Monty Munford advises the world’s fastest-growing companies in blockchain, AI, mobile and NFTs on growth and visibility. In the past decade his consultancy has helped more than 40 companies raise money/exit for a total of $1.4 billion. He currently works/invests with EasyTranslate and Degen Labs. He was previously a weekly tech columnist for Forbes in New York and the Telegraph in the UK. He is also a keynote speaker/emcee/moderator/interviewer and has spoken at more than 200 global events interviewing influential tech figures such as Steve Wozniak (twice in Beirut and Vienna), Kim Kardashian (once in Armenia), Amitabh Bachchan, Tim Draper, the late John McAfee, Sir Tim Berners-Lee and many others.

Fatos is a Senior Data & AI Solutions Architect at Microsoft, UK, specializing in AI and ML solutions for large enterprises. He advises C-level executives and heads AI initiatives for various industries. Fatos received Microsoft’s Champions Award for his NHSX COVID-19 Test and Trace program platform in 2020. In 2023, he earned his second Microsoft Champion’s Award for AI work. Fatos is passionate about NLP and MLOps and contributed to a DevOps Industry Award-winning project in 2021. He leads the Data Science Initiative community in London, with 3,600+ members, and is a sought-after international speaker on AI and ML. Fatos holds a BSc and a Master’s in Data Warehouses and Business Intelligence.

Catharina van Delden, a dynamic entrepreneur, co-founded innosabi, evolving it from a student start-up at the Technical University of Munich to a market-leading software company, where she served as CEO. She specializes in leveraging ecosystems for organizational innovation and agility. An MBA graduate from the Technical University of Munich, Catharina’s diverse experience includes a stint at UC Berkeley and work at OSRAM, including OSRAM India in Delhi. She’s authored books on innovation strategies and holds advisory and political roles, including serving on supervisory boards and the bitkom executive committee. Her accolades include the “TU Munich Entrepreneur of Excellence” and the “Spark Female Founder Award” from McKinsey and the Handelsblatt.

Having nearly pursued a career as a conductor, Marijus is now an expert in IT and finance, who has established, managed, and provided consultancy to diverse organisations. Over the course of his career, he has been pivotal in supporting companies to compete online and has played a significant role in the creation of a payment platform. Although Marijus did not become a conductor, he personally ‘conducted’ the transformation of IT teams into ‘tribes’ within the Paysera organisation.

Senior technology director with over 20 years experience in technology, IT, operations, and software development in an international environment, with a strong focus on the Financial Services industry. Significant technology strategy, development, sales, and delivery expertise with various Cloud, Mobile, and Web technologies, and a track record of success cultivating relationships with senior leaders, MDs, and Management Boards. Highly adept in operating across multiple stakeholder groups within technically complex environments where leading edge solution design is critical to scale and revenue growth. Experience with building, growing, and leading globally dispersed technology teams. Experience with EMEA Financial regulations, security & ISO standards. Strong background in partnering with senior executives to drive strategy, adoption, and building new operating models in mature organizations.

Ben is a practising tech lead whose real passion is helping people and companies work better. Ben helps large organisations to ‘transform’ to become faster, more productive and happier places to work and generally be more successful. He runs the Tech Lead practice in the UK – helping Tech Leads to share skills and further their careers. Recently Ben led Santander UK’s most important personal banking service – the mobile app and is now working for Toyota. In the past Ben has been the Tech Lead on projects for Unilever, Tesco/dunnhumby, Visa, Royal Bank of Scotland.

Daniel Bohannon, a Principal Security Researcher at Permiso Security, a global CDR startup, boasts 13 years of IT experience. His last decade is dedicated to cybersecurity, having worked at MANDIANT and Microsoft. As an incident response consultant, detection engineer, and threat hunter, he’s made significant contributions. An international speaker and trainer, he’s shared his expertise at 27 security conferences across 18 countries, including DEF CON and Black Hat. Holding a B.S. in Computer Science and an M.S. in Information Security, Daniel is also committed to fostering the InfoSec community in the Balkans since 2019.

Elena Marinova, Co-founder, President, and Chair of the Board at Musala Soft, a part of Qinshift under KKCG Group. Elena drives vision, strategy, growth, and community engagement, emphasizing inclusivity and teamwork. A recognized leader in Bulgaria, Forbes Magazine, she’s committed to IT education and innovation. Elena serves on various industry and NGO boards, including the European Junior Olympiad in Informatics, BASSCOM, and more. She’s a renowned international speaker, shaping the business climate and nurturing young talent. Elena explores “Special Projects,” fostering new opportunities and connecting networks for advancement. Visit her LinkedIn profile for further insights into her contributions.

