Innovation Activities

What if a small opportunity today could change your entire professional journey tomorrow?This is Key Academy, the 8th edition at Raiffeisen Bank - an experience that goes beyond training and connects people, ideas, and professional ambitions.

Out of 400 applications, 30 students were selected to go through 17 intensive days of learning, collaboration, and challenges, guided by 40 experts from our bank and concluded with a bootcamp designed especially for Gen Z.
With Design Thinking at its core, they worked in teams, were heard, challenged, and brought forward new ideas - ideas driven by their authenticity and unique perspectives.

As stated by Ms. Valbona Zeneli, Chief People Officer - Raiffeisen Bank Albania:

“It is essential that you preserve your authenticity, because that is what makes the difference in our bank. We strongly believe in the power of youth and the impact it has on other generations as well. The combination of our staff’s expertise built over the years with the energy and perspective you bring enables us to build a more innovative future.”

Today, these students become our newest colleagues.
Welcome to the team. We are happy to have you with us!

The final event of Fridays for Innovation was a true celebration of creativity and innovation. Hundreds of colleagues joined to cheer on the teams who had spent 10 intensive weeks validating their innovative projects. At Raiffeisen Bank, we drive internal innovation through various initiatives, providing our colleagues with the space, tools, and support to turn ideas into reality. 

As Mr. Christian Canacaris, CEO of Raiffeisen Bank Albania, highlighted in his welcoming speech: "Each of you has embraced this mindset; experimenting, challenging the impossible, and turning ideas into actionable solutions. That’s the magic of innovation." 

Across the journey, 6 teams and 40+ colleagues, including organizers, participants, and coaches, came together with one mission: to bring the magic of creativity, imagination, and innovation to life.

After a month full of challenges and engagement, we came to the final of the Academy, an inspiring Bootcamp, where students used the Design Thinking methodology to develop concrete ideas, using the potential of Artificial Intelligence.

The final was another testament to the fantastic potential of young people and their creativity. This is Key Academy – more than training, it is a step towards the future!

Filled with excitement from the competition and expert-led cybersecurity sessions, the CyberFrontiers Hackathon concluded with great success.This event was organized in October, the month dedicated to cybersecurity awareness, in collaboration with the National Cybersecurity Authority, the Innovation Center for Security and Defense, and the startup Cyber Morfosis, reflecting our commitment to investing in systems, people, and culture. Our aim is to always stay one step ahead, providing security and trust for our clients.The competition was intense, with challenges that tested the skills and expertise of participants in the field of cybersecurity. Raiffeisen Bank CEO Mr. Christian Canacaris and Board Member, CIO/COO Mr. Erion Serti, emphasized the importance and commitment of Raiffeisen Bank in this critical field.

Congratulations to the winners, and thank you to all participants!

Raiffeisen Bank Albania successfully organized the fourth Cloud Connect 2024 conference from May 22-24, 2024.

Over 400+ 👥 colleagues from 13 🌍 countries of our network banks; featuring representatives from Amazon Web Services; 9️ keynote speakers; 18 breakout sessions on diverse topics;  200+ 👥 on-site participants joined us in Tirana for this fabulous 3-day event focused on business, technology and the future, and even gaming. In this 20-year journey, Raiffeisen Bank once again proved to be at the forefront of every development, redefining the standards of technology and information in the banking sector in Albania.

We extend our gratitude to the organizers, the RBI and RBAL Cloud team, the RBAL Innovation Team, and AWS for making this event possible. Special thanks to the entire RBAL Management Board for their support, especially Erion Serti, our CIO/COO, Elisabeth Geyer-Schall, Head of RBI Group Core IT, Data & Platforms, and Cord Hoppe, Unit Head Cloud & On-Prem Platforms.

With a mini-Innovation Bootcamp, we successfully concluded the 6th edition of Key Academy, a program dedicated to enthusiastic technology students with technical profiles. 

During these intensive 6 weeks, they had the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and develop new skills in some of the key areas of technology, including important topics such as Agile Project Management, Modern Software Architecture, Digital Financial Products, Data, Cloud, and DevOps Engineering.
Special thanks go to all the students who were part of this edition. You are making a difference in the world of technology, and we are proud to have had the chance to be part of your wonderful journey.

We also thank our colleagues for their excellent contribution, making this edition a true success.

How can Artificial Intelligence be used to improve the banking system in Albania? 

Under the slogan “Break barriers, enhance work” Raiffeisen Bank has just confirmed its belief in innovation and positive changes by organizing an AI Hackathon. 

Over 50 experts from Network Raiffeisen Bank gathered at a 2-day event to share their experiences and insights on Artificial Intelligence. 

The discussions focused on the power of data analysis and how AI can increase staff productivity, innovation in the banking system, and customer experience. 

A dynamic hackathon with over 100 participants and many worthwhile ideas concluded with 3 awards.

An inspiring innovation activity was organized by the Innovation team on May 29-30 in collaboration with Advanced Analytics at Raiffeisen Bank Albania, the "Unlock the Power of Data" Innovation Bootcamp.
This bootcamp focused on Advanced Analytics and gathered over 70 colleagues from 15 different departments divided into 9 teams.
Our colleagues were intensely engaged to collaborate and work on innovative ideas and projects. For two full days, they developed, structured, and presented their innovative ideas and projects to a panel of expert judges and bank executives.
This innovation event was an exceptional opportunity to understand and use the potential of data and apply advanced analytics. Our colleagues demonstrated exceptional dedication, creative skills, and the ability to find innovative solutions to the challenges of Raiffeisen Bank.

"Let's Get Cloud" is one of the coolest and the first of its kind in Albania dedicated to Cloud technology. Raiffeisen Bank Albania, as a leading financial institution committed to continuous innovation, is hosting a completely dedicated Cloud technology event on February 23-24. The first day of the conference brought together experts from various industries, such as Amazon, Raiffeisen Bank International, Vodafone Albania, and representatives from Fintechs. They shared their knowledge and experiences on migration strategy, security, innovation, and the future of Cloud technology.

Innovation Team in collaboration with Human Resources and IT colleagues has successfully completed the last Design Thinking training with the students of the fifth edition of Key Academy framed as an Innovation Bootcamp. 

Dozens of students from the IT field worked intensively in teams mentored by different bank colleagues who are innovation ambassadors,following the relevant modules of the Design Thinking methodology to structure and concretize the initial ideas in a prototype and presenting it to the jury.The presentations were very dignified,especially since they dealt not only with technical issues ,but how technology can be combined and add value to social,environmental and community issues.