Diaspora Professionals
25% ROI in 100 Days: Diaspora Mentorship Boosts Albanian Women Entrepreneurs
Date: 12/11/2024
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About the project
In early 2024, supported by the U.S. Embassy in Tirana’s Small Grants Program, Germin launched “Diaspora Supporting Albanian Women Entrepreneurs.” This initiative strategically connected experienced mentors from the Albanian diaspora with women entrepreneurs in Albania, aiming to address critical challenges that women-led startups face, such as limited digitalisation, investments, and global expansion. Among the impactful pairings was London-based AI & Strategy expert Arta Statovci with Eldisa Cirogu, co-founder of Albanian startup Commercey/ Bot Medics Care – ​​this case study reveals how their collaboration led to transformative results.

Goal: Transitioning from Local →  Global, Traditional →  Tech-first
Eldisa Cirogu, founder of Commercey / Bot Medics Care, had a clear goal: to scale her healthcare business and compete on the global stage. However, she faced a dual challenge. Externally, the global healthcare sector was rapidly advancing with AI-powered health tech, becoming more competitive and presenting high barriers to entry. Internally, despite her determination to embrace a tech-first approach, she struggled to compete with global giants in the healthcare space due to her startup’s limited advanced AI expertise, skills, and resources.

Action → Scaling with AI: Blended strategic & tech approach
To address these challenges, her mentor designed the mentorship around three core principles:

  1. AI-powered design thinking & product-market fit: Use AI to uncover the root cause (not symptoms!) and refine the portfolio to focus on delivering products that meet both local and global market needs.
  2. Investor & revenue-driven AI roadmap: Set ambitious targets for AI to deliver measurable results within 100 days – outcomes no investor or client could ignore.
  3. No-code AI upskilling and solutions: First, validate demand and deliver results with no-code AI tools that don’t require deep AI expertise, then partner with AI companies for the next level.

100-Day AI Results: →Boosting ROI, growth, and operations

By following these principles and a clear strategic direction, Commercey /Bot Medics Care achieved significant progress, transforming from a traditional healthcare startup into an AI-driven health tech model. Within the first 100 days, the company reported a 25% increase in ROI, a 20% growth in its client base, and a 30% reduction in operational costs. This transformation not only boosted efficiency but also demonstrated how AI can enhance customer service through personalized, data-driven solutions. As a result, Commercey Botmedics Care emerged as a competitive, innovative player in the global health tech industry, highlighting the profound impact AI can have on empowering women entrepreneurs. 

Firsthand, mentee’s advice for women entrepreneurs, particularly from traditional backgrounds:→ “Don’t be afraid of AI. The right mentors will guide you in using AI to overcome challenges, grow your business, increase revenue, and enhance your brand—no matter your tech expertise or industry background – Eldisa Cirogu”.

Next steps: → Creating a domino effect for Women Entrepreneurs with AI
The Diaspora Supporting Albanian Women Entrepreneurs project has demonstrated that women-led startups, both in Albania and globally, can overcome systemic challenges and position themselves on a global scale by strategically leveraging mentorship and deploying AI—even without deep tech expertise. The strength of the AI mentorship model lies in its ability to offer personalization and scalability. It’s not limited to helping just one startup at a time; instead, it’s scalable, and with a community-driven approach, women can create, collaborate, and deliver with confidence. Reflecting on the experience, both the mentor and mentee, alongside Germin, expressed excitement to continue expanding this momentum and pursue purpose-driven collaborations. With support from program sponsors and investors, they aim to open new opportunities for other women entrepreneurs. For more information, feel free to directly connect with Germin, the AI & Strategy mentor Arta Statovci, or mentee and co-founder Eldisa Cirogu.

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Success Story: Transforming Education Through Diaspora Mentorship
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Date: 17/01/2025
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Date: 17/01/2025
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Date: 24/12/2024
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Date: 24/12/2024
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