The Alps and Adriatic region is a powerhouse of innovation, bold entrepreneurship, and cutting-edge technology. Time and again, success stories from this region prove that we excel in building game-changing products, business models, and thriving companies.
At this year’s PODIM Conference, we are introducing an exciting new format – “The Builders Stage by Silicon Gardens”. This is where the best scale-up companies from the region take the spotlight, showcasing their groundbreaking journeys. Expect to meet regional unicorns and soonicorns, visionary founders, and industry pioneers who are shaping the future.
Who should join?
This stage is designed for everyone driving the future of business through innovation and technology. It’s especially valuable for:
- Startup founders – Get insider knowledge on how to scale your business and expand your customer base from those who’ve already done it successfully.
- Innovation teams from established companies – Gain fresh ideas, spot emerging technology trends, learn from the mistakes of others, and accelerate your company’s innovation efforts.
- Investors – Meet the hottest tech companies from the Alps-Adriatic region in one place and connect with the visionary teams shaping the next big success stories.
Why you shouldn’t miss it
Seize this opportunity to learn from the best, connect with top innovators, and get inspired by companies that are transforming industries. Whether you’re looking for actionable insights on what works and what doesn’t, discovering new technology trends, or building valuable partnerships, The Builders Stage is the place to be.
The 20-minute presentations, followed by 1:1 backstage discussions, are divided into two program blocks: B2B (business-to-business) and B2C (business-to-customer) solutions.
Meet the best regional builders – B2B track
🇭🇷 CROATIAN SCALEUP
All Eyes on Screens, an AI-powered video advertising analytics platform working with Vodafone, Audi, and Etsy.
Marin Ćurković, CEO & Co-Founder, will speak on: Scaling through Corporate Partnerships.
🇨🇭 🇸🇮 SWISS & SLOVENIAN UNICORN
Sportradar, the world’s leading sports technology company at the intersection of sports, media, and betting.
Marin Ribać, Sales Executive, will speak on: Trade Shows as a Go-to Market Strategy.
🇭🇷 CROATIAN UNICORN
Infobip, the world’s most connected cloud communications platform.
Boris Pogačnik, former Senior Sales Executive, will speak on: 5 Market Entry Mistakes and Proven Solutions.
🇸🇮 🇺🇸 SLOVENIAN & US SCALEUP
Nordoon, an AI copilot for supply chain management, making logistics effortless and future-proof.
Tomaž Šuklje, Co-founder & Co-CEO, will speak on: From Zero to Enterprise: Strategies to Secure Your First 5 Large Customers.
🇭🇷 CROATIAN SCALEUP
Microblink, an AI-powered computer vision software for identity verification and payment processing.
Luka Šlibar, Senior Product Manager, will speak on: Finding Product-Market Fit in B2B with Limited Data.
🇲🇰 🇬🇧 MACEDONIAN & UK SCALEUP
Native Teams, a work payment platform serving freelancers and businesses in over 85 markets.
Timothei Jukić, Regional Director, will speak on: Key Lessons Learned from Expanding into 100+ Markets.
🇲🇪 🇬🇧 MONTENEGRIN & UK SCALEUP
Uhura, a Techstars company developing a low-code contract intelligence platform streamlining document processing for banks.
Mladen Markovic, Co-founder, will speak on: Winning Sales in Banking as a Startup
EUROPEAN UNICORN
Synthesia, the leading AI video generation platform, driving creative demand for global brands.
Mark Mavretic, Creative Strategy Lead at Synthesia, will speak on: How Synthesia Successfully Scaled in the B2B Market Through SM Advertising
🇭🇷 CROATIAN SCALEUP
Daytona, an open-source platform that unlocks the full power of AI coding agents by bridging them with real-world runtime environments.
Ivan Burazin, Co-founder & CEO, will speak on: Fundraising Masterclass – How to Successfully Close a VC Round.
🇲🇰 MACEDONIAN SCALEUP
HeyReach, an automation software that helps agencies and teams scale their LinkedIn outreach
Vukašin Vukosavljević, CMO, will speak on: Secrets behind $4M Word of Mouth Channel.
🇵🇹 🇸🇮 PORTUGUESE & SLOVENIAN SCAELUP
Bloq.it, a smart locker software that helps businesses automate parcel storage and pickup—trusted by industry leaders like DHL and GLS.
