Organizers and Partners
Our Sponsors
Media Sponsors
Community Partners
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Antonio Perić-Mažar
CEO of Locastic
Antonio Perić-Mažar is the CEO and co-founder of Locastic, a Split-based development company that has been building digital products for clients around the world for over 15 years. Today, he dedicates most of his time to AI, product development, and exploring how technology is changing the way we work. He is the co-founder of the BlockSplit conference and a frequent speaker at international events. In April 2026, he secured a second term as a member of the Board of Directors of Unit Croatia.
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Herbert Weirather
Founder & CTO of Jedsy
Herbert Weirather is the Founder and CTO of Jedsy, a Swiss drone technology company focused on mission critical delivery for healthcare. An aerospace engineer and acrobatic pilot, Herbert founded Jedsy in 2021 after previously founding and leading the Drone Champions League.
At Jedsy, he has driven the development of a unique drone delivery system capable of docking directly at windows and balconies, enabling faster and more automated delivery of medical samples and supplies. His work combines deep aviation experience, engineering expertise, and a practical focus on improving access to critical healthcare logistics.
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Marsel Čuljak
Founder and CEO of Ice Rebus
Marsel Čuljak is the Founder and CEO of Engasco d.o.o., a Croatian technology and manufacturing company behind the global brands Ice Rebus and Engasco Fire Tables. He began his entrepreneurial journey producing and distributing ice in Croatia, gaining first-hand experience of the industry's operational challenges. That experience led him to develop the Ice Rebus autonomous ice vending machine, transforming a local business into a global operation with more than 1,500 machines operating in over 50 countries across six continents. Today, under Engasco, Marsel also leads the development of Engasco Fire Tables, premium outdoor heating solutions trusted by hotels, restaurants, and hospitality venues worldwide. A frequent speaker at international conferences, Marsel shares practical insights on entrepreneurship, product development, IoT, manufacturing, and sustainable innovation. His philosophy is simple: the best products are built by understanding the problem from the ground up, operating them in real-world conditions, and continuously improving them.
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Michael Kubiena
Partner @Konsultori
In his 25+ years of working across Central & South-eastern Europe, Turkey and the Middle East, Michael has gained experience in expert, managerial and consulting roles.
Throughout his career, Michael had managed HR departments of various sizes, in start-ups as well as in corporate environments, primarily in the ICT & service industries where he worked on questions of strategic HR, compensation & performance management, talent management, on HR & management audits.
As a consultant and workshop facilitator, he focuses primarily on organization design, strategy development and implementation, People & Pulture practices as well as on change and transformation.
Michael has degrees in business administration [Vienna: 1996] and cultural studies [Istanbul: 2011] and education in systems thinking & design [2015].
This combination, paired with his extensive hands-on experience, allows for a rather unique perspective on what is happening in & with organizations and what makes them work.
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Oliver Travaš
Business Owner @bizcat
Oliver Travaš is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the FMCG and pharmaceutical industries. He brings a strong background in Sales and Marketing, gained through managerial roles at globally recognized companies such as P&G, Reckitt, and JGL. He is both an internal and external trainer holding multiple professional certifications.
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Vojtěch Nosek
Co-founder & Co-CEO of UNICO
Vojtěch Nosek is co-founder and Co-CEO of UNICO, a business consulting company for science-based innovations. Using his knowledge of the patent environment and interdisciplinary research network he effectively connects universities, companies and investors.
While studying at the Department of Social Geography and Regional Development at the Faculty of Science of Charles University, Vojtěch Nosek focused on quantitative methods in geography, where he received his PhD. Before founding UNICO, he worked as a technology transfer manager at the Czech Technical University in Prague. He led an international collaborative project in the field of medical research and, as a project manager, the start-up project of the University Centre for Energy Efficient Buildings at the CTU. He is an accredited member of the European Knowledge & Technology Transfer Society. He is currently involved in international projects where UNICO collaborates for example with the World Bank and strategic management of the company.
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Ivan Lovrić
CEO & Founder @Workspace
Ivan Lovrić is a software engineer, product leader, and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in building custom digital solutions. He is the founder of Workspace, a leading digital studio in Croatia, where he leads a team delivering end-to-end product development—from discovery and design to development, launch, and long-term support.
Through his work, Ivan specializes in creating tailored software and digital tools that help service-driven teams streamline operations and improve maintenance workflows. His expertise lies in bridging the gap between technology and real-world operations, enabling teams to adopt digital solutions in a practical and scalable way.
As the co-founder of Serwizz, Ivan works closely with maintenance and field service teams, particularly in industries such as marine engineering, charter, and yachting. He focuses on guiding organizations through digital transformation by adapting solutions to their specific level of digital maturity, helping them reduce downtime, improve coordination, and build more efficient processes.
Ivan combines strong technical expertise with a deep understanding of business needs, working with modern technologies such as React, Next.js, Java, and cloud-based architectures to deliver high-performance, scalable products tailored to each client’s operations. geography, where he received his PhD. Before founding UNICO, he worked as a technology transfer manager at the Czech Technical University in Prague. He led an international collaborative project in the field of medical research and, as a project manager, the start-up project of the University Centre for Energy Efficient Buildings at the CTU. He is an accredited member of the European Knowledge & Technology Transfer Society. He is currently involved in international projects where UNICO collaborates for example with the World Bank and strategic management of the company.
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Dina Hrastović
Head of Branded Content @Presshaus
Dina Hrastović is Head of Branded Content at Presshaus, one of the leading Croatian media companies, and Head of Content for Money Motion, the largest FinTech conference in Central and Eastern Europe.
She is a former board member of the Croatian Association for AI - CroAI, where she actively contributes to the development of the AI community with a focus on the responsible application of technology in business, media, and beyond.
Her expertise is rooted in her daily work in the marketing industry, as a creative lead, a strategic consultant, and an educator in the application of generative AI. Her extensive background in media and tech, provides a strong foundation for addressing social and economic challenges in a tech-driven environment.
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Vlado Slišković
Managing Partner @BSG Advisory
Vlado Slišković, M.Fin (IM&A), is an international M&A and valuation professional specializing in sell-side and buy-side execution, strategic advisory, deal structuring, and end-to-end transaction management. He holds a BBA from Webster University (Vienna) and a Master's in International Finance from EADA Business School (Barcelona).
Over the past 15+ years, he has advised clients through a combination of corporate finance advisory roles and as the owner of the private M&A boutique advisory firm B.S.G. Advisory, as well as co-owner of the audit firm B.S.G. Audit, both headquartered in Split, Croatia. He has advised on mid-market transactions and cross-border deals, providing strategic advisory and deal structuring across the full execution cycle—from shaping the investment narrative and sell-side materials (teaser/IM) to VDR setup, Q&A governance, bid-phase support (IOIs/LOIs and binding offers), and endgame execution alongside legal and tax counsel through signing and closing. His work spans valuation (DCF, trading/transaction multiples, scenario and sensitivity analysis), synergy and risk workstreams, vendor readiness, restructuring/value creation support, and transaction and acquisition financing models.
He is the regional representative of the Institute for Mergers, Acquisitions and Alliances (IMAA) and holds the International M&A Expert (IM&A) certification, alongside a Croatian certified valuation credential. He is also a long-standing licensed appraiser instructor for the Alliance of Accountants, Auditors and Financial Professionals (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism (EFST), University of Split.
