After a full day of bold pitches, big conversations, and future-shaping ideas, the Podim community comes together for the one night when the entire ecosystem meets in the same place — founders, investors, speakers, and changemakers ready to celebrate what comes next.

The PODIM Party 2026 starts with a relaxed networking dinner, where conversations flow naturally beyond the conference halls. With a refreshing Heineken in hand, it becomes easy to discover common passions, spark new connections, and realise you’re surrounded by more like‑minded people than you expected, exactly the kind of quality socialising Heineken inspires. As the evening unfolds, the tempo rises, the lights shift, and the atmosphere transforms into a high-energy celebration of the global startup community.

This is where deals are toasted, partnerships begin, and the Podim experience reaches its most vibrant moment.

During the evening, you can expect:

• A networking dinner with founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders
• An international crowd of innovators in one place
• A signature light moment that brings the entire community together
• A powerful DJ set and a dance floor that keeps the energy moving late into the night
• Refreshing Heineken served throughout the celebration

Together with Heineken, the official party partner, we invite you to join the night where the quality conversations continue, the energy builds, and the community celebrates the ideas shaping tomorrow.

 Podim Terrace, Maribox
Tuesday, May 12
20:00

One night. One community. Where bold ideas shine.

The post PODIM Party: Where bold ideas shine appeared first on Podim.

Founded by Stjepan Orešković and developed within IEDC – Bled School of Management, Future 500 connects investors, institutional capital, policymakers, and ambitious founders to support the next generation of European growth champions.

For the Podim community, this mission is highly relevant. The Alps-Adriatic and wider CEE region continues to produce companies with global potential, but scaling them into truly global leaders requires stronger alignment between capital, policy, and entrepreneurship across Europe.

Initiatives like Future 500 help ensure that the next generation of global companies can grow from Europe — and remain European.

Champions of Growth

From €10 Billion to Trillion Ambition

March 24, 2026
European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Brussels

Future 500 invites members of the Podim community — investors, scaleup founders, and ecosystem leaders — to a closed strategic gathering in Brussels.

The event will bring together European commissioners, senior policymakers, institutional investors (EIB, EIF, EBRD), and founders of leading European growth companies.

The central question:
What does it take for a European founder to build a trillion-dollar company — and keep it European?

Insights from the event will contribute to the development of the Future 500 Index, designed to identify and support Europe’s next generation of growth champions.

Featured speakers

Among the speakers are European Commissioners, leading investors and founders of globally scaling companies.

Stjepan Orešković
Founder, Future 500
Founder & Majority Shareholder, Bosqar Invest
President of the Supervisory Board, IEDC – Bled School of Management

Maria Luís Albuquerque
European Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investments Union

Marta Kos
European Commissioner for Enlargement

Kerstin Jorna
Director-General, DG GROW, European Commission

Michiel Scheffer
President of the Board, European Innovation Council (EIC)

Rafał Brzoska
Founder & CEO, InPost

Delphine d’Amarzit
Chair & CEO, Euronext

And many other leaders from across Europe’s innovation and investment ecosystem.

Why investors and scaleup leaders should attend

This gathering is designed for people actively shaping Europe’s growth ecosystem.

You should consider attending if you are:

• A VC or growth investor looking at Europe’s next generation of scaleups
• An institutional investor or capital allocator shaping European growth capital
• A scaleup founder building a globally ambitious company
• An ecosystem leader influencing policy and growth frameworks

Participants will gain access to:

• direct dialogue with European policymakers
• conversations with institutional capital providers
• founders of Europe’s fastest-growing companies
• discussions shaping the future of Europe’s growth ecosystem

This is not a large conference.

It is a curated strategic gathering of investors, policymakers, and founders shaping Europe’s growth agenda.

Practical information

Location: European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Brussels
Date: March 24, 2026

The conference takes place within the Future 500 initiative, a strategic platform of IEDC – Bled School of Management, in partnership with the Atlantic Council and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).

The post Can Europe build a trillion-dollar company? The conversation starts in Brussels appeared first on Podim.

From consumer brands with 20+ million devices sold and apps serving 30+ million users worldwide, to enterprise SaaS platforms powering operators like DHL, Poste Italiane, and PostNord — this region builds companies that scale globally.

At Podim Conference, the Builders Stage powered by Silicon Gardens brings these founders and operators back to the spotlight.

This is not theory.

This is real scale. Real traction. Real global impact.
And you can be in the room with them.

What gets unpacked on stage

You’ll hear tactical, experience-backed insights like:

• How to scale from 0 to 3M users without your product, team, or ops imploding
• What it really takes to raise $100M+ and turn AI into enterprise revenue
• How to close ultra-niche enterprise clients when your TAM looks “too small”
• Frameworks to dramatically cut B2B sales cycles
• How to turn partnerships and brand alliances into real contracts (yes, even Netflix-level deals)
• How to scale to 30M+ users without VC money — and keep control
• What it takes to build and sell 20+ million hardware devices globally

This isn’t startup theatre.
It’s execution at scale.

Forget generic growth advice

No recycled LinkedIn threads.
No vague “10x mindset” slides.

The Builders Stage is built for founders and operators who have:

• Scaled from 0 → millions of users
• Raised $100M+
• Closed enterprise giants
• Bootstrapped global products
• Built, exited, failed — and built again

If you’re serious about building, this is where you take notes.

Meet the builders

These are the founders and operators shaping global markets right now:

Mily Technologies powers last-mile analytics for DHL eCommerce, Poste Italiane, GLS and PostNord, boosting efficiency by up to 10%.
David Blaževski helped take the platform from early stage to commercial traction across Europe’s largest logistics players.