Gabriel, the Managing Director of IDS Consulting, is a visionary entrepreneur who champions teamwork and innovation. With a passion for time management and operational efficiency, he blends inspiration with precision. An expert in the field, Gabriel’s leadership extends to the world of data, encompassing data design, warehousing, and business intelligence. His expertise propels businesses to turn data into strategic insights, making him a driving force in both business and data management.

Kujtim Kryeziu, a seasoned cybersecurity defense expert with over eight years of experience, excels in network security, incident response, and threat intelligence. He’s a frequent speaker at industry events and has contributed significantly to cybersecurity. Kujtim serves as the Chief Executive Officer at Sentry, leading a team of 30 cybersecurity experts who assess the vulnerabilities and strengths of large corporations. He works closely with other teams to provide guidance in incident response, threat hunting, and Red Teaming. As a co-founder and lecturer at Cyber Academy, Kujtim passionately educates the next generation of cybersecurity experts through hands-on exercises and real-world case studies, fostering resilience in the face of advanced cyber threats.

Betim is a seasoned software architect, tech enthusiast, and passionate startup advocate. With an impressive 18-year career in designing intricate software architectures for global enterprises, he’s renowned for tackling complex technical hurdles and breathing life into innovative concepts. However, Betim’s true passion lies in the world of entrepreneurship. He’s not just a spectator but a hands-on creator, having successfully founded multiple startups. His entrepreneurial journey has imparted invaluable lessons in team building, strategic planning, go-to-market strategies, and the entire spectrum of startup dynamics. He’s experienced the highs of securing substantial funding and the lows of challenging launches. As the driving force behind Quantix, Betim extends a guiding hand to other startups on their journey from idea to execution. Whether it’s concept validation, achieving product-market fit, or scaling beyond, he offers entrepreneurs the mentorship and expertise they need to flourish. Betim is the perfect blend of technical acumen and entrepreneurial zeal, unafraid of risk and open to innovation. If you’re seeking a collaborator to transform your ideas into reality, Betim is eager to connect, learn about your vision, and help you make a mark on the world.

Çelik Nimani is an entrepreneur and executive with over 16 years of experience in the South-East Europe Technology and Innovation Scene. As Managing Director for Southeast Europe for Kin + Carta, a Global Digital Transformation Consultancy, Çelik is responsible for driving growth, fostering innovation, and cultivating client relationships, as well as driving new business in Europe. As a cofounder to multiple startups and business ventures, as well as startup support centers, and actively supporting ecosystem developments in SEE, Çelik has successfully exited two software development companies from Kosovo, and continues to champion software development and digital transformation competencies for global businesses, across various industry verticals.

Manuel Barreiro, founder and chairman of the Aston Group, a private equity firm with over $1 billion in investments, excels in international real estate and tech. With 20+ years of experience, he combines technology, sustainability, mobility, smart cities, and the metaverse. His focus on the metaverse intersects with real estate, exploring XR-powered solutions. Manuel’s commitment to sustainability ensures his projects improve communities, reduce inequalities, and enhance the environment. He mentors young tech entrepreneurs, helping transform ideas into world-changing companies. He holds an MBA from the University of Texas and completed programs at Oxford and the London School of Economics, sparking an interest in AI and IoT. Passionate about mobility, Manuel is a frequent international speaker and engages in charity initiatives.

Viktoriia Savitska, a seasoned Comms & Business Development Manager, boasts a wealth of experience spanning private, public, and non-profit sectors. Her contributions encompass project management, startup analytics, and digital skills. At the ITU, she managed groundbreaking AI projects and coordinated Digital Skills Assessment projects in multiple countries. Viktoriia’s dedication extends to fostering startup growth and championing inclusivity in the tech sector, particularly for women. Her global impact includes work at UN offices, advocating for human rights and underserved communities. Now, being part of Peaceinvest, she leverages her expertise to drive growth and innovation while contributing to betterment of communities. Viktoriia holds multiple degrees and an MBA in Management of International Organizations, exemplifying her commitment to excellence and positive change in business and technology.

AnaMaria Meshkurti, Managing Partner for Europe at Unorthodox Ventures, a Texas-based family office focusing on medtech and hardware startups. She previously headed Marketing, Communications, and Engagement at FONGIT, Switzerland’s premier tech startup innovation platform. AnaMaria’s dedication to emerging technologies is evident as a startup mentor and judge, with contributions to events like the UN AI for Good Global Summit and the Experience Accelerators Future of Work Hackathon. Her impressive UN career involved digital inclusion, innovation, and standardization, including overseeing the ITU Smart Incubator program. AnaMaria is a seasoned communications professional, holds multiple diplomas, and is recognized as a top Swiss Digital Shaper.

