Arbër Kadia is the Co-Founder and CEO of Patoko, Albania’s pioneering super app that has reshaped the country’s digital service landscape. His career spans cultural heritage, media, international development, and technology entrepreneurship, positioning him as a leading figure in Albania’s digital transformation.
Education
Kadia studied internationally, completing secondary school as an International Scholar at Eton College (2002). He earned a BA (2007) and MA (2008) in History of Art and Italian from the University of Bristol, and later an MBA from Tirana Business University (2013–2015).
Sports
Kadia served as a basketball player and club owner.
Professional Background
Between 2009–2013, he led Albania’s cultural heritage sector in Tirana and nationally, modernizing site policies, expanding public access, organizing international exhibitions, and negotiating the return of stolen artefacts. He later became a TV host on Vision+, sharpening his communication skills. His work also included heritage compliance for the Trans Adriatic Pipeline and communications for Helvetas Albania’s Bashki të Forta program, which proved vital during the COVID-19 crisis.
Entrepreneurship and Patoko (2023–Present)
In 2023, Kadia co-founded Patoko, initially as a taxi booking app, which rapidly evolved into Albania’s first multi-service super app. Today Patoko serves 250,000+ users with 4,500 daily active users across multiple cities. Under his leadership, the company has secured major recognition and support:
Investment from Kevin Sekniqi’s K4S6 fund (2025),
Slush’d Tirana “No-Strings-Attached” Prize, 2024 – One of two Albanian startups sponsored for Slush Helsinki, spotlighting Patoko’s innovation potential.
UpLift Albania Demo Day, 2024 – Took the podium as Top-3 Startup of the Year for rapid growth and product ingenuity.
EU4Innovation Challenge Fund, 2024 – Grant awarded for expanding Patoko from ride-hailing into a multi-service super-app.
ICT Awards, Best Startup of the Year, 2023 – National accolade recognising Patoko’s market debut and early traction.