Empiria Magna / References

Selected references in SME development, technical assistance and digital transformation.

Empiria Magna’s reference base combines EU-funded and donor-financed technical assistance, SME development, institutional capacity building, digital and green transformation, e-commerce governance, training and mentoring, knowledge products, applied digital tools and private-sector digital leadership.

Curated by relevance, not chronology

Empiria Magna is an owner-led consultancy. Its reference base includes assignments delivered directly through the company and assignments led by its founder and director, Siniša Begović, as senior expert, team leader, trainer, mentor or consultant within international project teams and consortia.

Reference base overview

20+

years of experience in SME development, e-business, e-commerce, digital transformation and capacity building

300+

full-day trainings and workshops delivered

4,000+

participants reached through SME and institutional capacity-building programmes

EU/donor

assignments connected with EU, IPA, ESIF, Interreg, COSME/SMP, GIZ, EBRD and similar frameworks

EU and Donor-Funded Technical Assistance

Experience in projects funded or implemented through EU, GIZ, EBRD, IPA, ESIF, Interreg, COSME/SMP and similar frameworks.

FIIAPP, AICS, SAIDC, RDA SP

EU Support for Internal Market — EU4IM Serbia

Role: Senior Expert — e-Commerce, SME Governance & Internal Market

Geography: Serbia

Contribution to an EU-supported programme strengthening Serbia’s internal market framework, with a focus on e-commerce, SME development and EU digital economy principles.

Relevance: Connects SME competitiveness, internal market readiness, consumer protection, e-commerce governance, DSA/DMA-related awareness and practical support to SMEs.

• e-commerce guide for SMEs
• training needs analysis
• capacity-building modules
• mentoring approaches and tools
• practical guidance on online sales processes
• internal market and digital economy alignment

GIZ / Luvent Consulting

EU4DigitalSME — Bosnia and Herzegovina

Role: Team Leader / SME Governance & Digital Transformation Expert

Geography: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Leadership of a comprehensive SME capacity-building programme combining digital transformation, e-commerce, SME governance, practical tools, training materials and institutional knowledge transfer.

Relevance: Demonstrates design and management of structured digital transformation support for SMEs and business support organisations.

• curriculum and training roadmap
• SME training materials
• practical templates and checklists
• knowledge transfer toolkit
• mentoring and capacity-building structure
• coordination of multidisciplinary expert inputs

Tetra Tech International Development

DIS4 Serbia — Decentralised Implementation System for IPA Funds

Role: STE / Trainer — Project Governance & Digital Transformation

Geography: Serbia

Training and capacity-building support for public-sector project managers involved in the decentralised implementation system for EU pre-accession assistance.

Relevance: Demonstrates experience in EU funds project governance, internal controls, risk management, documentation standards, reporting and ICT-supported project management.

• training needs analysis
• training agenda and materials
• project governance training
• documentation and reporting guidance
• risk and control environment topics
• action-oriented capacity-building support

Ecorys Polska / EU IPA

E-Business Competitiveness Improvement Programme — Croatia, Phase 1

Role: Senior e-Business and Training Consultant

Geography: Croatia

Senior expert support to an EU/IPA-funded programme improving SME competitiveness through e-business, digital tools, training, mentoring and business support centre capacity building.

Relevance: Important early reference for EU-funded SME digital competitiveness work in Croatia, translating digital agenda priorities into practical training and institutional support.

• train-the-trainer programme development
• SME training materials
• analysis on e-business and digital economy topics
• advisory support to SMEs and business support centres
• digital competitiveness recommendations
• training delivery to Croatian Business Support Centres

Ecorys Polska / EU IPA

E-Business Competitiveness Improvement Programme — Croatia, Phase 2

Role: Senior e-Business and Training Consultant

Geography: Croatia

Continuation of EU/IPA-supported SME competitiveness work in Croatia, focused on e-business, digital tools, training, advisory services and public-sector support to SMEs.

Relevance: Strengthens continuity in EU-funded SME digitalisation and competitiveness work, especially practical SME-facing materials and training.

• mentoring for SMEs
• train-the-trainer materials
• advisory services for SMEs and public institutions
• training sessions for SMEs and public employees
• digital tax and cross-border e-commerce analysis
• guidance on digital tools and funding models

SME Development and Business Support Systems

Capability in designing SME support structures, Single Access Point models, entrepreneurial centres, incubators and business development services.

