working on similar thematic priorities to Macedonia2025.
• Aspen Institute: Established U.S.-based think-and-do tank combining leadership fellowships, policy research, and convening events — directly comparable to Macedonia2025's hybrid model but operating at much larger scale across multiple countries.
• German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF): Transatlantic policy and leadership development institution with active programs in the Western Balkans, paralleling Macedonia2025's think-tank-plus-program-delivery model at significantly larger scale.
• Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung: German political foundation operating scholarship, leadership, and policy programs across emerging economies including the Western Balkans — a much larger, globally funded counterpart to Macedonia2025's mandate.
• Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE): Core institute of the National Endowment for Democracy that supports private enterprise, democratic governance, and economic reform globally — a broader institutional peer to Macedonia2025's economic development and policy advocacy work.

Direct peers

• Atlantic Fellows: Global fellowship foundation supporting emerging leaders through funded cohorts and convening — closely mirrors Macedonia2025's cohort-based scholarship-plus-leadership-development approach.
• Albanian American Development Foundation (AADF): U.S.-based diaspora-led charitable foundation supporting Albania's economic and leadership development via scholarships, entrepreneurship programs, and policy work — structurally the closest analogue to Macedonia2025 in the Balkans.
• Polish-American Freedom Foundation (PAFF): Polish diaspora-driven foundation funding leadership, entrepreneurship, and education programs in Poland through a comparable model of family-founder sponsorship combined with international academic partnerships.
• Romanian-American Enterprise Fund / Romanian Foundations: U.S.-Romanian diaspora-supported programs targeting economic and leadership development in Romania, sharing the diaspora-to-domestic philanthropic funnel that defines Macedonia2025.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/macedonia-2025

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Macedonia 2025 Charitable Foundation