# Nikolco Gosev

> Nikolco Gosev (also written Nikolcho Goshev) is president of SmartUp - Social Innovation Lab, a non-profit in Skopje, North Macedonia, and joint CEO of Orion Create, a creative and digital agency that works closely with SmartUp. He has more than ten years of experience in the non-profit sector and has helped deliver more than 40 projects in education, climate adaptation, youth and public sector innovation. He built SmartUp's financial procedures and internal controls; donors assess SmartUp as a low-risk partner and its audits come back with no findings.

## Key facts

- Name: Nikolco Gosev. Alternate spelling: Nikolcho Goshev. The Macedonian Cyrillic spelling is on the main page.
- Tagline: Nonprofit Leader | Financial Expertise | Entrepreneurial Mindset | Dedicated to Solving Social Issues
- Role: President of SmartUp - Social Innovation Lab, responsible for the organisation as a whole: programmes, finances, operations, team and partnerships.
- Also: Joint CEO of Orion Create (2019 to present), which builds campaigns, websites and digital tools for non-profits and public institutions.
- Background: started as a web developer; ICT and open government consultant with UNDP North Macedonia (2016 to 2022).
- Base: Skopje, North Macedonia. Languages: English, Macedonian.
- Partners and donors worked with: UNICEF, UNDP, the European Union and EIT Climate-KIC, Erasmus+, UNHCR, OSCE, the Pestalozzi Children's Foundation and the U.S. Embassy in Skopje.
- Contact: hello@nikolcogosev.me

## Key projects

- [Skopje Lab, City of Skopje Innovation Center](https://innovationlab.mk/our-work/city-of-skopje-innovation-center-skopjelab-n-macedonia-2017-2021) (2018 to 2021): the first public sector innovation lab in the Balkans, set up with UNDP and the City of Skopje. It brought city officials, citizens, businesses and civil society together to co-design city services and policies.
- [EDUINO](https://innovationlab.mk/our-work/eduino-collectively-improving-education-through-co-creation-and-innovation) (2019 to 2023): the national education platform, co-created with teachers and UNICEF and now run by the Bureau for Development of Education. Video lessons, early childhood activities, webinars, tutorials and educational games.
- [Future Cities of Southeast Europe](https://innovationlab.mk/our-work/future-cities-of-south-east-europe-2021-2022) (2019 to 2022): regional programme for zero-carbon neighbourhoods in Maribor, Sarajevo, Skopje, Krizevci and Nis, funded by EIT Climate-KIC.
- [Generation Unlimited Youth Challenge](https://innovationlab.mk/our-work/generation-unlimited-youth-challenge-2018-2019) (2018 to 2020): the national edition of UNICEF's global youth challenge. Young people co-created solutions to local challenges; the strongest teams went through incubation, two of them reaching the global top five.
- [Resilience Lab Sveti Nikole](https://innovationlab.mk/our-work/pathways2resilience-strengthening-regional-capacity-for-transformative-climate-a-2024-2026) (2024 to 2026): climate adaptation planning with the Municipality of Sveti Nikole, one of 100 regions supported by the EU's Pathways2Resilience programme.

## Experience

- 2014 to now: President, SmartUp - Social Innovation Lab, Skopje
- 2019 to now: Joint CEO, Orion Create
- 2016 to 2022: ICT and open government consultant, UNDP North Macedonia (Skopje Lab, Resilient Skopje, open data)
- 2012 to 2015: Junior project assistant and technical support, Youth Entrepreneurial Service Foundation
- 2011 to 2019: Freelance web developer
- 2015 to 2022: Youth Council of the U.S. Embassy in Skopje, volunteer
- 2015 to 2020: TEDx Skopje, volunteer event organiser

## Education and certifications

- Specialist (MA), Strategic Management, Business Academy Smilevski (2023 to 2024)
- Bachelor's degree, Operational Management, Business Academy Smilevski (2015 to 2018)
- Global UGRAD exchange, Business Administration, Management and Operations, Montclair State University, USA (2017 to 2018)
- Applied E-Technologies, 108 ECTS completed, Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering, Skopje (2013 to 2017)
- Certifications: EcoDistricts Accredited Professional (AP); Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT); Funding Authorization and Certificate of Expenditure (FACE) form; cyber security
- Awards: 1st place, #Odtebezavisi Challenge; 2nd place, ecaHack Skopje 2013 open data hackathon; 2nd place, Best Marketing Plan

## Pages

- [Profile](https://nikolcogosev.me/): about, key projects, experience, education, contact

## Elsewhere

- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikolco-gosev)
- [SmartUp - Social Innovation Lab](https://innovationlab.mk)
- [Orion Create](https://orioncreate.com)