WeGlobal

MSME Governance and Business Support Systems — Montenegro

Role: MSME Development Expert

Geography: Montenegro

Assessment of institutional structures and business advisory services for SMEs, with contribution to the feasibility study for a new central SME agency in Montenegro.

Relevance: Demonstrates experience in SME agency design, institutional governance, organisational models, ESIF-related support structures, capacity needs and business support system development.

• assessment of business support institutions
• feasibility study inputs
• proposed governance model
• organisational structure options
• ESIF governance-related recommendations
• capacity needs assessment

PwC / EBRD project context

Single Access Point for SMEs in Montenegro

Role: Digital Economy and Society Expert

Geography: Montenegro

Contribution to a national Single Access Point for SMEs, including export support, digital transformation analysis, institutional coordination and SME-facing content.

Relevance: Shows experience in support mechanisms helping SMEs access structured information, advisory services and export support instruments.

• export support programme design
• SME consultations
• institutional coordination model
• SAP portal content
• practical templates and guidance
• industrial policy and digital transformation analysis

Entrepreneurial Zone of Korana / Empiria Magna

Nikola Tesla Entrepreneurial Center

Role: Team Leader — Entrepreneurship, SME Governance & Digital Transformation Expert

Geography: Croatia

Design and implementation support for a new entrepreneurial centre, including business development services, training curriculum, mentoring tools and operational structure.

Relevance: Demonstrates entrepreneurial centre development, BDS design, SME governance basics, start-up support and regional business support infrastructure.

• entrepreneurial centre concept
• business development service portfolio
• training curriculum
• mentoring tools
• business planning templates
• support for start-ups and family-owned SMEs

Agency for Sustainable Development of Antunovac Municipality / Empiria Magna

Enterprise Incubator and Accelerator Antunovac

Role: Team Leader for Specific Tasks / Consultant

Geography: Croatia

Development of a data-driven virtual assistant concept to help SMEs and future entrepreneurs access structured information and identify suitable support measures.

Relevance: Connects SME support systems, digital tool design, business support services and structured guidance for entrepreneurs.

• virtual assistant concept
• needs analysis
• support measure mapping
• SME information structure
• outreach and promotional activities
• digital tool design methodology

Regional Development Agency of Sisak-Moslavina County SI-MO-RA

SMEs without Borders — agromap.net

Role: Team Leader / Consultant

Geography: Croatia / Bosnia and Herzegovina

Leadership and expert support for a cross-border SME development project strengthening SME competitiveness, cooperation and digitalisation.

Relevance: Demonstrates experience in cross-border SME support, regional development, digital tools for SMEs and practical workshops for local and cross-border markets.

• cross-border SME development activities
• project and operations management
• workshops for SMEs
• e-commerce and digital tools guidance
• online presence and webshop support
• digitalisation and internal organisation guidance

Udruženje za eRazvoj / eDevelopment Association

eDevelopment Association — MSME Entrepreneurship and Governance Development

Role: Team Leader / President of Croatian Branch

Geography: Serbia and Croatia

Coordination of association activities focused on MSME entrepreneurship, e-commerce, digital economy, capacity building and change management.

Relevance: Strengthens regional continuity in MSME development, digital economy, business support concepts and public/private stakeholder cooperation.

• coordination of MSME development activities
• support to SMEs on digital skills and e-commerce
• e-business and e-commerce concepts
• digital and automation technology advice
• data localisation and digital tax discussions
• regional stakeholder cooperation

Digital and Green Transformation

Experience in SME digitalisation, green transition, sustainable tourism SMEs, SME finance and digital-green readiness.

EU Single Market Programme / SMP-COSME

Phoenix 4.0 — Resilient Ecosystem for Empowering Tourism SMEs

Role: Trainer — Digital & Green Transformation, Tourism SME Governance & Capacity Building

Geography: Europe

Training and strategic guidance for tourism SMEs on digital capabilities, AI-enabled tools, green practices, sustainable business models, visitor engagement and SME governance.

Relevance: Demonstrates current experience in digital-green transformation, sustainable tourism SMEs, AI-enabled business tools and practical capacity building across multiple EU contexts.

• digital and green transformation training
• SME governance exercises
• tourism SME capacity building
• AI-enabled tool adoption guidance
• sustainability and E&S risk awareness
• cross-border knowledge transfer

Barcelona Chamber of Commerce / DURA / EU COSME

TOURBAN — Sustainable Tourism MSME Mentoring

Role: Mentor / Digital Transformation & SME Governance Advisor

Geography: Croatia / EU project framework

Mentoring of MSMEs and family-owned tourism businesses on digital transformation, sustainable business models, online booking tools, internal organisation, budgeting and planning.

