From September 30 to October 2, 2024, Sarajevo hosted ProCredit Connect: the Regional B2B Summit. More than 500 businesspeople gathered at the summit, providing a platform for networking and strengthening market opportunities. Entrepreneurs and ProCredit Bank clients came from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Romania, Albania, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Greece, and Germany.
During the three-day ProCredit Connect Summit, company representatives from the metal, wood, and food industries had the opportunity to hear from regional experts and receive analyses of current industry trends. In five cycles of B2B meetings, businesspeople reinforced existing partnerships, forged new contacts, exchanged project ideas, and discussed innovations in their sectors.
The summit opened with a formal welcome reception at Sarajevo City Hall—an introduction to the intensive exchange of ideas and relationship-building that characterized the event’s three days.
The Importance of Regional Economic Integration
One of the summit’s key themes was regional networking. Participating companies generate approximately €3.5 billion in revenue and around €1 billion in exports. Employing about 30,000 people, they represent a powerful engine for regional economic growth. Collaboration among companies across different countries can create synergies that accelerate growth, enhance competitiveness, and facilitate the adoption of new technologies and innovations. More than 700 B2B meetings held during ProCredit Connect are a crucial outcome that will contribute to even deeper regional ties.
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ProCredit Connect from the Perspective of Industry Leaders
Petar Ćorluka, Owner of Violeta:
“ProCredit Connect gave entrepreneurs a unique opportunity to share experiences and expand their network of business partners. Violeta exemplifies how vital regional connectivity is for growth and competitiveness in broader markets. Events like this bring us closer to our goals, strengthen our market position, increase exports, and encourage investment in new technologies.”
Dragomir Lazović, Owner of Matis Group:
“Building connections with partners from the region is essential for driving innovation and creating new jobs. New partnerships benefit not only individual companies but also local communities. ProCredit Connect is a well-organized platform for future business successes and shaping the future of the regional economy.”
The Strength of the ProCredit Group: Achieving Extraordinary Success Through Collaboration
Eriola Bibolli, Member of the Management Board, ProCredit Holding AG:
“Resilience and adaptability are the keywords of our time. Development events bring both challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs. Regional integration and the free flow of trade are not just desirable visions but necessary conditions for economic prospects.”
For thirty years, the ProCredit group has supported small and medium-sized enterprises across Southeast and Eastern Europe, growing together with the region. The message delivered through ProCredit Connect is one of faith in economic prosperity and the region’s convergence with the European Union.
The first ProCredit Connect: Regional B2B Summit set new standards for networking in the region and underscored the importance of collaboration for long-term economic growth.
Amina Durmo Trlin, Member of the Management Board, ProCredit Bank:
“The goal of ProCredit Connect is to bring together clients from 12 countries, create new business opportunities, and strengthen regional cooperation. We gathered people with diverse ideas who share passion, ambition, and a desire to be agents of change in their own countries.”
ProCredit Connect provided a strong foundation for advancing the region’s economic development, creating a platform for future opportunities.
