The second edition of the Healthtech Adria Conference was held on October 2 and 3, 2025 at the Faculty of Medicine in Split, organized by NetHub and the Faculty of Medicine in Split. Over the course of two days, the conference brought together more than 300 participants and 30 speakers from Croatia and abroad, once again transforming Split into a place where science, technology and entrepreneurship come together.
The conference was opened by Pinija Poljaković, and the participants were welcomed by Prof. Dr. Sc. Renata Pecotić, Prof. Dr. Sc. Katarina Vukojević and Marko Mimica, who emphasized the importance of joint action between institutions, researchers and entrepreneurs in creating an innovation ecosystem in healthcare. The opening lecture was given by international entrepreneur and investor Tony Kypreos, with the message that healthcare innovation is not a distant goal, but an opportunity that we already have in our own hands.
Special attention is devoted to creating a space for networking and exchanging ideas, because it is precisely the meetings, conversations and new acquaintances that make this conference special. The participants socialized with coffee and Bobis croissants, and for lunch a selection of tortillas prepared by Mlinar was served. Each participant also received a promotional bag with products from the sponsors Zorina mast and Metabelly, whose contribution further enriched the conference experience.
The first day brought a series of presentations and discussions on the development of health innovation ecosystems, experiences from Europe and the role of new technologies in improving healthcare. Aleksandra Love presented the British healthtech ecosystem, while Rebeka Žerovnik, Lejla Gurbeta Pokvić, Ivana Kostić and Maja Mimica through the panel Gathering for impact spoke about cooperation, knowledge transfer and joint learning between regions.
The lectures were followed by Ina Despotović on the role of public funds in supporting startups and Inês Urbano on the creation of European models of health innovation. In a relaxed fireside chat, Vesna Gabelica Marković and Vesna Eraković Haber opened the topic of cooperation between the pharmaceutical sector and the academic community, while Amir Šećerkadić showed how 3D technologies shape new possibilities in medical practice.
The audience followed with equal interest the lectures Branka Bernard on the harmonization of technology with human needs and Jayden Khakurel on the digital transformation of healthcare, and great interest was aroused by the panel Smarter health: What’s next for AI in healthcare?, which was attended by Jayden Khakurel, Ivan Biliškov, Jovan Stevović and Anja Barešić. The first day concluded with presentations by Goran Krakar and Tomislav Strgar, who demonstrated how mobile technologies can help in the early detection of neurological risks in children.
The second day was dedicated to entrepreneurship, investments and startup ecosystem. The program was moderated by Michael Freer, Ákos Wetters and Filip Ivančić reminded that Healthtech Adria is not just a conference, but a driver of concrete projects and collaborations. The central moment was the finale of the NetHub Catalyst program, where five teams presented their ideas before an international jury consisting of representatives of funds Vesna VC, Heal Capital, Kulin World and United Founders VC. The victory went to PeptiFlow, MicroCell and Serenity, whose innovations delighted the jury and the audience.
Next, Karin Ostermann held a lecture ABCs of private investments and talked to Vahida Asimi about the real expectations of investors, while Admir Kulin in his presentation Invest, don’t imitate emphasized the importance of originality and long-term thinking. René Marten Castelein presented the development of the surgical implant Spring Distraction System and participated in a panel with Arsen Ivanišević, prof. dr. sc. Ana Marušić and Inês Urbano, dedicated to the path of medical device development from idea to market.
The end of the day was marked by inspiring lectures by Gal Hostnik, Ena Melvan, Juri Dre and Irena Jerković, which covered topics from patients as innovators to mental health and digital empathy. The closing lecture by Jovan Stevović, How to build LLM and get access to health data in Europe, sparked a lively discussion on the safe and ethical use of health data.
The conference ended with the award ceremony and the joint appearance of the organizing team on stage, with a message of gratitude from Marko Mimica to all partners, sponsors and volunteers. The event was held with the support of the City of Split, Split-Dalmatia County, OTP banka, HAMAG-BICRO, Enterprise Europe Network, Institute of Public Health of the County of Split and IPEMED, whose support enabled Split to shine as a center of health innovation in Southeast Europe this year.
This year’s Healthtech Adria showed that the greatest strength of the innovation ecosystem lies precisely in connecting people – through conversation, sharing ideas and creating common visions. Split has confirmed this year that it is a place where cooperation turns into real changes, and health innovations gain space for growth and application.