The Foundation for Management and Industrial Research recently hosted TvinTek Konekt, a pioneering conference in Skopje that united participants from academia, government, industry, civil society, and research institutions. The event sought to spark inclusive dialogue around innovation, technology transfer, and economic resilience.
The conference featured two expert panels and three concurrent World Café sessions. The opening panel, “Skills for Technology Transfer,” brought together leading voices—among them Gabriela Kostovska Bogoeska, Nikola Dodov, Viktor Stojmanovski, and Radmil Polenakovic—to discuss competencies essential for translating research into market-ready applications. Moderated by Ana Sekulovska, the session highlighted how bridging the gap between innovation and implementation remains critical to growth.
During the interactive World Café roundtables, participants explored themes including digital transformation and Industry 4.0, green innovation through the circular economy, and fostering a culture of innovation. Each group presented actionable insights and recommendations, demonstrating the value of collective creativity across sectors.
The closing panel, “Building an Inclusive Innovation Ecosystem,” included contributions from Petre Lameski, Marija Janevska, and Aleksandra Manolcheva, moderated by Bojana Stanoevska Pecurovska. Discussion emphasized the importance of inclusive collaboration, particularly by engaging women in tech, youth entrepreneurs, and local communities in shaping innovation policies.
A comprehensive communiqué was later released, consolidating conference conclusions and strategic recommendations. Key messages underscored the underutilization of academic talent, the pull of short-lived initiatives lacking structural backing, the ongoing obstacles in accessing finance, and the nascent state of technology transfer infrastructure needing deeper institutional collaboration.
By the event’s end, TvinTek Konekt had reinforced the urgent need for sustained coordination between research, business, and policymaking—laying the groundwork for a more resilient and innovation-ready future in North Macedonia.
Source: TvinTek Konekt Communiqué