Gentrit has over 12 years of technical experience managing technological resources, coordinating development processes, and directing development teams in coding, testing, and designing. Previously, Gentrit was the Co-Founder and Lead Developer of a software development company in Kosovo which was later acquired by KODE Labs, where he now serves as Chief Technology Officer. Gentrit leads all technology and development for the company ensuring everything developed and scaled meets technology and R&D expectations. With a growing team of 150 members, KODE Labs is helping hundreds of buildings all over the world digitalize and become smart buildings. Lastly, Gentrit has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Prishtina and has attended The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, where he studies entrepreneurship.

In his role, Lucas supports innovation and digital transformation for Customer Services at Siemens Healthineers, focusing on data-enabled services, Artificial Intelligence (AI), teleradiology, and digital platforms. Lucas started his career as an entrepreneur and co-founder of a software startup in Germany and Singapore. Later, he moved to IT and management consulting. From 2011-2016, Lucas worked for Capgemini as Managing Consultant, where he advised clients from various industries on IT strategy, digital transformation, and innovation management. He holds a Master in Business Administration from the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) and a Master in International Business Studies from the University of Passau.

Lulëzon Jagxhiu, the Government CTO and advisor to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, drives digital transformation and cybersecurity initiatives in the government. He leads in the development of national policies and strategies while overseeing key transformation projects. Lulëzon is an active member of high-level commissions and chairs the Kosovo Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity Working Group. With nearly two decades of executive and management roles in ICT, he’s successfully managed complex transformation projects in Kosovo and Switzerland. Lulëzon’s impressive academic background includes an MBA from the Pennsylvania State University and a Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering from the University of Prishtina. He’s a distinguished alumnus of the Kosovo American Education Fund and a Beta Gamma Sigma member.

Egxona is a security engineer focused on threat detection and incident response. She spent close to 5 years working at Meta in California and then London, where she led projects across threat detection, response automation, and incidents responding to various internal and external threats to company assets and infrastructure. In her current role, Egxona is applying her wealth of experience to her home country of Kosovo through the Critical Infrastructure, Digitalization and Resilience (CIDR) project funded by USAID and implemented by DAI, which is supporting the government and critical infrastructure entities to strengthen their cybersecurity resilience. Egxona holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from California State University, East Bay. When away from the keyboard, she enjoys spending time with her loved ones, traveling and staying active.

Arta Statovci, an AI, Strategy, and Transformation expert with a decade of experience, collaborates with top Fortune 500 companies, startups, NGOs, and governments. Holding four impressive degrees, including an Executive AI in Strategy from MIT, Arta’s accomplishments are vast. Notably, she organized Kosovo’s first AI Transformation Bootcamp, catalyzing 15+ local digital businesses in 5 days, globally monetized with no funding. Arta is a key figure in the Kosovo Digital Bridges Movement, introducing major AI companies to enhance AI and remote opportunities in Kosovo. Her innovative approach and global impact make her a standout professional in the field.

Blerim Tahiraj, a distinguished telecom and software professional with a master’s in management informatics, has excelled in key roles. As an ICT and VAS Product Developer at IPKO Telecommunications, he led project management, product development, and team coordination, achieving remarkable milestones. In the software industry, Blerim held leadership roles in sales and software departments, executing strategic initiatives with precision. Certified as a Scrum Agile and Project Management Professional, he upholds industry best practices. As a dedicated Professional Trainer, Blerim enhances ICT skills for governmental and non-governmental organizations, emphasizing his commitment to professional development. His expertise in project management, product development, and sales leadership makes him an invaluable asset.

Shpend holds the role of Senior Consultant at Deloitte in their consulting practice. With over 15 years of diverse experience in key industries: ICT, FSI, Energy, Consumer, Aviation, and Manufacturing, Shpend brings a wealth of expertise. Certified as a Lean Six Sigma, Shpend possesses a strong foundation in process improvement and digital transformation. Through conducting business diagnosis and driving business process reengineering, Shpend has successfully delivered projects in Kosovo and Albania. Additionally, Shpend has invaluable global experience in Change Management and Communication while working with Deloitte Global, enabling a deep understanding of managing organizational transformations on an international scale. Shpend is a graduate of RIT-Kosovo class of 2008 with a concentration in Entrepreneurship and Management. 

