Podim 2026 Program

Monday, 11 May 2026

• 12:30–21:00 – Registration of Conference Participants
  Stage: MARIBOX LOBBY
  Conference check-in will be open throughout the day, allowing you to pick up your badge and get ready for Podim at your convenience. Registration will remain open until 21:00.
• 14:00–14:30 – Build your Network like a Pro over the next two days.
  Stage: PARTNERS SHOW, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Max Muhle (Bits&Pretzels, Germany); Sasha Lipman (tech2impact, Austria)
  Powered by: Bits & Pretzels The right network opens every door, but getting there is hard. This hands-on session is for everyone who wants to level-up their networking game at Podim or any other event. You will leave the session with a clear personal goal, a step-by-step approach on how to get there and with at least one conversation with a person you have not met before. If you’re already a networking pro with a full calendar, stay out there and keep crushing it, you don't need us. But if you want to make sure this trip is 100% worth your time, this is a good investment. We're here to give…
• 14:30–15:00 – Connecting Space Innovation with Market Opportunities
  Stage: PARTNERS SHOW, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Stefan Schneider (EUSPA, Czech Republic); Martin Mössler (Science Park Graz, Austria); Yilmaz Karakas (CEECAT Capital, Turkey); Sasha Lipman (tech2impact, Austria)
  Powered by: CASSINI Matchmaking CASSINI Matchmaking connects startups, investors, corporates, and institutions working with space technologies and satellite data. The initiative helps innovative companies find partners, funding opportunities, and commercial applications for space-based solutions. Discover how the European space ecosystem enables startups to build new services powered by satellite data and advanced space technologies.
• 15:00–16:00 – Fund Strategy, Liquidity, and Exits — A Conversation Among Investors
  Stage: INVESTORS ACADEMY, MARIBOX BUSINESS CENTER
  Speakers: Jure Mikuž (South Central Ventures, Slovenia); Rafal Bator (Enterprise Investors, Poland); Marko Kac (Venture Factory, Slovenia)
  Powered by: South Central Ventures Welcome note by South Central Ventures — partner of the Investors Academy — setting the stage for a candid, peer-to-peer conversation among investors. FIRESIDE: Fund Strategy, Liquidity, and Exits South Central Ventures and Enterprise Investors bring a powerful combination of venture capital and private equity experience across the full investment lifecycle — from early-stage bets to large-scale exits. Enterprise Investors has invested over €2.5B in 160+ companies, raised 10 funds over 30+ years, and delivered 140+ exits including multiple IPOs, while South…
• 15:00–15:30 – Infineon Startup Challenge: Building the Future of Humanoid Robotics
  Stage: PARTNERS SHOW, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Andreas Muehlberger (Infineon Technologies, Austria); Sasha Lipman (tech2impact, Austria)
  Powered by: Infineon Technologies Infineon presents its Startup Challenge 2026 focused on humanoid robotics—where advanced power, sensing, and control technologies meet next-generation intelligent machines. Startups are invited to develop solutions across areas such as digital twins, artificial skin, environmental sensing, and motor control. Selected teams will receive technical mentorship, prototyping resources, and business coaching, with the opportunity to pitch to industry leaders and investors and join a one-year collaboration program. About Infineon Technologies Austria – IPCEI…
• 15:30–16:00 – Pitching Competition Jury Only
  Stage: PITCHING COMPETITION, Maribox Hall 03
  Speakers: Olga Marekova (Flywize, Slovakia)
  Reception of committee members and alignment of evaluation criteria Session Limited to Pitching Competition Jury Only
• 15:30–16:00 – Defence & Dual‑Use Startups: Legal Readiness Before You Raise Capital
  Stage: PARTNERS SHOW, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Maria Orlyk (CMS, Ukraine); Oleksandr Sytnyk (CMS, Ukraine); Robert Kordić (CMS Slovenia, Slovenia); Sasha Lipman (tech2impact, Austria)
  Powered by: CMS In this Demo Studio, CMS experts and industry guests will focus on the real‑world legal and deal challenges that early‑stage defence and dual‑use companies encounter when preparing for fundraising, strategic partnerships, or engagement with ministries of defence and state‑owned customers. Instead of generic legal theory, the session will address practical, founder‑relevant questions, including: - what investors expect defence and dual‑use startups to have in place before fundraising, - how export controls, sanctions and compliance can become a value driver rather than a…
• 16:00–18:00 – Semifinals of the Podim Pitching Competition [Investor and BizDev Tickets Only]
  Stage: PITCHING COMPETITION, Maribox Hall 03
  Speakers: Krešo Gotovac (Silicon Gardens); Jan Kobler (South Central Ventures, Slovenia); Karlo Kukec (Vesna deep tech Venture Fund, Croatia); Francois Mazoudier (Fundraising Bootcamp, UK); Reka Hidas (Portfolion, Hungary); Uroš Ačko (SID Upravljanje, Slovenia); Rok Huber (Slovene Enterprise Fund, Slovenia); Olga Marekova (Flywize, Slovakia)
  3-minute presentations and a Q&A session with 10 semifinalists of the Podim Pitching Competition 2026. Only semi-finalists, investors and Business Executives are allowed to take part of the track.
