The Agro Startup Conference was first held on October 25, 2016, at the Faculty of Agriculture in
Zagreb. Since then, the Conference is held every year and with each year the program is enriched and
upgraded.
The aim of the Conference is to gather students of all agricultural studies and to inform them about
the possibilities provided by the state, county, municipal and city institutions, as well as all the
financial and advisory institutions that can offer support in starting the agricultural business.
Individuals who contribute to the development of the agricultural sector through the implementation
of new products, digital access to the market and by creating and investing in new methodologies of
production, marketing, branding, and communication processes, inspire future young farmers
through their lectures which are a part of two thematic sets of practical examples.
Despite numerous potentials, the agricultural sector in Croatia faces bureaucracy-related barriers
caused by communication processes, such as digital illiteracy, which complicate the access to various
financial support, including European funds.
The negative perception of bureaucracy in Croatia is the cause of the departure of young people
from the country, especially those who have had the opportunity to get familiar with the system of
financing the agricultural sector, about which they are not necessarily well informed. The Agro
Startup Conference was launched to let young farmers know that the doors of Croatian institutions
are widely open to them. Under the motto inspiring agriculture, the organizer's desire is to promote
the potentials of Croatian agriculture through the examples of all those who support its growth
through their work.
The goals of this project are to create a perception about the importance of technology in the
development cycle of agriculture, to create opportunities for connecting startups with institutions, to
create a platform for startups in agriculture to present solutions and innovations, inspire new
generations of farmers for new opportunities in agriculture, interest a part of the younger population
of the academic community to understand the importance of new technologies and provide new
ideas through implemented practical examples.
The vision of the Agro Startup Conference is to position itself as a regional central event that gathers
and inspires an agricultural community of young people.
The co-organizer of the Conference is the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Zagreb,
supported by the Croatian Young Farmers Association.
More information can be found at www.agrostartup.info.
