Introducing the

2021 YTILI Fellows!

As the Founder and Executive Director at Balkans Capital, a full-service tax, financial planning, accounting and auditing company, Aneida Bajraktari Bicja oversees the day-to-day operations along with the development of operational plans. She also manages all HR policies and staff practices. By participating in YTILI, Aneida plans to develop her entrepreneurial and leadership skills to grow her business and take it to the next level. During her fellowship, Aneida would like to be placed in a startup where she can learn more about Venture Capital funds and gain the skills necessary to start one in Albania.

As the Founder and Managing Director of Coolab Tirana, a collaborative space for entrepreneurs, freelancers, business professionals, and technologists, Arlind Haxhijaj has led his company in a variety of projects. In the last year alone, his company supported multiple women-led and rural incubators. Furthermore, they launched a support program to provide space for local initiatives to grow and help the community. By participating in YTILI, Arlind plans to connect with his peers and program alumni to make strong connections he can use in his business. He also seeks to grow his support network so he can focus on big picture ideas. Arlind would like to learn from a technology company about how he can increase collaboration and better delegate responsibilities.

Elke Pichler is the Co-Founder and CEO at Impactory, an online donation platform to support non-profit organizations and make them more sustainable. In her role, Elke is a part of every aspect of her company, including operations, sales, HR, finances, and legal proceedings. Elke is looking forward to participating in YTILI because she wants to meet with other entrepreneurs, share ideas, and be inspired. Furthermore, these connections will lead to increased exposure and visibility, all of which will help Elke grow Impactory and secure more funding. Elke wants to learn from a financial services and technology company that will inspire her not only with new ideas but also ways to further inspire her team.

Rufat Huseynzade is the Founder, Business Development Manager, and IELTS Instructor at ROOF Academic Training LLC, an education company specializing in English language acquisition. Rufat has developed solid organizational skills and a leadership mindset and is excited to expand those skills through his participation in the YTILI program. Rufat is looking to learn more about the U.S. education system as well as the strategies and business models that educational corporations use to be successful.

As the Associate Director of MTB-grupp LTD, a company that promotes cycling and healthy living, Ina Bertel is responsible for strategic development, control of financial flows, communication with foreign partners, and the development of market strategy. Ina understands that entrepreneurs need to keep learning and adapting to be successful, and she is excited to be participating in the YTILI program in order to improve her adaptability. By working with other entrepreneurs from across Europe and the United States, she wants to discover new ways to expand her business. Ina is looking to learn more about the cycling movement, its growth, and how her business can take advantage of this growth.

Gabriel Samlali is the Founder and CTO of ExoVibe, which builds technologies to analyze and enhance physical human capabilities via sensor suits, soft-exoskeletons, and a web dashboard to improve workplace ergonomics, workflow efficiency, and productivity. Gabriel built his team from the ground up and leads the team in market research, design, and brand building, among other responsibilities. Gabriel is looking for YTILI to give him the tools to inspire other entrepreneurs in his local community. Gabriel wants to learn from the health and logistics industries about how to implement new technologies into the marketplace.

As the Founder of Nutricioniziraj, a company that teaches people about food and how to eat healthier, Nevena Pandža leads the company’s vision of making healthy living simple and accessible. A non-profit organization, they focus on all age groups, from kids to adolescents to adults, and give them the tools necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle. By participating in YTILI, Nevena is excited to learn from her peers and gain leadership skills. Nevena wants to learn from a nutritional expert or health institution where she can learn more about U.S. health protocols.

Hristo Hristov is a Market Research and Business Development Analyst at Dronamics, a UAS developer of a proprietary delivery drone called the Black Swan. In his role, Hristo leads business development for the automotive, aviation, and spare parts customers, along with running grant bids and developing business cases for potential routes. Hristo seeks to gain a greater understanding of the U.S. supply chain market and be able to share that knowledge throughout Bulgaria. Hristo is looking to learn from a logistics company where he can further understand how to scale his business.

