POSLOVNA ŠPICA Vedran Bubalo

Guest Vedran BubaloHosted by Saša PetarMay 3, 2026

Vedran Bubalo

About this episode

What you'll hear in this conversation

Every city wants a thriving startup ecosystem. They build technology parks, offer mentorship, and subsidize space, hoping to cultivate the next generation of businesses. But what happens when the very entrepreneurs these systems are designed to support refuse to engage? Even when the advice is free, the experts are waiting, and the space is subsidized, many founders claim 'I don't have time' for a two-hour workshop or a mentor meeting. Vedran Bubalo, director of the Varaždin Technology Park, navigates this exact dilemma daily. His park provides a full suite of services—from consulting and mentorship to affordable office space—backed by a unique ownership structure that includes a university and the city itself. Yet, the core challenge isn't the lack of resources, but the reluctance of entrepreneurs to open up, share their plans, or even attend events specifically tailored to their needs. This conversation offers a rare, honest look at the friction points in fostering a dynamic business environment. You will walk away reconsidering what 'support' truly means, and how much of it is about building the infrastructure versus convincing people to use it.

Insights from the conversation

What to take from this episode

The Varaždin Technology Park offers subsidized office space, equipment, consulting, and mentorship. While the reduced rent attracts tenants, the real challenge lies in persuading entrepreneurs to engage with the less tangible benefits like mentorship and consulting. The physical benefit is the lure; the intellectual one is the struggle.

Entrepreneurs often resist sharing crucial business information with mentors, saying 'this is my company, I don't want anyone interfering.' This isn't just a cultural quirk; it's a fundamental barrier that makes effective support impossible. You cannot advise someone who won't reveal their challenges.

The park used to offer optional support, but now *requires* periodic check-ins and progress reports from tenants to track their plans and offer help. Passive availability of support is not enough; sometimes, the most valuable assistance must be enforced, not just offered.

The Technology Park's co-ownership by the city, a university, and a faculty isn't just about funding; Vedran Bubalo calls it 'enormous initial capital.' This institutional backing provides legitimacy, access to expertise, and a broader mandate for community building than a purely private entity could achieve.

Despite offering free workshops with top experts, attendance is often low, with entrepreneurs citing 'I don't have time.' The real cost of free advice isn't money, but the entrepreneur's willingness to invest their attention, which is often their scarcest resource.

When voluntary attendance at workshops fails, the park now plans to 'force' participation from tenants who receive subsidized space. Cultivating a community sometimes requires making engagement a condition of receiving benefits, rather than a voluntary act.

The most attended workshops are consistently held outside working hours, typically 5-6 PM, and even weather conditions significantly influence turnout. When offering free resources, the practicalities of timing and external factors often outweigh the perceived value of the content itself.

Bringing experts from other cities to deliver workshops, only for five to ten people to show up, highlights the disconnect between the effort of providing support and its actual uptake. Low engagement can make the support system itself feel inefficient and undervalued, forcing a re-evaluation of how to deliver value.

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