Gjirafa, Inc.

DFC, the U.S. government development fund, invests in Gjirafa. This investment represents a significant step toward advancing the internet economy in the Western Balkans and lays the foundation for Gjirafa's regional expansion.

DFC, fondi shtet?ror amerikan p?r zhvillim, investon n? Gjirafa. Ky investim p?rfaq?son nj? hap t? madh drejt avancimit t? ekonomis? s? Internetit n? Ballkanin Per?ndimor dhe vendos bazat p?r zgjerimin rajonal t? Gjiraf?s. Lexo m? shum?: https://lnkd.in/dyjqVb2t

Doers Summit is coming to Athens with our signature festival spirit ?? and a lineup full of doers who truly know their craft. We’re more than thrilled to introduce these three gentlemen who are making waves ?? in startup ecosystems around the world and have invaluable stories to share ?. ?? Andrew Yeung known as the “Gatsby of Silicon Alley” ??, is the go-to expert on networking and personal branding. He’s the Founder and CEO of fibe (prev: andrew's mixers) portfolio of event companies including Andrew's Mixers , The Junto Series , Lumos House and the OOO Summit. Andrew is also a Partner at Next Wave NYC a pre-seed/seed fund backed by Flybridge Capital. He has hosted 100+ events for over 30k tech founders and professionals in 8 cities, featured in Bloomberg , Business Insider, Fast Company, and Fortune Magazine. ?? Apostolos Apostolakis, a key figure in the Greek startup ecosystem ????, will honor us with his presence at Doers Summit. He’s the mastermind behind https://e-shop.gr and https://e-food.gr (acquired by Delivery Hero ), doctoranytime and an early investor in Beat (acquired by FREENOW) As an angel investor, Apostolos has supported startups like Jeeves, Spotahome , Booksy and Packhelp ??. In 2016, he co-founded VentureFriends a fund that has raised €170 million across three funds, supporting 50+ startups like Blueground , InstaShop ??, and FlexCar. ?? Mergim Cahani is the Founder & CEO of Gjirafa, Inc. ??, one of the fastest-growing tech companies in Central Europe ??, with a mission to build the internet economy in the Balkan region. A passionate advocate for emerging markets ??, Mergim will share his insights on scaling, fundraising, and collaboration in this dynamic region.

We are happy to recognize Gjirafa, Inc. as a Catalyst for Change Sponsor for KAEF's 20th anniversary! Gjirafa is one of the fastest growing tech companies in Central Europe, on a mission to build the Internet economy in the region. Gjirafa's ecosystem of services encompasses E-Commerce, video streaming, online marketing, cloud computing, and entertainment production. Reflecting on their support, Gjirafa shares: "At Gjirafa, we believe in empowering young talents to shape the future. Supporting KAEF Fellows allows us to invest in education and provide opportunities for change-makers to thrive and bring their skills back to our community." Thank you, Gjirafa! ??? Get your tickets and join us in celebrating KAEF's 20th anniversary: https://shorturl.at/DC508 #KAEF20

For yet another year, Forbes Bulgaria’s DNA of Success forum and awards brought together some of the top Bulgarian business leaders, and this year we had the pleasure of welcoming Mergim Cahani, Founder and CEO of Gjirafa, Inc.. ?? Dr. Andrey Bachvarov, founder of Anthill and Endeavor Bulgaria board member, opened the event with a keynote on the importance of being a giver. Or, as we at Endeavor like to say - the value of paying it forward. (And he's on the cover of this month's magazine edition!) ?? Lubomir Nokov, co-founder and CEO of Harmonica Foods, who is also part of our Regional Program, took the stage to talk about the challenges of scaling a new brand on the global market. ?? Ralitsa Ivanova, co-founder of Appolica | Venture studio and Dare2Scale alumnus, took the stage twice, once in an interview with Hristo Petrov, and a second time to accept her award in the “Female Entrepreneur” category. ?? And, of course, Mergim Cahani, inspired us with his experience with Gjirafa and gaining international funding for a company starting out in the Western Balkans. His take? Where there’s challenges, there’s opportunities, and along the way you find people who are willing to give you a helping hand. The synergies between Forbes Bulgaria’s DNA of Success and Endeavor Bulgaria’s mission are many. We believe in supporting entrepreneurs as best we can in their journeys. We believe in sharing knowledge and opening doors. We believe in expanding our reach as far as we can. Onto bigger and better things with the knowledge gained! Photo credits: High Noir for Forbes България

