Client Overview

Preda Plus is a non-profit organization committed to driving regional development through innovation and entrepreneurship. As part of their mission, they launched the Vardar Innovation Hub—a program focused on revitalizing the local tourism sector and empowering early-stage teams to develop user-centered solutions that create long-term impact.

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The Challenge

In the Vardar region, the tourism industry had stalled. Traditional approaches no longer met the expectations of modern travelers, and there was a clear lack of innovative solutions designed with the end user in mind.

Preda Plus identified this gap and set out to shift the mindset of early-stage entrepreneurs in the region. The goal was to train startup teams not just to build businesses—but to design them around real user needs. This required more than an introduction to new methods; it called for a hands-on, practical Design Thinking experience that would challenge assumptions, reshape thinking, and inspire long-term change in how problems were approached and solved.

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Our Approach

We designed and facilitated a week-long Design Thinking Startup Training, tailored specifically for the tourism and fintech startup context in the Vardar region.

The program combined foundational education with hands-on sessions, guiding teams through each phase of the Design Thinking process—from empathy and problem definition to prototyping and testing. We kicked off the week with a deep dive into how Design Thinking applies to startups, followed by case studies from global tourism companies that had successfully integrated this methodology.

To make the learning experience practical, we introduced a set of custom Design Thinking tools, designed to align with the specific needs of the participants. Energizers and creative warm-up exercises kept the sessions dynamic, while guided prototyping and testing activities helped teams move from abstract ideas to working concepts.

Seasoned UX designers led prototype development sessions, helping participants build and test early versions of their solutions. In the final phase, we worked with each team to refine their pitch and prepare to present their ideas to potential partners and investors.

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Outcomes

• Hands-on Innovation: Participants moved beyond theory, applying Design Thinking tools directly to real startup concepts in the tourism space.
  
  
• Solution Development: Teams built and tested functional prototypes, refining their ideas through continuous feedback and iteration.
  
  
• Stronger Pitching: By the end of the workshop, teams had sharpened their presentation and storytelling skills, preparing them to pitch for funding or partnership opportunities.
  
  

Mindset Shift: The most valuable outcome was long-term—participants left with a new way of thinking, centered around empathy, experimentation, and continuous improvement.