Division of labour
Each of the six Western Balkan economies has found its own tech and innovation niche, and together they add up to far more than the parts. Branko Milutinović and a handful of fellow Microsoft alumni founded Nordeus in Belgrade in 2010; their football game, Top Eleven, has since signed up more than 230 million players. […] Division of labour was originally published on Emerging Europe .
Each of the six Western Balkan economies has discovered its own tech and innovation niche, collectively outperforming their individual strengths. Belgrade, Serbia, is the leading hub with six of the world's largest game studios now operating there, employing over 4,500 people. Meanwhile, North Macedonia has established itself as a key player in payments, with a long list of software developers and outsourcers.
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo rely heavily on engineering services, particularly for German-speaking firms, and Kosovo is emerging as a strong call center and help desk provider. Albania, on the other hand, leverages its proximity to Italy for outsourcing services, particularly for Italian companies. Montenegro, the smallest of the group, is investing in blockchain technology, aiming to boost its economy through this innovative sector.
The Open Balkan initiative, launched in 2021 by Serbia, Albania, and North Macedonia, has simplified border checks and work permits for cross-border collaborations. This regional collaboration allows companies to have their products built, payments processed, and customer support provided across the region, all within the same time zone and a short flight from the European Union.
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