Tirana Slush'D - Edition II | October 30, 2025

30 OCTOBER 2025

300+
ATTENDEES

ICONIC
SPEAKERS

NOTHING NORMAL EVER CHANGED A DAMN THING. • NOTHING NORMAL EVER CHANGED A DAMN THING. • NOTHING NORMAL EVER CHANGED A DAMN THING. •NOTHING NORMAL EVER CHANGED A DAMN THING. • NOTHING NORMAL EVER CHANGED A DAMN THING. • NOTHING NORMAL EVER CHANGED A DAMN THING. •

TICKETS TO
TIRANA SLUSH'D 2025

75% tickets sold

50€

Startup

• 1 day access to Tirana Slush'D 2025
• Meeting Tool access
• In-person and online networking
• Access to side events and after party
• Database of participating investors
• Only for startups! We will verify.

100€

Investor

• Access to Tirana Slush'D 2025
• Meeting Tool access
• In-person and online networking
• Access to side events and after party
• Invitation to the investor dinner - limited availability
• Featured to Tirana Slush'D website and social media
• List of investors attending the event
• Database of Startups attending the event

100€

Attendee

• Access to Tirana Slush'D 2025
• Meeting Tool with
• In-person and online networking
• Access to side events and after party
• List of investors attending the event

10€

Student

• Access to Tirana Slush'D 2025
• Meeting Tool access
• In-person and online networking
• Access to side events and after party

May be limited in availability, or require a separate application or registration process.

THE CORE OF THE STARTUP
ECOSYSTEM UNDER ONE ROOF

$400,000 IN FUNDS

See who's attending, and step into an investor crowd denser than in Silicon Valley: one VC per two founders, and the world's largest AUM under one roof

ICONIC SPEAKERS

Hear tangible company-building insights from top founders, operators, and investors across four stages

20,000+ MEETINGS

Access 400+ meeting tables at the heart of the venue through our in-house built Meeting Tool

LEGENDARY ACTIVITIES

Take part in Helsinki-wide Slush Week side events hosted by our partners and the startup community

THE SPEAKERS
AT TIRANA SLUSH'D 2025

Oskari is a growth-driven leader at the intersection of healthcare and technology, serving as CEO of BeeHealthy, the leading digital patient engagement platform across EMEA. With a career spanning strategy consulting, private equity, and senior executive roles, he has scaled digital health services internationally, led expansion into new markets, and steered innovation within one of Europe’s largest healthcare groups. Previously with Bain & Company, Tele2, and Triton, Oskari brings a sharp strategic lens to building businesses and a passion for transforming healthcare delivery through scalable, patient-centered technology.

CEO: BEEHEALTHY

OSKARI ESKOLA

Delina Ibrahimaj is an accomplished economist and public leader currently serving as Albania’s Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Business Climate. With a career spanning over two decades across public administration and finance, she has held key roles including Minister of Finance and Economy, Director General of the Tax Authority, and Director General of INSTAT. Her experience also extends to the Bank of Albania, where she specialized in GDP and labor market analysis.

MINISTER: MINISTRY OF ECONOMY AND INNOVATION

DELINA IBRAHIMAJ

Julien bridges telecommunications innovation, operational excellence, and venture capital, founding Fil Rouge Capital to back bold founders across emerging markets with both capital and hands-on guidance. His perspective is shaped by two decades of telecom leadership across four continents—from pioneering mobile networks in Haiti, Slovenia, and the Solomon Islands to co-founding a Y Combinator-backed startup in Silicon Valley. As a Y Combinator alum (S11) who scaled operations in some of the world's most challenging markets, he combines deep operational expertise with investor discipline.

CO-FOUNDER: FIL ROUGE CAPITAL

JULIEN COUSTAURY

Ekaterina has 20+ years in development finance and investment. Since July 2021, she has led the EBRD’s Tirana office, expanding support for Albania’s key sectors. She previously held senior roles at EBRD, including Adviser to the President, Head of Resident Office, Principal Risk Officer, and Private Equity team. She’s served on boards of investee companies. The EBRD is a leading international financial institution in Albania, with total net cumulative investments of EUR 2.3 billion in public and private sector projects.

Head of EBRD in Albania

Ekaterina Solovova

Peter Vesterbacka is a Finnish entrepreneur and innovator best known as the co-founder of Slush, one of the world’s leading startup events, and as the creator of the mobile game Angry Birds during his time at Rovio. Renowned for his visionary approach and bold ideas, Vesterbacka has played a key role in promoting Finland’s startup ecosystem and fostering global entrepreneurship. He continues to champion education, innovation, and cross-border collaboration through various ventures and initiatives.

