In conversation with ... INDIMA

Integration 4.0: INDIMA as a bridge for global qualifications

INDIMA Skillbridge GmbH is a young, founder-led company based in the Tabakfabrik in Linz. Its core expertise lies in the validation of qualifications held by people with an international background who are immigrating to another country. Using AI-powered software, INDIMA supports the recognition and comparison of qualifications from over 210 countries and regions.

Internationalisation is at the heart of the product: the solution is used worldwide, particularly by people who wish to study or work in Europe, the USA or the Gulf States. Emin Vojnikovic, co-founder and CPO (Chief Product Officer) of INDIMA, answered questions from the City of Linz’s Department of Economy and Innovation.

Integrating international skilled workers as a corporate mission

Lena Maria Bichler, Innovation Project Manager for the City of Linz: “What does your company stand for? What is your corporate philosophy?”

Emin Vojnikovic, co-founder and CPO of INDIMA Skillbridge GmbH: “We see our core competence in the integration of people with an international background who are immigrating to another country. We support these people in having the skills they acquired in their country of origin recognised.”

Bichler: “That sounds like a global approach. What role does internationalisation play at INDIMA? In how many countries is your solution already available?”

Vojnikovic: “I’d say internationalisation is at the heart of our product, as we deal with a wide range of international qualifications from all over the world. We have a database covering over 210 different countries and regions, which we actively support with our software. At present, the product is mainly used internationally by people who wish to study or work in Europe, the USA or the Gulf States.”

Bichler: “Let’s take a closer look at your product. How would you explain what you do to someone who has never heard of INDIMA before?”

Vojnikovic: “You can think of it like this: people who have studied abroad – whether in Asian countries, African countries or the USA – must have their qualifications assessed when they come to Europe or Austria. This comparison determines whether the level of education is the same as, for example, in Austria. This is where INDIMA really comes into its own, because our main product uses AI-driven software to compare these qualifications and, in the best-case scenario, determine that a qualification obtained in the US is worth just as much as one obtained in Austria.”

INDIMA: a solution to complex recognition processes

Bichler: “A very exciting concept that really captures the spirit of the times! Why is this particular topic – or rather, this innovation – so close to your hearts?”

Vojnikovic: “Back then, during the company’s start-up phase – that was in 2023 at the Update Social ideas workshop at Johannes Kepler University – the focus was on various challenges in the social sector. The question that ultimately captivated us the most at the time was how we could integrate highly qualified migrants into the Austrian labour market as quickly as possible. Georg Simonyan, my co-founder, has a migrant background himself. I do too, though as a second-generation migrant, so I’m also familiar with the issue through my family. Georg studied law abroad and came to Austria, where he had to retake his entire degree, so he experienced the whole qualification recognition process first-hand. It was he who ultimately identified that the main problem lies in the long processing times.”

Bichler: “How exactly can one visualise this problem in practice?”

Vojnikovic: “You have to realise that, in order to understand most of the qualifications that exist around the world, you need a vast amount of specialist knowledge. In most cases, there are specialists for specific fields. Particularly in crisis situations, where large numbers of people suddenly migrate from a certain area, the one person with the necessary expertise can quickly become overwhelmed by the volume of work. We at INDIMA therefore thought – surely there must be a quicker way to standardise all these qualifications – and that’s how our business model got off the ground.”

Moments of fulfilment through global use

Bichler: “So I suppose it’s primarily the positive social aspects behind it all that you’re proud of?”

Vojnikovic: “Helping people integrate into a new society or a new home, or helping someone start studying abroad – that’s the social impact we have on people. I think it’s always a proud moment when we see how people actually use our product. We have free tools on our website, but also paid services that allow users to compare their qualifications in detail. What’s special is simply seeing how thousands of people from Pakistan, India, Nigeria and Ghana use our software every month, and how we help these people even though we don’t even have direct contact with them.”

Attractiveness to international talent as the key

Bichler: “Wow, that really does sound like a very fulfilling mission. It’s impressive that such a company is ‘made in Linz’. What do you value most about Linz as a location?”

Vojnikovic: “I think Linz has an exciting mix of strong industry, technology-based companies, leading research institutions in the technology sector and a thriving start-up scene.”

Bichler: “What do you think will be the key factors in keeping Linz competitive in the future, compared to other cities and regions?”

Vojnikovic: “I believe that attracting talent who want to come to Linz should be the top priority. Linz isn’t the largest city with the biggest population, which means there isn’t a huge pool of talent growing locally; instead, we need to attract talent from other regions and even other countries. I think Linz really does offer excellent services for starting a business. There are really many resources available to founders, ranging from the City of Linz’s business services to tech2b, which provides active support. I am also firmly convinced that, in a decade’s time, Linz as a business location will be an even greater innovation hotspot in Europe than it already is.”

Bichler: “And where do you see INDIMA in that timeframe?”

Vojnikovic (smiling): “As the world’s leading platform for the recognition of qualifications.”

Mehr zu INDIMA