Kosovo’s Future in Tech

Glenn Noble and his family lived in Kosovo from 2003 to 2005.  They learned the Albanian culture and language, and they witnessed the hopes, and challenges, that everyday Kosovars had experienced along their difficult path to independence.  Towns like Prizren (pictured left) brim with optimism, but unemployment is the greatest threat to this mostly agricultural nation.

Now the Nobles are moving back to Kosovo to launch the Genesis Technology Center.  Their idea is to spark the technology sector in this country of two million, especially for younger people who face bleak economic prospects.

The GTC is a non-profit organization that hopes to kindle economic and technological transformation to Kosovo through technology business development.  The organization will first offer training to electrical engineering graduates, and in the long term, hopes to become a technology business incubator.  If all goes to plan, the GTC will start an electronics design manufacturing sector, giving Kosovars opportunities to work in engineering design services for international companies that wish to outsource their services.

Organizations like GTC are crucial for Kosovo to succeed in the long run.  Currently the republic is a huge recipient of international aid, but with the country’s tenuous political situation, it is unknown how long that money train can continue.  International development should not just be about sending funds to a money pit; it should be about fostering a business climate that can employ people, who in turn spend, invest, and grow the economy.  The GTC is one such organization that can help Kosovo achieve a solid footing in the international economy.