Familiar is an AI-native CRM redefining how hotels turn guest data into direct revenue, already partnering with leading hospitality brands.
Kimeshan Naidoo, serial founder and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, scaled Unibuddy to 3M users and $10M ARR.

Synthpop is a Cambridge-based AI company building agentic AI solutions for healthcare, backed by $23M in funding.
Hajdi Cenan previously built and exited airt to Synthpop AI and now represents Croatia on the Board of the European Startup Network.

InsiderCX processed 1.5M+ patient interactions and saved clinics over €4.3M through AI-driven healthcare insights.
Nikola Komes secured a €1.5M seed round and is expanding patient-centric healthcare platforms across Europe.

Wonderful is a fast-scaling enterprise AI agent platform that raised $134M and reached a $700M valuation, expanding across 10+ countries.
Vedran Bajer, former Microsoft Country Manager and Google executive, now leads regional AI transformation for multinational enterprises.

Todoist is used by 30+ million people globally and was built as a fully remote company long before it became mainstream.
Amir Salihefendic bootstrapped Doist into one of the world’s most trusted productivity platforms.

Wizard Ventures builds and scales revenue-generating digital startups from idea to market success.
Maximilian Fleitmann scaled StudyHelp to 1M+ monthly users, raised $5M+, backed 25+ startups, and exited multiple ventures.

Spacebrains is a Techstars-backed engineering talent platform helping hardware-driven companies build elite teams.
Slavomir Hruška built and exited a B2B company serving 200+ clients in 34 countries and raised €3M+.

Productive is a global SaaS platform unifying operations and finance for agencies worldwide.
Tomislav Car is a serial founder and investor behind multiple tech companies employing 600+ people.

Crunchr is a Series A-backed enterprise people analytics platform recognized by Gartner and Forbes.
Faris Sehovic drives global enterprise sales growth after contributing to Orgnostic’s acquisition by Culture Amp.

Hypefy raised €1.7M in seed funding and delivered 1,300+ campaigns for 80+ brands across 13 markets.
Stjepan Zelić, winner of the 2024 Podim Pitching Competition, is scaling AI-powered influencer marketing globally.

Sofascore serves 25+ million monthly users across 20+ sports and 5,000+ leagues worldwide.
Ivan Bešlić helped grow the company into a 300+ person global sports data leader.

FOREO has sold 20+ million devices, serves 28+ million customers, operates in 180+ countries, and holds 378 patents.
Mario Gomez leads global commercial strategy for one of Europe’s most successful beauty-tech brands.

NVAPPS is a London-based app and game studio with 1M+ users, founded by a team with experience from companies like Facebook, Amazon, and hyper-growth startups.
Mustafa Tandogan, Co-founder, combines product-led growth, go-to-market strategy, and global partnerships experience — including collaborations with Google and Apple — to scale digital products internationally.

57hours is a global adventure marketplace connecting travelers with certified local guides, scaling outdoor experiences across destinations worldwide since 2019.
Perica Levatić, COO & Co-founder, previously built and scaled SaaS and digital products, working with global clients like Penguin Random House and HBO’s Game of Thrones app, bringing strong product and operational expertise.

hylosense is a climate-tech company building AI-powered hyper-local weather models, with its previous product AirCare reaching 1M+ downloads and making environmental data accessible at scale.
Gorjan Jovanovski, CEO & Co-founder, is a climate-tech entrepreneur whose work has been featured by Forbes, NASA, and The New York Times, turning complex environmental data into real-world decisions for global industries.

Outfit7 is a global mobile gaming powerhouse behind Talking Tom & Friends, with billions of downloads and one of the most recognized entertainment IPs worldwide.
Tadeja Irmančnik, Head of Brand Partnerships & Co-Brandings, builds high-impact global partnerships, combining storytelling and strategy to create brand collaborations with companies like Huawei, Pampers, and Danone.

And this is just the beginning.

These 13 featured builders are only part of the lineup — 7 more high-caliber founders and operators will join the Builders Stage before Podim, completing a hand-picked group of 20 regional leaders actively shaping global tech markets.

More scale. More traction. More real-world execution.

Hosted by leaders who know what works

The B2C track will be hosted by Tena Žganec, Project Manager at ICENT and Nuqleus, working at the intersection of tech transfer and startup incubation.

The B2B track will be led by Petra Wagner, B2B sales strategist, creator of the SalesBooster Framework, and former IBM & Microsoft enterprise sales leader with 20+ years of experience closing complex deals.

Who should join?

The Builders Stage is designed for:

• Startup founders building for scale
• Scale-up operators managing international growth
• Corporate innovation teams seeking proven execution models
• Investors scouting the next wave of global tech champions

If you’re building seriously in 2026, this is your room.

Join us in Maribor | May 11–13

Seats fill up. Rooms get full.
And the most valuable conversations happen in person.

If you want to be in the room where regional tech champions share how they actually built global companies —

This is your ticket.

Secure your Podim ticket now
Join the Builders Stage
Be part of the next wave of global tech success stories

The post The best regional builders 2.0 – Back on the Podim stage appeared first on Podim.

