EBRD Provides €13M To Speeex For First Kosovan-Led Cross-Border Acquisition, Boosting AI, Jobs, And Sustainable Growth

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a senior loan of up to €13 million to Speeex, a Kosovo-based tech-enabled business services company, to support its international expansion. This financing marks the first merger and acquisition in Kosovo aimed at enabling a local company to grow beyond its borders. The funding will support Speeex’s acquisition of majority stakes in three Swiss companies—pdc Marketing + Information Technology, Profi Office, and Profi Contact—through a newly established Swiss special purpose vehicle. This strategic step will allow Speeex to integrate artificial intelligence into its operations, diversify its international client base, and transfer Swiss best practices to its operations in Kosovo, raising service standards above the regional norm.

Through this investment, the EBRD aims to promote knowledge transfer, job creation, and stronger governance and financial discipline in Kosovo. It is also expected to strengthen cross-border trade and contribute to the country’s broader economic development. Sergiy Maslichenko, EBRD Head of Kosovo, commented that supporting dynamic companies like Speeex is central to the bank’s mission in the country. He noted that the investment will help Speeex expand its capabilities, encourage innovation, create employment opportunities, and promote gender equality in the local workforce, while bringing Swiss best practices to Kosovo’s service and technology sector.

Holger Muent, EBRD Head of Telecoms, Media and Technology, said the project would further develop Kosovo’s human capital in the tech-enabled services sector and enhance the country’s international competitiveness. Fikret Murati, founder and CEO of Speeex, expressed gratitude for the EBRD’s support, emphasizing that this marks the first Kosovan-led acquisition in the service and technology sector. He added that the expansion will drive innovation through cross-border knowledge exchange, advance digital capabilities, and create hundreds of new job opportunities in both Kosovo and Switzerland, generating long-term social and economic benefits.

Founded in 2016, Speeex employs more than 1,600 people across Kosovo and exports over 90 percent of its services to Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. The new investment will strengthen Speeex’s position as a high-performing local enterprise scaling internationally. The project aligns with the EBRD’s strategic priorities in Kosovo and the telecom, media, and technology sector, supporting the growth of IT service companies and accelerating the digital transition. It also emphasizes improving opportunities for women and promoting gender inclusion in the workforce. To date, the EBRD has invested €840 million in Kosovo through 138 projects, establishing itself as one of the country’s leading institutional investors.