15th & 16th of May
Maribor, Slovenia

PODIM Challenge

 

PODIM Challenge is an investment platform for connecting selected early-stage startups with investors, and strategic corporate partners. It is an entry point and selection filter for startups to obtain a PODIM startup ticket and to gain access to PODIM 1:1 Arena with 500+ meetings and pitching competition with special prizes.

Who is it for?
Primarily for startups from the European Adriatic and Western Balkan regions that haven’t yet received a bigger series A investment round and as a rule aren’t older than 5 years.

What is the main prize?
The best startups at the PODIM Challenge pitching competition will be awarded with all-inclusive tailor-made programmes in global startup hubs such as Silicon Valley or London.


 
 

The application process 

#1 
Meet the PODIM team and the main PODIM Conference partners (accelerators, investors, corporate representatives …) at one of the roadshow events happening all over the European Adriatic & Western Balkans countries.

#2
Apply for PODIM Challenge until 23 March 2018 at the latest and make sure that you select the appropriate industry on the application form! 
 
#3
A special PODIM Challenge jury will select 200 most promising startups from the region and inform them on how to obtain the PODIM Startup Ticket and get the opportunity to compete at the PODIM Challenge pitching competition.
 
#4
All selected startups will be presented in a special PODIM Startup Catalogue that will be distributed to all PODIM investors, corporate representatives and speakers two weeks before the conference and will also be used as a tool for organizing 1:1 meetings. 

DOWNOLAD the PODIM 2017 Startup Catalogue

#5
After you claim your PODIM Startup Ticket, the PODIM team will inform you about all the pitching and networking opportunities in the PODIM 1:1 ARENA, where we plan to organize 500+ one-on-one meetings between startups, investors and corporate representatives. 
 
#6
An important part of the PODIM Challenge is the on-stage pitching competition. The winning team will be awarded with an all-inclusive one-week business trip to the one of the global startup hubs with a networking programme in the total value of 10,000+EUR.
 


PODIM Challenge Industries

All startups that apply for PODIM Challenge must categorize their business and select up to three industries that their products or services are involved in. All PODIM Challenge Industries will be listed in the application form and here is a quick preview of them: 

  • Business and Productivity (communication, collaboration, IT equipment and infrastructure, education and knowledge management, business and productivity apps, data aggregation and services, data security and privacy, marketplaces and exchanges platforms, marketing and advertising apps, tools and platforms ...)
  • Energy and Utilities (energy efficiency, exploration and production, waste management and recycling, infrastructure and distribution, commodity trading ...)
  • Financial Services (banking, accounting, insurance, currency, blockchain, cryptocurrency, investing and wealth management, lending, payment solutions, money transfers ...)
  • Life Science and Agriculture (drugs and pharmaceutical industry, food, agriculture and farming, health tech, medtech, health care, health care devices and platforms ...)
  • Lifestyle and Entertainment (media and content, social networks, leisure, travel and tourism, sport, wellness, fitness, gaming, toys and gadgets, personal devices and apps, fashion, clothing, personal care and growth, real estate and interior design ...)
  • Materials and Manufacturing (production processes, materials research and science, sensing and automation, design and engineering, supply chain management, maintenance and services, construction and building ...)
  • Mobility and Transportation (automotive, rail, ship, aerospace, maintenance, infrastructure and distribution, logistic goods and services, storage ...)
APPLY NOW!


PODIM Challenge Partners 2018

This year, we are once again joined by strong corporate partners looking for connections with startups:   

 

 
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 


 


2018 Alpe-Adria co-organizers: Venture FactoryTechnology park LjubljanaKWFBuild!Friuli Innovazione 

2018 Partners: Centre for European Perspective (CEP)South Central Ventures

 

