Last week, the capital of Croatia became the center of European deep tech innovation. Around 500 key stakeholders from the innovation ecosystem – including investors, technology leaders, scientists, and policymakers at both the European and Croatian levels – gathered at Liftoff on July 2 – 3. The event marked the final conference of the academic entrepreneurship program Nuqleus, which operates within Innovation Center Nikola Tesla (ICENT) in Zagreb, supported by Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Youth (MZOM).
“The Croatian deep tech ecosystem has flourished over the past three years. Finally, top scientists considering commercialization of their discoveries now have the right support to take that first entrepreneurial step. Nuqleus provides them with education, mentorship, and access to top experts; MZOM offers critical early-stage development funding through calls like ‘Start-up/Spinoff Companies of Young Researchers’; and specialized VC funds like Vesna Capital invest in high-risk projects like theirs.
With Liftoff, we aim to prepare the ecosystem for the next step – scaling and expanding deep tech companies. This requires much more capital than what is currently available locally. Liftoff succeeded in attracting some of the world’s and Europe’s most significant VC funds, giving deep tech startups a chance to secure their next funding round right in ‘their own backyard,’ in Zagreb.
“With this, Zagreb becomes not only a leader but also an attractive destination for startups from across the CEE region,” concluded Matija Srbić, Head of the Nuqleus program at ICENT, emphasizing Liftoff’s importance for strengthening the startup ecosystem in Croatia and beyond.
€20B heavy VC representatives
Over two days filled with dynamic panels, intense networking, and presentations from deep tech startups, a foundation was laid for future collaboration between leading European and U.S. venture capital (VC) funds and local tech visionaries and innovators. Representatives from renowned VC funds managing over €20 billion in capital participated in the event, including Flagship Pioneering (Boston), Vsquared Ventures (Munich), Sofinnova Partners (Paris), OTB Ventures (Warsaw), Expansion (Paris), SOSV (New York), and Vesna Deeptech Fund. Their active involvement signals growing investor confidence in the potential of Croatia’s and the region’s innovation ecosystem.
“Deep tech is bound to reshape industries – from healthcare and energy to manufacturing and beyond. To remain competitive and relevant, we must boldly invest in human capital and the ideas it generates – not just for the sake of deep tech, but for all sectors it can revolutionize.
What I saw last week only reinforced my belief in Croatia’s potential in this space. There’s clearly no lack of innovative ideas or technical expertise. What’s now needed is continuous support – through increased capital from local and international investors, mentorship, and strategic infrastructure – to help these ventures grow into globally competitive companies,” said Lana Dinić, Executive Director at Flagship Pioneering.
Croatia doesn’t need to follow innovation trends – it can create them
An impressive lineup of speakers further strengthened the event’s strategic message. Key players from the European and global innovation scene took the stage, such as Michiel Scheffer, President of the European Innovation Council (EIC); Nicole Irvin, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs; Ari Huczkowski, Deputy Head of Helsinki Incubators at the University of Helsinki; and Anna Stodolkiewicz, Head of Unit at the European Investment Bank.
“Liftoff was extraordinary – speakers were impressive, ideas innovative, and the entrepreneurs inspiring. The organizers did a fantastic job; everything ran smoothly, and it was a true pleasure to engage with so many deep tech startups from the region. I was especially impressed by how far many startup teams had come and how well the panels were structured to offer practical advice to founders. Events like this are invaluable for early-stage entrepreneurs, offering not only visibility but real opportunities to connect with mentors and peers,” shared Lana Dinić.
The highlight of the entire event was Nuqleus Demo Day, where the most promising deep tech startups from the academic community showcased their science-driven innovations. Their projects—in fields such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, robotics, sustainable energy, and more—drew exceptional interest from investors and industry partners. The Innovation Expo further highlighted the diversity and technological maturity of the domestic scene, featuring top projects from Croatia’s leading research institutions.
Liftoff demonstrated something crucial: that Croatia doesn’t need to follow innovation trends – it can create them. With its human capital, knowledge, and courage, Croatia has all the ingredients to become a center of technological transformation shaping the future of Europe and beyond.
