Marija Gjorgieva (Independent)

I am a seasoned philanthropy and international development specialist with over 12 years of experience as a portfolio program manager, mobilising impact at scale across global development ecosystems, including five years advancing digitalisation and cyber diplomacy in international development contexts. I most recently served as a Startup Digital Adviser at Caribou Digital within the Mastercard Strive EU program, assisting early-stage cybersecurity startups from the EU in accelerating their go-to-market strategies and building a startup prospect pipeline and ecosystem partnerships. Currently working as Communications and Visibility Lead on OSPREY, an EU-funded project focused on researching and developing tools to protect public-safety professionals from online harm, threats, and disinformation. My expertise spans supporting governments and multilateral stakeholders in navigating complex cybersecurity challenges through capacity building, policy advisory, and strategic partnerships, work that consistently ties back to broader systems-level goals around digital inclusion, governance, and economic opportunity. Across these engagements, I have repeatedly bridged public, private, and civil society sectors, translating technical and policy complexity into practical pathways for underserved innovators navigating digital transformation. While working for the international non-governmental organisation Global Cyber Alliance, I conducted cybersecurity capacity assessments across 12 countries and built strategic partnerships with 140+ governmental, civil society, and private sector entities across 40+ jurisdictions. I hold formal training in cybersecurity policy and diplomacy from the ITU, and have extensive experience implementing donor-funded programs with USAID, the EU Commission, IPA-funds, DFAT, and GIZ, thus poses a practical understanding of both EU and US funding instruments and global philanthropic foundations. Between 2019 and 2021, I led development of the first digital ecosystem platform for the Macedonian startup and innovation ecosystem. In this role, I expanded the international stakeholder network by 29%, built partnerships with regional and global ecosystem development organisations, and established partnerships with 30+ regional service providers, expanding capacity-building opportunities for national startups by 20%. By building and chairing a multi-stakeholder steering committee and growing its membership by 30% through strategic engagement with government, private sector, and civil society representatives, I contributed to a regulatory reform that increased the availability of financial instruments available to Macedonian startups and early-stage founders alike. I continue working on digital-first projects, producing impact assessments, go-to-market roadmaps, and strategic recommendations for stakeholders working toward systemic, sustainable change. Throughout my career, I have approached every mandate through a systems-change lens, favouring collaborative solutions over isolated interventions and prioritising the inclusion of underserved communities in global development conversations. Experienced in remote collaboration, multi-jurisdictional delivery, and cross-cultural stakeholder engagement. I am also an active participant in social change and innovation networks worldwide, holding memberships and alumnae status with: YMCA Macedonia, RPCVs Macedonia, Global Entrepreneurship Network, ITU HerCyberTracks Alumnae, All Tech Is Human, GIST Network, WEASA Alumnae, SAYP Alumnae, WorldChicago Fellows, Professional Fellows Program Alumnae, Atlas Corps Fellows, Junior Chamber International, WomenTech Network, and Women4Cyber. This breadth of engagement reflects my ongoing commitment to collaborative, community-driven social innovation, and my belief that lasting systems change is built through sustained cross-sector relationships rather than isolated projects.