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Igor Madžov
President of Startup Macedonia
Igor Madžov is a founder, investor, and startup mentor focused on AI and fintech, with a strong track record in supporting early and growth-stage tech companies across Southeast Europe. With over 15 years of experience in startup development, business development, and project management, he has played a key role in helping founders secure funding and scale their ventures internationally.
Igor has been actively involved in venture capital and angel investing for more than eight years, building a portfolio of nine angel investments and facilitating over €25 million in funding across 29 companies through syndication and his involvement in the NEST Group angel community. His expertise spans fundraising, sales, lead generation, and go-to-market strategy, making him a trusted advisor to startups navigating complex growth challenges.
He is also a co-founder and President of Startup Macedonia, an organization dedicated to accelerating the national startup ecosystem. As a community builder, Igor has contributed to numerous regional initiatives and events, including Startup Europe Week and Startup Weekend, where he regularly participates as a mentor, organizer, and speaker.
Driven by a passion for technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship, Igor is committed to empowering bold founders and strengthening the startup landscape across the region and beyond.
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Darko Jovišić
CEO & Co-founder @Robotiq.ai
Darko Jovišić is the CEO and co-founder of Robotiq.ai, a company focused on building production-grade robotic process automation (RPA) solutions for complex enterprise environments. With a background in software development, he brings a practical, execution-oriented perspective to automation, shaped by years of experience across engineering, sales, and advisory roles.
During his career, Darko has worked on both the technical and business sides of technology, including roles at Microsoft, where he was involved in selling and implementing enterprise solutions. This dual perspective has given him deep insight into how technology decisions translate into real-world outcomes, particularly in large-scale systems.
At Robotiq, he leads the development of digital workers designed to perform real operational tasks reliably within enterprise systems. His work focuses on bridging the gap between automation potential and practical implementation, ensuring that solutions are not only innovative but also scalable, accountable, and aligned with organizational processes.
Darko is particularly interested in the challenges of execution in automation governance, responsibility, and operational complexity and is committed to helping organizations reduce friction, increase reliability, and successfully adopt automation at scale.
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Belma Gutlić
Co-founder @Alice in Blockchains | ex VP of Engineering @ChainSafe
Belma Gutlic is an engineering leader and product strategist with extensive experience in building and scaling teams, as well as delivering complex Web3 infrastructure from concept to production. With a strong founder’s mindset, she combines high-level strategic thinking with hands-on execution, ensuring that ideas are translated into scalable, real-world solutions.
She has held senior leadership roles at ChainSafe Systems, including VP of Engineering and Head of Solutions, where she led the growth and restructuring of engineering teams and oversaw end-to-end R&D processes for both internal products and external clients. Her work has been instrumental in supporting company growth and advancing open-source and blockchain-based technologies.
Belma is passionate about innovation in the crypto and Web3 space, with a focus on building robust, production-ready systems and high-performing teams. Known for her pragmatic approach and strong execution mindset, she brings both vision and operational excellence to every project she leads.
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Dime Galapchev
Founder & CEO of FinqUP
Dime Galapchev is a founder and technology-driven entrepreneur working at the intersection of AI, finance, and automation. As the founder of FinqUP, he focuses on building compliant, AI-powered solutions for regulated financial institutions, helping them streamline operations and scale more efficiently.
Dime began his career in network engineering and IT support, contributing to large-scale European technology projects before moving into quality control within the automotive industry. He later transitioned into the financial sector, where he held senior client-facing roles managing key portfolios for international trading firms, and led marketing automation strategies for brokerages and major banks across Asia and the Middle East.
Through this diverse experience, he developed a deep understanding of the operational challenges faced by asset managers, particularly the inefficiencies caused by manual processes and fragmented systems. This insight led him to found FinqUP, an AI-powered platform designed to automate the full operational lifecycle from client onboarding and compliance to sales optimization and back-office processes.
Dime is passionate about leveraging technology to simplify complex financial operations, enabling organizations to reduce risk, improve efficiency, and focus on core value creation.
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Peter Balogh
CEO of STRT Holding & Investor on Shark Tank
Peter Balogh is an entrepreneur and investor, founder and CEO of STRT Holding, one of the region’s most active early stage investors with close to a hundred investments. He’s also known for his role as a Shark on the Hungarian version of Shark Tank. With a passion for supporting and mentoring startups, he built and exited NNG, a global leader in navigation systems. He began his tech career early, starting programming at the age of seven, and later co-founded one of the first mobile gaming companies. Today, Peter focuses on helping entrepreneurs grow and succeed.
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Mateo Perak
Co-founder & CEO @Profico
Passionate entrepreneur & IT engineer, founder of Profico digital agency with rich experience in the digital transformation of companies. Profico is serving international customers, employing a team of 60+ professionals, and building award-winning digital products. Deloitte recognized Profico as one of the 50 fastest-growing tech companies in Central Europe for 2017 & 2018, and EY Croatia nominated Profico as an Entrepreneur of the year in 2022. Profico is trusted by international companies and brands from Fortune 500 lists to small prospective startups. In Norway, Profico is a product design and development partner for a variety of SME companies like Vinify, Hyre, Finanseavisen, ABC Startsiden, etc.
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Julija JJ Jegorova
Founder of Black Unicorn PR
Founder of Black Unicorn PR, Julija leads one of London's top women-led PR agencies focused on tech startups, scaleups, unicorns and VC firms. Based in London, she advises high-growth companies on strategic PR and communications, helping them secure visibility in top-tier international media, build thought leadership and amplify their voice through speaking opportunities, podcast placements, and executive profiling. With more than 16 years of experience across in-house, freelance, and agency roles, Julija is also a regular speaker, MC, and moderator at major tech events including SXSW London and Web Summit.
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Derik Kim
Chief K-Preneur @K-Preneurs & Founder of Global Entrepreneurs Foundation (GEF)
Derik Kim is a global startup ecosystem leader, angel investor, and accelerator with extensive experience in building and supporting innovation ecosystems across Asia and internationally. As a Senior Senator for Korea at the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) and a former Asia Continental Chair, he plays an active role in shaping global investment and entrepreneurship initiatives.
Derik has invested in and supported dozens of early-stage startups through both angel investing and accelerator programs, while also working closely with founders, investors, and policymakers worldwide. He is the founder of GEF and an adjunct professor at Inha University, where he contributes to the next generation of entrepreneurs.
A highly active global speaker, mentor, and judge, Derik regularly participates in major international conferences, including WBAF Congress, World Angel Investors Week, and leading startup events across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the United States. His expertise spans startup ecosystem design, early-stage investment, and global market expansion.
In addition to his investment and mentoring work, Derik has advised governments and international organizations such as UNDP and KOICA on building national innovation strategies, startup policies, and incubation programs in regions including Central Asia and Africa.
Through his work, Derik is dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs, strengthening global startup ecosystems, and fostering cross-border collaboration in innovation and investment.
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Matej Trbara
Co-founder @Farseer
Matej Trbara is a software engineer specializing in enterprise sales and business development, with experience in scaling B2B SaaS companies and driving international expansion through strategic partnerships and commercial execution. Matej has had two company exits (latest acquisition by Zalando) and holds a Master's of Science in Computing Software Engineering.
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Gergo Gulyas
Co-Founder @iScale Hub
Gergo Gulyas is an emerging fund manager and innovation-focused ecosystem builder, currently serving as General Partner at iScale Ventures. He is actively involved in launching a new venture fund focused on investing in pilots and proof-of-concept (POC) projects, supporting corporations in adopting innovative technologies and staying competitive in rapidly evolving markets.
