From May 12 to 14, Maribor, Slovenia, will host PODIM, an event dedicated to the startup world, founded in 1980. With a long tradition of fostering innovation and entrepreneurial growth, PODIM stands as a strategic hub for the innovation ecosystem in Central and Eastern Europe.
The 2024 edition saw the participation of over 1,000 professionals from around the world, including 204 startups, more than 70 speakers from 17 countries, over 50 venture capital funds and other private investors, with an estimated total portfolio of more than €3.3 billion allocated for startup investments. Throughout the event, more than 140 investors were present and available for bilateral meetings, reinforcing its significance.
The Italian Trade Agency (ITA) Ljubljana participates in PODIM as a Golden Unicorn partner; since 2024, the office has been present with groups of Italian startups, promoting innovation and entrepreneurial growth internationally. For this year’s edition, ITA Ljubljana has coordinated the participation of a group composed of eight high-profile Italian startups, showcasing projects such as Cellex, Elementag, IoTique, Krill Design, Library Med, Notarify, See the Change, and Tiledesk in key sectors such as medical technology, biotechnology, the Internet of Things, new materials, and advanced digital solutions for sustainability.
During the three-day event, Italian startups will take part in an intensive program of meetings, with the exclusive opportunity to pre-plan unlimited individual contacts with investors, corporate executives, and successful entrepreneurs. Additionally, they will receive direct invitations, facilitated by a dedicated app.
On May 13, the Ambassador of Italy to Slovenia, H.E. Giuseppe Cavagna, is scheduled to visit, welcoming the Italian delegates.
ITA’s offer for participating companies includes the use of an innovative booth at the event, organized in rotation to facilitate interaction among participants with access to the Marketplace Expo, the entrance ticket, a dedicated activity program, on-site assistance provided by ITA staff, the collective catalogue, and a communication plan developed in collaboration with Slovenian media, including RTV Slovenija Capodistria.
The ITA office in Ljubljana, with support from ITA offices in Budapest and Zagreb, has invited three investment and venture capital delegates from Croatia (Zicer) and Hungary (Connect East Incubator and Impact Ventures), who will meet with Italian startups for targeted sessions.
CATALOGUE OF PARTICIPANTS
The catalogue of Italian participants at PODIM 2025, accompanied by ITA, is available at the LINK.
