Balkan Business Brief

The Story of Insure.hr: Innovative approach in data processing and presenting

Working in the field of insurance,? Josip Malenica ?noticed that the data published by the Croatian Insurance Office is given in the form of ordinary Excel files, from which it is necessary to find and extract relevant information?in order to?process them. A significant amount of data that was presented in a dry manner which gave him the idea that this data could be processed and presented in?a different way,?i.e.,?visually with the possibility of searching in the web interface. With the help of? Ivan Malenica , a web developer by profession, he started the construction of the? Insure.hr ?platform, which makes data from the field of insurance available and reviewed in?a different way.

Insure.hr is a web platform that simplifies the overview of the Croatian insurance market for insurance companies and brokers. It consists of two main components: the first provides data on the insurance market, such as the number of premiums and claims, while the second focuses on potential clients and their financial data. The platform's key advantage lies in the accessibility of data from all market participants, obtained through processed data from the Croatian Insurance Office and Annual Financial Reports, eliminating the need to search through Excel files and court registers. Additionally, the platform offers insights into the financial data of business entities and their premium potential. Advanced filtering options enable market segmentation and detailed client analysis. In addition to data processing and presentation on the website, Josip and Ivan regularly share analyzed data on their LinkedIn account through posts and reports, aiming to provide market insights.

They pointed out the construction of the web solution itself as a key challenge, acknowledging that the process of data collection and modeling was not simple either. Presenting the platform to the audience required a special approach. By combining outreach and LinkedIn presentations, they presented Insure.hr as a brand that brings an uninteresting topic and industry in an innovative,?interesting?and different way. Josip and Ivan pointed out that they devoted?most of?their free time to the development of the platform, but that the path of development was not purely an upward trajectory, but that there were periods with pauses and consideration about how to shape and build the platform further. However, their efforts paid off not only in terms of profitability but also through the skills they acquired in technical, business, and marketing aspects during the project's development from scratch. The enthusiastic team emphasized their commitment to continue publishing data in an interesting manner, expanding their audience beyond the current region, while they are planning to build a new web application for a broader audience.

Why is Montenegro's tourism industry at risk?

Although a tourist destination abundant in natural beauty and with a large accommodation capacity, Montenegro will face?a serious problem?this year: the lack of seasonal workers. The gravity of the problem is multifaceted. Many exclusive 4- and 5-star hotels already have a?significant number?of reserved or filled rooms but lack sufficient staff to serve the expected number of guests and carry out their work tasks smoothly. Such a situation could lead to a higher number of dissatisfied guests and a worse tourist season next year. The Montenegrin tourist organization emphasizes that without the approval of the arrival of seasonal workers from distant countries this year by government institutions, an income of 1.3 billion euros could be lost. However, the main question is what caused the shortage of seasonal workers in such?a short period. Is the problem solely due to the inability of seasonal workers to arrive? Seasonal workers from Montenegro and neighboring countries have also highlighted?some?other problems. Low wages, coupled with undignified working conditions and poor interpersonal relations, have led?many individuals to give up seasonal work and to go work in other countries with better conditions and higher salaries. Employers in the catering and hotel industry point out that the existing wages in this sector are high enough, and that it is not possible to increase them, but they see?the solution in addition to importing seasonal workers in creating the role of a permanent seasonal worker.

Tikve? winery introduces innovation?-?mobile bottling

When it comes to innovation in the wine industry, Tikve? Winery does not fall short. A renowned winery from North Macedonia, recently introduced a mobile wine bottling plant that allows for on-site bottling of wine while maintaining high quality. The establishment of this first-of-its-kind mobile wine bottling plant is the result of a long-term collaboration between Tikve? winery and GAI, a well-known Italian manufacturer of wine bottling equipment. It is also the first time that a winery from the West Balkan region has implemented mobile filling of wine bottles. Mobile bottling is significant for enhancing the quality of wines produced in wineries situated within the vineyard, commonly known as boutique wineries. With this advancement, Tikve? Winery gains additional opportunities to refine the process of producing high-quality wines, aligning with global?standards?and meeting the demands of consumers worldwide.

Serbia's business footprint in Africa trough trade and establishment of companies

Africa, which has?been?dubbed?the continent of the future in recent years and is increasingly capturing Serbia's attention in terms of economic and political cooperation. According to data from the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the trade exchange in 2022 amounted to approximately $700 million and has been consistently increasing by around 20 percent each year. In terms of exports, Serbia's key partners are Algeria, followed by Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco. Tobacco represents the primary raw material in exports, accounting for a 44 percent share. As for imports, South Africa takes the top spot, supplying Serbia with metal ores and citrus fruit. Moreover, the establishment of a free trade agreement could further enhance and strengthen cooperation between Serbia and African nations. In addition to trade exchanges,?numerous?Serbian companies have opened representative offices, established factories, or initiated collaborations with local African companies. Notable recent examples include Nelt Group , which launched a candy factory in Angola's capital, and Sigma, which commenced the production of eco-friendly disinfectants.