As a co-founder at iScale Group, he leads initiatives in innovation scouting, digital transformation, and venture development, working with corporates and governments worldwide to connect them with cutting-edge technologies and build tailored solutions. His work bridges the gap between startups and large organizations, enabling effective collaboration and real-world implementation of innovation.
Over the course of his career, he has supported the launch of two venture funds and three accelerators, and worked with more than 1,000 startups across 60+ programs. He has also participated directly in over 28 investments, contributing to multiple successful exits.
Well-connected across the UK and global startup ecosystem, he is passionate about building venture models that create real value and support founders in scaling impactful businesses.
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Tamas Szeker
General Partner @iScale Group
Tamas Szeker is Co-Founder and General Partner of iScale Group, where he helps to bridge the gap between startups, corporates, and governments. His work focuses on transforming emerging technologies into funded pilot projects, commercial opportunities, and scalable international businesses
Through cross-border innovation programs across Europe, the United States, and Asia, Tamas supports startups in validating technologies, entering new markets, and securing funding opportunities, including major EU programs such as Horizon Europe and the EIC Accelerator.
Tamas is passionate about connecting people, organizations, and technologies, creating opportunities for innovation to thrive across industries and ecosystems.
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Hamdija Jusufagić
CEO & Co-Founder @CodeScene
Hamdija Jusufagic is an entrepreneur, investor, and the founder of System Verification and Reeinvent, as well as Co-Founder of CodeScene.
Recognized as one of Sweden’s most prominent business leaders, he has built his career around innovation, entrepreneurship, and social responsibility.
His work has earned him some of Sweden’s most prestigious recognitions, including the Pioneer Prize of the Year awarded by His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf, Sweden’s Business Leader of the Year, and EY Sweden’s Male Rising Star of the Year
Beyond business, Hamdija has served as a member of the board of Malmö FF, the historic Malmö Börssällskap (founded in 1798), Malmö University and
as Member of The Business Executives Council South in
The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA).
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Jaïr Halevi
Head of Miro Startup Program
Jair Halevi is the Head of the Miro Startup Program, where he leads global initiatives supporting startup founders and ecosystem partners. With a strong founder mindset, he focuses on helping early-stage companies scale through better collaboration, culture, and access to global networks.
Prior to Miro, Jair worked at Airbnb and collaborated with leading venture capital firms, accelerators, and startup communities worldwide. He has also been active as a social entrepreneur and accelerator lead, gaining hands-on experience in building and supporting startups across different stages of growth.
At Miro, he has played a key role in developing and expanding the Startup Program, supporting thousands of startups and hundreds of partners globally. His work centers on empowering founders to innovate faster and build stronger teams through effective collaboration practices.
Jair is also the author of Advantage: Culture, where he explores how startup culture and psychological safety impact team performance and long-term success. Through his keynotes and workshops, he helps founders and teams build resilient, high-performing cultures that scale.
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Tapio Siik
Senior Business Advisor @Business Tampere
Tapio Siik is a Senior Business Advisor at Business Tampere with extensive experience in management consulting, startup development, and funding. Over the course of his career, he has held leadership roles including Managing Partner, where he worked closely with startups and growth-stage companies on business development, scaling strategies, and securing investment.
He brings strong expertise in project portfolio management, product marketing, and mobile technologies, with a particular focus on supporting innovation-driven companies. Through his work, he has helped numerous startups refine their business models, navigate growth challenges, and connect with investors and key stakeholders within the international startup ecosystem.
Tapio is passionate about fostering sustainable growth and strengthening regional innovation ecosystems by bridging the gap between entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders.
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Nebojša Bjelotomić
Centar za digitalnu transformaciju (CDT)
Nebojša Bjelotomić was born in Belgrade and graduated in Biomedical Engineering as a scholarship recipient of Boston University.
He began his career at a U.S. startup before returning to Serbia, where he joined IBM and later Fujitsu Siemens, quickly advancing to a regional leadership role overseeing the company's operations across Southeast Europe. At the same time, he completed a master's degree in Management and Marketing and became CEO of Printec, a company specializing in financial transaction automation solutions. He then spent the next five years as CEO of Saga, leading a period of significant growth. In addition to strengthening the company's position in its core business areas, he oversaw the development of its Artificial Intelligence and Data Science division.
Over the past several months, as a business angel investor, he has supported Serbian startup teams in their efforts to expand into global markets and has directly participated in four investments with a combined value of €500,000.
From 2021 to 2025, he served as CEO of the Digital Serbia Initiative, one of the country's leading organizations dedicated to advancing Serbia's digital transformation and innovation ecosystem. He currently serves as Special Advisor to the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia.
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Arjan Goudsblom
Co-Founder @Preneurz.Amsterdam
Arjan Goudsblom is a startup ecosystem builder and innovation strategist actively involved in initiatives such as Techleap, the Academic Startup Competition, and Preneurz.Amsterdam, where he co-founded a platform supporting entrepreneurial talent. With a strong focus on early-stage ventures, he works closely with founders to validate ideas and guide them through the key stages of building and scaling successful businesses.
Arjan specializes in helping entrepreneurs assess the desirability, feasibility, and viability of their products and strategies, combining business design with a human-centered approach. He is particularly passionate about driving digital transformation and enabling organizations to adapt to the demands of the digital age.
With expertise spanning digital strategy, customer experience, big data, and innovation, Arjan has worked across industries including financial services, insurance, and e-commerce. He is known for fostering team environments that encourage autonomy, experimentation, and rapid learning, helping startups and organizations create value in competitive and fast-changing markets.
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Martin Luxemburg
Director of Ecosystem & Partnerships @Unknown
Martin is the Director of Ecosystem & Partnerships at Unknown and Board Member of the Unknown University of Applied Sciences. From 2016 to 2021 he was the Director of Rotterdam's Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship, which he helped to set up and grow into its current leading position in the European entrepreneurial education ecosystem. In this role, he oversaw the design and implementation of tens of startup programmes delivered all over the world. At Unknown, Martin is focused on growing the organisation’s footprint in the Dutch & international innovation space, and on establishing Unknown Campus as Europe’s go-to-place for impact-driven entrepreneurs.
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Dušan Obradović
CEO @SEE UP
Dušan Obradović is a general manager and leader with extensive experience in business development, strategic investment, and digital transformation. He currently leads the SEE UP accelerator, a unique program supporting startups from Southeast Europe. The accelerator specializes in BioTech, Health, Pet, and FMCG sectors, with a mission to help revenue-generating startups scale their businesses through mentorship, investor connections, and product commercialization support.
Dušan is the driving force behind SEE UP’s strategic partnerships with renowned institutions, with a strong focus on attracting local and international investments for startups. He actively works on building a supportive ecosystem by collaborating with key stakeholders and designing programs that provide startups with direct benefits for growth and success.
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Zvonimir Mavretić
Managing Director @ASEE
Zvonimir Mavretić is a seasoned techie with over two decades of experience in business process management, digitalization, AI, document and records management, and intranet solutions. In addition to his role as BPM International Delivery Director, he was recently appointed Engineering Director, where he is responsible for shaping engineering strategy, driving technical excellence across delivery teams, and aligning architecture, processes, and people to deliver scalable, high-quality enterprise solutions.