DEADLINE: May 27, 2026

Focus areas for your solution

Whether you’re developing new hardware, software, or a hybrid solution, these are the areas they’re most excited about:

• Digital twins – System simulations with tools like ISAAC Sim & Omniverse
• Artificial skin – Capacitive, inductive, and magnetic sensor solutions
• Environmental sensing – Image processing, radar, and laser beam projection
• Visual feedback – Show intent with movement and or a laser beam scanner
• Motor control – Advanced movement solutions for humanoid robots

What you get as a participant

By joining the challenge, you’ll have access to everything you need to bring your prototype to life:

• Complimentary prototyping kits (trainable with Deepcraft Studio, including motor control and sensor data reading) 
• Technical support from experts
• Guidance through prototype development
• A structured program designed to accelerate your startup’s growth (business coaching & pitch training)

How the challenge works

1. Apply now – Submit your concept, describe your startup idea and your motivation to attend 
2. 24 pre-selected startups will be invited to Dresden to join Silicon Saxony Days (Dresden)
3. Pitch – Present your idea and development strategy in Dresden, June 16th -17th
4. Challenge selection – 12 startups are chosen to join the official program, June-Oct 2026

The program’s big opportunity

• Demo day at EBSCON Conference – Present your solution at the Demo day of the Startup Challenge in Graz, Austria (October 6–7)
• The Startup Challenge Winner will present at Infineon Startup Night in Munich, Germany
• Network with decision-makers – Connect with Infineon executives and VCs
• Long-term collaboration – The top teams can advance to a one-year growth program

DEADLINE: May 27, 2026

Don’t miss your chance to combine robotics and cutting-edge technology – apply for the Infineon Startup Challenge and turn your ideas into reality!

The post Humanoid robotics meets Infineon Technology – Join the challenge! appeared first on Podim.

Today, we’re revealing the first speakers joining this year’s program — founders who scaled globally, investors behind unicorns, operators building real AI companies, and ecosystem leaders shaping Europe’s next chapter.

This is only the beginning.
But it already tells you one thing:

This year will be serious.

Builders who’ve done it — More than once

From 0 to $10M ARR

Kimeshan Naidoo, Co-Founder of Familiar & Unibuddy.

Scaled to 3M users. Hit $10M ARR. Built engineering teams from 0 to 50+. At Podim, Kimeshan will break down what it actually takes to build AI-native platforms and world-class software — without destroying your culture or your roadmap.
No theory. Just battle-tested execution.

Building, exiting, repeating

Maximilian Fleitmann, Founding Partner at Wizard Ventures, serial entrepreneur and angel investor.
Max scaled StudyHelp to 7-figure annual revenue and 1M+ monthly users, raised $5M+ as a founder, supported $100M+ in fundraising, and exited multiple ventures. Expect unfiltered lessons on fundraising, remote-first scaling, and building ventures designed to last.

Scaling Sofascore to the world

Ivan Bešlić, Co-founder & Chief Strategy Officer at Sofascore.

From a simple idea about sports emotion to a global sports stats platform with nearly 300 people across four continents.
Ivan will unpack what it takes to expand globally while staying product-obsessed — and why category leadership is always a long game.

B2B, Deep tech & real exits

Slavomir Hruška, COO & Co-Founder of Spacebrains, Techstars-backed.

Built and exited a B2B startup with 200+ customers in 34 countries. Raised €3M+. Coached 180+ CEOs for Shark Tank.
From venture capital to hardware-heavy industries — Slavomir knows what scalable B2B execution actually looks like.

Capital at Scale

Inside a $4B fintech machine that backed 31 unicorns

Yusuf Özdalga, Partner at QED Investors

$4B AUM. $2.4B invested. 250+ fintech companies. 31 unicorns.
Yusuf leads European investments across fintech, proptech, and e-commerce. At Podim, you’ll get a direct look at what tier-one global capital expects from European founders — and what it takes to build serious fintech.

From $0 to $100M series A in 10 months

Vedran Bajer, General Manager Adriatic at Wonderful.

Wonderful raised $100M Series A just 10 months after founding — building multilingual AI agents for enterprise workflows.
Former Microsoft Country Manager. Former Google leader.
Now driving AI transformation across Southeast Europe. This isn’t AI hype. This is AI at scale.

The connectors moving Europe

The European tech insider

Robin Wauters, co-driver of the EU-INC initiative, COO at European Startup Network, former founder & CEO of Tech.eu.

Robin has spent over a decade analyzing, building, and curating Europe’s startup and investment landscape.
If you care about where European tech is heading — and how policy, capital, and founders intersect — this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

The Recursive – making CEE visible

Kristiana Kuneva, Chief Business Development Officer at The Recursive.

Kristiana connects startups, investors, and ecosystem leaders across Central and Eastern Europe — turning regional innovation into global relevance.

2.5 Days. 3 Stages. Highly curated.

You’ll meet them — and 50+ additional carefully selected speakers — in a focused 2.5-day experience designed for:

Founders.
Investors.
Operators.
Corporates.
Ecosystem builders.

This isn’t a random lineup.
It’s a curated room of builders and decision-makers.

And the momentum is already building:
– 30+ VC funds confirmed
– 500+ startup applications received
– One month left until the application deadline

If you’re looking for capital, sharp insight, strategic partnerships, or the next wave of bold startups challenging the status quo — Podim 2026 is where the real signals are.

More speakers coming soon.

Tickets are already live. Secure your seat before prices move.

See you in Maribor.

The post First names. Serious signals. Meet the speakers setting the tone for Podim 2026 appeared first on Podim.

