The INVENTO accelerator programme, run by Split Technology Park in cooperation with INVENTO Capital Partners, has entered its final phase — post-acceleration. After a year of intensive development and mentoring, 23 startups have successfully completed the pre-acceleration and acceleration phases and are moving on to the last part of the support programme, focused on strengthening investment readiness and entering international markets.
Key activities in the implementation of the INVENTO accelerator to date:
- 23 startups (11 from Split) – newly established companies up to 5 years old
- 2 years of continuous support in product and business development (pitching to investors, applying for funding calls, connecting with mentors, networking)
- 500+ mentoring hours from experienced industry and business experts
- 15+ thematic entrepreneurship workshops (business planning and financing, go-to-market and marketing strategy, IPR and HR management, sales and fundraising pitch)
- 200+ meetings with investor representatives (15+ venture capital funds and business angels)
- 2 international conferences organised to exchange knowledge and experience in innovation development and to connect with innovation ecosystem stakeholders
During the acceleration phase, the startups also received HAMAG-BICRO financial support of EUR 25,000, which enabled them to speed up prototype development, test their solutions and cover operating costs.
Particularly notable are the startups that have already secured their first investments and international partnerships, among which startups from Split Technology Park play an important role. MetaBelly secured an investment of EUR 350,000 to develop its deep-tech platform Optibiomics, while SPLX.AI attracted a USD 7 million investment last year and made a strong international breakthrough. Other Split Technology Park tenants are also making significant progress.
“Through the INVENTO accelerator we had the opportunity to use an office and receive mentoring support, which was extremely important to us at an early stage. The help of a lawyer regarding the investment terms meant a great deal to us, as did the mentors’ advice on applying for EU projects. RAST gave us strong support in the form of consultations on pricing, setting up the company, equity split and business development guidelines. The most valuable aspect of the whole experience was being connected with the Vesna VC fund, with which we closed a pre-seed and seed investment. INVENTO enabled us to build a solid foundation and move faster towards growth.” Ena Melvan, MetaBelly d.o.o.
“The Invento accelerator helped us with financial support through grants, which we are using to develop the prototype of our pivoted product. In addition, we received non-financial support – various workshops, training sessions and an office in the excellent Split Technology Park. Above all, through the accelerator we became part of an energetic, innovative community of fellow “startuppers” who share similar values, which gives us extra motivation and perseverance on our journey.” Darko Majić, Marteching Solutions d.o.o.
“INVENTO provided us with a combination of funding and expert mentoring, workspace and access to numerous networking opportunities. If you are just starting out in entrepreneurship, their acceleration programme offers clearly guided steps towards the market and growth.” Ivan Lovrić, Workspace d.o.o
These examples further confirm the role of Split Technology Park as a place that provides startups with support, resources and a community in which they can grow faster and access investment more easily.
In the post-acceleration phase, startups also have access to financial support for internationalisation through vouchers for participation in international events, trade fairs, conferences and other activities important for entering foreign markets.
In the final stage of the programme, the focus is on ensuring that each startup receives mentoring support tailored to its specific needs in bringing its product to the (international) market. The INVENTO accelerator will give startups new opportunities to present themselves to customers, partners and investors, and will provide mentoring support as a foundation for growth.
Split Technology Park is proud to be part of this story and to actively contribute to building a strong startup ecosystem in the region. In the coming months, we will continue to follow the teams’ progress and share their successes and innovations.