An alumnus of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, Zvonimir combines strong technical foundations and hands-on experience with practical leadership experience. During his formal education, he developed a particular interest in software development, and his career began early when he co-founded his first start-up as a student. Despite more than 20 years in management roles across leading IT companies, he remains deeply passionate about software development and still loves to code.
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Daniel Ackermann
CEO of Degordian & CEO of Lupp
Daniel Ackermann is co-founder of Degordian agency, which focuses on providing digital full-service marketing to its clients and is one of the largest agencies in this part of Europe with more than 140 employees.
Daniel Ackermann and Tomislav Grubišić founded Degordian in 2009, during their studies at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, with the aim of doing social media marketing. In that period, in Croatia and the region, brands have only begun to use social networks, and because of their growing demand, their agency has started to grow rapidly. Soon, they started to focus more heavily on other digital areas.
In 2011, they became Facebook Preffered Developers, and also the Google Analytics certified partner, and were one of the few global companies that had these partnerships at the same time. They also opened offices in Mostar and Belgrade to strengthen the regional presence.
Over the last few years, they have continued to grow rapidly, focusing increasingly on design, development and a comprehensive digital marketing service. In 2015, they were awarded with the Deloitte Fast 50 award, which marks the fastest growing companies in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. In 2016, they separated their software product, Mediatoolkit, into an independent company.
They have won numerous professional awards such as Effie, IAB MIXX, Awwwards, European Design Awards, …
Up until now, Degordian has won the Best Employer Award 4 times, which Daniel points out as their greatest achievement, because Degordian’s culture is the primary reason for gathering the best employees on the market and subsequently providing the best service to their clients.
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Nikola Kapraljević
CEO @Infinum
Nikola Kapraljević is the co-founder and CEO of Infinum, a tech consultancy behind some of the industry's top digital products. Over 20 years, he grew a fully bootstrapped company into an award-winning team of 400 - through acquisitions across Europe and the US, a Porsche Digital joint venture, and spinning off Productive into a successful SaaS product. Infinum covers product development, cybersecurity, and brand experience, serving clients in banking, telecom, and automotive. Last year, Nikola led the company through its own AI transformation. Outside work, a dad of two, a petrolhead, and a (bad) salsa dancer.
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Zoltan Vardy
Sales & GTM Advisor and Founder of The Launch Code
Zoltan Vardy is a sales & GTM advisor, author and speaker who helps founders accelerate their revenue growth by sharpening their focus and structuring their sales to scale faster.
He’s generated $2 billion in sales over his 30 years as a C-suite executive and entrepreneur and has helped 200+ startups in 26 countries close high-ticket deals using The Launch Code B2B sales framework, also the foundation of his book on founder-led sales.
Zoltan has had successful exits as a founder and investor and is chairman of Antavo, an enterprise SaaS company. Based in London and Budapest, he empowers entrepreneurs to turn their vision into reality.
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Luka Sučić
Co-Founder @Money Motion & Partner @Meta Change Capital
Luka Sučić is a serial entrepreneur and investor with more than 20 years of experience in technology, marketing, and finance. He began his career at Deutsche Telekom, where he also worked with T-Ventures, the company’s venture capital arm and startup accelerator.
After returning to Croatia, Luka became one of the founders of HUB385, helping to launch the modern Croatian startup scene and strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem across the Balkans.
He is the co-founder of Money Motion, an active investor in technology startups across the Balkans and beyond, and a co-founder of several startups in various industries.
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Emira Brkić Karninčić
Business Incubator Manager @PORIN
Emira Brkić Karninčić is the Head of Business Incubators at Rijeka Development Agency Porin, with many years of experience in strategic marketing, managing development and research and innovation projects, and supporting startups and entrepreneurs. She has worked on numerous EU and national projects and has developed programmes and partnerships focused on smart cities and the IT sector.
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Goran Milavić
Business Manager @CAPAX
Goran Milavić is a business leader with more than 20 years of experience in engineering, project management, and business development across the marine, energy, and industrial sectors. He spent over 10 years as Assistant General Manager at Cummins Adriatic, leading business development and complex projects, and currently serves as Business Manager at Capax, a company specializing in yacht refit, service, and installation. Since July 2025, he has also been a Member of the Board at Capax.
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Alessandra Baccigotti
Head of the Knowledge Transfer Office of the University of Bologna
Alessandra Baccigotti has been the Head of the Knowledge Transfer Office of the University of Bologna for 13 years, leading the team in charge of technology transfer in the Bioeconomy and Engineering sector and the team in charge of Innovation Funding. Since January 2025 she has moved to a role of Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Expert both within the University of Bologna’s Innovation Department and as independent consultant. Since 2016 Alessandra has been collaborating with several European Commission units as expert evaluator for project proposals. She is also a member of Innovation working group of The Guild of research-intensive universities. A recognised contributor to the European knowledge transfer community, Alessandra served on the Board of the Association of European Science and Technology Transfer Professionals (ASTP) from 2018 to 2022 and she continues to support the association as Rapporteur of the Europe Committee and expert for EU policies and matters related to research and innovation. From 2019 to 2026 she also represented ASTP within the Alliance of Technology Transfer Professionals (ATTP). Alessandra holds a Master in Open Innovation and Knowledge Transfer and is RTTP (Registered Technology Transfer Professional).
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Filip Šaravanja
President @UBIK
Filip Šaravanja is the President of UBIK and a regulatory compliance expert with extensive experience in financial supervision. Today, he is dedicated to advancing the crypto sector, with a focus on regulatory frameworks, compliance, and the development of the digital asset ecosystem.
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Ivan Krnić
Director of Engineering @CROZ
Ivan Krnić is the Director of Engineering at CROZ, the author of the book BizTech Evolution, and the host of the 0800-DEVOPS podcast. Through his work, he helps organisations align business and technology and make more effective use of their potential. His areas of interest include DevOps culture, the socio-technical nature of software delivery, and the pragmatic application of AI technologies. Since April 2026, he has been a member of the Management Board of Unit Croatia.
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Tanja Krasić
Managing Director of High Violet
Tanja Krasić specializes in business consulting, with a focus on strategic development and business transformation. Throughout her career, she has worked across various industries, leading strategic and operational projects in large corporations from developing and implementing growth strategies, improving operational efficiency and business digitalization, to restructuring and company integrations. She has also applied this experience in managing a network of medical clinics, where, through a strong investment cycle and business restructuring, she achieved significant revenue growth within a short period. In her work, she combines experience from large corporations with a deep understanding of the challenges entrepreneurs face during growth phases.
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Dudu Gencel
Team Lead, Startup City @Wirtschaftsagentur Wien
Dudu Gencel is a professional with more than 10 years of experience in Vienna's thriving startup ecosystem. With a background in economics from the Vienna University of Economics and Business, Dudu has established herself as a reliable partner for startups and stakeholders in Vienna and beyond. She is dedicated to fostering growth, innovation and supporting an inclusive ecosystem where everyone has the chance to find its place.
During her tenure at the Vienna Business Agency, Dudu has been instrumental in driving initiatives to cultivate an inclusive startup environment in the city. As Team Lead, she orchestrates a diverse range of strategic projects aimed at propelling the growth of Startup City Vienna. Together with her team, she works on the implementation of soft-landing programs tailored for international startups, facilitates strategic city-to-city partnerships, and curates ViennaUP — a yearly decentralized startup festival in Vienna
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Sara Lerota
Founder @Satori Catalyst
Sara Lerota is a Growth Strategist, founder, and startup mentor with a strong focus on impact-driven innovation and global ecosystem building. She has extensive experience in creating international partnerships, supporting startup growth, and fostering meaningful connections across diverse innovation ecosystems.
