On July 3, Zagreb will host Liftoff, one of the largest deep tech events in Central and Eastern Europe. Organized by Nuqleus, an academic entrepreneurship program run by FER’s Innovation Center Nikola Tesla (ICENT), Liftoff brings together key stakeholders from the regional and European deep tech ecosystem — including startups, investors, scientists, industry representatives, and policymakers from European and Croatian innovation and startup institutions.
During the event, over 500 participants will have the opportunity to engage in a rich program filled with networking sessions alongside some of the most prominent European and U.S. venture capital funds and investors, who collectively manage more than €20 billion in capital. The centerpiece of the event is a conference featuring a series of prominent domestic and international speakers. For the first time in Croatia, Michiel Scheffer, President of the European Innovation Council (EIC), will be attending.
A key part of the program is the Nuqleus Demo Day, where the most promising deep tech startups from ICENT’s Startup Builder program will pitch their innovations. To date, this program has resulted in 22 spin-off companies, establishing FER and ICENT as central hubs for identifying and fostering future tech leaders.
The event is organized with support from the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth and the World Bank. Participation is free, but registration via the Entrio platform is required. The full program is available on the official event website.
Join the event that’s shaping the future of technology, July 2–3 at SEECEL, Zagreb.
Some of the participating funds include Flagship Pioneering (USA), Sofinnova Partners (Europe/USA), SOSV (USA), Vsquared (Europe), OTB Ventures (Europe), Expansion (Europe), among others. Institutions in attendance will include the European Investment Fund (EIF), European Innovation Council (EIC), European Investment Bank (EIB), and the World Bank. The event will gather over 100 tech companies and startups from the region, and the Innovation Exhibition will showcase some of the most cutting-edge Croatian technologies and solutions.
At the exhibition, leading Croatian tech companies such as DOK-ING, ORQA, and Gideon will present their innovations, while researchers will highlight the latest projects from institutions such as FER, the Institute of Physics, the Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, and many other scientific research institutions.
Speakers include Nicole Irvin (Goldman Sachs, USA), Lana Dinić (Flagship Pioneering, USA), Joško Bobanović (Sofinnova Partners, France), Iva Vukina (Gideon, USA), Alan Clayton (SOSV, Ireland), Robin Wauters (Profoundo, Belgium), Anna Stodolkiewicz (EIB, Luxembourg), as well as local leaders such as Izabela Jelenić (Infobip), Hrvoje Ćosić (Aircash), Ana Barjašić (EIC), Slađana Ćosić (EIB), and many more.