Partin Imeri is the CEO and Co-founder of Incodeks, where he plays a pivotal role in helping startups transform their ideas into digital products. With a strong focus on digital transformation and product development, he leverages his expertise as a software engineer to lead his team effectively. Partin is deeply engaged in the realms of business, startups, engineering, leadership, and collaboration, and he passionately promotes these areas. As an entrepreneur and tech founder, Partin stands at the intersection of leadership, artificial intelligence, and web3. He is dedicated to advancing the tech industry through informed leadership and a commitment to teaching code. Recognized for his ability to manage multiple projects successfully, he thrives under pressure and stays at the forefront of the latest developments in AI and decentralized web technologies.

Arian Sheremeti, a seasoned cybersecurity expert, brings over 15 years of IT experience to the forefront. Over the past eight years, he’s become an influential figure in the industry, focusing on cybersecurity strategies, risk management, and resilience. As Cybersecurity and Privacy Manager at PwC, Arian serves a global clientele from public and private sectors, guiding them through the evolving cybersecurity landscape. A sought-after speaker at industry conferences, he delves into cybersecurity, data privacy, and IT governance intricacies. With a passion for AI, Arian’s expertise highlights the profound implications of AI in corporate security, illuminating shifting paradigms in today’s AI-driven world.

Fabian Berisha is a highly skilled instructor and the Lead Cloud/DevOps Engineer at Appstellar. His dedication to professional development is evident through his collection of prestigious certifications, including AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional, HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate, and the sought-after CKA: Certified Kubernetes Administrator. Since 2022, Fabian has embraced his role as an instructor, showcasing his visionary ideas and sharing his vast knowledge with aspiring DevOps engineers.

Master’s degree in Electronics and Computer Engineering at FESB. Ante’s journey began eight years ago after college when he joined Ericsson Nikola Tesla, a renowned global technology company. Over the years, he has been working as a SW developer on 3G, 4G, and 5G Radio Base Stations. He was a member of software development teams responsible for product maintenance, bug-solving, and feature development. His current role is a Tech Lead in the team responsible for Transport Network products in Radio Base Station. As a Tech Lead, he is working and guiding his team to deliver innovative solutions and contribute to the success of various projects.

Lum has a background in artificial intelligence, decentralized systems, and bioinformatics. He is the Co-founder & CEO of Open Cybernetics, a startup focused on developing new open-source algorithms for decentralized AI systems. At Open Cybernetics, Lum invented and is leading the development of several new deep learning and decentralized AI related algorithms. Lum’s goal is to democratize AI by introducing a suite of novel open-source algorithms that lower the costs associated with training and running extremely large models. Besides Open Cybernetics, Lum is also the project lead at Xfai, a crypto startup where he designed and led the development of an automated market maker, based on a system of on-chain constant function market maker smart contracts.

Osman Rraci is an Associate at EBRD, Advice for Small Businesses, engaged in the implementation of local and international advisory projects with the local SME sector, as well as working with financial instruments to facilitate investments in the SME sector. Osman holds a Master’s Degree in Economics for Business Analysis, is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC), Certified Accountant (CA), Project Management Professional (PMP), and Quality Management Systems (QMS) Auditor.

Dior Halili is the ICT Sector Lead at USAID Kosovo Compete Activity, responsible for the development and implementation of activities within the ICT sector, one of the three focus sectors. Compete is a five-year USAID activity (August 2020 – August 2025) whose main objective is to facilitate the private sector’s improved competitiveness in local, regional, and international markets. With a Master of Science – MS focused in Policy Economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam and a Bachelor from Rochester Institute of Technology in Economics and Management, Dior has a demonstrated history of working on development projects implemented by renowned international development companies and was also the co-founder of Trudo, a tech company in Kosovo that offers services in Data Science, Business Intelligence, and Software Engineering, helping the company to grow 25+ employees within the first 16 months.

Edona, a Master’s student in Media and Human-Centered Computing and Student Assistant at Vienna University of Technology, embarked on her academic journey with a Computer Engineering foundation at the University of Prishtina. With four years of experience in Software Development, Product Management, and lecturing in App Development and Management, she’s made significant contributions. Edona’s notable achievement includes the development of “Rectify,” a mobile app recognized as a finalist for Diploma Thesis of the Year in 2021. Her passion revolves around addressing societal challenges and creating impactful digital solutions. She specializes in integrating Human-Centered Computing principles into Product Management to prioritize human needs and experiences, and she eagerly anticipates sharing her insights on this topic at KosICT!