By Arben Zeqiri, Vice President, Radix
When we embarked on our journey to open our local office in Kosovo in 2018 (as our HQ is in Scottsdale, Arizona), Kosovo’s ICT landscape was just beginning to sketch its future. With a team of six in a small Pristina apartment, the vision was clear, but the path was punctuated by the unique challenges of a nascent sector. Sourcing talent that was skilled working with complex SaaS products and international client management, or finding professional office spaces amidst a market geared for other industries, were very real hurdles.
Today, Radix, now a team of over 90 professionals, stands as a reflection of Kosovo’s broader ICT metamorphosis. The transformation is striking: our current office building is a microcosm of the sector’s dynamism, housing dozens of ICT companies. This vibrant community is not just about shared office space; it’s about a shared journey of innovation and a landscape brimming with opportunities, especially for Kosovo’s ambitious youth.
The past five to seven years have witnessed an extraordinary pivot in Kosovo’s ICT domain. What was once a field with “limited emerging companies and scarce opportunities” has blossomed. The STIKK IT Barometer 2021-2022, which surveyed 700 IT companies, underscores this growth, noting the prevalence of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) specializing in software development and IT services. While 48% of these companies had 1-10 employees in 2021, the overall number of ICT service companies surged from 930 in 2020 to 1,950 in 2023, with over 700 new companies emerging in 2022 alone. This isn’t just growth; it’s a sectoral boom.
This expansion has cultivated an environment where collaboration thrives and where young Kosovars see a tangible future. Kosovo’s youth are not just witnessing this transformation; they are its driving force. The ICT sector has rapidly become a significant employer, offering not just jobs, but careers with competitive prospects. This economic incentive, coupled with the innovative nature of the work, makes ICT a highly attractive field for young graduates.
The demand for skilled professionals is intense. Approximately 74% of companies faced a deficit of skilled workforce, with senior software developers (57%) and individuals with strong communication skills (34%) being particularly sought after. This demand fuels a collective drive towards upskilling and creating a pool of resources for all the booming companies in Kosovo’s ICT sector. Among our strategic partnerships are initiatives such as Gjirafa LIFE and ICT for Kosovo’s Growth. Gjirafa LIFE is a pioneering educational program designed to bridge the gap between technical training and immediate employment, focusing on essential software engineering skills, including FrontEnd, BackEnd, and DevOps. Similarly, ICT for Kosovo’s Growth, an EU-funded project, delivers contemporary ICT training in cybersecurity, web development, Java programming, and artificial intelligence, greatly enhancing Kosovo’s digital workforce. Companies themselves are also heavily invested, with a 43% growth in expenditure on employee training in the last few years.
The “Future Developers Corner” at KosICT 2024, showcasing projects by children aged 8-14, is a powerful symbol of this generational shift. Young Kosovars are no longer just looking for jobs; they are looking to build, to innovate, and to lead in a sector that offers them a global stage.
The economic contribution of Kosovo’s ICT sector is increasingly recognized. While precise, up-to-the-minute GDP contribution figures are often a lagging indicator (the German Economic Team cited 1.9% in 2021), recent reports from the World Bank and the Central Bank of Kosovo in late 2024 and early 2025 describe ICT as a key driver of economic activity and a significant source of employment.
The sector’s muscle is most evident in its export performance. A remarkable 91.18% of IT companies were exporting services/products in 2020. More recently, ICT services constituted 9.6% of Kosovo’s total service exports in 2023, valued at an impressive €284.2 million. This strong international focus, primarily targeting markets in the DACH region, the US, and Canada, underscores the global competitiveness of Kosovar ICT firms and the talent pool that Radix initially sought – individuals adept at managing international clients and complex digital solutions.
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The journey, of course, is not without its challenges. Access to finance, consistent institutional support, and bridging the remaining skills gaps remain key areas of focus. The Kosovo IT Strategy of 2016, while foundational, requires continuous adaptation to keep pace with the sector’s rapid evolution and the ambitions of the Digital Agenda 2030.
However, the transformation of Kosovo’s ICT landscape from the nascent environment we encountered at Radix in 2018 to today’s bustling hub of innovation is undeniable. It’s a change that has reshaped not just an industry, but the aspirations of a generation. For young people in Kosovo, the ICT sector is increasingly viewed as the premier avenue for a prosperous and impactful future, offering opportunities to engage with cutting-edge technologies and compete on a global scale.
At Radix, being part of this evolving ecosystem is both a privilege and a responsibility. We remain steadfast in our commitment to cultivating local talent and contributing to the economic empowerment of our community. The digital future of Kosovo is bright, and its potential, driven by its youth and a spirit of relentless innovation, is truly immense.