MISSION
Our mission is to support projects that make Kosovo a better place to live. KOSOVA ideas helps artists, social and green activists to realise their projects in Kosovo. KOSOVA ideas is the first crowdfunding platform 100% committed to projects in all fields of art & culture, civic engagement and sustainability realized in and for Kosovo.
PEOPLE
The platform under www.kosovaideas.com was build and financed by the three co-founders.
Georg Fankhauser
Georg shaped the vision of KOSOVA ideas inspired by eight years of motivating project experiences in Kosovo together with his wife and their music foundation Stiftung Pirolo. Born 1950 and grown up in Basel, he visited 12 years Rudolf Steiner School and finished his studies at the University of Basel with a master (lc. rer. pol.) in economy in 1980.
He began his professional career with F. Hoffman – la Roche, ROCHE vitamines and fine chemicals, as assistant to divisional management, later regional and product manager and then globally responsable for ciric assid and citrates (1984-86). 1986 he entered Remaco Merger AG, M&A and COFI, became partner and co-owner and realized in 25 years more than 100 transactions. From 2000-2011 he was investment manager for the private equity fond New Energies Invest AG of Bank Sarasin & Cie AG. From 1989 to 2012 he acted as board member in various companies such as Held AG, Proma Energie AG, Edisun Power AG, an das chairman at Solarwatt AG, Dresden and Weleda AG (group), Arlesheim , Switzerland. 2006 he created the music foundation Pirolo. He loves music (classic, jazz, folk, tango), cello and bass, horse riding, organic farming and history. He is married, has two adult childern and four grandchildren.
Vllaznim Xhiha
Vllaznim Xhiha is co-founder of the Foundation “UNE E DU KOSOVEN” based in Prishtina. The major focus of the Foundation is on supporting initiatives and projects to transform education, promote arts and crafts, and sports. Xhiha holds a master’s degree (1976) in electrical engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich.
He began his professional career as an assistant and lecturer at the Technical Institute of Technology of Prishtina (1976–1982). From 1981–1985, he was member of the supervising engineers team for the construction of the water treatment plant and water distribution network for the city of Prishtina. In the period 1985-1992 he worked for the Swiss based company Invertomatic SA. In 1993 he has co-founded the Swiss based Company Newave Energy and was its CEO from 1993-2010. Since its successful IPO on the Swiss stock exchange in 2007, he was also member of the Board and in the last two years he was Chairman of Newave Energy. In 2011 Newave Energy was acquired by ABB. Xhiha is Board Member of RIT Kosovo (AUK) since 2014. Chairman of the Board of Directors of RUGOVE shpk. since 2008. He established in 2014 the Maker-Space BONEVET in Gjakov and founded EYE (Encouraging Young Entrepreneurs) in 2011, a Kosovo based company, to support young entrepreneurs in setting their own successful companies.
Lekë Zherka
Lekë Zherka is a long term supporter of KOSOVA ideas and a board member since November 2022. Leke Zherka, a visionary and passionate individual who has been a driving force behind the development of makerspaces in Kosovo. As the Network Director and Co-founder of BONEVET, he has played a pivotal role in establishing six makerspaces across the country, ...
providing young people with access to cutting-edge technology and resources to develop their skills and unleash their creativity.
Leka’s journey in the world of makerspaces began in 2014 when he started working at makerspaces in the USA, learning about the latest technologies and techniques in electronics and IT. He was inspired by the transformative power of makerspaces to ignite a passion for learning and innovation in young people, and he resolved to bring this experience back to Kosovo.
With his Bachelor’s degree from American University in Kosovo (now RIT-Kosovo) and experience in project management, Leka successfully implemented and managed the first makerspace in Gjakova, laying the foundation for the growth and expansion of BONEVET. He also attended the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth University for a semester-long entrepreneurship program, further honing his skills in leadership and innovation.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Leka is a devoted husband to his wife Hana and a proud father of a one-year-old daughter named Hera. He is fluent in English and possesses an infectious enthusiasm for sharing his knowledge and passion for makerspaces with others.
Overall, Leka Zherka is a true champion of innovation and education in Kosovo, and his contributions to the development of makerspaces have already had a profound impact on the lives of countless young people across the country.
STRUCTURE
Two legal entities are created and controlled by the founders, one based and registered in Switzerland, the other in Kosovo:
a) KOSOVA ideas (Verein/association) is a not for profit NGO in Basel, Switzerland registered under CHE-181.369.863.
The NGO is tax exempt itself and donations are tax-deductible according to law and regulations of the Kanton Basel-Stadt, Switzerland.
This entity owns the domain www.kosovaideas.com, collects funds for projects from bakers and distributes them according to our rules to the project owners.
b) KOSOVA ideas NGO, develops and manages the platform, invests in necessary software and infrastructure, recruits staff and takes on board partners. IT is the campaigners, local sponsors and curating partners, local governmental institutions and local and locally present international NGOs. It reinvests any profits to further develop and promote the platform www.kosovaideas.com
DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS
All funds received from bakers for a specific project are distributed as follows:
90% to the project owner
10% to KOSOVA ideas GmbH allowing to cover related bank transfer cost (3 – 6%) and the remaining 4 – 7% to cover the cost to run, manage, develop and promote the platform.
We are interested to partner with institutions, NGOs, foundations etc., in- and outside Kosovo, who want to support our crowdfunding platform as a curating partner.
SUPPORT
Support for users, bakers, project owners, partners and curating partners is provided under HELP INFORMATION in this website, but also via email and telephone according CONTACT US in the footer.
PARTNERS
Fondacioni Unë e du Kosovën
Art & Culture, social engagement and encouragement of youth projects in Kosovo
CURATING PARTNERS
Stiftung Pirolo
Instruments for young musicians and music schools. Support of and cooperation with music projects in Kosovo and crossborder and exchange music projects
Fondacioni Unë e du Kosovën
Art & Culture, social engagement and encouragement of youth projects in Kosovo
CHWB - Cultural Heritage without Borders
CHWB Kosovo is dedicated to promote the preservation of cultural heritage in areas where the significant cultural heritage is endangered as a result of economic, social or political factors. The Foundation will also promote research on this issue. CHWB Kosovo works with cultural heritage as an active fore in reconciliation, peace building and social and economic development by creating capacity, awareness and opportunities for preserving and rescuing cultural cultural heritage in societies affected by conflict, neglect or human and natural disasters
IPKO Foundation
Any projects and activities which seed and support the development of the next generation of leaders with a digital vision for Kosovo. These young leaders may come from any sector of discipline but are united in their embrace of technology, Internet and the information society. Publicize, reward and support innovative work from any sector which incorporates the use of technology and potrays a digital vision for Kosovo. Cooperation regarding events such as BarCamp
Kantensprung Stiftung
Preservation, reuse and expansion of open spaces and real estate, environmentally and socially responsible urban development, innovative forms of living or work
TOKA as partner
Cooperation to increase awareness of KOSOVA ideas among youth through trainings and programs.
MEDIA PARTNERS
Albinfo.ch
Cooperation to increase awareness of KOSOVA ideas within the diaspora in Switzerland via online advertisement, media coverage and joint awareness activities/events
SPONSORING PARTNERS
Supports through free monthly advertising budget at google ads via google grants program for NGOs
HUB PARTNERS
KOSOVA ideas
Project coordination Kosovo and HUB in Prishtina
BONEVET
KOSOVA ideas HUB in Prishtina
Lumbardhi
KOSOVA ideas HUB in Prizren
Shoqata Kulturo - Artistike Ad Libitum
KOSOVA ideas HUB in Mitrovica