Investors & Corpos at PODIM Challenge 2018

UK
Carlos Eduardo Espinal
Seedcamp, UK
USA
Chuck Goldman
Sky Ventures Group, USA
USA
Brian Joseph Flynn
FounderPartners, USA
UK
David Prais
Cofound.it, UK
Slovenia
Jure Mikuž
South Central Ventures, Slovenia
USA
Nuno Gonçalves Pedro
Strive Capital, USA
USA
Mike Sigal
500 Startups, USA
Czech Republic
Jan Habermann
Credo Ventures, Czech Republic
Austria
Markus Lang
Pioneers Ventures, Austria
UK
Alexandre Massart
Blend Ventures, UK
Turkey
Enis Hulli
500 Startups Istanbul, Turkey
France
Philippe Gluntz
Business Angels Europe, France
USA
Henry Hwong
Cunningham Collective, USA
Germany
David Braun
DASHR, Germany
USA
Philippe Suchet
Spider Capital Partners, USA
Germany
Onur Can
Seed+Speed Ventures, Germany
Estonia
Aleksander Tõnnisson
Buildit, Estonia
Romania
Dan Lupu
Earlybird Venture Capital, Romania
Slovenia
Julien Coustaury
Fil Rouge Capital, Slovenia
Denmark
Cristobal Alonso
Startup Wise Guys, Denmark
Hungary
Dóra Branyiczki
Day One Capital Fund Management, Hungary
Poland
Wiktor Rybicki
Innovation Nest, Poland
Switzerland
Dr. Guenther Dobrauz-Saldapenna
PwC Legal, Switzerland
Slovenia
Matjaž Bavdek
Business angel, Slovenia
Hungary
János Tóth
Day One Capital Fund Management, Hungary
Slovenia
Nina Dremelj
Business angels of Slovenia, Slovenia
Slovenia
Aleksander Kopač
Business angel, Slovenia
Hungary
Csaba Kákosy
Day One Capital Fund Management, Hungary
Slovenia
Matej Ferme
Strip's, Slovenia
Hungary
Tamás Balassa
PortfoLion VC, Hungary
Slovenia
Žan Rupar
TAXGROUP, Slovenia
Slovenia
Andrej Jež
ILIRIKA Brokerage Plc., Slovenia
Slovenia
Klemen Šešok
Iskra, Slovenia
Poland
Anna Zięciak
Luma Ventures, Poland
Poland
Łukasz Sabat
Luma Ventures, Poland
Hungary
Márton Medveczky
Buran Venture Capital, Hungary
Slovenia
Gorazd Ažman
ELES, Slovenia
USA
Ed Rivera
DigitalWorks, USA
Slovenia
Uroš Salobir
ELES, Slovenia
Slovenia
Matija Torlak
Big Bang, Slovenia
Slovenia
Maja Majstorović
Big Bang, Slovenia
Austria
Elbruz Yılmaz
3TS Capital Partners, Austria
Slovenia
Tanja Turk
UniCredit Bank Slovenia
Slovenia
Miloš Vignjević
UniCredit Bank Slovenia
Slovenia
Stefan Vavti
UniCredit Bank Slovenia
Slovenia
Samo Krančan
Danfoss Trata, Slovenia
Austria
Robert Hegedüs
Fidler Capital, Austria
Slovenia
Jakob Gajšek
ABC Accelerator, Slovenia
Slovenia
Branko Drobnak
Business Angels of Slovenia
Slovenia
Bernard Grum
ABC Accelerator, Slovenia
Slovenia
Rok Habinc
STH Management, Slovenia
Slovenia
Milan Lazarević
ABC Accelerator, Slovenia
Slovenia
Borut Potočnik
BPMC, Slovenia
Slovenia
Gregor Rebolj
Silicon Gardens, Slovenia
Slovenia
Matej Volk
Danfoss Trata, Slovenia
Slovenia
Jaka Vadnjal
Hranilnica LON, Slovenia
Slovenia
Tadashi Aoyagi
BlueGreenGroup, Inc., Slovenia
Slovenia
Tatjana Zabasu
South Central Ventures, Slovenia
Slovenia
Igor Madzov
South Central Ventures, Macedonia
Croatia
Krunoslava Peulja
South Central Ventures, Croatia
Croatia
Vedran Blagus
South Central Ventures, Croatia
Slovenia
Gregor Pipan
Xlab, Slovenia
Slovenia
Nina Vodopivec
Petrol, Slovenia
Austria
Martin Mössler
Science Park Graz and ESA BIC Austria, Austria
China
Yu Fan
GTOG Investment, China
UK
Sasha Serafimovski
Hybird + Placemakers.co, UK
Slovenia
Marko Stošicki
Telekom Slovenije, Slovenia
Singapore
Joanna Wang
Gifted Alliance Investment, Singapore
Slovenia
Mateja Lavrič
Kolektor Ventures, Slovenia
Slovenia
Robert Sraka
Zavarovalnica Sava, Slovenia
Slovenia
Roman Kužnar
RC IKT, Slovenia
Slovenia
Eva Sever
Business Angels of Slovenia, Slovenia
China
Yiming Zhu
Hollysys, China
Slovenia
Kristijan Perčič
Pošta Slovenije, Slovenia
Slovenia
David Belovič
Business Angels Europe, Slovenia
Slovenia
Jurij Giacomelli
META, Slovenia
Slovenia
Žiga Cajzek
KD Funds, Slovenia
Slovenia
Petra Svetina
META, Slovenia
Slovenia
Aljoša Domijan
GAMBIT, Slovenia
Slovenia
Roger Blott
Fil Rouge Capital, Slovenia
China
Xiang Le
Hollysys, China
Slovenia
Emilio Escartin
KD Funds, Slovenia
Slovenia
Luka Podlogar
KD Funds, Slovenia
Slovenia
Niko Slavnić
CHERR.IO, Slovenia
Slovenia
Peter Bezlaj
KD Funds, Slovenia
Switzerland
Darko Butina
BUDS & Netcetera, Switzerland
UK
Jerneja Loncar
Good Tech Ventures, UK
Italy
Mike Battilana
Cloanto, Italy
Italy
Diego Di Tommaso
PwC, Italy
Italy
Carlo Asquini
Unicorn Trainers Club, Italy
Italy
Luigi Amati
META, Italy
Slovenia
Matija Pipan
Cofound.it, Slovenia