Throughout her career, Sara has held key leadership roles, including Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at a startup studio and investment company recognized on the Financial Times 1000 list. In this role, she led the development of high-value partnerships and contributed to optimizing investment strategies, supporting startup investments exceeding €1 million globally.
As the founder of Satori Catalyst and an active advisory board member, Sara combines strategic thinking with a strong emphasis on creativity and collaboration. She has mentored over 400 startups through various international programs, helping early-stage companies refine their business models, accelerate growth, and successfully navigate fundraising processes.
Driven by a mission to create value through innovation and meaningful connections, Sara is passionate about empowering founders and building ecosystems that enable long-term, sustainable impact on a global scale.
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Dr Jasmina Isaković
CEO of EMHANCE
Dr Jasmina Isaković is CEO of EMHANCE d.o.o., a Croatian MedTech startup developing non-invasive technologies that use electromagnetic fields to modulate nervous-system activity. Her expertise spans experimental neuromodulation, computational modelling of nervous tissue, and the translation of scientific discoveries into patented technologies. She is also a Lecturer and acting Vice Chairperson of the Department of Medicine at the EUC School of Medicine in Frankfurt. She has secured national and European funding, including funding through the Women TechEU programme, and was awarded a JESH Fellowship by the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
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Lucija Šikić
Senior Machine Learning Engineer @Span
As a Senior Machine Learning Engineer at Span, Lucija designs and delivers production ready AI solutions across the full lifecycle, from understanding business needs and preparing data to developing, deploying, and continuously improving intelligent systems.
With a PhD in Computer Science and more than eight years of experience across industry and academia, she has worked on complex challenges involving visual information, document understanding, decision optimization, and conversational AI.
Her focus is on bridging the gap between advanced research and practical business applications, turning innovative ideas into reliable, scalable, and secure solutions that create measurable real-world value.
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Magdalena Kukić
Executive Assistant @Sofascore
Magdalena Kukić is a Coordinator at Unit Croatia and a professional translator from the Macedonian language, recognised for her work on projects such as Naše male knjižnice. Through her work at the association, she operationally shapes the community by organising panel discussions, workshops, and meetups, while through translation she has honed her ability to convey ideas with precision. Her areas of interest include organising educational events, moderating structured discussions, and connecting people within the technology ecosystem.
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Željka Idžan
Head of the Investment Development and Contracting Department @HBOR
Željka Idžan is Head of the Investment Development and Contracting Department within HBOR’s Investment Directorate, where she leads activities related to the development, structuring, and contracting of HBOR’s investments in venture capital funds and other equity financing instruments, with the aim of developing the capital market in the Republic of Croatia.
She has been working at HBOR since 2015. Prior to joining HBOR, she gained experience in commercial banking, where she worked on financing entrepreneurs. In her role, she collaborates with domestic and European financial institutions, as well as other relevant stakeholders in the field of investment and capital market development.
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Ema Puljak
Research Scientist @CERN
Ema Puljak is a research scientist at CERN, specialising in quantum and quantum-inspired artificial intelligence methods. She previously worked as a Quantum Algorithms Specialist at planqc, where she focused on integrating quantum-inspired solutions into real-world artificial intelligence applications.
She completed a collaborative PhD between the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). During her PhD, her research focused on improving anomaly detection methods using quantum and quantum-inspired techniques, with applications in medical imaging and high-energy physics.
Her work lies at the intersection of quantum computing, machine learning, and high-performance computing (HPC), with a focus on developing scalable methods that bridge near-term quantum technologies and classical computing approaches.
Ema is also active in science communication and regularly delivers lectures and workshops (tutorials), making quantum computing, tensor networks, and quantum machine learning accessible to interdisciplinary audiences. She has participated in numerous international conferences and actively contributes to schools, hackathons, and workshops aimed at fostering collaboration and education in the field of quantum technologies.
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Vedran Đidara
Business Development Manager
Vedran Đidara has 19 years of experience working with entrepreneurs in the field of innovative product and service development. He is a certified expert in project management based on the Project Management Institute (PMI) methodology and holds the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. He has led the establishment of research and development teams, intellectual property analysis and protection, brand development, and product segmentation for clients across various industries. During his work at the national innovation agency, he managed financial programmes supporting entrepreneurial R&D projects with a total value exceeding EUR 4 million. He is an expert in strategic management and project management in the preparation, development, and implementation of projects financed through EU funds. He also has extensive experience in the field of intellectual property and provides support in assessing and selecting the most appropriate forms of intellectual property protection.
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Jelena Majić Nosić
Co-founder of Poetica Distillery
Jelena Majić Nosić is the co-founder and head distiller of Poetica Distillery. She holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering and has received international education in distillation, including advanced training at the Speyside Whisky School. Together with her husband, she developed the Poetica brand, a craft distillery known for its innovative approach to producing premium spirits that combine Dalmatian tradition, local ingredients, and contemporary design. Under her leadership, Poetica has received international recognition, including gold medals for its technology and products across three continents, the Grand Prix award in China, and has become one of Croatia’s most recognised craft brands in the spirits category.
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Dragica Jerkov
Founder of Woolee
Dragica Jerkov is an entrepreneur and innovator with more than 35 years of experience, and the founder of Fema d.o.o. and the Woolee brand. She recognised a business opportunity in the challenge of sheep wool disposal and developed an innovative circular economy model through the production of organic fertiliser from raw sheep wool. Today, her Eko Lika Greenovation and Woolee projects stand out as examples of successfully combining innovation, sustainability, and entrepreneurship, and she has received numerous awards in recognition of her innovative work. Through her business, she demonstrates that innovation does not always have to come from new technology – sometimes it comes from recognising a problem that others do not see and transforming it into a sustainable business solution.
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Geoff Bratton
President of FBOA
Entrepreneur and hospitality leader based in Split, Croatia. Originally from California, he co-owns Fig Restaurants and Stardog, brands known for their focus on quality, service, and community. With more than a decade of experience in Croatia’s hospitality industry, he also serves as President of the Foreign Business Owners Association, supporting international entrepreneurs and strengthening connections within Croatia’s growing business ecosystem.
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John Rogošić
Founder & Principal @Split International School
Educator, innovator, and founder of Split International School, the first international school in Split, Croatia. Born in New York and educated at MIT, where he completed his PhD, he previously worked in education and technology in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since relocating to Croatia, he has focused on building internationally minded education, connecting local and global communities, and promoting robotics, critical thinking, and modern learning approaches.
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Jennifer Gilman
Founder of New Way Health Coach
Jennifer Gilman is a Board-Certified and Functional Medicine Certified Health & Wellness Coach, founder of New Way Health Coach, and founder of SHE: Women’s Wellness Exchange in Split, Croatia. A former corporate leader turned wellness entrepreneur, she helps high-performers prevent burnout and build resilience through science-backed health strategies. Her work focuses on creating healthier people, stronger communities, and sustainable well-being.
