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Macedonian Entrepreneurs Create 1,000 New Jobs

Over 1,000 new jobs and an estimated $15 million in additional exports are the result of a USAID-supported project in Macedonia. Six new companies—called “e-BIZ centers”—which provide high tech services to small and medium businesses are now fully operational.

“This project was designed to support Macedonia’s free market—and also to participate in it,“ said U.S. Ambassador Gillian Milovanovic at an event held to showcase project achievements. “It supports investors whose enterprises have created jobs, increased their clients’ profit margins, and helped them enter whole new markets.”

The e-BIZ Project developed partnerships with Macedonian entrepreneurs offering high-impact information and communication technology solutions that significantly improved the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises. Some of the new services offered include e-commerce, computer-aided design and computer-aided modeling (CAD&CAM), e-learning and Supply Chain Management solutions.

The six e-BIZ Centers are:

• The National Tourism Portal www.exploringmacedonia.com, which has more than 200,000 monthly visits and more than 160 tourism members.
• The Apparel Technology Center “New Trend,” which is used by 60 percent of the market,
• The Fashion industry portal www.fashionmk.com, which has more than 80 members and 15,000 visitors a month.
• The Shoe Technology Center “ModEur,” which is used by 57 percent of the market.
• The Business Development Center at South East European University, which has the exclusive license for distributing Skill Soft on-line courses to five countries in the region.
• The Mechanical Engineering Systems Center of Excellence-CIRKO MES CE, which is expected to become a regional Supply Chain Management Center of Excellence.

The American people, through USAID, have invested more than $450 million in Macedonia since 1993. Over 25 projects worth more than $25 million a year are currently being implemented to support Macedonia’s transition to a free market-based, multi-ethnic democracy. They include initiatives to accelerate economic growth, develop democratic institutions, and educate citizens about the modern economy.

USAID volunteers present 6 e-BIZ centers to the US Ambassador to Macedonia Photo Credit: Macedonia Information Agency

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