Over the past two decades, Microsoft has acted as a catalyst for digital transformation in Serbia, supporting and encouraging companies and organizations on their digital journey. The future plans in Serbia were discussed by Milan Gospić, the Director of Microsoft Serbia, and Dražen Šumić, the Director of Microsoft Development Center in Serbia, emphasizing support for innovation, education, and further support in accelerating digitalization as priorities.
On the occasion of Microsoft’s 20th anniversary in Serbia, a conference and gathering with the media were held, focusing on the company’s impact on the domestic market. The topics covered included technological progress and innovation, job creation, partnerships and collaboration with local organizations, as well as the overall contribution to the growth and development of the Serbian IT industry.
Microsoft as a partner on the digital journey
Microsoft’s presence in our country, with both commercial and development teams, influences the country’s digital economy and the development of human capital, creating enormous potential for Serbia. For 20 years in Serbia, Microsoft has been dedicated to the digitalization of society and industry, providing state-of-the-art technology, bringing experiences and practices from global markets, and developing local talent and digital skills. They continue to invest in a network of local partners, promoting the growth of the local economy. Nearly 700 employees and eight engineering teams work at the Microsoft Development Center in Serbia, focusing on the development and improvement of some of the most important Microsoft products such as cloud services and the development of generative artificial intelligence.
“By organizing the first Sinergija conference in 2001, we recognized the immense talent and potential of the Serbian IT community. Since then, we have been dedicated to digitalization and empowering organizations to harness the power of technology for growth and innovation. Since 2003, Digital Transformation has been the fundamental mission of Microsoft in Serbia. Through collaboration with our partners, the public and private sectors, we have helped businesses embrace digital solutions, optimize their operations, and create opportunities for success. Our advanced technologies and expertise have positioned us at the forefront of shaping the digital image of Serbia,” emphasized Milan Gospić during the gathering with the media.
Key to success: Talent, innovation, and investment in the local community
Microsoft’s presence in Serbia has helped local technology companies bridge the gap between them and the global market by providing access to resources and expertise to support their growth and development.
In recent years, the Microsoft Development Center has significantly expanded its scope of activities by participating in broader projects and initiatives to promote the faster development of Serbian society. This primarily involves support in the education sector, helping young people in Serbia develop and apply their talents in their own country. The projects that the Microsoft Development Center has been implementing for years to contribute to Serbian society and the community it operates in are carried out in collaboration with organizations such as Digital Serbia, Petlja, numerous faculties, and also strengthen the technological ecosystem in Serbia through competitions such as the Bubble Cup and initiatives like Women know IT.
All the projects under development in the Microsoft Development Center in Serbia are widely recognized both at the highest corporate level and by millions of users who apply, promote, and position Serbia as an important IT destination.
“Today, Microsoft is a globally developed company with development centers worldwide, so it’s not easy to stand out. However, we strive for further growth to remain among the leaders. Our recipe is to rely on the extraordinary potential of highly educated people in Serbia and the region. Based on that, within the company, we can offer world-class teams capable of creating complete and successful software products, which brings significant business benefits to the company. The final part of our recipe is to invest in the local community in Serbia and the region, to enhance education and human ambitions, which will help all of us in the future,” emphasized Dražen Šumić.
Microsoft as a support for innovation and entrepreneurship through technology
To be successful in the local market, that market must have a certain maturity to embrace new technologies and innovative trends. This requires knowledge and skills that people need to acquire in order to utilize new technologies. Microsoft has been dedicated to this for 20 years and aims to share experiences, trends, and practices from other markets with the local community and our country, thereby supporting digital progress in Serbia. They support the startup community through collaboration with partners because it is a direct investment in digitization that strongly influences the overall development of the country.
Take a look how the company marked the occasion of 20th anniversary in Serbia:
