About

PODIM - this year in its 35^th year - is one of the largest and leading conferences on entrepreneurship and innovation in the Alpe - Adria Region. Every year, it offers two days of intensive courses and networking opportunities.

PODIM 2015 will focus on the topic “Collaboration between start-ups and established companies.”

Each successful large company has a need for constant innovation that requires it to be a start-up company in a way, and each start-up company must wish to become as successful and magnificent as the leading company in the industry. Collaboration between big and small companies can lead to even greater success.

Conference

Structure

Keynotes and Talks

Conference keynotes, talks and lectures are aimed at presenting modern and state-of-the-art findings in the field of entrepreneurship from both practical and academic viewpoints. Prominent speakers in the field of global start-ups and innovative companies will be speaking at the conference. The lectures are tailored to the topic of each year’s conference.

TIMETABLE SPEAKER PROFILES

Panels

Panels are a platform for in-depth debates on various entrepreneurial topics of interest with well-known guests from start-ups, innovative companies, the economy, universities and state bodies.

The aim of panels is to discuss certain findings, guidelines and recommendations for entrepreneurs after presenting the views of various guests on the entrepreneurial topic in question and after a debate involving all participants.

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Workshops

Workshops represent the most practice-oriented part of the PODIM conference. They are led by experienced business and start-up mentors as well as experts in various fields of enterprise (accounting, taxes, marketing, etc.).

Workshops are an opportunity for participants to actively participate with their case studies and challenges, thus allowing them to immediately integrate the skills they learn into their business. To ensure high quality workshops, the number of participants is limited; however, several workshops take place at the same time, offering participants a good selection.

TIMETABLE SPEAKER PROFILES

PODIM Challenge

PODIM Challenge is a great opportunity for innovative and ambitious start-ups to pitch to VC investors.

PODIM Challenge is an opportunity for start-ups to pitch their idea to Slovenian and regional VC investors in front of the audience, get first-hand feedback on their idea or even attract an investment!

PODIM Challenge

Gala Ceremony

The first day of the PODIM conference is concluded by the awards ceremony for the best start-up of the year. Start:up of the Year is a national competition of start-ups, originally designed by Venture Factory and first organised with its partners in 2007.

Networking

Networking during breaks, working lunches and dinners allows participants to exchange their opinions and experience, and forge relationships that serve as a good starting point for professional advancement and future cooperation.

Entertainment

After the awards ceremony for the best Slovenian Start-up, a late-night party is organised for all conference participants.

PODIM 1:1

At the PODIM conference, we give all participants the opportunity to potentially have a one-on-one meeting with the conference speakers. Each participant can suggest up to three speakers, adding a personal presentation, presentation of the company and their expectations for the mentor. If the presentation is convincing enough, we do our best to organize a mentoring meeting.

PODIM Matching

PODIM is organizing an opportunity for all entrepreneurs who have a business idea, but are searching for new team members. At the same time, this is also an excellent opportunity for everyone who wants to join a business team. The selected companies will have the opportunity to pitch to audience members who wish to participate in start-up ventures.

Startup Speed Dating

As part of the PODIM2015 conference, we will also organize "speed dating" between start-ups and established companies in the region. Based on the past best practice of connecting investors and start-up companies, we are also introducing a systematic strategic way of connecting new ventures with established market players. One-on-one meetings will take place at the conference, however we will connect and exchange all key information beforehand. When establishing collaboration, we will additionally help with guidelines, suggestions and ideas, if needed.

Vision and

Mission

Vision

The vision of the PODIM conference is to bring together over 500 people in the field of start-up entrepreneurship each year and contribute to an intellectural breakthrough of the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem through two days of intensive courses offering high practical value to entrepreneurs.

We want to encourage the formation of new companies, to offer the latest knowledge on growth and globalisation of technology companies, and, last but not east, to actively connect and encourage the networking of key stakeholders of entrepreneurship in Europe.

Mission

The PODIM conference mission is to annually organise a two-day event with intensive courses offering the latest findings in entrepreneurship and providing active networking with well-known guests for everyone interested in innovation, start-ups and business.

We want to bring together all key stakeholders of the European entrepreneurial ecosystem in an intensive two-day socializing event. We also want to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation in the business and university environment, and to actively link knowledge institutions with innovative companies.

Reasons to Attend PODIM

and Who Attends

Why?

