Europe is all-in on technological sovereignty. That means a big bet on deep tech — the startups born from heavy-duty science, the ones trying to solve the world’s biggest problems. But in Central and Eastern Europe, things get tricky.
There are plenty of brilliant ideas. The problem? The path from the research lab to the open market is often blocked. And the blockages are coming from the very places meant to help: the universities and research institutes. That’s where Nuqleus Liftoff conference, happening in Zagreb on June 30th and July 1st, 2026 — comes in.
A de-risking mechanism
Put on by Croatian Nuqleus venture builder, one of the best European deep tech hubs, the mission off Liftoff is simple but imensly important: showcase domestic talent, scientific excellence, and connect regional growing startup ecosystem with the international tech scene.
Last year, 500 people showed up. This year, they’re expecting more than 80 startups and 30 top VCs from across Europe. The whole point is to show what’s really possible in the region, and how can we learn from each-other.
To do that, the organisers are pulling in some of the biggest names in European innovation funding: Michiel Scheffer, President of the EIC Board; Stefan Tzalov from the European Investment Fund (EIF); and Sladjana Ćosić of the European Investment Bank (EIB). They’ll be also joined by proven ecosystem builders like Stefan Drüssler, the COO of Germany’s top incubator UnternehmerTUM, Viktor Olsson, Internationalisation Lead at KTH Innovation, and Isabelle Simon, COO of Deep Tech Momentum.
“The system does not incentivise researchers to start”
Getting investors to the table is one thing. But according to Matija Srbić, who heads up Nuqleus, that’s only half the battle. The real problem lies much deeper, within the local system itself. “Deep tech startups in widening countries have different challenges than those in more developed ecosystems,” he explains. The biggest roadblock? The institutions.
“Many research institutions don’t have clear rules for technology transfer, and for those that do, the terms are often ‘predatory’ and not founder-friendly.”
This means that hubs like Nuqleus have to spend their time negotiating with universities, one by one, just to create fairer IP rules.
Beyond the paperwork, Srbić points to the profound personal and professional leap a researcher must take. They have to ask themselves: Am I ready to pause my scientific career to become a full-time founder for the next decade? It’s a huge commitment, and if the answer is no, Nuqleus often steps in to find a business-savvy co-founder.
Srbic adds that the challenges continue from there, citing the difficulty in securing crucial first pilot projects and the scarcity of local VCs who truly understand the science behind robotics or biotech, rather than just chasing the next software unicorn.
Typical incubation programme wasn’t enough
Srbić explains that these unique regional gaps forced Nuqleus to move on from the standard incubator playbook. He realized that a typical program, designed for a more mature ecosystem, simply wasn’t enough. “Each year we are making changes,” he notes, detailing a process of constant adaptation. A key weakness he identified was the general absence of effective Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs).
To compensate, Nuqleus created its own pre-incubation stage. “We added a phase before that, to fill the gaps present because there are no TTOs most of the time,” he says. This ‘Phase Zero’ focuses on the basics: helping researchers validate their business ideas, learn about IP protection and how to choose the right model for commercialisation. All done through an extensive market research process.
But the support doesn’t stop there. Srbić saw that even after the main program, startups were often not fully equipped to succeed on their own. The most promising ventures now receive an additional six months of intensive, hands-on support.
“…so we help them with pilot projects and customer acquisition, GTM strategy, brand, and fundraising. And lastly, we added Entrepreneur in Residence program for those researchers who need seasoned expert on board to join them in building the company.”
The deep-tech in the ecosystem is maturing
This complete, A-to-Z approach is working. It’s already helped get more than 25 startups off the ground. It’s a sign that the whole ecosystem is growing up, a change made even clearer by the recent launch of Vesna Capital, Croatia’s very first deep tech VC fund, launched by joint efforts of the EIF and the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR).
“Deep tech in general is more used term on the EU level. There are some success stories from our previous generations. All of this helps us a lot because, on average, research teams come in more prepared.”
And most importantly, many research institutions are trying to implement some kind of entrepreneurial programs, Srbić notes. “Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Youth has many open calls for professionalisation of TTOs. One of their calls for deep tech startups required a signed agreement between the startup and the research institution regarding the technology transfer, which forced research institutions to create their IP rulebooks.”
Most valuable conversations
The official agenda for Liftoff 2026 is full of talks and presentations. But Matija and organizing team tell us that’s not where the real magic happens. The real work gets done in the hallways, over coffee, and during the breaks. So, the whole Liftoff experience is designed to make those real connections happen.
Sure, there’s a Demo Day for Nuqleus startups and an expo area. But there are also carefully planned networking events designed to do more than just swap business cards — they’re about showing off some genuine Croatian hospitality. To kick things off, a small group of ClimateTech and PhysicalAI startups will get to attend an exclusive “Grow in Europe Bootcamp” on the beautiful island of Cres, giving them direct, focused time with investors before the main event even starts. It’s this mix of serious business and real human connection that builds the trust you need for cross-border investment to flourish.
After last year’s successful event, Matija Srbić said it best: the mission is to get the ecosystem ready for its next giant leap. This isn’t about helping Croatia and the rest of the CEE region just copy what’s happening elsewhere. It’s about making sure they have the money, the people, and the guts to start setting the trends themselves.
