Meet the Finalists of the Second Creative Business Cup North Macedonia

Meet the finalists of the second Creative Business Cup North Macedonia Creative industries are a true example of how creative potential can be harnessed for economic growth and development. Supporting innovative business ideas in our country, our team organized the Creative Business Cup (CBC) for the second consecutive year, an international competition for innovative business ideas, products, or services from the creative industries. This year, on May 27, the national competition Creative Business Cup North Macedonia 2022 was held, where six finalists presented their innovative business ideas, and the expert jury selected our national representative for the Global Final of the Creative Business Cup 2022, held on June 27 and 28 in Copenhagen, Denmark. One of our goals in organizing the cup was to enable networking and recognition of businesses from the creative industries. Therefore, we introduce you to the six finalists of the Creative Business Cup North Macedonia 2022, their business ideas, products, services, and team members.

Best Online Assistant Best Online Assistant, besides being one of our finalists, is also our national representative at the global final. Best Online Assistant is a platform for the professional development of people with physical disabilities, offering education in mastering digital skills, which then, through B2B and B2C business models, provides opportunities for remote work, freelance work, and full-time employment. Their vision is to remove barriers in society so that people with special needs can be independent and equal to everyone else. Elizabeta, CEO of Best Online Assistant, shared her experience of the competition:

InfoBiro InfoBiro presented the idea Paint The Thing, a video game created by Mario Pavleski and Viktor Popov, who were also the youngest participants in the Creative Business Cup North Macedonia. Paint The Thing is a mobile game where the goal is to paint the object in the centre using brushes that appear around the map while trying to avoid many obstacles. This creative mobile game won first place at the European Game Jam competition in October 2021, and in July this year, Mario and Viktor will represent us with it at the World Game Jam competition in Brazil. Mario and Viktor shared their experience during the competition:

Biooil Organic Food Biooil is a brand with a vision to produce natural, biologically untreated food. Using oil plants, Biooil strives to develop and press the highest quality cold-pressed edible oils. As a brand, it aims to raise awareness about the use of organic food in everyday nutrition. Their uniqueness lies in the production process designed to preserve the high nutritional value of their products: sunflower oil and oilcake. Kristian, CEO of Biooil, shared his experience of the competition:

Med-Rep Group Med-Rep Group is the first unified closed platform connecting healthcare workers with pharmaceutical companies, promoting collaboration throughout the entire value chain. One of the key benefits of using Med-Rep Group is reducing marketing costs by over 50% and increasing sales by more than 20%. They have been present on the market since 2019, and their business model is the only one offering incentives for daily use and includes activities for healthcare workers. Vladimir, CEO of Med-Rep Group, shared his experience of the competition:

Ambrosia Ambrosia is a brand positioned on the market as an eco-social (socially responsible) catering service. Their products and services are in the catering and food industry, and they are especially recognized for their chocolate hearts, cakesicles, and popsicles made from premium Belgian chocolate. What sets them apart in the market is their focus on social entrepreneurship and the Sustainable Development Goals. Owners Kristina and Simona provide employment for single mothers and women of Roma ethnic origin through their business, offering flexible working hours and opportunities for financial independence. Simona shared her experience of the competition:

Sara Simoska Architecture Sara is already recognized as the new force in Macedonian architecture; her products and services focus on furniture design and home space planning with an emphasis on using natural materials. She is the third generation of architects in her family but the first female entrepreneur who brings an authentic approach to solving her clients' challenges through the use of wood and various wood forms in her projects. Sara shared her experience of the competition: We are happy to have the opportunity to share more about this year’s finalists of the Creative Business Cup North Macedonia, which we could not have realized without the support of our partners UMPAKI – the Union of Macedonian Associations in the Creative Industries and supporters Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering – FINKI; SKALA – (Skala Magazine, Skala – School of Design, Art and Technology and IDT – Institute of Design and Technology), Startup Macedonia and Dopeness Productions. The media supporters of this event are: UMNO, Observer, Kapital, Business News, Makpress Today Magazine, and Marketing365. Follow us for more news from the creative industries and more about the experience of our national representatives at the global final.