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Kit Pepper
Founder of Cheers Wine Group
Kit Pepper is a New Yorker with a background in book publishing and wine. After moving to Croatia in 2018, she founded Cheers Croatia Magazine, a free, online guide to Croatian wine and wine tourism. She has since published a book on Dalmatian wine for the Vino Dalmacije wine association and led wine masterclasses for ŠKMER, the association of Mediterranean and European chefs. Kit also leads consumer wine tastings. She lives with her husband on Brač.
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Flor Nieto
Founder of The Inmediato
Argentine-Croatian brand and marketing strategist, founder of The Inmediato, TEDx speaker, and published author. Co-founder of Atlántico Barbería Patagónica, she shaped its visual identity, storytelling, and cultural presence. With a background in journalism, creative direction, and brand consulting, she has interviewed cultural icons, launched media projects, and helped brands and founders transform vision into identity-driven growth.
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Ivan Šimičević
Board Member @ OTP banka d.d.
Ivan Šimičević was born in Zadar in 1985, where he completed his primary and secondary education, before graduating from the Faculty of Economics in Rijeka. He began his banking career in retail banking and quickly advanced to the position of Head, and subsequently Director, of the department. He soon became the project manager responsible for the integration with Splitska banka, which remains the largest bank integration ever carried out in Croatia.
Today, Ivan is a Member of the Management Board responsible for the Digitalization and Operations Division. Under his leadership, the successful implementation of the euro and the launch of new mobile banking services for individuals were completed. In addition to his outstanding contribution to the implementation and promotion of digital initiatives, Ivan continuously focuses on professional development, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence.
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Antonio Vidaković
Cursor Ambassador
Antonio Vidaković is a Senior Product Designer and Cursor Ambassador with more than five years of experience building mobile and web products. He leads product design for one of Europe’s largest hunting apps, with more than 500,000 downloads, and uses Cursor to work directly in production code and ship his own apps. Through Cursor Croatia, he organizes meetups and hands-on workshops that help designers, product managers, founders, marketers, and other non-developers turn ideas into working software.
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Ivan Bešlić
Co-Founder @Sofascore | President @Unit Croatia
Ivan Bešlić co-founded Sofascore with his childhood friend, Zlatko Hrkać. The idea was born from a simple insight: nothing stirs emotion in people quite like sports. Driven by that realization, Sofascore quickly grew into a global leader in advanced sports statistics, now used in every country around the world. As Chief Strategy Officer, Ivan is responsible for expanding and strengthening the company’s presence in key global markets. With a team soon to surpass 300 employees across four continents, his strategy is focused on achieving Sofascore’s ultimate goal — to cover every sport and every match, all in one place. In addition to his role at Sofascore, Ivan has also been serving as President of Unit Croatia since June 2024.
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Phoebe Tseng
Project Manager @Industrial Technology Research Institute
Phoebe Tseng is a Project Manager at the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), where she focuses on driving international collaboration and innovation in the ICT sector. With a strong ability to navigate complex environments, she specializes in aligning stakeholders, fostering trust, and translating ideas into actionable strategies.
At ITRI, Phoebe has led and supported a range of international partnership projects, particularly within initiatives such as Mobileheroes and Smart Cities. She has also served as the owner of the long-running Mobileheroes ICT innovation contest in Taiwan from 2020 to 2024, playing a key role in promoting technological innovation and connecting startups with industry opportunities.
Her work involves end-to-end project management, including planning, execution, and coordination across multidisciplinary teams, while ensuring alignment with cost, quality, and milestone objectives. She regularly collaborates with international partners, clients, and internal leadership, overseeing project delivery and reporting on strategic outcomes.
Phoebe is passionate about enabling collaboration across borders and building bridges between technology, innovation, and real-world impact.
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Arjan Goudsblom
Co-Founder @Preneurz.Amsterdam
Arjan Goudsblom is a startup ecosystem builder and innovation strategist actively involved in initiatives such as Techleap and Preneurz.Amsterdam, where he co-founded a platform supporting entrepreneurial talent. With a strong focus on early-stage ventures, he works closely with founders to validate ideas and guide them through the key stages of building and scaling successful businesses.
Arjan specializes in helping entrepreneurs assess the desirability, feasibility, and viability of their products and strategies, combining business design with a human-centered approach. He is particularly passionate about driving digital transformation and enabling organizations to adapt to the demands of the digital age.
With expertise spanning digital strategy, customer experience, big data, and innovation, Arjan has worked across industries including financial services, insurance, and e-commerce. He is known for fostering team environments that encourage autonomy, experimentation, and rapid learning, helping startups and organizations create value in competitive and fast-changing markets.
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Sara Dyson
Founder & Consultant @Expat in Croatia
Founder of Expat in Croatia, a platform helping foreigners navigate residence, citizenship, business, and daily life in Croatia. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she moved to Split in 2012 with no Croatian heritage and little understanding of local systems. That experience inspired her to launch Expat in Croatia in 2013. Today, her work helps entrepreneurs, digital nomads, and diaspora communities access clear, practical guidance on building a life and business in Croatia.
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Tomislav Nikočević
Partner @SQ Capital
Investment professional with over 20 years of experience across capital markets, and venture investing. Today, I focus on backing the best entrepreneurs in Southeast Europe and helping them build ambitious, high-growth companies. Board member of CroAI.
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Žana Mrša
Art Director @Studio Sudar
Žana Mrša is a graphic designer and art director with over 15 years of experience in brand identity and visual communication. She has worked across multiple agencies and design studios, collaborating with clients including Infobip, Cisco, HP, Sparky, Money Motion, Q Agency, JGL, Erste Bank, WIDS, Red Bull, Algebra, JTI etc. She specialises in brand identity, with a strong focus on the tech industry. Her work has been exhibited at numerous national and international professional exhibitions.
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Ivor Rothwell
SME for Agentic AI @IBM
Ivor Rothwell is an SME for Agentic AI at IBM with more than 25 years of experience in cloud computing and artificial intelligence. His work focuses on Agentic AI—autonomous systems that can plan, reason, and act to achieve business outcomes—and on helping organizations make the transition from AI-enabled to AI-first.
Working with IBM's most innovative clients, Ivor specializes in open, model-agnostic AI platforms, on-premises AI deployments for regulated industries, and AI agents that deliver tangible business outcomes by taking action rather than simply answering questions. His focus is helping enterprises transform AI from a productivity tool into a core driver of growth, innovation, and competitive advantage.
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Luka Kaučić
IBM Quantum Ambassador, Qiskit Advocate and Infrastructure Specialist @IBM
Luka Kaučić is an IBM Quantum Ambassador, Qiskit Advocate and Infrastructure Specialist at IBM Croatia, holding a master's degree in Computer Engineering. As an IBM Quantum Ambassador, he supports the IBM Quantum team through technical and business pre-sales activities, collaborates with clients and partners, and serves as a mentor in IBM's Qiskit Global Summer School. His expertise spans classical and modern mainframe operations, Python, and data analysis, and he is also an adjunct teaching assistant on FERIT's first mainframe course. Previously, he served for three years as President of the FERIT Students' Union and President of IAESTE Croatia, leading projects that connected companies, universities, and students across borders.
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Žana Mrša
Designer @Soče+Mrša
Žana Mrša is a graphic designer and art director with over 15 years of experience in brand identity and visual communication. She has worked across multiple agencies and design studios, collaborating with clients including Infobip, Cisco, HP, Sparky, Money Motion, Q Agency, JGL, Erste Bank, WIDS, Red Bull, Algebra, JTI etc. She specialises in brand identity, with a strong focus on the tech industry. Her work has been exhibited at numerous national and international professional exhibitions.