FOUNDER & INVESTOR: THE MIGHTY EAGLE

PETER VESTERBACKA

Linn-Cecilie is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and impact leader with over two decades of experience building companies, shaping strategies, and driving innovation across climate, health, and education. As Senior Partner at LUMO Labs VC, she backs founders using deep tech, AI, and data-driven solutions to tackle urbanization’s most pressing challenges, from sustainability to healthcare. Previously CEO of Katapult Group, she scaled one of Europe’s most influential impact VCs, mobilizing capital toward climate-positive technologies.

Senior Partner: LUMO LABS VC

LINN-CECILIE LINNEMANN

Walid is a Venture Partner at Baltic Sandbox Ventures, operating from our Helsinki office. He is responsible for portfolio support and business development coaching. As a pitching coach and startup mentor, he has worked in dozens of accelerators, incubators, and universities. Walid is the author of the 'Pitching For Life' ebook (500k downloads), which he has used to coach over 125k participants. He is active in the startup ecosystem in Finland and Europe, attending conferences as a guest speaker, panelist and pitching judge.

BSV VENTURES

WALID O. EL CHEICK

Eli is a finance professional turned venture investor, bringing over a decade of experience in banking regulation, risk management, and financial analysis to her role as Principal at South Central Ventures. Having shaped financial sector policy and supervised banks under EU and Basel frameworks, she now channels that expertise into sourcing, evaluating, and supporting high-potential startups across the Western Balkans. Passionate about fostering entrepreneurship in emerging markets, Eli partners with founders to strengthen their strategies, scale their businesses, and position regional innovations for global impact.

PRINCIPAL at SOUTH CENTRAL VENTURES

ELI ZHABEVSKA

Investor at 4impact Capital, a European early-stage venture capital firm focused on purpose-driven digital technology startups. Daniel brings in experience across venture capital, management consulting, and risk management. Previously at Helen Ventures, he worked on investments in energy, mobility, and decarbonization, preparing investment cases and collaborating with C-suite and board-level decision-makers. With a multidisciplinary background from consulting and startup ecosystems, Daniel combines analytic approach and international experience to help founders scale transformative tech4good ventures.

Investor: 4IMPACT CAPITAL

DANIEL UUISTALO

With nearly 20 years of experience in technology and media communications, Margarita Khartanovich is passionate about building ambitious and impactful projects. Her expertise spans PR, journalism, digital marketing, investor relations, and venture-building. As a co-founder, team leader, and ecosystem operator, Margarita thrives in multi-stakeholder environments, collaborating with diverse teams to bring ideas to life. Driven by a desire to positively impact industries and lives, she specializes in simplifying complex concepts and delivering tangible results through innovation.

Principle: STARTUP ECOSYSTEM BUILDER

MARGARITA KHARTANOVICH

Antti Rahikka is Director for Central and Eastern Europe at Business Finland, driving innovation and international growth for Finnish startups and companies. He focuses on strategic partnerships and market expansion in the region, supporting tech and sustainability-driven ventures.

DIRECTOR FOR CEE: BUSINESS FINLAND

ANTTI RAHIKKA

Franceska is directing Build Green Group Albania to transform grassroots environmental activism into a regionally recognized platform for research and sustainable innovation. Her perspective is shaped by over a decade in the NGO sector, complemented by academic research at POLIS University and collaboration with leading international organizations such as GIZ, UNIDO, and the World Bank. As EIT Community Officer for Albania, she facilitates critical partnerships between Albanian and EU innovation stakeholders.

COMMUNITY OFFICER: EIT ALBANIA

FRANCESKA KORANCE

Rumen Iliev is a Partner at LAUNCHub Ventures, a leading seed fund dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs across the SEE & CEE regions. He works closely with ambitious founders, helping them scale innovative businesses and navigate the challenges of early-stage growth. Before joining LAUNCHub, Rumen built a diverse career: he started in a SME then moved to a couple of multinational corporations, later founded his own consultancy, and eventually transitioned into venture capital. Footnote: speaks several slavic languages but can not write code.

PARTNER: LAUNCHHUB VENTURES

RUMEN ILIEV

Julia Hoxha is the Co-founder and CEO of Zana, an AI-driven health technology company based in Germany that develops conversational AI solutions for healthcare. With over 15 years of experience at the intersection of technology, data, and health, she also leads the Health Working Group at the German AI Association and serves as Chair of the Board at Rubicon. Julia’s academic background includes a Doctorate in Computer Science from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and research experience at Columbia University in medical informatics.