As the CEO of HUBBIG d.o.o., a logistics company for cargo transporters, Dragana Lipovac seeks to transform the logistics industry in Southeast Europe. Through her company’s success, Dragana aims to show young people that logistics is not only a crucial industry in the world of e-commerce but also plays a critical role in optimizing transport to be environmentally friendly. She is looking forward to using the YTILI experience to springboard her company’s success onto the global market. Dragana is seeking experience at a logistics company similar to her own where she can continue to gain experience in the industry.

As the Co-Founder of Educamp.cz, a technology business that helps increase the employability of young people, Valerij Seniçev is a senior trainer for developing a variety of programs for young professionals, plays a key role in expanding the company’s footprint, and speaks at various local and international summits for youth in leadership and design. As a YTILI Fellow, Valerij is looking to break out of his comfort zone and improve his skills as an entrepreneur so that he can not only grow his business, but also continue to serve his community. Valerij wants to learn from a company that prioritizes putting people first and is at the forefront of innovation in the technology field.

Linh Mai is the Executive Producer at AZN Kru, a production company that creates videos, photos, and animations for both big and small companies and NGOs. In her role, Linh focuses on finding more sponsors to help grow her business and closing the gender pay gap in the Czech Republic. By participating in YTILI, Linh is looking to expand her company’s PR and visibility and learning American networking skills. Linh is looking to learn from a communications company that can introduce her to the industry and gain ideas to further expand her business.

Hanna-Liis Remmelg is the business incubator manager at the Tartu Science Park. She is responsible for managing a variety of incubator activities, serves as the sTARTUp Day team pitch manager, and is responsible for the dealflow between the sTARTUp Day team and the Estonian Business Angels Network. Through this fellowship, Hanna-Liis is seeking to learn how to better engage more scientists to start deep-tech research and startups. Hanna-Liis wants to learn from an incubator to gain a better understanding of how they work in the U.S. and how their success can be applied to the technology scene in Estonia.

Kai Isand is the CEO at Eventornado, a platform for organizers to plan events and bring people together. Currently, she is focusing on building up software to improve the business and share her organizing experience with other business leaders across Europe. As the CEO, she is responsible for creating and leading the business strategy and the team. By participating in YTILI, she seeks to continue her efforts of collaboration and bring them to a global level. Kai is looking to learn from a startup like her company that will give her more experience building up communities and supporting economic ecosystems.

Viktoriia Kobenko is the CTO of EyeGauge, a startup that makes and ships technologically “smart” in order to simplify digitization onboard ships resulting in reduced CO2 emissions. In her role, Viktoriia oversees both the technical and business sides of the company, managing data extraction, and customer development. By participating in YTILI, Viktoriia is looking to learn how to scale her business up and expand internationally. Viktoriia would like to be placed at an artificial intelligence company in order to expand her knowledge and network.

As the Chief Technology Officer at Kvalifika, a customer identification marketing technology service for the banking and credit card markets, Beka Tomashvili is responsible for managing customer on-boarding through facial authentication and ensuring that it is a seamless process. By participating in YTILI, Beka is looking to expand his network and become more familiar with the technological issues other countries are facing. Beka would like a fellowship in the financial services industry to learn more about how the industry works in the U.S.

As the Co-Founder and Senior Sales Executive at Sano-Modern Animal Nutrition, Vladimer Sanadze is responsible for marketing and selling new methods and techniques for feeding animals. His company has played a crucial role in modernizing Georgian agriculture and improving the success of small Georgian farmers. By participating in YTILI, Vladimer is looking to expand his business and learn how to make the agricultural sector a more stable part of the Georgian economy. Vladimer wants to learn from an organization that develops agricultural policy and technology to better understand why the U.S. agricultural sector is so successful.

Athanasios Vratimos is the Co-Founder and Business Developer at GIVMED, a company that collects unused medicine and distributes it to socially vulnerable people. He plays a leading role in GIVMED, overseeing the day-to-day operations, is the face of the company and develops long-term strategy. By participating in YTILI, Athanasios is looking forward to participating in professional development classes to refine his leadership skills. Athanasios is looking to learn from a more experienced tech startup in the healthcare industry to learn more about that sector in the U.S. and gain knowledge on scaling.

Eleftherios Karabatsakis is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Carge Private Company, an e-mobility service dedicated to integrating all European charging points for electric vehicles. He is looking for YTILI to expand his business knowledge and give him new insight into his company’s strategies. For Eleftherios, an ideal fellowship placement would be in the electrical vehicle industry to learn more about the latest in the U.S. development of electric vehicles.

