Pristina/Sarajevo – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) proudly announced the Western Balkans Women Entrepreneurs of the Year 2024 at a ceremony held tonight in Pristina, celebrating six outstanding women who are shaping the region’s business landscape with their innovation, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit.

The event was opened by Amer Kapetanovic, RCC Secretary General, alongside Aivo Orav, Head of the EU Office and European Union Special Representative, and Atifete Jahjaga, Founder and Chairwoman of the Jahjaga Foundation and Former President.

"Tonight, we celebrate the extraordinary women who are not only building businesses but also transforming societies. Their success fuels economic growth, innovation, and social progress across the Western Balkans Six. But while we honour their achievements, we must also recognise the challenges that remain—women still face significant gaps in leadership, financing, and economic opportunity. That is why RCC remains committed to advocating for policies that ensure women entrepreneurs have the support and resources they deserve," said Amer Kapetanovic, RCC Secretary General.

Meet the Western Balkans Women Entrepreneurs of the Year 2024

Selected from over 200 nominations, this year’s six laureates represent the region’s most inspiring women entrepreneurs across various industries:

•    Artistic Woman Entrepreneur – Edina Hadzic: Launched Sugar on Top, a fashion and design company and brand dedicated to zero waste principles in fashion and committed to sustainable and ethical practices of production while minimizing environmental impact. 
•    Social Star Woman Entrepreneur – Ardita Vokshi: Built a successful pastry business using locally sourced ingredients and employing women, and empowering them with financial independence and skills.
•    ICT Woman Entrepreneur – Vesna Kuzmanovic: Founded Impala Research, an AI-driven platform using sentiment analysis, eye tracking, and emotion recognition to help businesses understand consumer behaviour.
•    Tourism Woman Entrepreneur – Andjela Djokic: Created FitCamp Montenegro, a nature-based retreat promoting sustainable tourism and supporting local women’s empowerment networks.
•    Young Woman Entrepreneur – Katarina Ejdus: Established Women on the Way, a social enterprise empowering refugee women through sustainable fashion and ethical design.
•    Green Woman Entrepreneur – Marjana Koceku: Converted her family’s traditional Kulla house into a sustainable tourism destination, offering visitors an authentic experience of the Albanian highlands.

Launched as part of the Common Regional Market Action Plan and the RCC’s Women Economic Empowerment Agenda, this initiative, financed by the European Union, aims to recognise and support women who lead, innovate, and create sustainable jobs across the region.

Since its inception, 18 remarkable women have received this prestigious title, including last year’s winners Irena Chaushevska, Ilda Humic, Marija Ivankovic Jurišić, Nikolina Kovacevic, Rigerta Loku, and Hana Qerimi.

"Women entrepreneurs are key drivers of stability, growth, and innovation in the Western Balkans. Their businesses are not only creating jobs but also addressing social challenges, fostering sustainability, and redefining leadership," Kapetanovic added.

Despite progress, gender disparities persist. Women in the region still earn 16% less than men; only 1 in 7 top managers is a woman; and just 1 in 3 parliamentary seats is held by a woman.

As the region moves forward, RCC remains committed to fostering women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment through policy advocacy, financial inclusion initiatives, and regional networking opportunities to help women-led businesses integrate into regional and EU value chains.

More Information:
🔗 Regional Network of Women in Entrepreneurship
🔗 Western Balkans Women Entrepreneurs of the Year Initiative & Laureates