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Dalibor Marijanović
Partner @Vesna Deep Tech Fund
Dalibor Marijanović is a Partner at Vesna Deep Tech Fund, a regional technology transfer fund focused on investing in deep tech opportunities emerging from research institutions in Croatia and Slovenia. He has extensive experience across innovation policy, public funding, corporate operations, and venture capital.
He began his career in IT, working on solutions for public and private sector clients, before joining BICRO, where he led key R&D and innovation support programs and later served as President of the Board. He subsequently moved into the corporate sector, holding executive roles in manufacturing and technology companies, with a focus on operations, growth, and innovation.
At Vesna, Dalibor works with researchers, founders, universities, and co-investors to translate scientific and technological excellence into investable companies. His work focuses on early-stage deep tech, technology transfer, commercialization of research, and building bridges between science, industry, and capital.
He is particularly interested in technologies with strong market potential and meaningful impact in areas such as health, advanced industry, climate, energy, and enabling technologies.
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Diana Mudrinić
CEO @Trokut New Technologies Incubator Šibenik
Diana Mudrinić is the Director of the Trokut New Technologies Incubator in Šibenik, a role she has held since its establishment in 2020. Under her leadership, Trokut has evolved from a local technology incubator into a broader platform supporting entrepreneurship, startups, emerging technologies, STEM education, and international collaboration.
Today, she oversees an integrated entrepreneurial support system that, alongside Trokut, includes the PIN Business Incubator, iNavis, the Urban Incubator, and the PODI Business Zone. The system has been further strengthened through the merger with the company previously responsible for managing the PODI Business Zone, bringing the city's technological, incubation, and business infrastructure under a single management structure.
Her work focuses on connecting startups, entrepreneurs, the public sector, educational institutions, and international partners to build a stronger regional innovation ecosystem.
Before joining the City of Šibenik, Diana worked in telecommunications, corporate strategy, public policy, EU-funded projects, and startup programme development, with organisations including HUB385 and the European Parliament. She now applies this experience to developing sustainable models that enable local technology hubs to become drivers of broader regional economic growth.
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Nikola Livaković
Partner @AYMO Ventures
Nikola began his career in investment banking at UniCredit Zagrebačka banka, where he worked on some of the most prominent capital markets and corporate finance transactions in Croatia and South-East Europe, serving as Head of the bank’s Corporate Finance department.
He later led the bank’s Large Corporates segment before joining Infobip, where he headed the company’s M&A-driven growth at a critical stage of its global expansion. In 2021, together with his partners, he set out to build AYMO Ventures, applying his end-to-end experience as advisor, operator, and investor to backing ambitious companies. As a Partner, he plays a key role across investment, strategy, and execution, supporting portfolio companies through AYMO’s fund and accelerator as they scale internationally.
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Dr. Coşkun Şerefoğlu
Senior Development Expert @Ankara Development Agency
Dr. Coşkun Şerefoğlu is a Senior International Expert in Agricultural Economics, Regional/Rural Development, Sustainable Food Systems, and Climate Policy at the Ankara Development Agency, Türkiye, and a part-time lecturer in Agricultural Economics at OSTIM Technical University. He holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Atatürk University, an M.Sc. in Agri-Environmental Economics and Policy from the University of Kent (UK), and an M.A. in Economic Geography from Ankara University.
With more than 20 years of professional experience, Dr. Şerefoğlu has worked with the European Commission, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye, UNDP, the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, and the Asian Productivity Organization. His work focuses on agricultural and rural development policies, regional development, innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainable food systems, climate change, regional innovation, and agricultural extension. He has coordinated numerous international projects, delivered training and keynote presentations in Europe and Asia, and published extensively in the fields of agricultural economics, rural development, regional development and environmental policy.
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Matija Srbić
Managing Director @Nuqleus & Program Manager @Innovation Centre Nikola Tesla
Matija is a founder and coordinator of deep-tech venture builder Nuqleus. He has been involved in startup development since 2016 when he founded his startup. Over the last 4 years with Nuqleus, he helped create 25 spin-offs and raised more than € 1.1 million to build a Croatian deep-tech ecosystem. Nuqleus supports researchers and scientists transitioning from academia to the startup world, providing them with education, mentors and access to financing. In 2023 and 2024, Matija worked for The World Bank as a project lead for the Scinergy project, organizing the biggest matchmaking program in Croatia for more than 100 scientists and more than 100 firms in Croatia. Matija was also a fellow of the U.S. Department of State’s Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative (YTILI) Fellowship Program, spending more than a month in Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, New York City and Washington D.C. As a head of Nuqleus, in 2025 he kicked off Liftoff, the largest deep tech event in the region.
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Ante-Janko Bobetko
Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors (HAMAG-BICRO)
Ante -Janko Bobetko was appointed the Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors in July 2021, after serving as a member of the Board of Directors for two years. He graduated in business economics at the University of Zagreb. Through his work and experience, he has gained specific knowledge and skills in the field of creating development programs intended for the development of entrepreneurship, which include: developing strategies, laws, aid schemes, lending and the use of all forms of aid from national and EU funds.
From 2016 to 2019 , Bobetko has been the Assistant Director of the Zagreb Innovation Centre, where he participated in the preparation and implementation of projects, creation of entreprenurial programs and building of entreprenurial infrastructure intended for the innovation of ecosystem’s development.
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Dina Hrastović
Head of New Business @Presshaus
Dina Hrastović is Head of New Business at Presshaus, one of the leading Croatian media companies, and Head of Content for Money Motion, the largest FinTech conference in Central and Eastern Europe.
She is a former board member of the Croatian Association for AI - CroAI, where she actively contributes to the development of the AI community with a focus on the responsible application of technology in business, media, and beyond.
Her expertise is rooted in her daily work in the marketing industry, as a creative lead, a strategic consultant, and an educator in the application of generative AI. Her extensive background in media and tech, provides a strong foundation for addressing social and economic challenges in a tech-driven environment.
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Lucija Reić
Startup Ecosystem Lead @Infobip Startup Tribe
Lucija Reić, professionally known as Luce, is a startup and disruptive technology enthusiast and the backbone of Infobip Startup Tribe. With years of experience working on different consultation projects, she knows all the tips and tricks when it comes to business development. Her current mission is to use this knowledge to help young startups navigate the rough sea of entrepreneurship. Whatever the Q, she has an A.
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Grgo Bućan
Finance and Accounting @CIAN
Grgo Bućan is Head of the Finance, Accounting, Controlling and IT Department, as well as a Member of the Supervisory Board and co-owner of CIAN d.o.o., the leading company in Dalmatia for sanitary and environmental protection, specializing in the collection, treatment, and recovery of hazardous and non-hazardous waste, as well as pollution remediation.
At CIAN, Grgo leads the finance and accounting function with a strong focus on business intelligence and financial controlling, building the systems and processes that turn raw operational data into information that supports management decision-making. Over the past three years, his focus has been on the digitalization of business processes. His work has been key to the company's ongoing shift from outdated paper-based processes to smart, data-driven operations.