GOLDEN UNICORN PARTNER

Silicon Gardens Fund

Slovenia
VC built by entrepreneurs who’ve scaled and exited tech companies themselves. Investing in pre-seed and seed startups, regionally (CEE and Adria) and globally, with tickets €300k – €1.5M. They invest primarily in B2B SaaS, marketplaces, consumer apps, and innovative D2C products. Beyond capital, they provide mentorship, connections and hands-on support. They have 110+ investors, some of which are legends in the Adria tech space. They’ve built companies like Outfit7, Sportradar, Photomath, Microblink, Celtra, Nordeus, Zemanta (now Teads), Cosylab, Dewesoft.
www.silicongardens.com/

South Central Ventures

Slovenia
South Central Ventures (SCV) is a leading venture capital firm with 18 years of experience, managing over €100 million and boasting a portfolio of more than 50 high-tech companies. With offices in Ljubljana, Zagreb, Belgrade, and Skopje, SCV invests in seed-stage companies from the Southeast Europe (SEE) region that operate in globally prosperous industries. They focus on bold, innovative businesses with the potential to become market leaders, led by visionary founders with exceptional entrepreneurial skills and a global outlook. Beyond capital, SCV provides mentorship and actively partners with their portfolio companies, offering extensive support to drive success.
www.sc-ventures.com/

Fil Rouge Capital

Croatia
FRC is a venture capital firm dedicated to supporting bold founders and high-growth startups. With a strong track record in M&A and financing exceeding $4 billion, FRC provides more than just capital—offering hands-on support from incubation to exit. Committed to building a top-tier entrepreneurial ecosystem in Croatia, the firm values transparency, speed, and unwavering backing for its founders. Recognized as the “Best Investor” in the region for two consecutive years, FRC stands out for its no-nonsense, fact-driven approach to venture investing.
www.filrougecapital.com

Vesna VC

Slovenia, Croatia
Vesna Fund manages the first deep tech venture capital fund in Central Eastern Europe, specifically focusing on Croatia and Slovenia. Established with a capital of €50 million, the fund is headquartered in Luxembourg and operates additional offices in Zagreb and Ljubljana. The fund primarily invests in sectors such as climate technology, advanced materials, and AI/ICT.
www.vesnavc.com

OUTLIER PARTNER

TechAngels

Romania
TechAngels is Romania’s first angel investor network, established in 2013 to support early-stage technology startups through investments, expertise, and connections. Over the past decade, they have invested more than €40 million in the Romanian tech ecosystem, with their aggregate portfolio encompassing over 240 startups. In 2024, TechAngels members invested €3.777 million in tech startups, marking a 25% year-over-year increase. The organization continues to foster the growth of tech businesses in Romania and South-Eastern Europe by providing funding, mentorship, and access to acceleration programs.
www.techangels.ro

OUTLIER PARTNER

SID Upravljanje premoženja

Slovenia
SID Upravljanje premoženja (SID Asset Management), part of the SID Group, is a specialized institution for equity financing, built on European best practices. It supports domestic private equity and venture capital funds and plays a vital role in strengthening Slovenia’s capital market. By empowering local VC teams and investment infrastructure, it brings more expertise, more capital, and greater opportunities for Slovenian startups—fully aligned with Slovenia’s national strategy to build a robust venture capital ecosystem.
https://www.sid.si/en

Feelsgood Capital

Croatia, Slovenia
The Feelsgood Social Impact Investment Fund is uniquely structured to invest in Croatian and Slovenian ventures that combine typical private equity and venture capital objectives with commercial business models led by strong management teams poised for scaling. Feelsgood identifies and supports businesses that either address or plan to address one or more of the SDGs, integrating measurable impact into their strategic business models sustainably.
www.feelsgoodcapital.com

Lead Ventures

Hungary
Lead Ventures is a Budapest-based venture capital firm backing high-potential B2B software startups from the CEE region and the Baltics. Focused on companies with proven market validation, it provides €2–10 million in growth capital, along with strategic guidance and access to a strong regional and international network. Backed by MOL Group and NTH, Lead Ventures helps ambitious founders scale globally and turn regional successes into global players.
www.leadventures.eu

Day One Capital

Hungary
Day One Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm managing privately funded investment funds. They focus on the most promising technology teams from Central and Eastern Europe, particularly seed-stage companies with innovative products and high growth potential. Their current fund, launched in 2018, has a capitalization of €34 million, with initial investments ranging from €300,000 to €1.5 million per company.
www.dayonecapital.com

Market One Capital

Poland
Market One Capital (MOC) is a pan-European venture capital firm focused on pre-seed and seed-stage investments. With a long-term investment perspective, MOC backs platform-driven startups that democratize market access and enhance efficiency through the power of network effects. Investing across Europe, the firm supports ambitious founders building scalable, category-defining businesses with global potential. Beyond capital, Market One Capital acts as an active partner to its portfolio companies, leveraging deep experience, a strong European network, and a global mindset to support early growth and expansion.
https://www.moc.vc

GapMinder VC

Netherlands
GapMinder VC is an early-stage fund backing AI, Deeptech, and B2B SaaS startups from South-Eastern Europe and its diaspora. With €130M under management, it invests from €0.5M to €5M, and follows on up to €12M+. Founded by experienced operators, GapMinder supports globally driven teams in sectors like automation, data, cybersecurity, and fintech, helping them scale internationally. Over 85% of portfolio companies raise follow-on funding.
www.gapminder.vc

J&T Ventures

Czech Republic
J&T Ventures is a Prague-based early-stage venture capital fund, established in 2014. With €120 million in assets under management, the firm invests in promising startups from the CEE and SEE regions, focusing on seed-stage companies with proven product-market fit. J&T Ventures provides investments ranging from €0.3 million to €3 million and offers strategic support to help portfolio companies expand and succeed.
www.jtventures.cz

