Vesna deep tech Venture Fund

🤝 We are thrilled to announce a strategic partnership between Vesna Venture Capital and the Faculty of Organization and Informatics (FOI). This collaboration marks a major milestone in fostering innovation and linking science with market opportunities. 🚀 The partnership, signed by Dean Prof. Dr. Marina Klačmer Čalopa and Srdja IVEKOVIC, Vesna's General Partner for Croatia, focuses on financing innovative scientific projects through the upcoming Regional Center for Pre-Incubation in Smart Industry in Varaždin. With €6 million in funding via the ITU mechanism, the center will support students, researchers, and SMEs in developing, evaluating, and commercializing groundbreaking ideas. Together, we will support technologically advanced and socially impactful entrepreneurial initiatives, empowering young innovators to bring their ideas to life and contribute to the development of the smart industry. 🌟 #Innovation #Partnership #DeepTech #VentureCapital #SmartIndustry

𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱: 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼-𝗙𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲    Grashka has secured €600,000 in investments during 2023 and 2024, with Capital Genetics as the lead investor alongside other angel investors. In November 2024, the company closed an investment round with Vesna VC, securing funding specifically for R&D projects focused on the micro fermentation of legumes. Following the successful completion of the proof of concept (PoC) phase, Vesna VC plans to add additional funding if a project meets their investment requirements. This investment positions Grashka as a technology company developing proprietary micro fermentation technology using native strains in partnership with biotechnology firm ACIES BIO Ltd.   ❓ 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗸𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗼?   “We envision a food industry transformed by the power of native-fermentation, not by replicating animal products, but by creating innovative and sustainable alternatives that inspire a new culinary future.”   Grashka employs advanced micro-fermentation techniques to produce plant-based legume bases. Ongoing research and development efforts focus on enhancing organoleptic properties (taste and texture), boosting protein, fiber, and vitamin content, and establishing scalable production protocols. With a strong market presence, Grashka seeks to understand industry dynamics and future demands. 📈   Grashka’s innovative approach develops fermented bases for the dairy and meat industries by utilizing current technologies and production capacities. The process includes sourcing regional legumes to build short supply chains, micro-fermenting legumes to create protein concentrates and supplying the solution to the dairy industry where the final product is made. The end result is a fermented legume base, suitable for various industrial applications, including pastry fillings, creamy pizza toppings, cheese and meat-like products, ice cream bases, desserts, etc. 🍦   𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲? Grashka aims to introduce complex fermented industrial solutions for large-scale industry partners, primarily within the dairy and meat sectors. The fermented concentrates will be available as liquid or cream, processed according to pre-validated production protocols or recipes. Grashka plans to offer solutions to leading international B2B partners in the food industry while simultaneously developing its own brand identity. Showcasing the potential of its bases through innovative end products will be central to its marketing strategy. ⌚ We can’t wait to share what’s next to come! Grashka webpage: http://www.grashka.co #FoodTechInnovation #PlantBasedSolutions #AlternativeProteins #VentureCapital #MicroFermentation #FoodScience #RDBreakthroughs

📸 We are working on something behind the scenes, stay tuned to find out more. #Teamwork #Ljubljana #StartupLife #PitchDay #Collaboration #BehindTheScenes

🚀 Career Week at FOI: Day 5 Highlights Thrilled to share that Karlo Kukec from Vesna Venture Capital moderated one of the most popular sessions, "Becoming Your Own Boss in College – Experiences from FOI Startups." Founders Filip Bel, Jakov Glavina, Luka Klancir, Matija Kopić, and Frano Primorac shared valuable insights on launching startups as students, inspiring future entrepreneurs. 💡 Thanks to all the amazing companies, panelists, and especially the students who made this Career Week so impactful. Here’s to building connections and skills for a bright future! 💼✨ For more details, check out the original post here: https://lnkd.in/dkwBpE_p #CareerWeek #FOI #startups #networking

🌟 Thrilled to share highlights from Demo Day at Start:up Slovenija! Yesterday’s event brought together 10 impressive, innovative startups who pitched their ideas with passion. Our very own Karlo Kukec had the honor of being part of the evaluation panel, challenging the founders with insightful questions and encouraging them to think even further about their solutions and market potential. A big congratulations to REALTRACING for standing out as the winner—Jernej Vengušt and the team will take their vision to an even broader audience at Podim 2025. We’re excited to see what they, along with all the other ambitious founders, accomplish next! 🚀 Thank you to everyone who participated, from presenters to investors, and to Start:up Slovenija for bringing such inspiring minds together. Check out the original post here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dYMrAFng #startupslovenia #innovation #pitching #DemoDay #Podim2025 #startups

