Healthtech Adria Meetup continues to bring together researchers, entrepreneurs and experts to jointly address key issues in the development of health innovations – from the commercialization of scientific discoveries to cooperation with industry and investors. Through regular gatherings of the aforementioned stakeholders, Meetup encourages dialogue and networking within the growing healthtech community.
The sixth edition of Healthtech Adria Meetup, held on July 10, 2025 at the Center for Clinical Skills in Split, was organized by NetHub and the Faculty of Medicine in Split, and was dedicated to the topic: How does venture capital accelerate the path from scientific discovery to healthcare application?
The event was opened by Mihaela Petrić from NetHub, pointing out that the growing interest in such gatherings shows that the scientific and innovation community is thinking more and more seriously about the market application of its solutions.
The sixth edition of Meetup is dedicated to the questions that most interest innovators in healthcare – what investors are looking for, when to get involved in projects and what good preparation for the first pitch looks like.
Guest lecturer Karlo Kukec, associate partner at Vesna Capital, shared his experiences working with startups and innovation ecosystems. During the multi-year management of the Varaždin Technology Park, he implemented numerous programs to strengthen entrepreneurship, including more than 40 EU projects aimed at supporting teams in the early stages of innovation development.
In his lecture, Karlo Kukec presented Vesna Capital, the first deep tech fund in the Middle and Eastern Europe that integrates a technology transfer component. The fund was established with the aim of connecting scientific discoveries with the market, with a focus on projects originating within universities and research institutions in Croatia and Slovenia.
With a total value of 50 million euros, Vesna Capital invests in the early stages of innovation development (TRL 3 and above), with an average investment of 50 thousand euros. Special emphasis is placed on technology validation and the development of a sustainable business model, while teams coming from an academic environment get access to expert support, mentoring and a wide investor network.
Karlo emphasized that deep tech is specific in that it combines scientific background, engineering approach and design thinking, which creates a long-term competitive advantage. Likewise, despite their many potentials, as many as 95% of European patents never reach the market – which, according to him, represents an untapped opportunity for the entire innovation ecosystem.
Vesna Capital builds a bridge between laboratories and the market through partnerships with scientific organizations, universities and technology parks. Investment criteria include clearly defined financial projections, a scalable business model, a relevant market problem and a dedicated team ready for iteration and collaboration.
The planned Q&A session, which was initially conceived as a conversation between Marko Mimica from NetHub and Karlo Kukec, soon grew into an open and very interactive discussion in which almost the entire audience participated. The questions came in continuously, covering a wide range of topics, from the process of making investment decisions and the value of intellectual property, to the specific challenges that scientific teams face in the early stages of development.
Special interest was caused by topics such as the importance of clinical, market and regulatory validation, the expectations of investors during the first pitch, as well as the border between supporting startups and their excessive dependence on grants. The role of universities in preparing researchers for the market and when and how investors decide to enter a project were also discussed.
During the conversation, it became clear that financial sustainability and validation are the key foundations for a successful entry into the investment cycle. However, the crucial factor remains an authentic and engaged team that has the ability to listen, adapt and think strategically.
The Meetup also served as an ideal overture to the upcoming Healthtech Adria conference, which is taking place October 2nd and 3rd in Split. The conference once again brings together innovators, entrepreneurs, investors and scientists from all over Europe and brings an even richer program with numerous networking opportunities, a startup pitching competition, as well as numerous inspiring lectures and panel discussions.
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After the official part of the Meetup ended, the participants continued to socialize in a relaxed atmosphere with catering and exchange of contacts.
A dynamic lecture, an engaged audience and an open discussion once again showed how much such gatherings contribute to the exchange of knowledge, networking and strengthening of the innovation ecosystem. It was a great warm-up for the exciting content that follows at the Healthtech Adria conference. Book your place in time and see you in October!