• 16:00–16:30 – Stop Automating Chaos: Why Process Thinking Beats More Technology
  Stage: PARTNERS SHOW, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Leon Bošnjak (Solve-X, Slovenia); David Zupan Fenko (Solve-X, Slovenia); Sasha Lipman (tech2impact, Austria)
  Powered by: Solve-X Most companies try to scale by adding more technology—while their processes remain unclear. This talk shows why that approach fails, and how process thinking helps you design predictable operations, improve customer experience, and unlock real competitive advantage. Practical insights, real examples, and lessons learned from building platforms across complex environments. About Solve-X Solve-X is a high-tech IT company focused on digital transformation, process automation, data innovation, and AI. With more than 60 experts and over 500 successful projects across Europe and…
• 16:00–16:20 – Insider Talk: Quantum Computing — From Hype to Investable Opportunity
  Stage: INVESTORS ACADEMY, MARIBOX BUSINESS CENTER
  Speakers: Jasmin Güngör (Onsight Ventures, Austria)
  Powered by South Central Ventures In this session, Jasmin will break down what investors actually need to understand — from market timing and key players to where real value is being created. Expect a clear view on why quantum is emerging as one of the most important long-term bets and how to evaluate opportunities in this space.
• 16:20–16:40 – Insider Talk: Impact Investing — What Matters and What Doesn’t
  Stage: INVESTORS ACADEMY, MARIBOX BUSINESS CENTER
  Speakers: Petr Vitek (Tilia Impact Ventures, Czech Republic)
  Powered by South Central Ventures Impact investing is often misunderstood — and often misused. Petr will cut through the noise and share what truly defines high-quality impact investments, how to separate signal from narrative, and why understanding this space is becoming increasingly relevant for mainstream investors. A practical perspective on where impact meets returns.
• 16:30–17:00 – Beyond Cloud: Scaling European Startups with Dedicated AI Inference on Exoscale
  Stage: PARTNERS SHOW, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Iva Bosotina (Exoscale, Austria); Gernot Horak (Exoscale, Austria); Sasha Lipman (tech2impact, Austria)
  Powered by Exoscale In this session, discover how developers and fast-growing tech companies can build, deploy, and scale applications across secure European cloud environments. Learn how modern cloud infrastructure enables faster product development, global scalability, and full data sovereignty. About Exoscale Exoscale is a European cloud provider, part of A1 Telekom Group, offering secure, reliable, and GDPR-compliant cloud services. With data centers in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Bulgaria and coming soon – Croatia, Exoscale is the perfect European alternative to hyperscalers…
• 16:40–17:00 – Insider Talk: AI — Where We Are and What Investors Should Watch Next
  Stage: INVESTORS ACADEMY, MARIBOX BUSINESS CENTER
  Speakers: Matthew Hennigan (Plug and Play Tech Center, UK)
  Powered by: South Central Ventures AI is evolving fast — but not all signals matter equally. Matthew will map the current state of AI from an investment perspective, highlight where real value is being captured today, and outline the key inflection points ahead. A focused session on what every investor should track to make informed decisions in the next wave of AI.
• 17:00–18:00 – Networking: Connect & Exchange — Investor Roundtables
  Stage: INVESTORS ACADEMY, MARIBOX BUSINESS CENTER
  Speakers: Wiktor Namysl (Orbit Capital, Poland); Mark Palfalvi (Portfolion, Hungary); Tatjana Zabasu Mikuž (South Central Ventures, Slovenia); Yilmaz Karakas (CEECAT Capital, Turkey); Marko Kac (Venture Factory, Slovenia)
  Powered by: South Central Ventures A fast-paced, investor-only networking format designed for real conversations — not small talk. Join themed roundtables where you’ll exchange insights, challenge perspectives, and connect with peers across the VC and investment ecosystem. Over one hour, you’ll rotate across two focused discussions, each tackling a key topic shaping today’s investment landscape: Topics include: Co-investment strategies and opportunities Market outlook & fundraising trends Portfolio management in tougher cycles Exit strategies & liquidity AI: where value is being created…
• 17:00–17:30 – Building Complex Digital Products That Actually Work
  Stage: PARTNERS SHOW, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Sasha Lipman (tech2impact, Austria); Jang Man (CREA, Slovenia); Urban Bratina (Equaleyes, Slovenia); Jani Jovan (Equaleyes, Slovenia)
  Powered by: Equaleyes Knowledge workers today waste two thirds of their time on "work about work", meaning manual data entry, coordination, email search, hunting for information, and fixing human errors. In this 30-minute session, Equaleyes uses 4 million hours of experience to show exactly how to eliminate this friction. They will break down the architecture behind three real-world transformations: building an award-winning mobile-first banking experience (OTP), slashing a complex and time consuming manual workflow at Gorenjska Banka from 15 days to 10 minutes and developing blockchain-based…
• 17:30–18:00 – Connecting Young Talent with the Startup Ecosystem
  Stage: PARTNERS SHOW, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Anna Butzin (Institute for Work and Technology, Germany); Sasha Lipman (tech2impact, Austria)
  Powered by: Ecosys4you Project Ecosys4you connects entrepreneurial ecosystems in Germany, Bulgaria, and Slovenia to inspire and support the next generation of founders. Through international learning-by-doing programs, mentoring, internships, and hackathons, the initiative helps young people explore entrepreneurship and develop their first ideas. Discover how startups and ecosystem players can collaborate with emerging talent and become part of a growing European entrepreneurial community.
