Podim is the most influential startup & tech event in the CEE region, where innovation meets business opportunities, capital and knowledge. In the last decade, Podim has evolved into the key regional platform for enabling learning and networking in the most valuable and time-efficient way. It truly is a life-changing experience. Podim is creating real value by bringing together and connecting renowned international investors, established corporations, and startups & scaleups from the Alps-Adriatic and Western Balkans regions for efficient networking and dealmaking. It is the gateway to and from the region for efficient networking, deal-making and sharing experiences.
External link for Podim Conference
Ulica škofa Maksimilijana Držečnika 6
Maribor, Maribor 2000, SI
Maribor, SI
Who said business can’t be fun? They clearly haven't been to Podim yet. 💁♀️ Here’s a peek at the smiles, the buzz and the occasional selfie. 🤳 #ConferenceGoals, if you ask us.😏
Great news to lift the spirits of this Friday! Granevo, one of PODIM’s promising startups, took the chance and joined Infineon Technologies’ Startup Challenge and made it into the shortlist of 25. After a rigorous selection, Granevo emerged as one of the 16 deep-tech startups chosen for collaboration with Infineon. The good news doesn’t end there. Luka Drofenik and Matjaž Gobec wowed the judges at the Startup Challenge Demo Day in Villach, earning 1st place! 🏆 This win secured him a spot at Infineon’s global Startup Night, where he pitched EGGAlert and claimed an impressive 3rd place. WOWZA! 👏 Huge congrats to Luka, Matjaž and the whole team.
Not every startup is going to be the next billion-dollar unicorn. 🦄 Many startups are built for steady, sustainable growth. ➘ They may not have overnight success, but they offer long-term potential if you're patient. Sometimes, the market is more niche than massive and that’s not a bad thing! A solid market with loyal customers can often provide more consistent returns. Remember 👆, most startups won’t follow a linear growth trajectory. Don’t expect perfection right away—startups thrive on experimentation. 😇 What's your opinion on this? Let's hear it!
STARTUP BOOST 🚀 Expanding into the DACH region, breaking ground in the US and achieving product excellence. These are just some of the big wins InSky Solutions—a provider of digital solutions and administrative tools for optimal user experience and business success—has ticked off since attending Podim 2024. Impressive, right? 🤩 We’d say so too. But we think there’s a little secret behind their success - - a humble office item that keeps everyone laughing, and, surprisingly, working better. It’s their ☕ coffee machine. Yup, the one that constantly demands water, a filter change or an empty grounds container. It’s become the team’s inside joke - training for parenthood: something always needs attention! 🤷 Who knew? If you can keep up with a needy coffee machine, the startup world doesn’t seem so tough. 😉
Startups always wonder what they could do to convince investors, but they don’t ask themselves what puts investors off. 🙅 → Numero uno: You use tons of cumulative numbers. Are you trying to hide something? Pump up the numbers, when in reality, they’re not so big? Don’t do that. It’s also ok if you don’t have metrics if you’re at the pre-MVP or MVP stage. Investors aren’t dumb and will understand that. → Numero dos: Overselling your or your team’s experience. Transformation, learning, and adapting is the right way to go. Focus on that. → Numero tres: Unrealistic projections. Sure, optimism is great, but if you’re projecting exponential growth with little substance behind it, they will see right through you. Ground your forecasts in data 📉 and always have a plan if things don’t go as expected. → Numero quatro: Lack of focus. If your pitch feels like it’s trying to solve every problem under the sun, they might think you lack direction. 🔄 Do one thing really well instead of being a jack of all trades and master of none. All in all: be transparent, clear and humble. They appreciate that more than buzzwords and inflated numbers.
Founders, let’s be real – if you could hit an 'auto' button on any part of your day, what would it be? 🤖 🌟 Take a quick break and let us know! Let’s see what startup life would look like if we had a few more shortcuts. 👇
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STARTUP BOOST 🚀 Big news from BetterQA! The advanced time and timesheet management tool for project timelines, PTOs and holidays, is now a branch of Willdom. This partnership is more than a milestone; it’s the start of a new chapter to drive growth and quality. ✅ BetterQA is set to reach more clients, deliver even greater value and continue raising the bar in everything they do. The startup also adopted ISO 14001:2015 standard, fitting their vision of zero defects, maximum savings and a future that’s as green as it gets. The team didn’t just spend the summer in meetings. Oh no. They hosted their own 💪 Summer Games. Thankfully, no one got hurt in the process (at least, not that we know of). Instead, they came out of it stronger, more united and ready to tackle anything together - maybe event the next Summer Olympics. 😉