As the President and Co-Founder of Hidak Ifjusagi Alapitvany (Youth Bridges Budapest), a company that aims to support young people dealing with the challenges of the 21st century, Csenge Kolozsvári is responsible for a variety of tasks, such as grant proposal writing, project development, and event management. By participating in YTILI, Csenge is looking to learn more about community development and take back experiences she can apply to her own organization. Csenge is looking to learn from a civil society organization which deals with educational development, non-formal education, innovation, and educational technologies to better understand that sector.

László Kindrusz is the Co-Founder and CEO of Agora Solutions Software Kft., a digital real estate app company. László fills many roles, such as creating the marketing strategy and managing daily work. The app created by Laszlo reduced the administration time needed in real estate transactions by 65%, as pen-and-paper are no longer needed. László hopes that by participating in YTILI, he can help his fellow entrepreneurs learn more about the CEE market and B2B marketing. László wants to learn from a real estate company in a busy market to better understand how to grow his business and maintain success in larger markets.

Kjartan Thorsson is the CEO of Nordverse Medical Solutions, a business dedicated to fighting the opioid crisis and saving lives. Their website Reduceplan.com enables medical doctors to create quick and personalized opioid tapering plans allowing interaction with their patients during the tapering period. Since its launch, Reduceplan.com has been free of charge, and they are now validating its freemium business model. Through YTILI, Kjartan is looking for the tools and experience needed to be a better leader and to join a venture capital fund in the health tech industry to better understand the market.

Gráinne Dwyer is the CEO and Founder of Stori Creative, an award-winning creative and production agency that specializes in cinematic storytelling for brands. Her company has worked with a wide variety of recognizable brands, such as Heineken, Cisco, the EPP in the European Parliament, and Microsoft. Gráinne seeks to meet like-minded fellows during this fellowship and gain the knowledge necessary to further grow her company internationally. Gráinne’s ideal fellowship placement would be at another Film, TV, Commercial, and Music Video company where she can learn new techniques and gain new creative ideas.

Emily Brick is the Founder and Director at Athena Analytics, a software company that developed the Athena Tracker. Her company alerts teachers whenever an individual student falls below their potential on any given exam. In her role, Emily manages day-to-day systems, hires and manages employees, plans new products, and coordinates marketing strategies. Emily is looking forward to learning leadership and entrepreneurial skills in the YTILI program while finding new ways to expand her business and give back to her community. Emily is looking for a fellowship in the experience in the U.S. education industry.

As the CEO and Founder of Talents Venture, Pier finds bright and entrepreneurial university students and connects them with investors to help kickstart their business ideas. His role includes business planning, student outreach, and developing funding opportunities. Through participation in the YTILI program, Pier seeks to expand his business internationally and grow his leadership skills which he expects will allow him to gain a broader business perspective. Pier is looking for an opportunity to take a closer look at how an American education start-up works to learn from their process and business activities.

Riccardo Lucato is the Co-Founder and CEO of Adamas, a company dedicated to enhancing the efficiency of the global supply chain through artificial intelligence. In his role, Riccardo manages software and web development, financial planning, marketing, and public relations. Riccardo has a strong belief in internationalism, and he is excited to make international connections that he can use to expand his business and improve his community. Riccardo would like to learn from a Logistics company where he can see new management and leadership styles as well as U.S. work ethics.

Celik Nimani is the Chief Executive Officer and Partner at Frakton, a software development firm focused on connecting opportunities to local talent in Kosovo. Celik oversees daily operations and the execution of long and short-term strategies. He supervises 50 staff and manages human resources. By participating in YTILI, Celik seeks to strengthen his leadership skills to not only improve his company but continue to make a difference in Kosovo. Celik wants to be surrounded by other startups to gain ideas on how to attract more companies to Kosovo.

Peteris Kelle is the Co-Founder and CTO of Efectio, an employee engagement platform that uses scoring and gamification to increase company productivity and overall employee growth, health, and satisfaction. Peteris has led Efectio to become a global brand that solves complex issues in increasingly chaotic work environments. Peteris sees YTILI as an opportunity for him to refine his leadership style and gain new knowledge from his peers. Peteris is looking to learn from a company in the HR industry.

