While Zagreb not be as well known in the global startup scene as other major metropolitan areas, the city has nonetheless been making a name for itself the around the world for the last several years. With a wealth of economic and cultural benefits, Zagreb has attracted the attention of countless entrepreneurs and investors alike.
As the Founder Institute returns to Zagreb for what hopes to be another successful semester, we’ve taken the time to compile several major reasons that make Zagreb an excellent location to build a startup.
If you are looking to launch a company in Zagreb, be sure to apply to the Zagreb Founder Institute today.
A Favorable Entrepreneurial Environment
As the political, educational, and administrative center of Croatia, Zagreb has spent the last several years concentrating its efforts in developing a network of educational and research institutions, supportive business infrastructure and city administration, and a high quality labour force. This, combined with a location that provides easy access to large European markets and reach new customers, makes Zagreb an ideal environment to build a successful company.
A Strong Economy
Since becoming a part of the European Union in 2014, Croatia has been able to utilize a considerable amount of money from the EU Structural Funds., much of which has been used to promote small and medium startups. As an added bonus, companies founded in Croatia by foreign investors are eligible for EU funds under equal conditions as domestic companies. Because of this, Zagreb, as well as Croatia as a whole, has become a very attractive market for outside investors looking to invest in innovative European startups.
A Skilled Workforce
As stated earlier, the City of Zagreb has made extensive efforts in bolstering its workforce, and the results have not gone unnoticed; numerous foreign companies currently operating in Croatia have acknowledged the Croatian workforce for its expertise, experience, and multilingual skills.
Croatia is also among the countries with the highest rate of persons aged from 20 to 24 that have completed at least upper secondary education, and the number of students graduated from institutions of higher education continues to grow each year. Because of its position as Croatia’s political, educational, and cultural hub, Zagreb has an abundance of skilled, educated, and qualified workers that any startup can benefit from.
Plenty of Startup Resources
As if the above reasons aren’t enough to startup in Zagreb, the city also provides entrepreneurs with plenty of institutions and events to aid entrepreneurs in all stages of development. Here is a taste of what Zagreb has to offer:
- Zip - one of the strongest startup incubators in the region.
- Zagreb Connect - In co-operation with the Embassy of the State of Israel, the Croatian Agency for SMEs, Innovation and Investments (HAMAG-BICRO) and Zagreb Fair, the City of Zagreb presents a pitch and invest event that brings together startups and investors.
- Startup Weekend EDU Zagreb - Startup Weekend is a 54 hour event that brings together Zagreb designers, developers, entrepreneurs, and experts from all domains to do amazing things.
- #HackZagreb - #HackZagreb is hackathon dedicated to building software for the people of Zagreb by the people of Zagreb.
If you are interested in launching a company in Zagreb, then apply to the Zagreb Founder Institute.
(cityscape of Zagreb, Croatia image by Shutterstock)