Inovo.vc

Poland
Inovo VC is a venture capital fund focused on investing in startups from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Their seed investments range from €0.5 million to €4 million, targeting companies with the potential to reach over $100 million in revenue. Inovo VC has partnered with more than 75 different investors and has six portfolio companies valued at over €100 million. In addition to financial support, they offer extensive assistance in talent recruitment, customer connections, and advisory services.
www.inovo.vc

Tilia Impact Ventures

Czech Republic
Tilia Impact Ventures is an early-stage impact venture capital fund backing founders from the Czech Republic and the wider Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region who are driving systemic environmental and social change on a global scale. With a €30 million seed-stage fund, Tilia invests €0.3–1.5 million in equity or convertible instruments and follows a sector-agnostic, impact-driven approach. The fund focuses on two core verticals—Sustainable Planet and Thriving People—supporting solutions across areas such as climate, circularity, food and agriculture, energy, education, health, and social inclusion. Beyond capital, Tilia acts as a long-term, hands-on partner, with significant reserves for follow-on investments to support founders throughout their growth journey.
https://tilia.vc/

Wizard Ventures

Germany
Wizard Ventures is a venture studio and holding company that builds, acquires, and operates online businesses with a strong focus on design, user experience, and solving real-world problems. Founded by experienced entrepreneurs, Wizard Ventures combines creativity with operational excellence to develop scalable, sustainable digital businesses. The team works hands-on with founders and teams, transforming ideas into well-crafted products and growing them into successful, long-term ventures.
https://www.wizardventures.co/

QED Ventures

USA
QED Investors is a leading global venture capital firm focused exclusively on fintech and disruptive financial services. Based in Alexandria, Virginia, QED invests across the U.S., Europe, the U.K., Latin America, India, Southeast Asia, and Africa. The firm is known for its operator-led approach, combining deep sector expertise with hands-on engagement to help founders build category-defining companies that empower consumers and businesses. Leveraging decades of entrepreneurial and operational experience, QED actively supports portfolio companies in achieving breakthrough growth. Its portfolio includes some of the world’s most successful fintech leaders, such as Klarna, Nubank, Credit Karma, Remitly, and SoFi.
https://qedinvestors.com/

Columbia Lake Partners

UK
Columbia Lake Partners is an experienced team of investors providing growth loans to European technology companies. They have extended credit and managed portfolio relationships exceeding €500 million to over 75 companies. They fund between €2 million and €20 million and are open to partnering with others to write larger cheques. Investing from a long-term committed fund, they have a financing capacity of $300 million. Their experience through the ups and downs of the past decade has taught them that no company has a straight path to success. As a result, their approach is to take a “light touch,” with no board seats, light covenants, and standard reporting.
www.clpgrowth.com

Credo Ventures

Czech Republic
Credo Ventures is a Prague-based venture capital firm, founded in 2009, that focuses on early-stage investments in technology startups across Central and Eastern Europe. The firm invests in various sectors, including AI, medtech, edtech, and software, with a portfolio featuring companies such as Eleven Labs, Upheal, and Mewery.
Typically investing in pre-seed and seed stages, Credo Ventures makes initial investments of up to €5 million. It currently manages €250 million across four funds, with its latest fund totaling €75 million. The firm supports passionate founders from the ideation stage through product-market fit and beyond, offering both financial backing and strategic guidance.
http://www.credoventures.com

E2VC

Netherlands
e2vc is an early-stage venture capital firm based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, focusing on globally minded founders from Emerging Europe. Formerly known as 500 Emerging Europe, e2vc invests in startups with the potential to become outlier success stories. The firm emphasizes a founder-first approach, providing capital, mentorship, and access to a global network to help startups scale internationally.
www.e2.vc

Elevator Ventures

Austria
Elevator Ventures is a venture capital fund backed by Raiffeisen Bank International, Raiffeisen-Holding Niederösterreich-Wien, and Raiffeisen-Landesbank Steiermark. It manages over €100 million to support the growth of technology companies in Fintech and Beyond Banking. With a strong sourcing and business development network across the DACH and CEE regions, the firm leverages the deep expertise and market insights of its investors. To date, Elevator Ventures has invested over €50 million in 15 companies, achieving four successful exits and holding two fund-of-funds positions.
www.elevator-ventures.com

Fifth Quarter Ventures

Serbia
Fifth Quarter Ventures (5QV) is an early-stage VC fund based in Belgrade, investing across the Western Balkans and beyond. With a €20M fund, 5QV focuses on deep tech talent and startups from Kosovo, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia, bridging Eastern European innovation with Western markets. More than just investors, they aim to catalyze a thriving tech ecosystem in the region.
www.fifthquarter.vc

Hans(wo)men Group

Austria
Hans(wo)men Group is an early-stage investment group and modern entrepreneurial family office based in Vienna, built around a community of founders and backed by veteran business angel Johann “Hansi” Hansmann. The Group supports, co-invests in, and helps scale technology companies across Europe, typically leading pre-seed and early rounds and fostering collaboration across portfolio founders. With a diversified portfolio spanning tech, digital platforms, and consumer-facing businesses, Hans(wo)men combines strategic capital, operational guidance, and founder-centric support to help startups grow and succeed.
https://www.hanswomengroup.com/

