Introduction
Spring set the foundation. Summer kept the momentum going.
Projects kicked off. Workshops happened. We moved offices somewhere in the middle of it all. And by the time autumn rolled around, we were deep into the kind of work that requires you to be present, adaptable, and ready to shift gears fast.
This wasn't a dramatic transformation. It was just... momentum. One project leading to the next. One workshop informing the approach for another. The kind of season where you look up in October and realise you've been running at full speed without really noticing.
Here's what that looked like.
We moved offices
The only constant is change. That's been our motto for a while now, and summer of ‘25 proved it once again.
But moving at that point meant making a little pause. Even if just for a moment. A pause to look back.
Eight years is a long time. Long enough to remember how it felt when we first walked in.Long enough to recall the first clients, the first projects, the meetings that ran late because we were too excited to stop talking. The whiteboards covered in ideas. The coffee cups that piled up during deadline weeks. The small wins that felt massive. The challenges that felt impossible until they weren't.
We packed up eight years of work. Eight years of people who walked through that door, some who stayed, some who moved on, all who left something behind. Eight years of learning what we're good at, what we're not, what we want to become.
Moving is never easy. There's the logistics, the packing, the cleaning, the "wait, where did we put that?" moments, and all the memories between all of it. But there's also something symbolic about it. Closing one chapter. Opening another. Physically stepping into a new phase.
Oh, and we got new team members.
By the time we settled in, summer was already picking up speed. And we were ready.
The Project Wave
Summer didn't ease us in. It hit fast.
Multiple projects launched almost simultaneously, each one demanding focus, each one stretching us in different ways. Looking back, it's a blur of workshops, strategy sessions, late calls, early mornings, and this constant hum of "okay, what's next?"
Here's what we were building.
GIZ Design Thinking Workshop: Building for Sustainability
GIZ and its partner institutions came to us with a challenge that's harder than it sounds: how do you ensure the sustainable continuation and ownership of project outputs after the project cycle ends?
The issues were real. Limited partner capacity. Institutional turnover. Lack of clear handover mechanisms. Tools and knowledge that existed but weren't visible or accessible enough.
They needed more than a presentation. They needed a process. A way to engage diverse stakeholders, align understanding, and generate practical, implementable solutions.
So we designed and facilitated a three-day Design Thinking workshop.
We guided participants through the full process, from understanding and empathy, to ideation, prototyping, and planning. We introduced tools like semantic analysis, stakeholder mapping, Charette brainstorming, HMW reframing, persona development, starbursting, idea napkins, and process scenario planning.
What came out of it?
- Validated problem statements based on real stakeholder needs
- A refined set of innovative solution ideas
- Individual and team Idea Napkins capturing core concepts
- A unified final solution: the PeMO Knowledge Transfer Platform
- A concise 5-step action plan for next steps
- Strengthened participant capacity to use design thinking for sustainability
The workshop successfully aligned partners, revealed critical insights, and generated practical tools to support long-term ownership and impact of GIZ products.
We loved this one because it wasn't about us delivering answers. It was about creating the conditions for the right answers to emerge.
EvolvEV Summer School: From Electric Vehicles to Business Ideas
The organizers of the summer school "Electromobility and Innovation" needed an engaging final module. They wanted to help students translate technical knowledge about electric vehicles into practical, innovative business ideas.
Solveo designed and delivered a three-day innovation and entrepreneurship program, working directly with student teams on developing EV-related business concepts.
We provided guided workshops, mentoring sessions, and practical tools to help students transform early-stage concepts into feasible solutions within the electromobility field.
The result?
Multiple student teams developed innovative EV business ideas, participated in hands-on exercises, and engaged in inspiring discussions. The energy, creativity, and collaboration were highly appreciated by participants and organizers.
It was a focused, hands-on experience with a motivated group of students. And we were there to help them connect the dots between technical knowledge and business thinking.
Stia: Launching a New Consumer Product from Scratch
Then there was Stia.
A completely new consumer solution entering the market for the first time. No existing awareness. No distribution. No established demand.
The challenge? Design and execute a go-to-market strategy that would validate interest, build early visibility, and identify which channels, audiences, and messages could generate real traction in the first 90 days.
We went all in.
We built social media presence from scratch.
- 2.4M+ views
- 520K accounts reached
- 2.5M+ impressions
- Clear awareness impact
We opened local partnerships. Secured sales collaboration with flower shops, creating physical touchpoints where the product made sense.
We built trust through PR and visibility. Tested physical exposure by placing free samples in restaurants and travel agencies, getting the product into people's hands.
We created captivating social media content that brought the product to its potential customers.
Because for a completely new product category, traditional marketing alone is not enough.
The strategy introduced:
- A rapid experimentation model
- Diversified awareness channels
- Real user feedback loops
- Early proof of interest and relevance
- A scalable framework that can be replicated in new markets
We liked this project because it was very hands-on. Trying things. Learning fast. Seeing how people react. Building something new from the start is always special.
Techstars Startup Weekend Skopje 2025: The Eighth Edition
And then came autumn. Like every year, we organised Techstars Startup Weekend Skopje. This was the eighth edition.
From October 31 to November 2, fintech innovators, designers, and entrepreneurs gathered in Skopje for 54 hours of creative intensity. The focus this year: Fintech. Where finance meets technology.
This was also the third edition supported by our partners ProCredit Bank and Mastercard. Long-term support matters. It signals trust in the process, not just the event.
Our role as organizers:
- Choosing the theme
- Curating mentors
- Designing the schedule
- Supporting teams through tough decisions
Not just hosting. Crafting a space where ideas could grow.
What happened over three days:
- Teams formed organically
- Ideas were pitched and challenged
- Solutions were iterated
- Mentors guided with real insights
- Prototypes and demos emerged
The energy, curiosity, and collaboration were intense.
The community and exposure:
17 mentors from fintech, finance, and entrepreneurship shared expertise worth years. Judges brought perspective from leaders in the industry. Participants didn't just compete, they connected, learned, and expanded their horizons.
The ideas:
The weekend produced ideas with real relevance:
- Smart financial education tools
- Next-gen billing and transaction solutions
- Innovative concepts for shared financial trust and transparency
Organizing Startup Weekend Skopje isn't just an event. It's part of building a community, one where people learn to think like builders. And we love doing that.
What this period taught us
By the time autumn settled in, we'd facilitated workshops, launched a brand-new product, helped students turn technical knowledge into business concepts, and organized one of the most intense weekends of the year.
The GIZ workshop reminded us that facilitation is as much about asking the right questions as it is about having the right answers.
EvolvEV showed us that working with students brings a kind of energy you don't get anywhere else, curiosity without cynicism, ideas without limits.
Stia taught us that launching something new is messy, experimental, and exciting, and that the best strategies come from testing fast and learning faster.
Startup Weekend proved, once again, that building a community takes consistency. Showing up year after year. Creating the space for ideas to happen.
And through it all, we kept moving. Not just physically, but in capability, in confidence, in the belief that we could handle whatever came next.
Because the year wasn't over yet.
Fall brought more programs. More partnerships. And one of the most anticipated launches we'd been working toward all year.
But that's another story, and we’ll tell it in the next blog.
If you missed how 2025 started, read Part 1 here.
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