• 18:00–20:00 – WINE TASTING RECEPTION: PODIM PITCHING COMPETITION SEMI-FINALS
  Stage: INVESTORS ACADEMY, EXCLUSIVE TERRACE LOUNGE
  Speakers: Jure Mikuž (South Central Ventures, Slovenia)
  Powered by: South Central Ventures Join us for an exclusive, invite-only networking reception during the Podim Pitching Competition semi-finals, powered by South Central Ventures. Hosted in the Exclusive Lounge at the Terrace, this private gathering is reserved for investors and partners — offering a more refined setting to connect, exchange perspectives, and engage with fellow decision-makers. A Taste of the New Generation Meet investors, founders, and partners — and discover a new generation of Slovenian winemakers bringing fresh ideas, bold approaches, and global ambition to a traditional…
• 18:15–22:00 – MONDAY MEETUP: WHERE PODIM CONNECTIONS BEGIN
  Stage: NETWORKING & FOOD AREA, MARIBOX PODIM TERRACE
  Kick off Podim on the iconic riverside terrace with an easygoing networking meetup designed to bring the community together from the very first evening. Connect with founders, investors, partners, and builders in a relaxed setting — with good food, refreshing drinks, and the kind of conversations that set the tone for the days ahead. No stage. No pressure. Just the right people, a laid-back atmosphere, and space to meet, reconnect, and spark new ideas.
• 20:00–23:00 – Poker night at Podim
  Stage: SIDE EVENTS, Judgement Tower
  More info and RSVP: https://luma.com/242ksycl

Tuesday, 12 May 2026

• 07:30–19:00 – CONFERENCE REGISTRATION Registration & Coffee
  Stage: MARIBOX LOBBY
  Conference check-in will be open throughout the day, allowing you to pick up your badge and get ready for Podim at your convenience. Registration will remain open until 20:00.
• 08:30–09:00 – Welcome Show with Jay Dance Studio
  Stage: FUTURE STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Kick off Podim with a high-energy opening in the main hall — featuring Jay Dance Studio and DJ Maynamics — designed to bring everyone together, spark curiosity, and set the tone for everything that follows.
• 09:00–20:00 – APPLY NOW FOR THE INTERVIEW
  Stage: Podim Podcast Studio
  Speakers: Yohay Elam (Europe’s Podcast)
  Powered by: Europe's Podcast & Peakfocus Got a startup story worth sharing? Apply for a live recording session with Europe’s Podcast — Podim’s official media partner. Selected founders will join host Yohay Elam for a fast-paced 15-minute interview recorded directly at the conference and distributed across podcast, video, and social channels. Recording slots are available on Tuesday and Wednesday during Podim. How it works: Fill out the application form Europe’s Podcast editorial team selects the featured startups Selected founders receive a booking link for their recording slot Only 20…
• 09:00–09:30 – Welcome to Podim 2026
  Stage: FUTURE STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Urban Lapajne (Podim & Venture Factory, Slovenia); Stjepan Orešković (BOSQAR INVEST & Future 500, Croatia); Adnan Šerić (UNIDO Innovation Lab, Austria); Kristiana Kuneva (The Recursive, Bulgaria); Bernd Storm vans Gravesande (Bits&Pretzels, Germany); Vuk Lau (Silicon Gardens Fund); Aleksander Saša Arsenovič (City of Maribor, Slovenia); Daniel Cronin (Frontier-Lab.ai & Daniel-Cronin.com, Austria)
  Podim opens with a bold look at the future of European tech. From the rise of AI-driven companies and deep tech breakthroughs to new funding dynamics and emerging regional champions, a new narrative for Europe is taking shape—one built on ambition, resilience, and global relevance. Through fast-paced talks and conversations with founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders—alongside the creators of the conference and Podim’s main partners—we’ll explore the forces shaping the next wave of innovation across the continent.
• 09:30–10:00 – FIRESIDE: 50 Million Users, Zero Investors
  Stage: FUTURE STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Amir Salihefendic (Doist, Spain); Amelia Isaacs (Pathfounders, UK)
  Powered by: South Central Ventures
• 10:00–10:30 – FIRESIDE: Build, Exit, Repeat
  Stage: FUTURE STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Maximilian Fleitmann (Magier & Wizard Ventures, Germany); Daniel Cronin (Frontier-Lab.ai & Daniel-Cronin.com, Austria)
  Powered by: South Central Ventures
• 10:30–11:00 – FIRESIDE: From a Croatian Lab to the World’s Most Advanced FPV Systems
  Stage: FUTURE STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Vlatko Matijevic (Orqa FPV, Croatia); Nikola Pavesic (Orqa FPV, Japan)
  Powered by South Central Ventures
• 11:00–13:30 – Group A
  Stage: MARIBOX LOBBY
  Explore a curated selection of startups showcasing their solutions, products, and ideas. The Marketplace is your chance to meet founders face-to-face, discover what they’re building, and start conversations that can lead to partnerships, investments, or new opportunities. Who can you meet: Drop by, explore, and connect directly with the teams behind the next generation of innovation. Flatie Tech, Croatia [EX-01] Lawcrative, Serbia [EX-02] Stacks, Inc, United States [EX-03] Libro Publishing Limited, United Kingdom [EX-04] Lasken, Germany [EX-05] Lifestyle Mosaic Studios, Romania [EX-06]…
• 11:00–11:30 – Refreshment Break
  Stage: NETWORKING & FOOD AREA, MARIBOX PODIM TERRACE
• 11:00–11:30 – DEAL ROOM OPENING
  Stage: DEALROOM, NARODNI DOM - DEALROOM
  The Deal Room officially opens. This is where startups, investors, business developers, and partners connect through focused 1:1 conversations, explore potential collaborations, and move discussions forward. Access is available to startup, investor, and biz dev ticket holders. All meetings are booked through the Podim app. Please follow your schedule and arrive on time - to ensure a smooth experience for everyone.