Interactive Venture Partners

USA & CEE
Interactive Venture Partners is a venture capital firm based in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA, with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Backed by the family office of Thomas Peterffy, founder of Interactive Brokers, the firm launched its inaugural €50 million fund in 2024. Interactive Venture Partners provides early-stage capital to startups in the CEE region, emphasizing founder-friendly terms, mentoring, and access to a global network to support growth and international expansion.
www.interactivevp.com

3VC

Austria
3VC is a European venture capital fund that invests in carefully selected tech startups with global ambitions, starting from Series A. Founded in 2018 and based in Vienna, Austria, 3VC focuses on partnering with regional talent and supporting founders throughout their growth journey. Their portfolio includes companies such as Storyblok, fundcraft, and simpleclub, reflecting their commitment to fostering innovation across various sectors. The 3VC team comprises experienced professionals dedicated to providing hands-on support and leveraging their extensive network to drive the success of their portfolio companies.
www.three.vc

Purple Ventures

Slovakia
Purple Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in top CEE+ founders building tech-enabled startups with initial revenues and global ambitions. The firm participates in pre-seed and seed investment rounds, with ticket sizes ranging from €250,000 to €750,000. It operates with a 5–6 year investment horizon and takes minority equity stakes, ensuring that founders retain control and leadership of their startups. Purple Ventures is open to both leading funding rounds and co-investing.
www.purple-ventures.com

SQ Capital

Croatia
SQ Capital is a privately backed VC in Croatia, investing in pre-seed and seed startups. With key portfolio companies such as YC Graduate Pythagora, Omnisearch, Farseer and others, they have positioned themselves as a key fund in the region for B2B software products.
www.sqc.hr

Early Game Ventures

Romania
Early Game Ventures (EGV) is an early-stage venture capital fund that invests in startups across the emerging markets of Europe. The firm follows a straightforward investment philosophy, backing companies at the earliest stages whose founders have vested interests, are coachable, and target large markets. When a promising opportunity arises, EGV prefers to be the first institutional investor in such startups.
www.earlygame.vc

Inspire Capital

Romania
Inspire Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm investing at the pre-seed and seed stages, with a focus on financial services, business consulting, and technology-enabled businesses. The firm typically invests between €70,000 and €500,000, supporting ambitious founders from the earliest phases of company building. Inspire Capital follows a hands-on, founder-first approach, combining technical, operational, and strategic expertise with active mentorship. Beyond capital, portfolio companies benefit from access to a strong, trusted network of talent, customers, advisors, and future investors, helping them navigate growth with clarity and confidence.
https://www.inspirecapital.vc/

BrightCap Ventures

Bulgaria
BrightCap Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund based in Sofia, Bulgaria, investing in tech startups with roots in Southeast Europe. They focus on companies developing defensible technology with clear strategies for entering affluent markets. The BrightCap team comprises entrepreneurs with leadership, engineering, and investment experience across Silicon Valley, Israel, and EMEA. In July 2024, they launched a €60 million successor fund to invest in founders from Rising Southeastern Europe.
http://www.brightcap.vc

Orbit Capital

Czech Republic & Poland
Orbit Capital has specialized in backing growth-stage technology companies across the CEE and DACH regions since 2019. Its Growth Debt fund provides flexible, non-dilutive capital with typical tickets ranging from €3–15 million. This founder-friendly financing enables growth acceleration without interfering with ownership structures. Orbit Capital’s mission—delivered through its Growth Equity and Growth Debt strategies—is to support Central European technology companies in building strong, international businesses. Portfolio companies include category leaders and unicorns such as MEWS, Preply, Booksy, Rohlik, CloudTalk, ThreatMark, Boataround, and Jutro Medical.
https://orbitcapital.com/

Onsight Ventures

Austria
Onsight Ventures is an early-stage deep tech venture capital fund investing in frontier technologies across Europe. The firm focuses on sectors such as advanced computing, semiconductors, synthetic biology, and biotechnology, supporting founders who develop breakthrough scientific and engineering innovations. Onsight Ventures takes a primary investment role in early rounds and works closely with portfolio companies to help translate complex technologies into scalable businesses. Through its network and sector expertise, the fund aims to accelerate the commercialization of transformative deep tech solutions and strengthen Europe’s position in strategic technology fields.
https://www.onsight.vc/

PortfoLion

Hungary
PortfoLion is a CEE-focused venture capital (VC) and growth equity firm with a value of EUR 450 million assets under management. Backed by OTP Group, PortfoLion manages funds with a sector-agnostic approach and invests in companies with large upscale potential from early stage to buyout.
https://www.portfolion.hu/

BCR Seed Starter

Romania
Seed Starter is a venture capital initiative launched by Banca Comercială Română (BCR), part of Erste Group, to support early-stage technology startups in Romania and the broader Central and Eastern European region. The program focuses on startups that have validated their ideas and are entering the go-to-market phase, providing seed investments and strategic support to accelerate their growth. Beyond capital, Seed Starter offers founders access to BCR’s corporate ecosystem, mentoring, and opportunities to collaborate with one of the largest financial institutions in the region.
https://www.seedstarter.ro

BTC

Slovenia
BTC Company is one of the leading commercial property development and management companies in the region, headquartered in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It is best known for developing and operating BTC City Ljubljana, one of Europe’s largest business, shopping, and entertainment hubs, combining retail, offices, logistics, leisure, and innovation infrastructure. Through initiatives such as the BTC Living Lab, the company supports innovation and collaborates with startups and technology partners in areas such as smart mobility, energy, retail technologies, and ICT. BTC Company also invests in startup companies and maintains an active venture portfolio, which it plans to further expand in the coming years.

