The Liftoff conference to position Croatia as a leading high-tech destination in the region

On 30 June and 1 July, Zagreb will become the centre of the European deep tech scene. Liftoff, one of the largest events dedicated to high-tech innovation in Central and Eastern Europe, will take place in the Croatian capital. The event is organised by Nuqleus, an academic entrepreneurship programme operating within the Nikola Tesla Innovation Centre (ICENT) at FER, with the support of the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth, the World Bank and the DIGIT project. Liftoff brings together key stakeholders from the innovation ecosystem – startups, investors, scientists, industry representatives and decision-makers from Croatia and across Europe.

At a time when Europe is investing heavily in the development of deep tech technologies as a foundation for future economic growth and technological independence, Croatia has an opportunity to position itself as an important regional innovation hub. This is one of the key goals of the Liftoff conference – to present domestic talent, scientific excellence and the growing startup ecosystem to an international audience. This year’s edition will gather more than 500 participants from across Europe, including more than 80 startups and technology companies from Central and Eastern Europe, as well as more than 30 European venture capital funds and investors. Alongside the support of the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth and the World Bank, the importance of the conference in these challenging times has also been recognised by leading European institutions such as the European Innovation Council (EIC), the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF).

Representatives of these institutions will present their plans and strategies related to the future of European innovation policy at Liftoff, as well as the role of Central and Eastern Europe, including Croatia, in the development of new technologies and a competitive economy. Confirmed speakers include EIB Vice-President Marko Primorac, EIC Board President Michiel Scheffer and Stefan Drüssler, Chief Operating Officer of UnternehmerTUM, Europe’s leading startup incubator. During the two-day programme, participants can expect lectures, panel discussions and intensive networking with leading European investors. Funds coming to Zagreb include Xista Ventures, Emerald Ventures, EBRD VC, AYMO Ventures, Gapminder and many others. A special part of the programme will be the Nuqleus Demo Day, where the most promising startups from the Nuqleus Startup Builder programme will be presented, giving them an opportunity to connect with investors and partners.

“The Ministry of Science, Education and Youth proudly supports the organisation of this important conference through the DIGIT project, in cooperation with the World Bank. The Nuqleus programme of the Nikola Tesla Innovation Centre has made a major step forward in connecting the academic community, entrepreneurship and industry, confirming that Croatian innovation potential can be recognised and competitive at the European level. Our goal is to build a system that encourages excellence, knowledge transfer and the development of high value-added technologies, and initiatives such as Liftoff contribute to strengthening economic competitiveness and creating opportunities for talented young people in Croatia,” said Radovan Fuchs, Minister of Science, Education and Youth.

“Over the past three and a half years, Nuqleus has become the central point of the Croatian deep tech ecosystem. We have united the Croatian scientific community, helped numerous scientists launch their companies, been recognised by the Financial Times as one of the highest-quality startup mentoring programmes and built a ‘bridge’ between science and industry. Through Liftoff, we want to present the most promising examples of Croatian innovation, from science and startups to industry. The time has come to showcase the very best Croatia has to offer, position Croatia as an excellent country for the development of deep tech startups and attract young scientists from the diaspora and the CEE region to choose Croatia as an outstanding place to work on top scientific achievements and commercialise the results of their research,” said Matija Srbić, Head of the Nuqleus programme.

Secure your place and be part of the leading deep tech event in the region on 30 June and 1 July 2026 in Zagreb. The full programme is available on the event’s official website, while tickets can be purchased via the Entrio platform.