• 11:30–13:30 – DEAL ROOM
  Stage: DEALROOM, NARODNI DOM - DEALROOM
• 11:30–12:15 – PANEL: Missing Giants: How to create billion dollar companies (bottom-up approach)
  Stage: FUTURE STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Stefan Drüssler (UnternehmerTUM, Germany); Jure Mikuž (South Central Ventures, Slovenia); Stjepan Orešković (BOSQAR INVEST & Future 500, Croatia); Vlatko Matijevic (Orqa FPV, Croatia); Kristiana Kuneva (The Recursive, Bulgaria)
  Powered by: Future 500 Why does Europe still struggle to produce enough billion-dollar tech companies? In this discussion, leading investors and ecosystem builders explore how stronger founder communities, better access to capital, and more connected ecosystems can help create the next generation of European tech giants—from the ground up.
• 11:30–11:50 – Scaling a B2B Platform from 0 to 3 Million Users: Product, Distribution, and Operational Challenges
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Kimeshan Naidoo (Familiar, Serbia); Petra Wagner (Petra SalesBooster, Slovenia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Supported by: Solve-X, SID Upravljanje premoženja
• 11:50–12:10 – How to Build a High-Ownership Team from Day One — and Scale It Across 12 Markets
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Vedran Bajer (Adriatic at Wonderful, Croatia); Petra Wagner (Petra SalesBooster, Slovenia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Supported by: Solve-X, SID Upravljanje premoženja
• 12:10–12:30 – From Zero to 200 Million: How ParakeetAI & WrumerSound Scaled with Short-Form Video
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Jure Sotošek (ParakeetAI, Slovenia); Petra Wagner (Petra SalesBooster, Slovenia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Supported by: Solve-X, SID Upravljanje premoženja How do you generate massive reach without spending a euro on ads? Jure Sotošek shares how he scaled products like ParakeetAI (a real-time AI call assistant with 1M+ users) and WrumerSound (15,000+ units sold, €600K+ revenue) by turning short-form video into a powerful distribution engine. This talk breaks down the exact playbook behind 200M+ organic views — from idea testing and content volume to what actually works on TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts today. Expect practical insights on how to build traction fast…
• 12:15–13:00 – PANEL: Europe’s Next Leap: Building a Stronger Pan-European Startup Framework
  Stage: FUTURE STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Robin Wauters (European Startup Network, Belgium); Stefan Schneider (EUSPA, Czech Republic); Bettina Scheibe (United Founders, Germany); Anna Krzyzanowska (European Commission, Belgium); Daniel Cronin (Frontier-Lab.ai & Daniel-Cronin.com, Austria)
  Powered by: Future 500 What will it take for Europe to compete with the world’s leading innovation hubs? This panel explores emerging pan-European initiatives aimed at strengthening the continent’s startup ecosystem—from new legal frameworks like EU-INC to capital market reforms and coordinated policy efforts. Together with leaders from policy, finance, and the tech ecosystem, the discussion will examine how stronger cross-border collaboration can help Europe create the conditions for more globally competitive tech companies.
• 12:30–12:50 – Radically Shortening the B2B Sales Cycle: Tactical Frameworks for Moving from First Contact to Closed Deal Faster
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: David Blaževski (Mily Technologies, Serbia); Petra Wagner (Petra SalesBooster, Slovenia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Supported by: Solve-X, SID Upravljanje premoženja
• 13:00–14:30 – Lunch Break
  Stage: NETWORKING & FOOD AREA, MARIBOX PODIM TERRACE
• 13:30–16:00 – Group B
  Stage: MARIBOX LOBBY
  Explore a curated selection of startups showcasing their solutions, products, and ideas. The Marketplace is your chance to meet founders face-to-face, discover what they’re building, and start conversations that can lead to partnerships, investments, or new opportunities. Drop by, explore, and connect directly with the teams behind the next generation of innovation. Who you can meet: Space Guardian, Slovenia [EX-01] Erend Space P. S. A., Poland [EX-02] Space scAvengers, Slovakia [EX-03] Groundcom.space s.r.o., Czech Republic [EX-04] LOKI srl, Italy [EX-05] Contents SPA, Italy [EX-06] Chef…
• 14:30–18:30 – DEAL ROOM
  Stage: DEALROOM, NARODNI DOM - DEALROOM
• 14:30–16:00 – WORKSHOP: From Discovery to Deployment: Building Global Deep Tech Companies
  Stage: DEEPDIVE STAGE, MARIBOX BUSINESS CENTER
  Speakers: Christian Kumar (Capital Kinetics, UK); Anastasia-Maria Moschovi (Dyscovery Magnetics, Greece); Claudio Meireles (Constructor Capital, Bulgaria)
  Powered by: Slovenia Business Supported by: Infineon, Vesna VC & CASSINI Networking, European patent office, Urad RS za intelektualno vsebino In this session, you will explore how breakthrough discoveries evolve into globally scalable deep tech companies. Together we’ll walk through the journey from research and early-stage innovation to validation, investment strategy, and international market entry. You will gain first-hand insights into the critical milestones, practical steps, and the biggest mistakes innovators make on the path from laboratory discovery to real-world impact.