Relevance: Shows practical mentoring experience with tourism SMEs facing market change, digital adoption needs and sustainability-related business model adaptation.

• MSME mentoring
• digital tool assessment
• sustainability-oriented business support
• internal organisation guidance
• planning and budgeting support
• service quality improvements

Internal Market, E-Commerce Governance and Consumer Trust

E-commerce repositioned as digital market readiness, consumer protection, online dispute resolution, trust, internal market alignment and SME governance.

GIZ / ICE / Empiria Magna

Trust Mark on E-commerce in the CEFTA Region

Role: Team Leader / Digital Transformation & E-commerce Governance Expert

Geography: CEFTA region, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Albania

Leadership of a multidisciplinary team designing and piloting a regional e-commerce Trust Mark scheme for consumer protection, transparency and trust in online transactions.

Relevance: Strong reference for e-commerce governance, trust schemes, consumer protection, stakeholder consultation and regional digital market alignment.

• Trust Mark criteria
• operational procedures
• stakeholder gap analysis
• SME guidance and checklists
• governance model for the scheme
• consumer trust and transparency framework

EU Support for Internal Market — Serbia

EU4IM Serbia — E-Commerce Guide for SMEs

Role: Senior Expert — e-Commerce, SME Governance & Internal Market

Geography: Serbia

Development of SME-oriented e-commerce guidance within a broader internal market and SME competitiveness agenda.

Relevance: Demonstrates e-commerce as governance, internal market readiness, consumer protection, complaints handling and practical SME capability.

• SME e-commerce guide
• training needs analysis
• capacity-building modules
• mentoring approaches
• practical internal process guidance
• EU digital economy alignment

Exemplas Holding Ltd. / IPA

Serbian E-Business Development Project

Role: Senior e-Business Consultant and Trainer

Geography: Serbia

Senior consulting and training support on e-business development, MSME mentoring, train-the-trainer activities, national portal development and the first Serbian e-Trustmark.

Relevance: Demonstrates long-standing regional experience in e-business, e-commerce, trust marks, G2B/G2C portals, SME digital readiness and trainer capacity building.

• MSME mentoring
• train-the-trainer programmes
• e-business manuals and training materials
• national portal support
• Serbian e-Trustmark development
• advisory support to government trainers and SMEs

Croatian Chamber of Crafts / Empiria Magna

Croatian Chamber of Crafts — E-Commerce, ADR/ODR and Consumer Rights

Role: Team Leader / Consultant

Geography: Croatia

Development of manuals, brochures, web articles, e-learning content and lectures for SMEs on e-commerce, alternative and online dispute resolution, consumer rights and complaint handling.

Relevance: Demonstrates translation of legal and regulatory topics into practical SME-facing knowledge products and training materials.

• SME manual and brochure
• e-learning platform
• articles and educational content
• ADR/ODR and consumer rights guidance
• complaint-handling procedures
• webinars and lectures

EU/IPA and institutional SME support programmes

E-Business Manuals and Trainer Materials for SMEs

Role: Author / Editor / Content Developer

Geography: Croatia, Serbia and regional contexts

Development of books, manuals, trainer materials and brochures on e-business, e-commerce, competitiveness, digital risks, consumer protection, online trade and practical digital business development.

Relevance: Demonstrates long-standing capability in structured knowledge products for SMEs, trainers, business support organisations and public-sector programmes.

• e-business manuals for SMEs
• train-the-trainer books and materials
• e-commerce guidebooks
• digital competitiveness publications
• e-crime and digital risk materials
• practical content for SME support programmes

Training, Mentoring and Knowledge Transfer

Design and delivery of training, mentoring, curricula, manuals, e-learning content, train-the-trainer programmes and knowledge transfer systems.

GIZ and Empiria Magna

International SME Training Programme Development

Role: Team Leader / Key Expert in International Training Programme Development

Geography: CEFTA region, Montenegro, Albania, Moldova, Kosovo

Design and delivery of an international capacity-building programme for SMEs, including curriculum, materials, self-assessment tools, templates, peer learning and a Knowledge Transfer Toolkit.

Relevance: Demonstrates structured training systems that can be reused by institutions and adapted across regional contexts.