FOUNDER & CEO: ZANA

JULIA HOXHA

Adam Ďurica is an Investment Manager at Zero One Hundred, specializing in early‑stage investments across Emerging and Central Europe. THE ORG +1 He leads deals end‑to‑end, advises portfolio companies, and co‑leads the Zero One Hundred Academy, a program that empowers aspiring VC investors.

INVESTMENT MANAFER: ZERO ONE HUNDRED

ADAM DURICA

As the driving force behind the AIDA - Albanian Investment Development Agency, Laura has passionately championed Albania as a top investment destination. Her innovative strategies and unwavering dedication have sparked significant economic growth and attracted investors from around the globe.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: AIDA

LAURA SARO

Joni bridges deeptech innovation, venture capital, and academia, leading ETH Zürich’s Investor Connect program to connect groundbreaking spin-offs with investors while advising founders on their path from lab to market. His perspective is shaped by venture experience at Plug and Play, driving startup–corporate collaborations at Roche, and guiding one of Europe’s most vibrant student entrepreneurship communities as President of the ETH Entrepreneur Club. With a background in engineering and product innovation, he thrives at the intersection of technology and strategy, passionate about enabling breakthrough science to scale globally and empowering the next wave of deeptech entrepreneurs.

INVESTOR CONNECT PROGRAM: ETH Zürich

JONI RAKIPI

Sanja Mitrovska is the Founder of The Founder Games and CEO of Networker, dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs in emerging markets to think globally and act boldly. Through Networker, she has helped startups in North Macedonia secure over €3 million in early-stage investments, while also achieving a Guinness World Record for organizing the world’s longest business pitch marathon. With The Founder Games — the first entrepreneurial reality show in the region — Sanja is redefining how founders learn, grow, and connect.

FOUNDER: FOUNDER GAMES

SANJA MITROVISKA

Tai Tran is recognized for his contributions to building the innovation and startup ecosystem in Finland and the Nordics. With a strong focus on supporting early-stage startups, he has played a crucial role in fostering innovation throughout the region. As a dynamic young entrepreneur, Tai is committed to empowering emerging founders and bridging the gap between ideas and impact. His deep insights into the startup landscape, along with extensive hands-on experience, make him a valuable asset to Slush D Tirana. Tai will join as a moderator during the event.

HEAD OF INVESTOR RELATIONS AND CO-FOUNDER: SLUSH'D TIRANA

TAI TRAN

Linda Shomo is the Founder and CEO of EasyPay, Albania’s leading fintech company and a pioneer in digital payments and financial inclusion. For nearly two decades, she has driven innovation in electronic payment systems, empowering both banked and unbanked populations with accessible, secure, and real-time financial services. Linda also serves as Country Ambassador for the European Women Payments Network (EWPN) and chairs the Digital Business Committee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Albania.

FOUNDER & CEO: EASYPAY ALBANIA

LINDA SHOMO

Mateo bridges cutting-edge neurotechnology, psychiatric research, and entrepreneurship, leading DeepPsy, a deep-tech startup, as Co-Founder and Co-CEO to revolutionize psychiatric treatment through data-driven EEG and ECG analysis. His perspective is shaped by deep academic research at University of Zurich and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, where he published groundbreaking work on deep learning applications in mental health, alongside hands-on experience in medical device regulations and quality standards.

FOUNDER & CEO: DEEPPSY

MATEO DEBARDECI

Dr. Marjana Prifti Skenduli is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Quantum AI/ML at the University of Bari and the Founder & CEO of AI Albania, the country’s first center for excellence in artificial intelligence. With over a decade of experience in academia, research, and technology, she also serves as an AI & Education Expert for the Council of Europe, Red Teamer at OpenAI, and Awards Committee Chair at ACM-W Global. Her work focuses on explainable AI, large language models, and quantum machine learning, bridging scientific research with policy and ethics.

FOUNDER: AI ALBANIA

MARJANA PRIFTI SKENDULI

Founder of Ailend.io, Frutza.com, Greenleaf - Business Solutions and Consulting, and Gregtech.io, Genti brings together expertise in finance, technology, and analytics. These are companies that provide services in the RegTech, FinTech, and e-commerce domains in Europe, the USA, and Asia. Before starting his entrepreneurship journey 10 years ago, his professional life developed through projects delivered for some of the leading banking groups in Europe, such as Unicredit, Raiffeisen Group, Sber Bank Europe, Erste Group and more.