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Ante-Janko Bobetko
Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors (HAMAG-BICRO)
Ante-Janko Bobetko was appointed the Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors in July 2021, after serving as a member of the Board of Directors for two years. He graduated in business economics at the University of Zagreb. Through his work and experience, he has gained specific knowledge and skills in the field of creating development programs intended for the development of entrepreneurship, which include: developing strategies, laws, aid schemes, lending and the use of all forms of aid from national and EU funds.
From 2016 to 2019 , Bobetko has been the Assistant Director of the Zagreb Innovation Centre, where he participated in the preparation and implementation of projects, creation of entreprenurial programs and building of entreprenurial infrastructure intended for the innovation of ecosystem’s development.
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Ivan Frančešević
Chief Data Officer at SeekandHit
Ivan Frančešević is Chief Data Officer at SeekandHit. Over more than 15 years, his work has evolved from performance marketing into building the teams, measurement capabilities and data products that help organisations understand what drives growth. Today, he works at the intersection of data, product and AI—focused on making complex information genuinely useful for better decisions.
From 2016 to 2019 , Bobetko has been the Assistant Director of the Zagreb Innovation Centre, where he participated in the preparation and implementation of projects, creation of entreprenurial programs and building of entreprenurial infrastructure intended for the innovation of ecosystem’s development.
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Ivana Vuka
Senior Innovation Manager @RISE
Ivana is a Senior Innovation Manager at RISE – Research and Innovation Services, specialising in knowledge valorisation, intellectual asset management and innovation capacity building. She coordinates European IP Helpdesk activities for Widening countries and supports the development of exploitation and intellectual assets strategies within collaborative R&I projects. In addition, she serves as RM Roadmap Ambassador for Croatia and as a Senior Expert in the Horizon Europe Booster Intellectual Assets Management service.
Prior to joining RISE, Ivana was Head of the Technology Transfer Office at the University of Split, where she led intellectual property, commercialisation and innovation support activities, working closely with researchers, startups, SMEs and public stakeholders. Over the past decade, she has been actively involved in numerous European and national projects, providing advisory services, developing innovation support programmes and policy frameworks, and delivering training on technology transfer, intellectual property and entrepreneurship.
Ivana holds a PhD in Neuroscience and a Master’s degree in Marine Biology and Ecology.
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Andrej Radomiljac
Team Lead@Profico
Andrej Radomiljac is a software engineer and team lead with several years of experience working on AI projects. At Profico, he works closely with global brands, helping them apply AI to their everyday business challenges.
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Juraj Žlof
Founder of Growthfix Venture Studio
Juraj Žlof is an entrepreneur and the founder of Growthfix Venture Studio, specializing in the development, launch, and scaling of new business ventures. Throughout his career, he has been involved in building several brands and startups, including Palačinke.hr, RollBed, Swash, and TransferHero. Today, he leverages his experience to help founders identify the right opportunities faster, avoid costly mistakes, and turn ideas into sustainable businesses.
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Davor Aničić
Co-founder and CEO @Velebit AI
Seasoned business leader with a product management background co-founded and leading a tiny, efficient, and very experienced team of Velebit AI since 2019 that implements B2B solutions and delivers AI services across various industries. Serial entrepreneur starting in the early internet days but also spent five years in academia and 15 years in the corporate environment in various roles across industries like telecommunications, online publishing, and technology transfer. Driven to understand how AI will interact with humans and change our livelihoods in the years to come.
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Ivan Frančešević
Chief Data Officer at SeekandHit
Ivan Frančešević is Chief Data Officer at SeekandHit. Over more than 15 years, his work has evolved from performance marketing into building the teams, measurement capabilities and data products that help organisations understand what drives growth. Today, he works at the intersection of data, product and AI—focused on making complex information genuinely useful for better decisions.
From 2016 to 2019 , Bobetko has been the Assistant Director of the Zagreb Innovation Centre, where he participated in the preparation and implementation of projects, creation of entreprenurial programs and building of entreprenurial infrastructure intended for the innovation of ecosystem’s development.
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Luka Vuković
Founder of Look@
Luka Vuković is an entrepreneur, founder of Look@, and the driving force behind 3V Innovation Hub. Look@ develops solar-powered photo sculptures for automated photography at tourist locations. The company is now present on three continents and, following a recent investment, continues its international expansion.Through the development of the Look@ project, Luka has participated in international accelerators, startup programs, and conferences, connecting with entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors from Europe, Dubai, and Singapore. He has brought this experience to 3V Innovation Hub, an initiative focused on connecting projects, knowledge, and business opportunities across Croatia and the wider region.
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Piet Jan Bloem
Managing Partner and Founder @AIMZ
He has been designing, building, and commissioning energy systems in buildings and data centers since 2000. As the co-founder of AIMZ, he has been applying artificial intelligence to existing energy systems to improve their real-time performance and simplify compliance with laws and regulations. His work enables both smart and conventional buildings to become autonomous almost instantly.
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Vedran Šimunović
Business Development Manager @INTERA Technology Park Mostar
Vedran Šimunović is part of the business development team at INTERA Technology Park in Mostar, an organization that has been supporting the development of entrepreneurship, innovation, and digital transformation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider region for more than two decades. He is actively involved in developing startup and innovation ecosystems, international projects, and initiatives aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises through the adoption of new technologies and collaboration between the business, academic, and public sectors.
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Sanja Cancar
AI Governance & Project Management @paiper.one
Sanja Cancar is an AI Compliance Officer and AI Governance & Project Management professional at PaiperOne, where she works on practical approaches to responsible and trustworthy AI. With a background in software project management, digitalisation and compliance, she operates at the intersection of technology, organisation and ethics.
At PaiperOne, she contributes to HUMABLY, a platform for AI governance, compliance and AI literacy that helps organisations navigate the opportunities and challenges of AI while keeping accountability, transparency and human oversight at the centre. Her work explores how organisations can move from AI experimentation to responsible, trustworthy and sustainable AI adoption.
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Maja Ćukušić
Department of Business Informatics, Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism, University of Split
Maja Ćukušić is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism, University of Split. Her teaching and research focus on business information systems, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and business analytics. She currently leads the University of Split’s activities within the Erasmus+ Web3 Innovation Hub project.
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Katarina Tomičić-Pupek
Department of Information Systems Development, Faculty of Organization and Informatics, University of Zagreb
Katarina Tomičić-Pupek, PhD, is a Full Professor at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Organization and Informatics, Croatia. Her teaching activities and scientific and professional engagement are related to business process modeling, strategic planning of information systems, design thinking, and digital transformation. .
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Ivan Lovrić
CEO & Founder @Workspace
Ivan Lovrić is a software engineer, product leader, and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in building custom digital solutions. He is the founder of Workspace, a leading digital studio in Croatia, where he leads a team delivering end-to-end product development—from discovery and design to development, launch, and long-term support.
Through his work, Ivan specializes in creating tailored software and digital tools that help service-driven teams streamline operations and improve maintenance workflows. His expertise lies in bridging the gap between technology and real-world operations, enabling teams to adopt digital solutions in a practical and scalable way.
As the co-founder of Serwizz, Ivan works closely with maintenance and field service teams, particularly in industries such as marine engineering, charter, and yachting. He focuses on guiding organizations through digital transformation by adapting solutions to their specific level of digital maturity, helping them reduce downtime, improve coordination, and build more efficient processes.
Ivan combines strong technical expertise with a deep understanding of business needs, working with modern technologies such as React, Next.js, Java, and cloud-based architectures to deliver high-performance, scalable products tailored to each client’s operations.