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Mario Čelan
Episode · #82

RITAM POSLA Mario Čelan

Guest Mario ČelanHosted by Lidija KiseljakMay 3, 2026
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation

Sisak-Moslavina County was once defined by its heavy industry, a landscape of steelworks and refineries. Today, it’s gaining recognition for something entirely different: the pixelated worlds of video games. Mario Čelan, director of the SIMORA Development Agency, found himself at the center of this improbable shift, creating a gaming industry hub in Novska. He wasn't a gamer or an industry insider, yet his agency built an ecosystem that's attracting talent from across Croatia and beyond, filling incubators and even transforming the local housing market. This conversation explores how an unlikely idea takes root, not just through funding, but by understanding subtle shifts in culture and creating a comprehensive environment for new industries to thrive. You’ll walk away understanding how a regional agency can cultivate an entirely new economic sector from scratch, even when it means 'mining work,' as Čelan puts it, to build a new future.

Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
Mario Čelan’s son once cut out a paper knife from the video game CS:GO, a design that originated in the virtual world before ever existing in reality. The insight is that the flow of creation has inverted: the digital realm is now generating physical objects, rather than just mirroring them.
02
The gaming industry’s revenue has surpassed the combined earnings of the film and music industries, a statistic Čelan highlights as a key signal for new economic direction. This isn't just about cultural relevance; it’s a clear indicator that the economic center of gravity for creative industries has shifted.
03
Novska's gaming hub wasn't built around a single initiative, but a five-step plan that includes free English in kindergartens, school workshops, a dedicated high school program, and startup support alongside the incubator. You don't build an industry; you build the entire ecosystem around it, from early education to market entry.
04
The Novska entrepreneurial incubator is already full with 20 companies, and another 23 are set to arrive before its second building is even completed. The demand itself is the most reliable signal that an industry is ready to take root; build when the market pulls, not when the plan dictates.
05
To draw talent to Novska, unemployed participants in the six-month Unity and Blender education program receive a minimum wage and travel costs, with further self-employment incentives offered upon completion. When creating a new industry hub outside traditional centers, financial support isn't a perk; it's a necessity to overcome geographical barriers and attract a skilled workforce.
06
Novska, a small town, is now home to new residents from across Croatia and a Belgian developer, with so many new arrivals that there are no empty apartments left for rent. When you successfully cultivate a new industry, the impact extends beyond job creation; it physically transforms the demographics and economy of the entire region.
07
Mario Čelan admits he had no prior experience in the gaming industry before embarking on the Novska project. The lesson is that sometimes, an outsider's perspective, unburdened by established norms, can be exactly what's needed to envision and build an entirely new economic sector.
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