PODIM Startup Conference with an Amazing Impact on the European Adriatic & Western Balkans Regions

PODIM Conference, the biggest and most influential startup event in the Alps-Adriatic and Western Balkans regions, has ensured a new organizational record and incredible influence on the development of the regional startup ecosystem. More than 1000 participants from the whole world, more exactly from 25 countries, gathered in Maribor, Slovenia, between 14 and 17 May. That included more than 300 representatives of innovative high-tech startups, 90 Slovenian and international investors, more than 100 corporate representatives from Slovenia and abroad, and more than 70 renowned speakers. PODIM has developed into an effective investment platform, also thanks to the fact that at the event, pre-organized one-on-one meetings between startups, investors and corporate representatives have been taking place for a number of years, and this year there were more than 600 of them.

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Achievements and record numbers 

This year's PODIM Conference has created quite a few achievements. The first happened in the number of participants - there were more than a 1000 of them this year, coming from all over the world, more exactly from 25 countries. The second leap happened in the organization of pre-organized one-on-one meetings between startups, investors and corporate representatives in the PODIM 1:1 ARENA. Their number exceeded 600, which is a remarkable record compared to the 383 meetings the year before and 182 meetings two years ago. At the same time, it is also an organizational mouthful for the relatively small team of Initiative Start:up Slovenia, which annually - this year for the thirty-eighth time in a row - organizes this event with help of numerous partners and sponsors from Slovenia and the region.

More than 500 applications for the PODIM startup ticket 

There has also been a significant increase in the number of startups, which come to events such as PODIM mostly to find new connections with investors - business angels, venture capital fund representatives and strategic corporate and institutional investors. This year, more than 500 startup companies submitted their application for a PODIM startup ticket (last year 242), and from amongst them the conference organizers chose 160 most promising teams from 22 countries (last year 133 teams from 20 countries). They presented the teams in this year's PODIM startup catalogue, which is also the main promotional publication that serves as an aid when organizing introductory one-on-one meetings.

Regional Startup Ecosystem Epicentre 

Slovenia, the Alps-Adriatic region and Western Balkans are increasingly being established as a pool of promising business talents and highly qualified technological staff, and PODIM as an epicentre of the regional startup ecosystem. This event annually ensures incredible opportunities for networking, connecting, collaboration and exchanging experiences. This is also proven by the fact that this year, it was attended by 90 prominent investors from Slovenia and abroad, and more than 70 well-known speakers whose thrilling appearances covered the hottest topics from the world of innovations and startups, divided into eight programme blocks: technology & business, venture design, corporate innovation, marketing & growth hacks, winning team & winning company, venture capital funding, blockchain, creative industries & high-tech.

Prominent investors and speakers 

Amongst the investors of this year's PODIM Conference, we are highlighting names such as Mike Sigal (500 Startups, US), Carlos Eduardo Espinal (Seedcamp, GB), Brian Joseph Flynn (FounderPartners, US), Nuño Gonçalves Pedro (Strive Capital, US) and Chuck Goldman (Sky Ventures Group, US). The crowd of more than a thousand visitors was thrilled by prominent individuals from the world of high-tech entrepreneurship, including David Rose (MIT, US), James Haliburton (Topp Design & Innovation, Sweden), Carolyn N. Spencer (Amazon, US), Shira Abel (Hunter & Bard, US), David Prais (Cofound.it, GB) and Steli Efti (Close.io, US).

Startup Homey won the PODIM Challenge 

A very important part of investment activities at PODIM also include the PODIM Challenge pitching competition on the main conference stage, which rewards the winning startup team with a weeklong all-inclusive networking programme with investors in San Jose, Silicon Valley, in the joint amount of 10,000 EUR. From amongst all five finalists - Croatian team BeeRent, Austrian team Unispotter, and Slovenian teams Homey, Invoice Exchange and Fastcast - the victory this year was celebrated by Homey from Slovenia. The company is developing the innovative mobile app Homey, which offers a fun way for families to do household chores. It motivates kids to collaborate, and gives parents a simple way to reward kids and give them allowance. In June last year, the Homey team also established a connection with banks from the US and enabled parents to set up saving goals for kids, helping them with chores. In this way, they encourage savings as well as teach kids how to work with money and the basics of how banks work.

Slovenian startup of the year 2018 is Beeping 

The Slovenian startup of the year is an award that Initiative Start:up Slovenia already traditionally gives out at the PODIM Conference. This year, five most promising Slovenian startups were competing for it, namely Beeping, Event registry, Gotoky, MAG-LEV Avdio and Smart Optometry. The prestigious laurels were given to the Beeping team, whose online platform is enabling a fast, safe and effective way of hiring verified cleaners to one's home. In less than three years, they built a recognizable brand in Slovenia and Croatia, which has more than 16,500 registered users who are accessing up to 100 professional cleaners on currently two key markets - in Ljubljana and Zagreb. As much as 75% of all cleanings that the users book through the Beeping platform are represented by a subscription model, and 80% of the users reach the retention rate. This way, the Beeping team is ensuring a sustainable business model that's generating approximately 20% business growth every month.

A special event for new distributer deals 

The concluding act of this year's PODIM was a special event, PODIM Marketplace, which PODIM organizers carried out on the initiative of the most successful Slovenian scaleup startups such as Chipolo, Visionect, EQUA, XVIDA and SipaBoards. More than 70 participants met and networked at the event - hardware startups and globally established distributers, who got to meet the most promising startup teams from Slovenia and the region, and made new business deals in selling innovative high-tech products.