As the Chief Executive Officer at Eylean UAB, a work management platform, Kamile Vitaite is responsible for business and product development, managing company operations, specialized sales team management, and overseeing the growth of the company’s revenue. Kamile sees YTILI as an opportunity to grow her company internationally and proudly carry Lithuania’s flag while doing so. Kamile wants to learn from an IT company that can teach her more about the industry and how to grow her business.

As President of The Association for Intercommunity Development of the Republic of Moldova, Constantin Vlas oversees the implementation of inter-community projects to support the social, cultural, economic, and environmental sectors. He puts a strong emphasis on the importance of leadership, having a flexible style that adapts to each situation. By participating in YTILI, Constantin wants to take this knowledge and bring it back to Moldova where he can help create a stronger entrepreneurial community. Constantin is looking to learn from an organization like his where he can seek business expertise from those around him and gain experience in the industry. 

Natalia Curnic is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner at GoAdventure Moldova Ltd., the first and only destination management company in Moldova. Presented as a success story in Moldova Business Week, GoAdventure Moldova Ltd.  has won distinction for its contribution to women's leadership in the travel industry. By participating in YTILI, Natalia is seeking to learn more about what “innovation” truly means and how it is applied across the globe. Natalia is looking to learn from a travel company where she can learn about how to grow her business and bring in new tourists to Moldova. 

Mihailo Raspopovic is the Co-Founder Chief Operating Officer at Codepixel, an IT consulting agency. In his role, Mihailo is responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations, new project management, and improving financial performance. Mihailo sees YTILI as an opportunity to improve the leadership skills he has developed over the past few years as a business owner. Mihailo is looking to be placed at a younger but well-established ICT company with a niche in the development of digital web products to gain a better understanding of the market and how he can improve his own business. 

Ivan Ivanovski is the Technical Production Lead at Tropos AR BVBA, an augmented reality-centric company. In his role, Ivan is responsible for organizing and developing an augmented reality ad network. Furthermore, he leads the research and development team to work on multiple small and big AR and traditional apps for third-party clients. Ivan wants his YTILI experience to give him the experience necessary to look at the big picture of the industry and expand his business. Ivan wants to learn from a tech organization that will give him the necessary tools to create an R&D center in North Macedonia. 

Olga Rajchikj is the Co-Founder and Business Development Manager of GREEN IT DOO, a green company focused on empowering better habits and giving local businesses the tools needed to be sustainable. GREEN IT DOO’s main achievement is the development of the Challenger app, which is a new green marketing channel where businesses can pay a marketing fee for offering discount coupons and other promotions. This app won first place at the Regional Balkan Competition for Green Ideas. By participating in YTILI, Olga seeks to enhance her business and leadership skills. Olga is looking to learn from a startup where she can learn how to manage multiple businesses at a time. 

Christopher Nordmo is the CEO and Founder of Watch Vault AS, a social media source and marketplace for watch collectors. The company has had great initial success launching BETA in Google Play and the App Store with users on five different continents. In his role, Christopher is responsible for international relations, ensuring that the brand continues to grow outside of Norway. In YTILI, Christopher is excited to learn more about how U.S. companies manage social media and execute their operations. Christopher would like to learn from a social media or e-commerce company that can teach him how to operate on a global scale.

Mateusz Ciasnocha is the CEO of European Carbon Farmers, a company dedicated to transitioning the agriculture paradigm from conventional to regenerative and putting farmers at the center of the climate change solution. Mateusz’s company provides Polish farmers with the toolbox needed to transition to minimalization of tillage and integration of cover crops. By participating in YTILI, Mateusz seeks to work with a strategic player in the US agricultural sector that can teach him about American farming and future green projects.

Rodrigo Bourbon is the Founder and developer of REswap, the first institutional residential sale and leaseback program in Europe. In his role, Rodrigo developed the company’s website and content, along with valuation models for leasing approval that integrate with REswap’s online forms. Through YTILI, Rodrigo is looking to work at a company like his where he can upgrade his understanding of different entrepreneurial ecosystems and use those strengths to improve his own business.

