Tomislav Vuroda
Episode · #307
RITAM POSLA Tomislav Uroda
Guest Tomislav VurodaHosted by Lidija KiseljakMay 3, 2026
Tomislav Vuroda
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation
Tomislav Vuroda started building electric passenger ships in Croatia when the technology was nascent and the regulations non-existent. His company, iCat, didn't just design vessels; it had to help define the very rules for operating them. What began as a personal engineering curiosity in 2007 evolved into a full-fledged venture, navigating the peculiar challenges of being a pioneer in a slow-moving industry. He shares what it takes to persist when the market is still forming, when your biggest hurdle is administrative inertia, and how a global crisis can unexpectedly create space for future innovation. You'll walk away thinking about the long game of deep tech, and how patience often outmaneuvers speed.
Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
When iCat first applied to register an electric ship with lithium batteries, the Croatian Register of Ships responded that "maritime law and bylaws do not provide for the operation of electric ships." This administrative void cost them two years.
02
Being truly first-to-market often means you're not just selling a product, but also helping to write the regulations for its existence. Expect your biggest early hurdle to be bureaucratic, not technical.
03
The first big break for iCat was a public tender for Mljet National Park, which Vuroda describes as "very well conceived" because it valued technological quality and innovation over the cheapest solution. Don't chase every tender. Seek out early customers, even in the public sector, whose criteria align with your product's core value proposition, not just its price.
04
Early trade shows like the Marine Hybrid Expo were so small that "you could walk it in two hours" because there were so few manufacturers of electric propulsion and batteries. A nascent market with few competitors isn't a sign of weakness; it's an opportunity to quickly map the landscape and position yourself as a foundational player.
05
The solar-powered ships delivered to Mljet have a 100-nautical-mile autonomy, getting "most or all energy from the sun" depending on speed, eliminating the need to search for charging stations. For new technologies, the ultimate selling point isn't just efficiency or sustainability, but the comfort and convenience of removing old logistical headaches entirely.
06
Initial concepts for faster electric catamarans involved swapping entire battery sets, but recent advancements allow for a full charge in "ten to fifteen minutes." In deep tech, your core product design must remain fluid. What's technologically impossible today might be a standard feature tomorrow, fundamentally shifting your market approach.
07
The COVID-19 pandemic brought a "melancholic situation" to the passenger transport market, yet Vuroda says it gave them "a little breath" to focus on designing new products while production paused. A market downturn, while painful, can be a crucial, unexpected window to shift focus from production and sales to future R&D, preparing for the next growth cycle.
08
Vuroda clarifies the difference between "brodice" (small boats for up to 12 passengers) and "brodovi" (passenger ships), with the latter entailing "a little more requirements" for construction and regulation. The precise categorization of your product isn't a minor detail; it dictates the entire regulatory burden and the complexity of bringing it to market.
09
iCat's early days involved collaborations with the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture and the Končar Institute, alongside developing concepts with the City of Šibenik. Complex, early-stage technologies rarely emerge from a vacuum. Building academic and institutional partnerships early can validate your approach and accelerate development.