• training curriculum
• learning pathway
• presentations and exercises
• self-assessment tools
• SME templates and checklists
• Knowledge Transfer Toolkit

Judicial Academy of Croatia / ESF-funded project

Judicial Academy of Croatia — Modernisation of Judicial Training

Role: Team Leader / Consultant / Lecturer

Geography: Croatia

Leadership of expert teams preparing and delivering skills training programmes for judicial officials, educational activity leaders and judicial mentors.

Relevance: Demonstrates advanced capacity-building, curriculum design, training methodology and public-sector institutional training experience beyond the SME sector.

• training programme design
• training manuals
• workshop programmes
• communication skills training
• mentor training
• adult-learning and facilitation methods

City of Duga Resa / Empiria Magna

Interreg DELFIN — Social Entrepreneurship and Business Development Services

Role: Team Leader / Trainer / Mentor

Geography: Croatia

Design and delivery of business development services for SMEs and social enterprises, including curriculum development, mentoring, stakeholder events and digitalisation-related support.

Relevance: Demonstrates training and mentoring experience in social entrepreneurship, BDS, digitalisation, local development and institutional cooperation.

• social entrepreneurship curriculum
• training and mentoring
• meetups and awareness events
• business development services
• digitalisation support
• improvement plans for MSMEs and social enterprises

ESIF / ESF-funded projects in Croatia

Entrepreneurship and Employability Capacity-Building Projects

Role: Team Leader / Trainer / Consultant

Geography: Croatia

Multiple entrepreneurship, employability and SME capacity-building assignments with regional institutions and development organisations.

Relevance: Demonstrates consistent capacity to develop curricula, standards, training plans, coaching programmes, mentoring support and entrepreneurship materials.

• curricula and training plans
• occupational and qualification standards
• individual coaching
• entrepreneurship workshops
• mentoring for MSMEs and future entrepreneurs
• business planning and digital skills materials

Algebra University College

Algebra University College — e-Business and e-Commerce Course

Role: Course Holder / Lecturer

Geography: Croatia

Design and delivery of a higher-education course on e-business and e-commerce, with digital business models, SME governance fundamentals, consumer protection and online trade.

Relevance: Demonstrates formal curriculum design and teaching experience in digital business, e-commerce governance and SME management fundamentals.

• course curriculum design
• lectures and case studies
• practical student assignments
• e-business and e-commerce teaching materials
• consumer protection and transparency topics
• connection between strategy, governance and digital tools

Agency for Sustainable Development “Mrav” / Empiria Magna / ESIF-funded project

Get a Job — Zaposli se i ti

Role: Team Leader / Consultant — Entrepreneurship & SME Governance Capacity Building

Geography: Croatia

Programme supporting entrepreneurship, self-employment and SME governance in the local labour market.

Relevance: Demonstrates structured entrepreneurship and SME governance content, including curricula, standards, training plans and teaching materials.

• entrepreneurship capacity-building programme
• curriculum development
• occupational and qualification standards
• training plan and programme
• approved teaching materials
• SME governance and digital skills content

Agency for Development of Zadar County — ZADRA NOVA / Empiria Magna / ESF-funded project

SOS — surađuj i ostvari sebe

Role: Team Leader / Trainer — Entrepreneurship, Youth & SME Governance

Geography: Croatia

Programme focused on self-employment, SME entrepreneurship, youth employability, labour-market activation, NEETs and disadvantaged jobseekers.

Relevance: Valuable for employability, entrepreneurship, youth activation, SME start-up support and capacity building for disadvantaged target groups.

• entrepreneurship and employability training
• digital economy and digital skills modules
• SME governance basics
• #ZadarYouthChallenge event
• mentoring for MSMEs and aspiring entrepreneurs
• internal organisation and continuity guidance

Polytechnic of Karlovac / Empiria Magna / ESF-funded project

Novim vještinama do zaposlenja

Role: Team Leader / Trainer — Entrepreneurship, Employability & SME Governance Basics

Geography: Croatia

Capacity-building assignment focused on employability, entrepreneurship, digital transformation and basic SME governance for labour-market target groups.

Relevance: Strengthens the training and coaching profile in employability, entrepreneurship, digital skills, SME governance and individual advisory support.

• individual coaching
• entrepreneurship and employability workshops
• digital transformation and e-commerce guidance
• SME governance basics
• market assessment and change management content
• advisory support for future entrepreneurs and MSMEs

Applied Digital Tools and Data Products

Internal digital products and applied tools demonstrating capability in documentation workflows, data analytics, verification logic and decision-support concepts.

Developed by Empiria Magna

EvidenceSeal

Role: Product: file integrity, structured documentation and public timestamping

Geography: Croatia

A lightweight file-integrity and evidence documentation workflow using SHA-256 hashing, structured Evidence Packs and optional RFC 3161 public timestamping.

