Nikola Neftenov

Nikola Neftenov is a Senior Researcher at Tambourine Innovation Ventures. His area of expertise is in data privacy, data protection, data governance, innovation, entrepreneurship, digital transformation, emerging technologies/4IR, regulatory and policy analysis, gender, diversity and inclusion issues, venture capital (regulatory issues), IP law, traditional knowledge and culture, LDCs, and SDGs. Mr. Neftenov has extensive work experience with international organizations in Latin America, Africa, Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe (Western Balkans), and Central Asia. He has provided advisory services to organizations such as the World Bank Group, Inter-American Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, the World Intellectual Property Organization, the International Telecommunication Union, UNIDO, UNDP, ESCAP, and APEC.

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During his tenure at TIV, he has led research efforts on complex projects on IP Law, entrepreneurship, innovation, 4IR (AI, Blockchain, Big Data, 3D Printing, Drones, AR/VR), data protection, data governance, and regulatory and policy analysis for organizations such as the World Bank, AfDB, IDB, WIPO, ITU, APEC, UNIDO. Prior to his engagement at TIV, he worked at the World Bank Office in Skopje, North Macedonia (Skills Development and Innovation Support Project). Mr. Neftenov also worked as a Program Assistant at the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) in North Macedonia, working on the Balkan Regional Rule of Law Initiative Network project sponsored by the USAID, and later by the US Department of State.  

 

Mr. Neftenov holds a Bachelor’s degree in law from the University of “Ss. Cyril and Methodius”, North Macedonia, a Diplôme d’Université in IP Law from the Center for International IP Studies (CEIPI), the University of Strasbourg in France, and a Master’s degree in IP Law from the University of “Ss. Cyril and Methodius”, North Macedonia.