ACT NOW 2025 Successfully Concludes: A Step Forward for Digital Albania
ACT NOW 2025, Albania’s flagship innovation and technology event, concluded its landmark two-day program, confirming the country’s growing leadership in digital transformation across the Western Balkans. Organized by the Albanian Council of Technology and Innovation (ACTI), the event brought together tech giants, policymakers, investors, startups, and cybersecurity experts under one roof to discuss the future of innovation, trust, and digital resilience.
ACT NOW 2025 started on May 29th with an exclusive networking evening that welcomed ACTI board members, event partners, speakers, and senior government officials. The gathering provided a relaxed space to initiate first conversations, new connections, and mark the start of ACT NOW 2025’s collaborative atmosphere.
The Conference, the main event of ACT NOW 2025 began on May 30th with opening remarks by Mr. Ermal Beqiri, Chair of the ACTI Board; Mrs. Mirlinda Karçanaj, Director General of the National Agency for Information Society; and Mr. Blendi Gonxhja, Minister of Economy, Culture and Innovation. During his address, Minister Gonxhja also launched “Albania Future Now,” a new national initiative designed, in cooperation with EU4Innovation, to accelerate digital transformation and innovation-driven development throughout the country.
arly sessions included keynotes by Mrs. Kozeta Garrett, Global Managing Partner for Cybersecurity at Microsoft, on the future of cybersecurity in an AI-driven world, and Mrs. Ekaterina Solovova, Head of EBRD in Albania, who highlighted the bank’s strategic role in supporting tech-led transformation.
These were followed by a high-level panel on “Next-Gen Cybersecurity and Digital Trust”, featuring Mr. Eric Piroux (Entrust), Mr. Lee Rossey (Simspace), Mr. Petar Markota (Check Point), Mrs. Jelena Milosevic (IBM), and Mr. Vladimir Vukovic (Supermicro), moderated by Mr. Saimir Kapllani Director of Governance Risk and Compliance at the National Cyber Security Authority.
At midday, the agenda turned toward national digital strategy. The panel “Way Forward: Digital Albania 2030” featured Mrs. Delina Ibrahimaj, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Business Climate; Mrs. Mirlinda Karçanaj; Mr. Igli Tafa, Head of the National Cyber Security Authority; and Mr. Sokol Duma, Deputy Minister of Economy, Culture and Innovation. The conversation focused on Albania’s strategic digital goals, Startup Strategy, and the importance of inter-institutional alignment for sustainable innovation.
In parallel, the Cyber Drill Challenge kicked off, a fast-paced, scenario-based cybersecurity competition that tested the real-time response capabilities of professionals, students, and enthusiasts. Alvi Skita emerged as the winner of the challenge, earning the Cyber Drill Prize for excellence in cyber defense under pressure.
The afternoon sessions continued with a keynote by Mr. Dane Hinic, IBM Center of Excellence Manager, who spoke about the rise of agentic AI and its implications for business, governance, and ethics. This was followed by a fireside chat with ACTI board members and member companies: Mr. Andis Papa, CEO at Fastech; Mr. Gentian Likaj, CEO at Communication Progress; Mr. Brano Djurovic, CEO at One Albania; Mr. Kushtrim Shala, CEO at ALBICT; Mr. Gjergji Mulla, CEO at Helius Systems; and Mr. Bernard Toci, CEO at Synapse. They reflected on ecosystem challenges and emphasized the need for stronger infrastructure, investment, and talent pipelines.
The final keynote was delivered by Mr. Onur Koc, Regional Technology Officer for Southeast Europe at Microsoft, Southeast Europe. His talk, “AI with Purpose: Shaping Agentic AI and Microsoft’s Vision”, focused on the ethical evolution of artificial intelligence and the region’s potential to lead in responsible AI development.
That evening, the ACT NOW 2025 Grand Prize Ceremony and Gala Dinner brought the summit to a celebratory close. Opening remarks were delivered by Mr. Ermal Beqiri and Mrs. Delina Ibrahimaj.
The event then featured a venture capital panel with six international investors: Vuk Lau (Silicon Gardens), Maaike Doyer (Epic Angels), Maria Carolina Romero (Business Angel), Eli Zhabevska (South Central Ventures), Keo Sar (Dream VC), and Ardian Hoxha (Keiretsu Forum South East Europe). The panel, moderated by investor and CEO Mr. Ravik Mima, focused on empowering bold founders in the Western Balkans and identifying investment potential in the region.
Six finalist startups pitched live for the ACT NOW Grand Prize in front of the audience and a jury composed of Mrs. Delina Ibrahimaj, Mr. Sokol Duma, Mrs. Mirlinda Karçanaj, Mr. Igli Tafa, Mr. Josh Miekley, Human-Centered Strategist; Mr. Aleksandër Biberaj, Head of Electronics and Telecommunication Department at the Faculty of Technology and Information, Polytechnic University of Tirana; and Ms. Leonora Kusari, Regional Coordinator, SME Finance & Development at EBRD.
ACT NOW 2025 Prize Winners:
- Youth Prize: LookUp Parking by Xhurian Shaba was awarded 2,500€, for its creative smart parking app that connects drivers seeking parking with people who have available spaces. The app creates a dynamic, easy-to-use marketplace where drivers can easily find, book, and pay for parking while space owners can list their spots, set their own prices, and earn income.
- Cyber Drill Prize: Alvi Skita was awarded €2,500 for his exceptional performance in the Cyber Drill Challenge, where he successfully solved a series of complex scenarios and won the challenge that brought together over 20 cybersecurity professionals, students, and enthusiasts from across the country
- ACT NOW Grand Prize (€50,000): InsectIntel, a startup that is transforming pest control in agriculture through AI-powered smart traps and real-time analytics. Their solar-powered IoT devices capture insect images in the field, identify species using custom-trained computer vision models, and instantly alert farmers.
ACT NOW 2025 proved to be more than a summit; it was a statement of intent. Albania is not waiting for the future. It’s building it. Now.