Relevance: Demonstrates practical capability in documentation workflows, file-integrity logic, audit-ready evidence packs and independently verifiable records.

• SHA-256 file hashing
• structured Evidence Pack
• optional RFC 3161 public timestamp
• local-first workflow
• independent verification logic
• audit-ready documentation support

Open EvidenceSeal

Developed by Empiria Magna

MacroRisk Sentinel

Role: Product: public data, macro risk indicators and decision-support logic

Geography: Croatia

A U.S.-focused macro risk dashboard that translates public macroeconomic indicators into structured risk signals and crisis-similarity context.

Relevance: Demonstrates practical use of public data, indicator design, dashboard thinking, risk awareness and decision-support logic.

• public macroeconomic data
• structured indicator logic
• crisis-similarity context
• dashboard design
• risk awareness signals
• data-driven decision-support concept

Open MacroRisk Sentinel

Private-Sector Digital Leadership

Senior private-sector roles in e-commerce, marketing and digital business development that provide practical grounding in business operations, teams, budgets, digital channels and online sales processes.

M SAN Grupa

Role: Head of Web and e-Commerce Development — South East Europe Region

Geography: Croatia and South East Europe

Leadership of regional web and e-commerce development across multiple South East European markets.

Relevance: Demonstrates regional digital business leadership, e-commerce strategy, operations management, analytics, online sales processes and coordination across markets and teams.

• regional web and e-commerce development
• digital business strategy
• analytics and online sales processes
• multi-market coordination

Magma d.d.

Role: Marketing and E-Commerce Director

Geography: Croatia

Formation and leadership of a company sector focused on marketing, e-business and e-commerce development.

Relevance: Demonstrates senior management responsibility, team leadership, digital business development, customer journey optimisation and alignment with corporate strategy.

• marketing and e-commerce sector leadership
• team management
• customer journey optimisation
• digital initiative alignment

Algoritam d.o.o.

Role: e-Commerce Manager

Geography: Croatia

Development and management of the company’s e-commerce strategy for books and related products.

Relevance: Demonstrates early Croatian e-commerce implementation, online store management, order handling, stock coordination, returns and customer communication.

• e-commerce strategy
• online store management
• order and stock coordination
• online/offline marketing integration

Info Gama d.o.o.

Role: Marketing Manager

Geography: Croatia

Marketing and sales support role involving early consumer electronics webshop and e-payment implementation.

Relevance: Demonstrates early exposure to Croatian e-commerce, online payment systems, supplier coordination, campaign planning and digital market development.

• early webshop implementation
• e-payment implementation
• supplier coordination
• campaign planning

O.M.I.S. d.o.o.

Role: Director / CEO — Family-Owned Business

Geography: Croatia

Management of a small family-owned trading company, including operations, budgeting, access to finance, business development, communication and risk management.

Relevance: Provides first-hand understanding of owner-managed and family-owned SMEs, key-person dependency, continuity issues, decision-making and internal organisation.

• operations management
• budgeting and finance access
• business development
• risk management
• family-owned SME continuity experience

DIMEDIA Internet tehnologije

Role: Executive Director

Geography: Croatia

Leadership of a small digital services SME, with responsibility for strategy, client acquisition, service delivery, financial performance and development of web and e-commerce solutions.

Relevance: Provides direct management perspective from a small digital services company and reinforces practical understanding of SME operations and client delivery.

• business strategy
• client acquisition
• service delivery management
• financial performance responsibility
• SME digital service delivery

Info Gama, Algoritam, M SAN Grupa, Magma, DIMEDIA and Empiria Magna

Early E-Commerce and Digital Business Development in Croatia and SEE

Role: Senior private-sector and consulting roles

Geography: Croatia and South East Europe

Early and continuous involvement in e-commerce, e-payment systems, online sales channels, digital business development, customer journey mapping, analytics and digital market participation.

Relevance: Provides historical credibility and practical grounding, showing digital transformation and e-commerce governance expertise based on real business implementation experience.

• early webshop and e-payment implementation
• online sales channel development
• e-commerce operations and procedures
• digital business strategy
• customer journey mapping and analytics
• regional e-commerce development

Reference base built on practical delivery

Empiria Magna is particularly relevant for assignments that require senior expert judgement, implementation-ready outputs and the ability to connect policy priorities with the practical realities of SMEs, business support organisations and public institutions.

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