As we celebrate Gjirafa's 10th anniversary, I am thrilled to announce a remarkable milestone in our journey. We are promoting five exceptional team members, who have grown their entrepreneurial paths with us, to C-level positions—a testament to their dedication and our collective growth. This achievement is particularly significant because these leaders, along with their teams, have evolved in tandem with Gjirafa. Their ability to adapt and thrive alongside our expanding company embodies the very essence of Gjirafa's culture. It is this shared growth and adaptability that continue to drive our success. We look forward to the future under their leadership. Agon Daku Dren Shabani Drilon Kastrati Riad Asllani Shqipron Sezallari #Gjirafa #Team #10X

Our CEO, Mergim Cahani spoke at the Forbes DNA of Success Forum & Awards 2024, addressing key challenges for Balkan startups. He discussed the difficulties in securing funding, the misconceptions and biases investors often have about the region, and shared strategies that have proven effective in attracting international investors. Mergim emphasized that the Balkans offer great potential for investors to achieve high returns on investment. He also highlighted the critical role of networking and relationship-building in securing foreign investment, noting the positive impact organizations like Endeavor are having in connecting the region’s entrepreneurs and strengthening the ecosystem. Thank you to Forbes for bringing together visionary entrepreneurs and innovators. We’re excited to keep driving growth in the Balkans! #ForbesDNAofSuccess #Leadership #BalkanStartups #Innovation #Gjirafa

After a networking lunch and recharged batteries, energy remained high as our day in Prishtina continued with our host Mergim Cahani, co-founder and CEO of Gjirafa, Inc., leading a workshop on his founder’s perspective of the financing world. His story is synonymous with regional impact, as Gjirafa is one of the most successful tech startups in the Balkans. From the genesis of the Gjirafa idea, to his fundraising journey, mistakes he went through and lessons learned along the way, Mergim provided our entrepreneurs with invaluable insights and inspired another high-energy discussion from our cohort. Mergim emphasized throughout his workshop how relationship-building and a strong network are key for a successful startup, especially when fundraising. He even shared with everyone that if he starts a new company tomorrow, he would join Dare2Scale regardless of his experience - a real testament of our commitment to providing a valuable set of resources and perspectives to our participating founders. Thank you, Mergim and Greta, for hosting us at the Gjirafa office, sharing your remarkable story with our cohort, and continuing to support the growth of our Endeavor ecosystem. Thank you as well to PwC North Macedonia, PwC Albania and Kosovo, and PwC Bulgaria for supporting the program!

Celebrating 10 Years of Innovation and Growth at Gjirafa!??? Today we mark 10 years of incredible growth since Gjirafa's first public launch in 2014. Since then, we’ve grown into a multifaceted online platform serving the Balkans region and beyond. As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we're proud to highlight our journey in building the Internet economy in the region: ? Pioneering e-commerce with our online electronics store Gjirafa50 and online marketplace GjirafaMall. ? Producing notable content like Rrushe, Stupcat, and Kafeneja Jon? through GjirafaVideo and GjirafaStudios. ? GjirafaTech, providing end-to-end technology ecosystem for Online Media companies in the EU and beyond. ? Leading online bus ticket sales in the region with GjirafaTravel. ? Investing in future talent with our Leadership Institute of Future Engineers (LIFE) program. ? Introducing online car sales from the EU via Carvago by Gjirafa soon launching in Albania. We're immensely grateful to everyone who's been part of this journey - the support of our users, the dedication of our team, and collaborations with our partners and investors. With unwavering confidence and relentless ambition, we are setting our sights on the next decade, aiming for 10x growth in the coming five years. ????. Stay tuned for exciting things to come! #Gjirafa10Years #BuildingInternetEconomy

Only two days left until Mergim Cahani, founder & CEO of Gjirafa, Inc., will take the stage at Forbes Bulgaria's DNA of Success forum & awards. Mergim will be part of a wonderful lineup of speakers, including Endeavor Bulgaria portfolio entrepreneurs and board. Join us on 10 October and get your tickets now ??https://lnkd.in/dSbcuJR5