Andreea Serban is the Founder and CEO of KIDoc Plus, a social enterprise that increases the quality of life for parents of children with chronic diseases and helps them to provide optimal care for their children. In her role, Andreea is responsible for creating medical content, securing funding, customer outreach, and parent community building. Andreea has worked on projects in her community that support innovation for children and Womenpreneurs. Andreea is looking for YTILI to equip her with the tools and experience needed to expand her organization and her international network.

Nikita Karavaev is the CEO and Co-Founder of Functor Team, a consulting firm focused on software solutions. Nikita’s business covers the IT needs of its customers, from software development to processes automation to systems integration. His goal is to make technology no longer a burden for businesses. Through YTILI, Nikita seeks an actionable plan of business transformation or evolution which would be based both on acquired skills, connections, insights from one side, and his values. Nikita is looking to work at a consulting firm that can give him the opportunity to analyze his business via the lens of new experiences and business practices.

As the Business Designer at ICT Hub, a regional center for innovation and technology entrepreneurship, Dorde Dordevic is responsible for guiding and coaching startup corporate teams working on innovative products. By participating in YTILI, Dorde is looking to expand his professional network in order to create new business opportunities and gain skills that can be shared across the Serbian entrepreneurship community. Dorde wants to work in the middle of product co-development between startups and corporations, which will allow him to be exposed to more advanced entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial mindsets and cultures.

Momčilo Paunović is the Executive Director of Frutorga LLC, a producer of organic foods farmed sustainably. In his role, Momčilo is responsible for monitoring production and implementing organic standards to ensure quality products. By participating in YTILI, Momčilo seeks to gain professional skills that he can take back to Serbia and use to help grow his business. Momčilo is looking to learn from other environmentally conscious food companies so that he can find new ways to produce and process organic foods.

Miriama Hučková is the Executive Director at Košice IT Valley, an incubator that helps sustain and create a business-friendly environment for IT companies by encouraging both cooperation and competition. As executive director, Miriama oversees communication at all levels, providing consultancy to new investors, and developing strategies to promote the organization’s missions. As a YTILI Fellow, Miriama would like to develop her leadership skills so she can continue to grow her company and contribute to the overall industry. Miriama would like to learn from an IT company where she can focus on regional development and enrich her cross-cultural knowledge.

Richard Petro is an Audiobook Publisher and Sound Engineer at Richard Petro - Vydavatelstvo Sarkan, an audiobook publishing house. Richard started his business because he wanted to listen to high-quality books in his mother tongue, but they were not available. Now, he has a thriving business where he creates and markets audiobooks online and on social media. Richard is looking for YTILI to give him the opportunity to learn from experts in the audiobook industry and take skills back home. Richard is looking to learn from experts in the publishing industry that can give him the skills necessary to begin publishing books in English.

Isabel Bustos Pacheco is the CEO and Co-Founder at Atlas Marketing Studio, a digital marketing firm. Isabel is excited to be participating in the YTILI program, where she can refine her leadership and business skills. Furthermore, she wants to emphasize a people-first approach in her businesses. Isabel wants to work at a marketing firm like hers where she can learn more about the industry and how she can expand her business back home.

Ecem Başyurt is a lawyer at Başyurt Law, a law firm focusing on corporate law and data protection. As a lawyer, Ecem works on advising clients, drafting legal documents, managing corporate transactions and mergers, conducts detailed legal research and translates documents into a variety of languages. Ecem is excited to be participating in YTILI because she is seeking to follow her passion for solving complex international issues. Ecem is looking to learn from a law firm where she can gain experience in international law, especially regarding public relations.

As the Director and Co-Founder of Careaux, an inclusive womenswear brand focusing on body image, Rachel Beattie oversees the financials, marketing, governance, communications, and social media. Careaux supports 18 women-focused charities and has volunteered over 2,000 hours through their ‘Create and Change the World’ initiative, which focuses on sustainability, diversity, and inclusion. Through the YTILI program, Rachel wants to learn how to further improve diversity and inclusion, not just in her business, but in the UK’s fashion industry. Rachel wants to learn from a fashion company that has recently scaled so she can take Careaux to the next level.