Miha Jagodic, Co-founder, will speak on: Scaling Hardware Against All Odds
🇷🇸 SERBIAN SCALEUP
Orgnostic, the people analytics platform for strategic HR leaders that was acquired by Culture Amp.
Igor Bogicevic, VP of Engineering, will speak on: How to Position Your Company for a Successful Exit.
The B2B track will be hosted by Zoltan Vardy, a seasoned B2B sales advisor, author, and speaker who has helped over 200 startups scale their global sales using his 9-step Launch Code™ framework. With $2 billion in sales generated across a 30-year career, Zoltan brings a wealth of experience to the stage. This year, he also published his long-awaited book on founder-led sales—making his insights especially timely for ambitious B2B founders. More about the book here.
Meet the best regional builders – B2C track
🇸🇮 🇺🇸 SLOVENIAN & US SCALEUP
Bird Buddy, Europe’s fastest-growing consumer electronics company, hitting $100M revenue in 2024.
Tom Vodopivec, COO, will speak on: How to Validate Your Product Before You Build It.
🇷🇴 🇺🇸 ROMANIAN & US SCALEUP
Bible Chat, the fastest-growing early-stage startup in Europe over the past year.
Marius Iordache, Co-founder and CTO, will speak on: How to Build a Growth Marketing Machine.
🇸🇮 SLOVENIAN UNICORN
Outfit7, the gaming powerhouse behind Talking Tom, with over 24 billion downloads and 116 billion video views.
Ante Odić, Senior VP of Product Development, will speak on: Product Validation in Different Stages: Between Science and Gut Feeling.
🇷🇸 SERBIAN SCALEUP
Nordeus, mobile gaming leader acquired by Take-Two Interactive for $378M.
Andrej Kugonič, VP of Marketing, will speak on: From 0 to 1: Building and Scaling a B2C Product.
🇧🇦 BOSNIAN & HERZEGOVINIAN SCALEUP
Rolla App, a health & fitness startup revolutionizing corporate wellness technology with the CEE’s largest-ever seed round (€6.3M).
Igor Čarapina, COO, Rolla, will speak on: Pivoting from B2C to B2B.
🇸🇮 SLOVENIAN SCALEUP
Gentler Streak, a multiple Apple Award-winning fitness & well-being app redefining personal health tracking.
Jasna Krmelj, Co-founder, CTO and iOS Developer, will speak on: Design-driven Growth: How User-Centric Innovation Fuels Success.
🇦🇹 AUSTRIAN SCALEUP
Mimo, a leading coding platform serving 25M+ learners worldwide with bite-sized lessons.
Johannes Berger, Co-Founder & CEO, will speak on: The Hard Lessons of Reinventing a Leaner, Stronger Business.
🇭🇷 CROATIAN SCALEUP
Photomath, an educational technology mobile app, acquired by Google for 0,5 billion USD.
Jennifer Lee, Chief Growth Officer, will speak on: How to Scale Your Product with an Exit in Mind
The B2C track will be hosted by Tena Žganec, Project Manager at the Innovation Centre Nikola Tesla (ICENT) and Nuqleus. Tena helps shape Croatia’s deep-tech ecosystem through technology transfer and startup incubation. Her experience in building interdisciplinary teams and validating ideas ensures focused, real-world discussions. As a TEDx curator and speech coach, she brings sharp moderation and energy to the stage.
Why should you join the Builders Stage?
✅ Learn from unicorn companies: Hear from leaders of billion-dollar businesses.
✅ B2B & B2C growth strategies: Get real-world advice from top experts.
✅ Network with investors & entrepreneurs: Meet key players in the tech world.
✅ Get ahead with AI & automation: Learn how to use AI to grow faster.
Join the Builders Stage & learn from the best
Whether you’re a startup founder, business leader, or investor, the Builders Stage by Silicon Gardens at Podim will give you the strategies, tools, and connections to succeed.
With world-class speakers and insider knowledge from top tech companies, this is an event you don’t want to miss!
But PODIM is not just about the Builders Stage. We are expecting 200 hand-picked promising startups ready to scale their business, 150+ active investors, and corporates exploring new technologies.
🚀 Don’t miss out – join us and be part of the next big success story!