The post Europe’s top VC funds are coming to PODIM 2026 – Check them out! appeared first on Podim.

This year’s program is built around carefully curated blocks that reflect the realities of building companies in today’s fast-moving, highly competitive global tech landscape. From unfiltered founder stories and Europe’s position in the global tech race to AI, fintech, deep tech, and hands-on builder strategies—each block is designed to deliver concrete value, not theory.

Below is an overview of the key program blocks shaping this year’s Podim agenda.

Founder Confessions: The Real Stories Behind the Success

Raw, honest founder stories about tough decisions, failures, breakthroughs, and lessons that truly shaped their entrepreneurial journey.

On stage: Experienced startup and scaleup founders sharing personal, unfiltered stories from building, failing, pivoting, and ultimately succeeding.

The Global Tech Race

A strategic discussion on how Europe can compete globally through stronger ecosystems, talent, capital, and cross-border collaboration. Included topics like EU-INC and Project Europe.

On stage: Key decision-makers from international startup ecosystems, including investors, ecosystem builders, policymakers, and platform leaders.

The AI Revolution

The most powerful AI trends shaping the future, with a strong focus on robotics, autonomy, and real-world industrial applications.

On stage: AI founders, robotics entrepreneurs, applied AI researchers, and technology leaders building next-generation intelligent systems.

Digital Disruption

Key technologies and business models reshaping industries, with a focus on fintech innovation and the rise of central bank digital currencies.

On stage: Fintech founders, digital finance experts, policymakers, and technology leaders shaping the future of financial infrastructure.

Deep Tech Frontiers

Opportunities and challenges of building deep tech companies and successfully commercializing cutting-edge research.

On stage: Top deep tech entrepreneurs, investors, public and private R&D leaders, and technology transfer experts from leading innovation ecosystems.

Investors Academy

A knowledge-driven exchange of insights, experience, and perspectives on investing, value creation, and the future of venture capital.

On stage: Top-tier European venture capital investors sharing hands-on experience, investment theses, and lessons learned across multiple market cycles.

Builders Stage: B2C Playbooks

Behind-the-scenes strategies and proven playbooks from the region’s most successful consumer products and brands.

On stage: Founders and operators who have built, scaled, and optimized leading B2C products in regional and global markets.

Builders Stage: B2B Growth Strategies

Practical strategies and execution insights from building, scaling, and optimizing successful B2B products in regional and global markets.

On stage: Founders and operators who have built, scaled, and optimized leading B2B products in regional and global markets.

Built for Builders, Designed for Impact

Each Podim program block is intentionally designed to go beyond inspiration—to spark meaningful conversations, challenge assumptions, and provide practical insights that founders, operators, and investors can apply immediately.

Whether you’re building your first startup, scaling a growth-stage company, investing in the next generation of technology, or shaping the ecosystem itself, Podim’s program offers a front-row seat to the ideas, experiences, and people shaping Europe’s tech future.

This is where stories get real, strategies get sharper, and the next chapter of innovation begins.

Starting next week, we’ll be announcing speaker batches every week, gradually revealing the founders, operators, investors, and ecosystem leaders behind each program block.

Get your ticket and be part of Podim.

The post The program blocks defining Podim: Where real experience meets the future of tech appeared first on Podim.

If international growth is part of your 2026 strategy, Podim 2026 (11–13 May 2026, Maribor, Slovenia) offers a focused opportunity to meet investors, corporates, and partners actively looking for collaboration and innovation.

This year, the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) will support the participation of 10 Italian startups, covering their Podim ticket and enabling them to join the event with dedicated visibility and networking opportunities.

Application deadline: 22 February
ITA-supported spots available: 10

Why join Podim 2026?

Marketplace visibility
Present your startup in the Podim Marketplace and showcase your solution directly to investors, corporates, partners, and potential customers.

Curated 1:1 investor and corporate meetings
Access the Podim Deal Room and participate in pre-arranged meetings with stakeholders actively seeking partnerships and investment opportunities.

International pitching opportunity
Apply to the Podim Pitching Competition and present your startup on an international stage alongside top companies from the region.

High-value networking
Connect with founders, investors, and decision-makers through curated side events and informal networking moments where long-term partnerships often begin.

What ITA offers

Startups selected by ITA will receive:

• 1 complimentary Podim 2026 ticket per startup
• Access to a dedicated Italy-focused side event
• Additional exposure within the Italian startup delegation

How to take advantage of this opportunity

To maximise your chances, complete both applications:

1. Apply to Podim 2026 to secure your participation in the event and access all meetings, networking, and Marketplace opportunities.
   
2. Apply to the ITA call for the opportunity to have your ticket covered.

ITA will select 10 startups whose tickets will be fully funded. Startups not selected for ITA support can still participate in Podim by purchasing a regular ticket, ensuring full access to the event’s meetings, exposure, and growth opportunities.

Apply now

If expanding internationally is one of your priorities for 2026, Podim offers a highly efficient way to connect with the right investors, partners, and customers in just three days.

Submit both applications to be considered for ITA support:

Deadline: 22 February
ITA-supported spots: 10

Deadline: 22 February

Please note: Only startups that submit both applications (Podim + ITA call) will be eligible for ITA-supported participation.

The post Italian startups, your gateway to Podim 2026 starts here 🇮🇹🚀 appeared first on Podim.

Free live webinar for founders applying to Podim Conference with investor & entrepreneur Francois Mazoudier.

Takes 30 seconds. Free registration.