CO-FOUNDER: AI LAND

GENTJAN ZOTAJ

Arjeta Puca is the CEO and Founder of TIMAK, an Albanian engineering company specializing in emergency and military vehicles, pile driver machines, and truck superstructures. As the first woman military vehicle producer in the region, she has redefined innovation and leadership in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

CEO: TIMAK

ARJETA PUCA

Arjan Ymeri is the Director General of Startup Albania, leading national efforts to grow and strengthen Albania’s startup ecosystem. With extensive experience in innovation management, digital transformation, and business strategy, he has been instrumental in connecting entrepreneurs, researchers, and corporations to drive technological progress.

GENERAL DIRECTOR: STARTUP ALBANIA

ARJAN YMERI

Michele Biring-Pani is a seasoned healthcare and non-profit leader with over 15 years of experience, currently serving as Business Development Director at Barleti Medical Group. She drives innovation across an ecosystem that includes a university, healthcare providers, a research institute, and startups. Passionate about improving healthcare accessibility in the Balkans, Michele uses her expertise and regional connections to create lasting impact.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR: BARLETI MEDICAL GROUP

MICHELE BIRING-PANI

Briseida Gjoza is the Founder and CEO of ConsciESG, a fintech pioneering predictive ESG scores that generate financial alpha. With a background in corporate leadership, politics, and sustainable business strategy, she brings a unique blend of strategic vision and hands-on execution to the future of finance and sustainability.

FOUNDER & CEO: CONSCIESG

BRISEIDA GJOZA

Elton Collaku is the CEO of Financial Union Tirana (UFT), the exclusive agent of Western Union in Albania since 1995, also operating across Kosovo, North Macedonia, Switzerland, and Croatia. With over 18 years of leadership at the helm, he has driven UFT’s growth into one of the region’s most trusted financial service providers, offering fast, safe, and reliable money transfer solutions.

CEO: FINANCIAL UNION ALBANIA

ELTON ÇOLLAKU

Idlir Ahmati is the Founder and CEO of Paysera Albania, a leading fintech company revolutionizing digital payments and financial accessibility in the country. With over 15 years of experience across finance, telecommunications, and technology, he has held executive roles at Kredo.al, Pay and Go, and iMoto Albania, as well as advisory positions in the private sector.

FOUNDER & CEO: PAYSERA ALBANIA

IDLIR AHMATI

Shefqet Avdullau is an angel investor, board advisor, and mentor with a portfolio of 15 startup investments and two successful exits across the U.S. and U.K. A former software engineer turned serial entrepreneur, he has founded, scaled, and exited multiple ventures before focusing on investing in disruptive technologies. His investment interests span Fintech, Adtech, and Healthtech, primarily targeting B2B SaaS and AI-driven innovations.

ANGEL INVESTOR, ADVISOR AND MENTOR

SHEFQET AVDULLAU

Deivis Shomo is the Chief Commercial Officer at EasyPay, Albania’s pioneering fintech company, where he drives strategic growth and innovation in digital financial services. Based in Vienna, he is also the Co-founder and CFO of CityRiddler, a tourism-tech startup creating personalized city experiences through interactive riddles. A member of the Sigma Squared Society, Deivis is part of a global network of young founders shaping the future of entrepreneurship.

CHEIF COMMERCIAL OFFICER: EASYPAY ALBANIA

DEIVIS SHOMO

Brenton Bënja is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Geek Room Albania, the country’s leading digital platform for technology news and insights. Since 2016, he has built Geek Room into a trusted source with over 110,000 followers, delivering daily articles and videos on the latest in gadgets, software, and emerging tech trends. Alongside his entrepreneurial work, Brenton serves as Web and Social Media Manager at the European Union Delegation to Albania, bringing strategic communication expertise to international initiatives.

FOUNDER & EDITOR IN CHIEF: GEEKROOM ALBANIA

BRENTON BËNJA

Sebastian is passionate about sustainable business, digital transformation, innovation and brand man-agement. With GIZ since 2015, his focus is on sus-tainable economic development in Asia, Africa & South-East Europe. He is a fan of rapid prototyping, pragmatic & agile solutions with the potential to leapfrog Albania.

PROJECT MANAGER: EU4Innovation

Sebastian Berwanger

INVESTORS AT
2025

Our Lead Investor of the 300K Investment Fund

STRATEGIC PARTNERS OF
2025

Shaping impact through strategic partnership.

Key PARTNERS OF
2025

Empowering ideas through meaningful support.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS OF
2025

Bridging ecosystems through community power.

OUR ESTIMEED
SPONSORS

Dring innovation through shared ambition.

OUR PRESS
PARTNERS

Bringing innovation through shared ambition.

