If you’ve ever ordered food in Tirana, chances are Baboon brought it to your door. But behind this seemingly simple service lies a story of passion, innovation, and long-term vision.
“When you’re young, you don’t care about anything – you just start,” says Genti Selenica, founder and CEO of Baboon, in the third episode of Think Big, broadcasted by Business Magazine. And perhaps that’s the sentence that best captures the spirit in which one of Albania’s most successful tech companies was born.
It’s a story born from the desire to build something different, to do it in Albania, and to build it with one’s own strength. “I wanted a new challenge. I didn’t know exactly what, but I knew I wanted to do it here,” he shares, explaining how at first, his ideas weren’t met with much enthusiasm from restaurants. “They looked at us with suspicion. They didn’t like the idea of a new system. But we told them: we’re going to change the way you receive orders – you’ll have more, for less, and faster.”
Baboon is no longer just a simple delivery app. “It’s a lifestyle,” Genti says. It’s a carefully built ecosystem that functions like a miniature smart city. On the surface, it looks simple – choose your food, place the order, wait. But behind the scenes is a modern technological “orchestra” where algorithms calculate in seconds the fastest route, the most efficient restaurant, and the nearest courier. The intricate system and seamless collaboration between all components – restaurants, couriers, and consumers – form the foundation of its success.
“Customers don’t just want food. They want time. They want quality. They want everything in its right place. We thought about the business, not just the customer,” he adds.
None of this would have been possible without a dedicated team. Iris Toska, logistics manager, emphasizes: “One of our greatest strengths is the interaction between teams. Everyone knows their role, and we’re a very young team, which helps us quickly adapt to any trend or development.”
Xhois Kuta, digital content manager, says she first heard about Baboon through her family and was drawn to the fact that it’s an authentic Albanian brand. “I’ve always wanted to support local brands. There are challenges every day here. But there’s also a clear vision that unites us all,” she says.
On the technical side, Alban Kosova, CTO of the company, shares how over the past three years they’ve made significant system upgrades to handle the growing demand. “We’ve moved from B2C to a new model – ‘Baboon at Work’ – which serves companies that want food delivered to their offices. This was a natural move for a startup that understands its market,” he explains.
But the road hasn’t been smooth. “Before the earthquake and the pandemic, we were doing really well. We had launched in Durrës, Vlorë, and Kosovo. Then everything changed. We had to pull back. Then the pandemic hit – a giant wall to overcome,” Genti recalls.
The solution? Willpower and determination. “I went to the institutions with clear ideas. I told them that delivery was working everywhere else – and they understood me.”
Today, Baboon is a success story that was born in a skeptical market, survived a crisis, and thrived thanks to a clear vision and a rigorous strategy. “Most startups begin with marketing. We built the technology. We knew how much every action would cost, who the players were, how big the market was, and what the risks were,” he explains.
His message to young people is clear and direct: “In Albania, you have all the opportunities. It’s better to try something and fail than to sit around doing nothing. Learn something you love and do it here. The biggest mistakes in startups are made with people – choose your team wisely, manage your finances carefully, and apply strategies with precision.”
This was an inspiring journey into the mind and heart of an entrepreneur who dared, lost, won, and above all – believed. A story that inspires, challenges, and motivates every young person who wants to build something valuable, right here in Albania.
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