• 14:30–16:00 – Connecting Cities, Innovators & Investors for a Scalable Regional Future
  Stage: NETWORKING & FOOD AREA, KLUB KLUB & TERRACE
  Powered by: UNIDO ScaleX A high-impact networking session designed for key stakeholders of the Western Balkans Innovation Corridor — including cities and governments, investors, corporates, NGOs, and solution providers ready to scale innovation beyond borders. Discover how the UNIDO ScaleX program connects real-world challenges with proven solutions, enabling testing through policy sandboxes and rapid expansion across the region. Through a structured Meet → Match → Commit format, participants will explore concrete collaboration opportunities, financing pathways, and clear next steps to join…
• 14:30–15:30 – PANEL: Reinventing Finance in the Age of AI, Embedded Services & Radical Transparency
  Stage: FUTURE STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: John Velissarios (OtrantoEQ, Monaco); Alexander Sirakov (Paynetics, Bulgaria); Ioan Iacob (FLOWX. AI, USA); Sven Jakić (OTP banka d.d., Slovenia); Dilan Sisu (e2vc, UK)
  Powered by: EQUALEYES, OTP Banking is undergoing a profound transformation. As AI, embedded finance, and new expectations around transparency reshape the industry, financial institutions are rethinking how they create value for customers. This panel explores how banks must evolve by 2030—what technologies will define the next generation of financial services and what new business models will emerge.
• 14:30–14:50 – Account-Based Marketing for Ultra-Niche Markets: How to Win High-Value Clients When Your TAM Is Limited
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Nikola Komes (InsiderCX, Croatia); Petra Wagner (Petra SalesBooster, Slovenia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Supported by: Solve-X, SID Upravljanje premoženja
• 14:50–15:10 – The Best of Both Worlds: 5 Lessons from Merging with a Hyper Sales-Oriented SF Company
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Petra Wagner (Petra SalesBooster, Slovenia); Hajdi Cenan (airt, Croatia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Supported by: Solve-X, SID Upravljanje premoženja
• 15:10–15:30 – Mastering Events as a Growth Channel: How a Startup Secured a Netflix Contract Through Strategic Event Execution
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Faris Sehovic (Crunchr, UK); Petra Wagner (Petra SalesBooster, Slovenia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Supported by: Solve-X, SID Upravljanje premoženja
• 15:30–15:50 – TALK: Back to Startup Pirate Mode: Setting the Fundamentals for AI Transformation
  Stage: FUTURE STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Powered by EQUALEYES, OTP
• 15:30–15:50 – From 0 to Exit: Building and Selling a B2B Company in Under Three Years
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Slavomir Hruska (Spacebrains, Slovakia); Petra Wagner (Petra SalesBooster, Slovenia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Supported by: Solve-X, SID Upravljanje premoženja
• 15:50–16:10 – TALK: The AI Gold Rush—and Why Corporates Are Missing It
  Stage: FUTURE STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Grace Francisco (m2i & Philly Builds, USA)
  Powered by EQUALEYES, OTP
• 15:50–16:10 – Buyer Sense Conversations: How Founders Turn Interest into Enterprise Deals
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Petra Wagner (Petra SalesBooster, Slovenia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Supported by: Solve-X, SID Upravljanje premoženja Buyer Sense Conversations: How Founders Turn Interest into Enterprise Deals In complex B2B sales, deals don’t stall because of bad products—they stall because buyers can’t make sense of the decision. In this 20-minute session, Petra Wagner (ex-IBM & Microsoft, authorized officer of the board in enterprise company, now founder of SalesBooster) brings a rare operator perspective: she has led enterprise sales—and sat on the other side of the table as a buyer responsible for high-stakes decisions. Drawing from her book…
• 16:00–18:30 – Group C
  Stage: MARIBOX LOBBY
  Explore a curated selection of startups showcasing their solutions, products, and ideas. The Marketplace is your chance to meet founders face-to-face, discover what they’re building, and start conversations that can lead to partnerships, investments, or new opportunities. Drop by, explore, and connect directly with the teams behind the next generation of innovation. Who you can meet: Ruth IT Solutions GmbH, Austria [EX-01] barKoder Ltd , Bulgaria [EX-02] Andmar Software, Serbia [EX-03] Ride & Stride, Serbia [EX-04] Nibble d.o.o., Croatia [EX-05] Morplo d.o.o., Croatia [EX-06] Lutra Labs…
• 16:00–16:30 – Refreshment Break
  Stage: NETWORKING & FOOD AREA, MARIBOX PODIM TERRACE
• 16:00–16:30 – Meetup of Deep Tech Ecosystem Stakeholders
  Stage: NETWORKING & FOOD AREA, Partner's Expo
  Powered by Slovenia Business A focused 30-minute networking meetup bringing together key stakeholders shaping the future of the deep tech ecosystem in the wider CEE region. The meetup is designed to connect deep tech founders, researchers, universities, corporates, VC funds, angel investors, innovation agencies, accelerators, public institutions, technology parks, and ecosystem builders to exchange insights, spark collaborations, and strengthen the regional innovation landscape.
