VEZILKA Project Featured at “Brains Beyond Borders” Event

The VEZILKA project was presented at “Brains Beyond Borders” event, held on June 17, 2026, at Sreќa Bar in Skopje. Organized by Gen M, the youth initiative of the United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD), this forum brought together students, researchers, and members of the diaspora to confront one decisive question: how can North Macedonia compete in the AI economy, build technology companies at home, and keep its talent? 

The project was represented by Professor Dimitar Trajanov, leader of the VEZILKA AI Factory Antenna project, who delivered the event’s opening keynote, “Why the Next Decade Is Decisive for Macedonia’s Digital Future.” A central theme was VEZILKA’s role as Macedonia’s AI on-ramp. Professor Trajanov outlined what VEZILKA offers, free of charge: HPC computing power, mentorship, curated datasets, legal support for EU AI Act and GDPR compliance, and a guided path from idea to product across five priority sectors. 

Professor Trajanov also joined the opening panel, “Can Macedonia Compete in the AI Economy?”. The discussion underscored that Macedonia’s greatest asset, its talent, is also its deepest vulnerability, with brain drain most acute precisely in the IT, healthcare, and engineering sectors that AI rewards. The shared conclusion: AI can be the reason young people finally stay, or the accelerant that pushes them out, and the choice is being made now.