The leading startup conference in the Adriatic-CEE region, held annually in Maribor, Slovenia, connecting 1,000+ participants with 80+ speakers and 60+ VC funds managing over EUR 10 billion, with 1,300 pre-scheduled meetings across a Deal Room for 220 selected startups.
PODIM Conference is Slovenia's and the broader Adriatic-CEE region's flagship startup and investor event, held annually in Maribor. Organised by Venture Factory in co-organisation with Silicon Gardens, the Slovenian Enterprise Fund and the Ministry of Economy, the event combines a conference programme with a structured Deal Room for pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings between 220 selected startups and 60+ VC funds. Now in its 25th year, PODIM is positioned as the primary point of connection between the CEE startup base and institutional European capital.
The three-day programme includes keynote sessions, panel discussions and a pitching competition on the main stage, alongside the Deal Room as the event's primary commercial infrastructure. Speakers cover startup scaling, venture capital strategy, deep tech, SaaS growth and European innovation policy. The official startup catalogue features 220 startups from the CEE and Adria regions, curated for investor relevance.
Venture Factory is the Slovenian startup organisation that co-organises PODIM Conference with Silicon Gardens, the Slovenian Enterprise Fund and the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport. It serves as the coordination body for the Adriatic-CEE startup ecosystem.
The Deal Room is a structured meeting space where pre-registered startups can schedule one-on-one meetings with investors, corporates and mentors. Meetings are pre-scheduled through an online platform before the event; the organisers report 1,300+ meetings across two days. Startup participation in the Deal Room requires application and selection.
Startups apply to be included in the official catalogue, which is reviewed by the PODIM team for investor relevance and stage fit. The 2026 catalogue includes 220 startups from the CEE and Adria regions. Inclusion in the catalogue is a prerequisite for Deal Room access.
PODIM has grown beyond its Slovenian origins and now draws startups and investors from across the Central and Eastern European region. The Slovenian location and government partnership remain central, but the programming and attendee base are genuinely regional.
Not suitable for: (1) companies outside the European startup and VC ecosystem; (2) professionals without a startup, investment or innovation mandate; (3) attendees seeking a large-format exhibition with vendor trade stands; (4) founders at very early ideation stage without a product or traction to present; (5) investors without interest in the CEE and Adriatic markets.
PODIM's most useful feature is the 60+ VC fund concentration in a single venue over three days: the Adriatic-CEE region is underserved by institutional capital relative to Western Europe, and PODIM is where that gap is most actively being closed.
Paid tickets available at podim.org. Startup tickets require application and selection. Investor and general delegate tickets have separate pricing.
The Deal Room is the primary matchmaking infrastructure. 1,300+ pre-scheduled meetings across two days on the platform. The pitching competition provides main-stage exposure for selected startups.
11–13 May 2026 in Maribor, Slovenia.
English is the primary working language.
International investors can register directly through the PODIM website. Investor attendance is actively encouraged and the application process for investors is separate from the startup catalogue process.
| Official website | https://podim.org/ |
| Programme 2026 | https://podim.org/podim-2026-program/ |