• 16:10–16:30 – Startups to Enterprise: Tips on B2B sales in large corporates
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Gorjan Jovanovski (hylosense, North Macedonia); Petra Wagner (Petra SalesBooster, Slovenia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Supported by: Solve-X, SID Upravljanje premoženja
• 16:10–16:30 – TALK: The hypergrowth playbook 2026. Everyone has AI. Now what?
  Stage: FUTURE STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Powered by EQUALEYES, OTP
• 16:30–18:00 – WORKSHOP: Banking 2030: Reinventing Finance in the Platform Economy
  Stage: DEEPDIVE STAGE, MARIBOX BUSINESS CENTER
  Speakers: Georg Kolin (Appian Deutschland, Austria); Sven Jakić (OTP banka d.d., Slovenia); John Velissarios (OtrantoEQ, Monaco)
  Powered by EQUALEYES, OTP What happens when digital transformation is no longer a strategy but the baseline? In this workshop, we explore how banking is evolving toward AI-native operations, embedded financial services, and platform-driven business models. The session will be prepared and led by experts who implement these solutions daily, sharing practical insights into how technology, customer expectations, and new competitive dynamics are reshaping the role of banks—and what financial institutions must rethink today to stay relevant by 2030.
• 16:30–17:00 – FIRESIDE: The Real Job of a SaaS CEO: What Actually Drives Growth
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Petra Wagner (Petra SalesBooster, Slovenia); Tomislav Car (Productive, Croatia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Supported by: Solve-X, SID Upravljanje premoženja
• 16:30–16:50 – FIRESIDE: Inspiring the Builders of Tomorrow’s Deep Tech Breakthroughs
  Stage: FUTURE STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Stefan Drüssler (UnternehmerTUM, Germany); Daniel Cronin (Frontier-Lab.ai & Daniel-Cronin.com, Austria)
  Powered by: Slovenia Business Supported by: Infineon, Vesna VC & CASSINI Networking, European patent office, Urad RS za intelektualno vsebino
• 16:50–17:05 – TALK: From Rare Earths to Real Markets: Building a Deep Tech Company That Scales
  Stage: FUTURE STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Anastasia-Maria Moschovi (Dyscovery Magnetics, Greece)
  Powered by: Slovenia Business Supported by: Infineon, Vesna VC & CASSINI Networking, European patent office, Urad RS za intelektualno vsebino
• 17:00–17:20 – With 50 Million Users, We can See the Future
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Amir Salihefendic (Doist, Spain); Petra Wagner (Petra SalesBooster, Slovenia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Supported by: Solve-X, SID Upravljanje premoženja
• 17:05–17:20 – TALK: Rebuilding Drug Discovery: AI, Biomarkers, and the Future of Precision Medicine
  Stage: FUTURE STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Luis Valente (iLoF, UK)
  Powered by: Slovenia Business Supported by: Infineon, Vesna VC & CASSINI Networking, European patent office, Urad RS za intelektualno vsebino
• 17:20–18:00 – PANEL: Robotics and AI: Deep Tech Powering the Next High-Growth Industry
  Stage: FUTURE STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Natalia Lemarquis (Shin Rai Robotics, UK); Tinnix He (Hidoba Research & Callable*, Italy); Dirk Geiger (Infineon Technologies, Germany); Jasmin Güngör (Onsight Ventures, Austria); Daniel Cronin (Frontier-Lab.ai & Daniel-Cronin.com, Austria)
  Powered by: Slovenia Business Supported by: Infineon, Vesna VC & CASSINI Networking, European patent office, Urad RS za intelektualno vsebino Robotics and AI are rapidly moving from research labs into real-world industries, unlocking entirely new markets and business models. In this panel, founders, investors, and technology leaders explore how deep tech innovation is transforming sectors such as manufacturing, automation, and intelligent systems—and what it takes to turn breakthrough technologies into scalable, high-growth companies.
• 17:20–17:50 – FIRESIDE: How Strategic Market Repositioning Paved the Way to Our Acquisition
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Luka Berger (Flexkeeping, Slovenia); Petra Wagner (Petra SalesBooster, Slovenia)
  Powered by Silicon Gardens Supported by Solve-X, SID Upravljanje premoženja In this fireside chat, Luka will share how a sharp and differentiated positioning strategy in the highly competitive hospitality market led his company to a successful acquisition by Mews — a global hospitality platform valued at $2.5 billion following its $300M Series D round. Expect an inside look at what it really takes to stand out in a crowded market, build strategic relevance, and position your company for acquisition. From early go-to-market decisions to creating value that attracts industry leaders, this…
• 18:00–18:30 – Warm-Up Before the Finals
  Stage: FUTURE STAGE, Partner's Marketplace
  Kick off the Podim Pitching Competition finals with a relaxed welcome drink. From 18:00 to 18:30, join founders, investors, and fellow attendees for informal networking, light conversations, and a chance to connect before the finalists take the stage.
