On Saturday, April 12th, the backyard of Fabrika in Zagreb turned into a buzzing hub for Croatia’s startup scene, hosting the very first Startup BBQ — a laid-back event that brought together over 200 founders, investors, entrepreneurs, scientists, mentors, accelerators, and other key players from the local tech ecosystem.

The event was organized by BIRD Incubator (Solvership), Nuqleus, and Bornfight with one clear goal: to create a relaxed space for networking, experience sharing, and fostering collaboration in Croatia’s growing startup community.

The vibe was chill, but the content hit home for everyone involved in building or backing the local startup ecosystem. Things kicked off with a panel talk titled “Behind the Scenes: The Movers and Shakers of Croatia’s Startup Ecosystem.” Sharing their stories and insights were Luka Glavaš (Flaster), Ante Bilić (SQ Capital), Matija Srbić (Nuqleus), Vid Zavalić (BIRD Incubator) and Ivor Bihar (Bornfight & Determa), moderated by Bernard Ivezić (Unicorn Underground & HISPACE).

Next up was a candid and energetic fireside chat: “The Art of Screwing Up (And Surviving)” where Marijan Bračić (Legit) opened up about his entrepreneurial journey — missteps, failures, and the invaluable lessons learned along the way — in conversation with Ivan Brezak Brkan (Netokracija). It was a rare and raw peek into what it really takes to bounce back after failure, something every startup founder can relate to but isn’t often talked about.

As the sun kept shining, the crowd enjoyed a great mix of BBQ, music, and plenty of chill networking moments. The event was held in partnership with HUB385 and supported by sponsors Erste Bank, SQ Capital, Silicon Gardens, Feelsgood Capital, Barun Herbal Liqueur, and Pipi, with Netokracija as the media partner.

Given the strong interest and enthusiasm from participants, we can confidently say this is just the first edition — and we believe Startup BBQ is on its way to becoming a beloved tradition for the startup community.