We guarantee you an intense two-day entrepreneurial experience you will never forget, whilst at the same time you will come away with an abundance of knowledge, motivation and new acquaintances.

If you are looking for an investor, mentor or a new team member, you will have plenty of opportunities to introduce yourself, your idea and your bigger vision.

Who?

The PODIM conference is aimed at everyone who wishes to go through an intense two-day entrepreneurial
experience, and above all at:

Start-up entrepreneurs in new and existing companies
Venture capital investors
Entrepreneurship support environment and public administration
Everyone interested in entrepreneurship

Attendees'

Feelings about PODIM

Matevž Petek / Povio

" PODIM always brings the best entrepreneurs from our region to one place."
Jugoslav Petković / entrepreneur

" PODIM, with its enviable thirty-three year tradition, manages to attract the best speakers and numerous participants each year."
Živana Žerjal / sportwip

" PODIM conference is a great opportunity to get inspired by amazing lectures, roundtables and workshops. It’s a “must-go” event where technology, entrepreneurship, internet, remarkable people & ideas meet."
Tadej Gregorčič / Motiviti

" Slovenia is home to lots of impressive start-ups and start-up founders, many of whom look forward to May when they can get together in a relaxed and wonderful environment famous for its team building and offers of outdoor activities. The local ecosystem is on the rise and PODIM is an important part of it!"
Matej Golob / 30Lean

" First figure out why you want to attend the biggest entrepreneurship event in Slovenia. When this is clear to you, take full advantage of it. Visitors, content, speakers. Your moves, your result. JFDI!"
Igor Marjanovič / OOG

" A well-organised conference with quality speakers. A must-attend event for everyone embarking on their own entrepreneurship path."
Andraž Tori / Zemanta

" PODIM brings together the best of what this region has to offer in entrepreneurship."
dr. Eva Zupančič / Sunesis

" PODIM is an excellent opportunity for networking and establishing contacts, especially suitable for young technological start-ups."
Matej Gaser / Nizkocenovci

" Excellent speakers but especially a very good opportunity for pitching to venture capital from Slovenia and abroad."
Tadej Jevševar / Chipolo

" The PODIM conference is a chance for start-up companies to meet leading representatives of the industry as well as a great opportunity for acquiring new knowledge at excellent lectures by the best speakers in entrepreneurship."
Gregor Cuzak / Marand / Trokot

" PODIM isn’t a start-up, but it acts exactly like one."
Borut Jeglič / Foora

" If not for meeting interesting people and looking for ideas at great lectures, it’s worth it to come to PODIM for a good dose of positive energy at the least. All participants and lecturers are full of enthusiasm, motivation and ideas for how to make our world better."
Jose Antonio Morales / Lincoln Island

" The first time I attended I got inspired by a keynote speaker to start what today is called the Fear & Fail events, the second time I was invited as a speaker! The promise of most conferences is great networking but they often fall short; PODIM delivers a platform for effective networking. Start something at PODIM! "
Lojze Bertoncelj / 30lean & Delaj vitko

" PODIM are two days in the year with the biggest value added, if you’re prepared to take it. PODIM definitely mobilizes you."
Martin Blazinšek / Enolyse

" PODIM is an excellent conference at which you can meet your role models in person as well as get to know new people and future coworkers."
Dr. Mark Pleško / COSYLAB

" PODIM, with excellent speakers from Slovenia and the whole world, is the biggest and best start-up event in Slovenia, attracting a lot of visitors not only from Slovenia but also from the neighbouring regions. "
Matevž Medja / DsgnFwd – Design Accelerator

" Throughout the years, PODIM became an institution you can only miss at your own responsibility."
Ivana Florencia Oven / Čokoljana event manager

" At PODIM, I met a girl who later became a part of our team in the organisation Čokoljana, the chocolate fair in Ljubljana. On the other hand, the lectures and talking with the participants helped me get a lot of new ideas, motivation and support, which definitely contributed to the project’s success."
Peter Frankl / director and chief editor of newspaper Finance

" An excellent event for start-ups and entrepreneurship, one of the biggest and best in the region."
Miha Fabjan / SmartNinja

" This isn’t an entrepreneurship conference, this is a start-up conference! For everyone who is and will be in the start-up world, this is the place to be! Don’t miss it!"
Rok Jurečič / LACEnano

" PODIM is an excellent combination of top-notch speakers, interesting debates and meeting the right people."