• 18:30–19:30 – Final of the Podim Pitching Competition 2026
  Stage: FUTURE STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Tatjana Zabasu Mikuž (South Central Ventures, Slovenia); Grace Francisco (m2i & Philly Builds, USA); Vuk Lau (Silicon Gardens Fund); Dalibor Marijanović (Vesna deep tech Venture Fund, Croatia); Matthew Hennigan (Plug and Play Tech Center, UK); Francois Mazoudier (Fundraising Bootcamp, UK); Nina Urbanič (Slovene Enterprise Fund, Slovenia); Stjepan Orešković (BOSQAR INVEST & Future 500, Croatia); Daniel Cronin (Frontier-Lab.ai & Daniel-Cronin.com, Austria)
  This is where it all comes together. Five standout startups take the stage for one final shot — delivering sharp 3-minute pitches, followed by a live Q&A with the jury. No slides overloaded with fluff. No second chances. Just clarity, ambition, and the pressure of the moment. And this time — the audience has a say. Alongside the jury, your vote will help shape the final outcome. Watch ideas get challenged, decisions unfold in real time, and one team emerge as the winner.
• 19:30–21:00 – Victory Toast and Dinner
  Stage: NETWORKING & FOOD AREA, MARIBOX PODIM TERRACE
  Let's toast to the winner of the Podim 2026 Pitching Competition and grab some food to power up for the party.
• 21:00–23:59 – Podim 2026 Party
  Stage: NETWORKING & FOOD AREA, MARIBOX PODIM TERRACE
  Powered by Heineken After two days of high-energy networking, it’s time to celebrate! Join the Podim Party powered by Heineken—where founders, investors, and changemakers unwind, connect, and share unforgettable moments over music, cold beer, and great conversations.

Wednesday, 13 May 2026

• 07:30–08:30 – MARIBOR CITY RUN
  Stage: NETWORKING & FOOD AREA, Maribor
  Speakers: Yohay Elam (Europe’s Podcast); Tadeja Irmancnik (Outfit7, Slovenia)
  Powered by: Outfit7 A light 5 km run through Maribor’s city center, green parks, and along the Drava riverside. Starts easy, flows through the city’s most scenic spots, and ends the way every good run should — with coffee and great conversation. UPDATE: Start/Finish: https://maps.app.goo.gl/MZrVrNWMQJgVg1Tx6 Route: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/459897415
• 09:00–15:00 – APPLY NOW FOR THE INTERVIEW
  Stage: Podim Podcast Studio
  Speakers: Yohay Elam (Europe’s Podcast)
  Powered by Europe's Podcast & Peakfocus Got a startup story worth sharing? Apply for a live recording session with Europe’s Podcast — Podim’s official media partner. Selected founders will join host Yohay Elam for a fast-paced 15-minute interview recorded directly at the conference and distributed across podcast, video, and social channels. Recording slots are available on Tuesday and Wednesday during Podim. How it works: Fill out the application form Europe’s Podcast editorial team selects the featured startups Selected founders receive a booking link for their recording slot Only 20…
• 09:00–10:00 – Registration of Conference Participants & Wake-up Coffee (open until 12:00)
  Stage: MARIBOX LOBBY
• 10:00–13:30 – DEAL ROOM
  Stage: DEALROOM, NARODNI DOM - DEALROOM
• 10:00–12:30 – Group D
  Stage: MARIBOX LOBBY, MARIBOX - MARKETPLACE
  Explore a curated selection of startups showcasing their solutions, products, and ideas. The Marketplace is your chance to meet founders face-to-face, discover what they’re building, and start conversations that can lead to partnerships, investments, or new opportunities. Drop by, explore, and connect directly with the teams behind the next generation of innovation. Who you can meet: Solved, Slovenia [EX-01] NEOanalytics d.o.o., Slovenia [EX-02] Stacks, Inc, United States [EX-03] Realtracing d.o.o., Slovenia [EX-04] Cluekit d.o.o., Slovenia [EX-05] Lemon Squeeze d.o.o., Slovenia [EX-06]…
• 10:00–11:30 – Podim x DARE Deep Tech Clinic
  Stage: DEEPDIVE STAGE, MARIBOX BUSINESS CENTER
  Speakers: Faustine Felici (DARE Innovations, Belgium); Dóra Marosvölgyi (DARE Innovations, Hungary)
  Powered by: DARE Innovations The Podim x DARE Deep Tech Clinic, delivered in collaboration with DARE Innovations (supporting 250+ startups), helps selected deep tech founders turn breakthrough science into scalable business. 10 startups will receive tailored one-on-one mentoring sessions, focusing on key challenges such as combining EU/EIC funding with private capital, navigating the EIC journey, turning IP into a competitive advantage, and securing high-value partners to move from pilots to real traction. How to apply for the Deep Tech Clinic: Register for the session via the Podim platform…
• 10:00–10:20 – AI for Regulated Industries: Turning Insurance Automation into Reality
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Ioan Iacob (FLOWX. AI, USA)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Partners: Zavarovalnica SAVA
• 10:20–10:40 – Winning with Hardware: Lessons Learned from Serving 50+ Million Customers in a Product-First Business
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Mario Gomez (Foreo, Spain); Tena Žganec (TEDxZagreb, Croatia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Partners: Zavarovalnica SAVA
• 10:40–11:00 – The Dollhouse Strategy: The (New) Rules for Brand Growth
