Theme: Dare to X

TEDxRITKosovo is an independently organized event to be held in the public space of Kino Armata, Prishtina, in May 2022. The aim of this event is to share inspiring stories and ideas worth spreading from Kosovars who dare to act differently. With our theme “Dare to X”, we hope to inspire new generations of courageous and innovative minds to think outside the box and not let environmental and social constraints stop them. We hope to inspire our diverse community by sharing stories that showcase what it takes to dare to be different and leave the event-driven to improve our collective future creatively.
This event is initiated and organized by RIT Kosovo students. Event curators, organizing team members, volunteers, and speakers all participate on a voluntary basis and as such are not paid.

Kino Armata
Brigada e Kosoves
Prishtina, Kosovo-Metohija, 10000
Kosovo

Bind Skeja

Co-founder of "Linja e Jetes"

Bind Skeja is the founder of the NGO "Qendra pèr Informim dhe Pèrmirèsim Social" and co-founder of "Linja e Jetes". He graduated from York University with a degree in Experimental Psychology and is currently pursuing a degree in Criminology at the University of Malmö. Now, he is engaged as an activist in the field of mental health.

Blerim Zeqiri

Founder & CEO of Radix

Blerim Zeqiri is the CEO and Founder of Radix, a cloud-based multifamily market research and analytics platform with built-in tools designed to help users make sense of ambiguous data and drive performance through predictive and prescriptive analytics. Radix enables users to better understand the competitive environment from a property level up to a portfolio or investment level. Prior to founding Radix, Blerim worked as VP of Acquisitions/Investment for Progress Residential – a private equity company in the Single-Family Rental industry where he was in charge of acquisitions, as well as heading Asset Management and Revenue and Research departments. Before joining Progress Residential, Blerim spent over a decade with Alliance Residential Company in Phoenix as VP of Acquisitions and VP of Asset Management. He was responsible for multifamily acquisitions throughout the US, including sourcing and underwriting of deals, equity, debt, and spearheading the due diligence and closing process.

Hana Qerimi

Founder of Starlabs & Shkolla Digjitale

Hana Qerimi is an innovator who established two leading companies in the ICT field: the Digital School of Kosova, which operates as a franchising model in over 20 states, and StarLabs, the software development company that is the second-largest provider of ICT jobs in Kosovo. She earned her bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Business and Technology in Prishtina and her master's degree in Global MBA Consulting Management from the University of Business and Technology in London. Hana is currently the vice president of the board of STIKK and a board member of KAEF. She has served as the Business Consultants Council's (BCC) deputy chairperson for the past two years. She also taught PM certification and IT project management at the RIT Kosovo - TDI department.

Mergim Cahani

Founder & CEO of Gjirafa.Inc

Mergim Cahani is the Founder and CEO of Gjirafa Inc - Gjirafa is one of the fastest-growing tech companies in Central Europe (Deloitte Fast 50 2021 in CE position #11), with a mission to build the Internet economy in the South East Europe region. Gjirafa’s ecosystem of services encompasses e-commerce, video streaming, online marketing, cloud computing, and video entertainment production, while to date it has raised over $10M in VC funding. Previously, in New York, Mergim worked for Broadridge Financial Solutions, as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at St. John’s University, an executive management consulting program at Morgan Stanley, taught at various local universities, the President of the Board of Governors at the American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo, board member of ATOM Institute and GAP Institute, an advisory board member of several startups, accelerators and funds, and has over 15 years of industry experience with startups, and technology, management experience.

Petrit Selimi

CEO of Millennium Foundation Kosovo

Petrit Selimi is the Chief Executive Officer of Millennium Foundation Kosovo, the country's biggest non-profit entity, responsible for implementing MCC's $49 million Threshold grant in Kosovo. Prior to that, Petrit worked in government as the National Coordinator for MCC, Deputy Foreign Minister in two mandates, and Foreign Minister in 2016. Before joining diplomacy, Petrit held various roles in the private sector and civil society. He was one of the founders and the first CEO of Gazeta Express, a member of the Board of Directors of Soros foundation in Kosovo, and President Ahtisaari's Balkan Children and Youth Foundation. Petrit also organized several music events such as concerts by 50 Cent, Manu Chao, Nouvelle Vague, and Morcheeba, in Prishtina. Petrit graduated from Oslo University and is a Chevening scholar studying for an MSc at the London School of Economics. Petrit speaks fluently Albanian, English, Norwegian, and South Slavic languages.