Every year at Podim, we review 1,000+ startup applications and select only around 150.

The difference is rarely the product.

It’s how clearly, convincingly, and quickly founders explain:

• what they do
• why it matters
• why they’re different

Most startups don’t miss out because they aren’t good enough.
They miss out because their application sounds like everyone else’s.

The real challenge isn’t your startup. It’s explaining it.

You know your product inside out.
But explaining it to investors and reviewers who don’t live in your world every day?

That’s where most founders struggle.

We see the same questions again and again:

• How do I describe my startup so it actually stands out?
• What should I focus on — traction, vision, problem, team?
• How do I hook the reader in the first few lines?
• What do investors really look for when reviewing applications and decks?
• How do I avoid sounding like every other startup?

Free live webinar with Francois Mazoudier

To tackle exactly these challenges, seasoned entrepreneur and investor Francois Mazoudier is hosting a free, live webinar designed specifically for founders applying to Podim.

In just 1 hour, you’ll learn how to make your startup story:

Clear
Focused
Credible
Memorable

So your application doesn’t just get reviewed — it gets noticed.

Why this matters

Getting into Podim isn’t just attending a conference. It can open doors to:

1:1 meetings with investors
Connections with partners and customers
Visibility through the Pitching Competition and Marketplace

A stronger application can mean a much bigger opportunity for your startup.

BONUS: Live Q&A

Bring your questions. Get direct answers.
No theory — practical advice you can immediately apply to your Podim application.

1 hour · Online
19 February | 3 PM CET

Save your spot and make your application stand out.

Takes 30 seconds. Free registration.

The post WEBINAR: Your startup isn’t getting rejected because it’s weak — but because it sounds like everyone else’s appeared first on Podim.

Different startups. Different industries. Different journeys.
One shared takeaway: Podim is where important chapters for startups start.

Podim has a knack for creating the right connections at the right time. 

• Hedepy – Winner of the 2023 Podim Pitching Competition, Hedepy raised €3.9M in 2023 and is acquiring HearMe, one of Poland’s largest corporate wellbeing providers. With 50,000 clients, a presence in 9 markets, and 650,000 therapy sessions delivered, Hedepy is now the largest online mental health platform in Central and Eastern Europe.

• Hypefy – Winner of the 2024 Podim Pitching Competition, they secured their fourth investor of a $1.75M seed round at Podim and unlocked doors to global opportunities, setting the stage for their next chapter.

• Prepia – This Serbian edtech startup met Silicon Gardens and Inovo.vc at Podim 2025, and just two weeks later closed a €1.5M seed round — a record-fast turnaround. The platform has now surpassed 500K users.

• Farseer – a Croatia-based B2B SaaS and winner of the 2020 Podim Pitching Competition announced a €6.07M Series A, which comes 18 months after the company raised €1.26M in seed funding in February 2023.

• InsiderCX – Croatian startup that met their investors at Podim 2023, got a 500k investment months later and has just now secured a €1.5M seed round, allowing them to scale their AI-powered patient experience platform.

• Kinderpedia – Finalist of the 2024 Podim Pitching Competition raised €2.2M as part of a €3.5M round led by Simpact Ventures, supporting international expansion and enhanced AI-powered features for 2,000+ schools across 40+ countries.

• ZenOwn – Finalist of the 2021 Podim Pitching Competition raised €1.4M the following year in a seed round led by SICTIC investors and other prominent European VCs and business angels.

• Ding.jobs – the innovative HR tech startup – pitched a stranger at 2 AM during Podim. That stranger made a crucial introduction, which later led to investment, helping them expand business operations in foreign markets.

• CloudCart – Winner of the 2022 Podim Pitching Competition, the startup now supports over 1,500 merchants and has more than €300 million in cumulative sales. Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Central Europe ranking and Best Startup Employer in Bulgaria.

• Dwelt – Winner of the 2021 Podim Pitching Competition, the Bosnian startup scaled to a team of 50+ people, expanded into multiple markets, and earned the Deloitte Entrepreneurial Excellence Award. The company’s growth culminated in a major stake acquisition by ASEE.

• Jentis – cofounder Klaus Muller met investors from Pragmatech at Podim 2021, which led to a joint €3M investment after the event, ultimately raising a total of €11M Series A in 2023.

Why Podim is so valuable for startups

Let’s be clear: Podim is not magic.
(Though the number of post-event success stories is getting slightly suspicious.)

What Podim is, is a highly focused startup conference and ecosystem where early-stage companies get exactly what they need — not months later, but right then and there.

Founders consistently highlight these key benefits:

• 1:1 meetings in the Deal Room — curated matchmaking ensuring you sit down with the right investors, the right corporates, and the right mentors.
• Pitching competition — reach a wide, mixed audience and pitch
• Marketplace exposure — showcase your product at the heart of the conference, driving visibility and traction.
• High-impact program — Builders Stage, main stage talks and panels designed to give you the knowledge and strategies to grow smarter and faster.
• A network that keeps working after the event — connections continue to deliver value long after the conference

If you’re a startup founder reading this…

You don’t need another generic “accelerate your growth” pitch.
You need traction, investor connections, real conversations, and a platform that accelerates your startup’s growth.

That’s Podim.

Startup applications are now open, and if Hedepy, Hypefy, Prepia, InsiderCX or Jentis are any indication…your next big break might start in Maribor too.

Apply now and see what Podim can do for your startup. Because the best time to build something is before you desperately need it.

The post Podim builds trust between startups and investors appeared first on Podim.