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Tadeja Irmancnik (Outfit7, Slovenia); Tena Žganec (TEDxZagreb, Croatia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Partners: Zavarovalnica SAVA There is an intuitive freedom in a dollhouse: the ability to mix worlds, characters, and stories without asking for permission. Why do the brands we build struggle to do the same? Most brand partnerships are just "rented billboards": transactional, fleeting, and ignored. This talk dissects why we applied "play logic" to Talking Tom & Friends and dismantles the industry’s "scale-at-all-costs" mentality. Through collaborations with global icons like Barbie and Angry Birds, we stopped chasing vanity metrics and started building a shared…
• 11:00–12:30 – Turning Deep Tech into Investment: From Breakthrough to Fundable Venture
  Stage: DEEPDIVE STAGE, Maribox Hall 02
  Speakers: Victor Martinez (European Patent Office, Germany); Nina Dremelj (Vesna VC); Robert Kordić (CMS Slovenia, Slovenia); Klemen Grošelj (Slovenian Intellectual Property Office, Slovenia)
  Powered by: DARE Innovations How do you turn deep tech innovation into something investors actually back? This session explores how startups can move from breakthrough ideas to investment-ready ventures, how patents and IP strengthen credibility, and what truly makes investors take notice. Expect real-world examples, practical tools, and actionable insights for founders building in deep tech. No registration required.
• 11:00–11:20 – Hybrid Monetization – the way to higher LTV
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Mustafa Tandogan (NVAPPS, UK); Tena Žganec (TEDxZagreb, Croatia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Partners: Zavarovalnica SAVA
• 11:20–11:40 – From Idea to Revenue: Lessons from Designing, Building, and Selling Multiple B2B Digital Products
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Maximilian Fleitmann (Magier & Wizard Ventures, Germany); Tena Žganec (TEDxZagreb, Croatia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Partners: Zavarovalnica SAVA
• 11:40–12:00 – Community as the Ultimate Growth Engine: From Viral Content to 300 Paying Users per Day
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Mateo Starcevic Filipovic (PromptWise, Croatia); Tena Žganec (TEDxZagreb, Croatia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Partners: Zavarovalnica SAVA In today’s AI landscape, building a product is easier than ever — but distribution is the real challenge. This session explores how to build traction before your product is ready by leveraging community, content, and early demand signals. Discover how to validate your market, drive consistent paid acquisition, and transition from community to SaaS with strong conversion rates.
• 12:00–12:20 – F***, marry, kill from a €2.5m ARR POV
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Stjepan Zelić (Hypefy, Croatia); Tena Žganec (TEDxZagreb, Croatia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Partners: Zavarovalnica SAVA Which moves would I kill, which decisions would I f***, and which strategies I would marry again if I went back in time to rebuild my company from scratch. This will be a story told from a founder's perspective about growing a company from nothing to to €2.5m ARR and lessons learned along the way. 0 restraints or political correctness.
• 12:20–12:40 – How to Make a Marketplace Profitable: Lessons from Rewiring 57hours in 2025
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Perica Levatić (57hours, Croatia); Tena Žganec (TEDxZagreb, Croatia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Partners: Zavarovalnica SAVA Building a marketplace is hard. Making one profitable is harder — most never get there. This session shows how 57hours, a global outdoor adventure marketplace, made the shift in 2025: building real businesses for its suppliers, structuring teams around ownership rather than function, and rolling AI through every department gradually and on purpose.
• 12:40–13:00 – FIRESIDE: Scaling Sofascore Toward 100M Users: Building Growth Channels Across Different Stages
  Stage: BUILDERS STAGE, Maribox Hall 01
  Speakers: Ivan Bešlić (Sofascore, Croatia); Tena Žganec (TEDxZagreb, Croatia)
  Powered by: Silicon Gardens Partners: Zavarovalnica SAVA
• 13:00–15:00 – Closing Lunch: Wrap Up & Connect
  Stage: NETWORKING & FOOD AREA, MARIBOX PODIM TERRACE
  Powered by: OTP Banka Join us on the Podim Terrace for a relaxed closing lunch overlooking the Drava riverside. A final moment to reflect on key insights, reconnect with people you’ve met over the past days, exchange contacts, and continue meaningful conversations. Wrap up your Podim experience while setting the tone for what comes next.
• 15:30–17:30 – PARTNERS & SPEAKERS DINNER: A CURATED SLOVENIAN EXPERIENCE [NETWORKING & DINING EXPERIENCE]
  Stage: NETWORKING & FOOD AREA, Secret location
  Join an exclusive evening designed for Podim partners, speakers, and selected Platinum Investor & Platinum BizDev ticket holders. This multi-course dining experience, paired with premium wines — brings together the people shaping the region in a setting that reflects the very best of Slovenia. Expect more than just a dinner. This is a curated experience of local flavors, elevated cuisine, and meaningful conversations — where connections are built around the table, not just on stage. An intimate atmosphere, outstanding food, and the right people — a true taste of Slovenia at Podim.