🚀 Big news! We signed a strategic partnership with Ruđer Bošković Institute to take their research and innovations from the lab to the next level by turning them into real-world solutions. This collaboration is all about bridging the gap between science and industry. Together, we’ll support projects with high potential, helping them go from ideas in the lab to products on the market. The goal? To create new opportunities for job creation, economic growth, and sustainability. 🔑 What does this mean? · IRB and Vesna VC will work hand-in-hand to support high-potential projects. · Together, we’ll facilitate market entry for new legal entities. · Intellectual property transfer and licensing agreements will ensure that technologies developed at IRB make a tangible impact on the economy and society. 🌟 This is an important step forward, opening doors for new commercial opportunities, further strengthening our science-to-market pipeline, and contributing to the growth of deep tech projects across the region. #innovation #deeptech #commercialization #partnership #science #technology #RuđerBoškovićInstitute #VesnaCapital #growth

𝑨 𝒄𝒐𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑼𝒏𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒐𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒆𝒔𝒏𝒂 𝑭𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑼𝒏𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒐𝒓! 🤝 The cooperation represents an important step in promoting the transfer of knowledge and technologies from laboratories to the market. The agreement was signed by Nina Dremelj, the Managing Partner of the Vesna deep tech Venture Fund and @Prof. Dr. Zdravko Kačič, Rector of the Univerza v Mariboru. The Vesna Fund was developed by SID banka, the HBOR - Hrvatska banka za obnovu i razvitak and the European Investment Fund (EIF). It represents the first successful cooperation between Slovenian and Croatian development banks in this area to support projects from the research activities of both countries. The Vesna Fund promotes the development and launch of scientific and technological innovations in the fields of artificial intelligence, robotics, energy, healthcare, biomaterials, cybersecurity and many others in accordance with #InvestEU. The Rector of the University of Maribor, Prof. Dr. Zdravko Kačič, said at the signing: "The University of Maribor is committed to strengthening the innovation ecosystem in the cohesion region of Eastern Slovenia and the transfer of knowledge to society. By signing a partnership agreement with the Vesna Fund, many researchers will be able to realize their innovative ideas and contribute to a technologically more advanced society by transferring knowledge to the economy and wider society. Without support, innovations cannot progress and only ideas or initial prototypes remain, which is why the partnership between the University of Maribor and the Vesna Fund is of utmost importance." 💡📈 Nina Dremelj, Managing Partner of the Vesna Fund, emphasized the importance of the fund for society: "The Vesna Deep Tech Fund is important to the public because it accelerates innovation, supports economic development and promotes sustainable technological progress that can improve people's lives and help solve societal challenges. The Fund focuses on the transfer of technology from scientific institutions to the market, thus overcoming the common challenge of transforming research into commercially viable products. This transfer is key to transforming scientific discoveries into innovations that can be used by businesses and consumers." 🚀🌍 🌐 You are invited to view the extended post: https://lnkd.in/dxxBSq9u #technologytransfer #deeptech #vcfund

🌟 Exciting Developments in Equity Financing in Slovenia! 🌟 In Slovenia, equity financing is a critical driver for the growth of innovative companies, providing them with the necessary capital that traditional funding routes may not offer. We are proud to highlight the pivotal role of SID Bank, which, in collaboration with the European Investment Fund (EIF) and other private investors, is actively shaping the Slovenian equity financing landscape. SID Bank has also made a significant impact in the private equity fund market. By partnering with various stakeholders, including the Vesna deep tech Venture Fund, SID Banka is fostering the creation of new funds that cater to diverse sectors of the economy. The Vesna deep tech Venture Fund stands out as a pioneer in investing in deep tech and facilitating technology transfer in Slovenia and Croatia. Together, we are paving the way for a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem that supports innovation and drives economic growth! #VCFinancing #Innovation #SIDBanka #VesnaDeepTechFund #EconomicGrowth #Slovenia #Croatia https://lnkd.in/e4eUe8bq

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟 Yesterday Vesna deep tech Venture Fund marked a significant milestone by signing our first investment into a Slovenian company – Mysteria Colorum - MyCol d.o.o. 🎉 MyCol is at the cutting edge of materials science, transferring high-tech knowledge directly into high-value products. Their groundbreaking research in thermochromic materials is among the world’s leaders in the field, offering strong references and global recognition. 🌍🔬 We are thrilled to welcome Mysteria Colorum - MyCol d.o.o. on board and look forward to driving innovation together! 🚀 #Innovation #TechInvestment #MaterialsScience #Thermochromic #VentureCapital #Slovenia #Teamwork #WelcomeOnBoard #TechLeaders #ResearchAndDevelopment