EVENT AGENDA
2025

Your complete guide to two days of innovation, networking, and inspiration

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29 - INVESTOR DAY

19:00 - 22:00

Dinner with Investors

Sky Tower, Tirana • By invitation only

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2025 - MAIN EVENT

09:30 - 19:00

09:00 – 09:30

Registration & Networking

Ambient music, welcome coffee and networking among participants.

09:30 – 09:35

Official Opening with Video

Speakers: Boralda Minaj, Enxhi Minaj, Tai Tran Co-Founders of Tirana Slush'D

Official Slush video recap: history, energy Tirana Slush'D & Slush Main Event

09:35 – 09:38

Narrative Stories – Last Year's Winners

Speakers: Jona Doda (Bliss.al), Arber Kadia (Patoko)

Stories of passion, innovation, and resilience from last year's winners.

09:50 – 10:10

Opening Remarks

Speakers: Delina Ibrahimaj - Minister of Economy and Innovation, Arbjan Mazniku - Member of Parliament of Albania, Ekaterina Solovova - Head of EBRD in Albania

Welcoming remarks from key partners and supporters of Tirana Slush'D.

10:30 – 10:55

Panel 1: Albania, the Next Rising Star

Moderator: Brenton Bënja

Panelists: Arjan Ymeri - Director of Startup Albania, Laura Saro - Executive Director AIDA, Sebastian Berwanger - Project Manager of EU4Innovation, Peter Vesterbacka - Founder of Slush

The Albanian startup ecosystem is transitioning into a new phase, from ideation to building structures and securing real investments.

11:30 – 11:50

Fireside Chat – Born Global

Moderator: Enxhi Minaj - Co-Founder of Tirana Slush'D

Speakers: Oskari Eskola - CEO, BeeHealthy, Owned by Mehiläinen Group

An inspiring example of how healthcare innovation can emerge from a small market and go global.

11:50 – 12:10

HealthTech: Building the Next Generation of HealthTech Founders

Moderator: Margarita Khartanovich - CCMO & Co-Founder at Sensible 4

Panelists: Julia Hoxha - Co-Founder & CEO of Zana, Michele Biring-Pani - Business Development Director of Barleti Medical Group, Fation Losha - Technology and AI in HealthCare, CEO of DigitSapiens

Exploring the future of healthcare technology and innovation.

12:10 – 12:35

DeepTech 101: How Science-Based Startups Shape the Future

Moderator: Eelis Lehtinen

Panelists: Franceska Korance - Country officer at EIT Albania, Joni Rakipi - Investor Connect Program at ETH Zurich, Mateo de Bardeci - Founder and CEO of DeepPSY

What is DeepTech and why is it important? What are the key steps in founding a DeepTech startup?

12:35 – 13:00

From Zero to One: The Story of Albania's First Venture Investment

Moderator: Daniel Uusitalo Investor at 4Impact VC

Speakers: Julien Coustaury Co-Founder of Fil Rouge Capital, Gentjan Zotaj - Founder AILend, Briseida Gjoza - Founder of ConsciESG

The journey of Albania's pioneering venture investments.

13:00 – 13:15

Lunch Break

Refreshments and networking opportunity.

13:15 – 13:35

Startup Mindset: How to Win as a Founder

Speakers: Walid O El Ceikh - Partner at BSV Ventures

Essential insights on developing the right mindset for startup success.

13:35 – 14:00

She Built It – Women Leading the Tech Revolution

Moderator: Marjana Prifti Skenduli - Founder of AI Albania

Panelists: Arjeta Puca - CEO of TIMAK, Linda Shomo - Founder of EasyPay, Sanja Mitrovska - Founder of Founders Game

Five women who have made it possible – inspiration, leadership and innovation in action.

14:00 – 14:20

Inside the VC Mind: What We Really Look for in Founders

Moderator: Tai Tran

Panelists: Linn-Cecilie Linnemann - Senior Partner at LUMO Labs VC, Eli Zhabevska - Principal atSouth Central Ventures, Shefqet Avdullau - Business Angel, Adam Durica - Investor Mnager atZero One Hundred

Direct insights from venture capitalists on what makes founders investable.

14:20 – 14:45

Fintech: Breakout Year, Missing Pieces: Completing Albania’s Payments Puzzle

Moderator: Rubin Haxhiymeri - Head of Growth and Product at DigitSapiens

Panelists: Deivis Shomo - CCO at EasyPay, Elton Collaku - CEO of Union/Western Union, Idlir Ahmati - Founder & CEO Paysera Albania, Rumen Iliev - Partner at LaunchHub Ventures

The future of financial technology in Albania and the region.

14:45 – 14:50