Technology scouting

Ana Nikšić Šarić –  the Director of Tera Tehnopolis d.o.o., the Technology Transfer Office, which is a joint venture of J.J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, the City of Osijek, and Osijek-Baranja County. Since 2005, she has provided business consultancy services to SMEs and has delivered training in developing business plans and entrepreneurial projects, specialising in financial and economic affairs. Moreover, she is a registered IP Helpdesk Ambassador in Croatia and possesses extensive experience in intellectual property protection and management. Additionally, she brings significant expertise in EU and national project management and implementation, as well as access to finance, and is involved in several international networks and consortia. With over 20 years of experience in innovation and entrepreneurship infrastructure, she has led over 30 EU-funded innovation and proof-of-concept projects. Furthermore, she maintains a wide network of contacts and dissemination channels, including membership in the European Enterprise Network (EEN) and BOND.

Boško Ljubenkov is an experienced innovation manager and consultant with over 10 years of expertise in technology transfer, innovation development, and research and development (R&D) project management. He currently serves as an Innovation Manager at IRI Centar d.o.o., where he provides advisory services to companies and research institutions on R&D projects, technology transfer, and EU funding opportunities. Previously, he was the Head of the Technology Transfer Office at the University of Split, managing numerous projects focused on the commercialization of scientific research results and fostering entrepreneurship within the academic community. He actively participates in international projects, including those under the Interreg program, aimed at transforming industries through innovation. He has extensive experience in business model development, intellectual property management, and innovation process management, with a strong emphasis on collaboration between the scientific and business sectors.

Danijel has over 20 years of experience in work with SME’s and large enterprises. He has technical and economic background (MBA) so he can understand complex technical issues and connect them with financial and economic benefits. Also, his knowledge of EU funds enables him to add value for his clients as he has knowledge and network to prepare the most complex projects. His experience included preparation and implementation of different EU funded project for own organisation and for his clients. He was also a mentor for start-ups in different hackathon challenges. Danijel is member of Eu associations for innovative consultants, and he finished professional fellow education Tech, Innovation and entrepreneurship, in USA.

Deni works at the Innovation Center Nikola Tesla (ICENT), supporting and managing the commercialization of innovations. Within ICENT, he acts as the CTO/founder of the deep tech venture builder Nuqleus and works as a service manager of the European Digital Innovation Center (EDIH) Crobohub++. Through Nuqleus he has helped create and grow 25 deep-tech startups and (academy) spinouts. He is an EIC Accelerator jury member and one of 19 Technology Scouts designated by the Croatian Ministry of Science Education and Youth. He holds a master’s degree in research physics and is a doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Science (PMF) in Zagreb. He volunteers as a member of the arbitration council of the association Penkala, whose members are Croatian early-career researchers.

Electrical Engineering.graduate, MSc Econ, and MBA with 25+ years of experience in energy, ICT, and consulting. EU Projects Coordinator & Marketing Manager at HELB & Senior Strategist at Consulus. Specialized in bridging science & business via R&D, tech transfer, innovation, & digital transformation. Managed EU-funded projects (€2.1M+, IRI €1.3M), & advised the Ministry of Science & Education. Former lecturer in Business Analysis at VERN’ University. Strong skills in market validation of technologies with measurable results. For telecoms, led IPO comms strategies incl. bond & stock listings. Excellent communicator & connector with extensive experience in Telecom, Energy, & Education helping organizations, technologies & processes serve people. Active in the Economy of Communion network, helping social & environmental impact projects that connect profit, non-profit & universities (i.e. EUKI-funded Smart Organic Food Initiative SOFI). International exposure across EU, ME, & SEA.

Scientist and professor at the Faculty of Chemistry and Technology, UniST, with a PhD in Chemistry (UniZg) and an MBSDR for researchers (COBIK & UniRi) (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3032-3156). Over 20 years of work experience across NGO, to education, academia and industry, being trained at international research institutions. Research focused on phytochemistry and biological activity. Skilled in advanced analytical techniques: GC-MS, HPLC-DAD-UV/VIS, spectrophotometry. Worked with flow cytometry and microscopy. Managed a B2-level human cell culture lab; FELASA certified. Former research manager for French cosmetic company NAOS (Bioderma, Esthederm & Etat Pur), MedILS group leader, with hands-on experience in managing innovation pipelines. With extensive experience as an evaluator of EU and Croatian science projects, I ensure that innovation efforts are grounded in scientific excellence and aligned with real-world needs. My broad national and international network enables effective matchmaking for innovation.

Dr. Marija Sigurnjak Bureš is a researcher specializing in innovation-driven projects that connect science with industry. She currently works at Inovacije i razvoj d.o.o., where she supports the development of competitive project proposals and builds strategic links between academia and companies through applied research.
She holds a PhD in Applied Chemistry from the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, where she focused on predictive toxicity modeling. Previously, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Faculty of Agriculture, developing analytical methods for biomaterial characterization.
With eight years of academic experience and current work in research valorization, she contributes to EU-funded projects promoting sustainability and bio-based innovation. Her expertise spans environmental monitoring, food science, and sustainable agriculture solutions supported by a strong multidisciplinary network of collaborators across research and industry.

Mario Vukelić is a graduated engineer of logistics and management that works as a project manager and business advisor at STEP RI science and technology park of the University of Rijeka.  Mario has extensive experience in working on national and international projects that support entrepreneurship, innovation and integration of new technologies into business processes. He is a trainer in design thinking approach and has practical experience in the application of tools and methods for creation of innovative products, services and business models. He is supporting digitalisation initiatives in public and private organizations in scope of services provided by the European Digital Innovation Hub Adria. Mario is a certified servitization manager experienced in helping companies designing innovative product-based services and a certified technology scout with experience in technology transfer and industry-academia collaborations.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mario-vukeli%C4%87-146b031a5/

With over 20 years of experience connecting research, innovation, and industry, Mirjana Dozan brings a proven track record of turning ideas into impact.  Her background combines engineering, international business (MBA), and ongoing PhD research in technology transfer. She has led over 200 project proposals and managed 100+ innovation and IP-related projects across sectors—from SMEs and startups to EU institutions and global corporates. As a certified trainer and active ASTP member, she is committed to practical, results-driven standards. Mirjana specializes in identifying high-potential technologies and translating them into market-ready solutions. Her work across Europe, Australia, and Asia demonstrates a proven ability to connect research and industry to drive strategic innovation. 

 I am a Senior Research Associate at the Ruđer Bošković Institute with 24 years of experience in chemistry, focused on organic gels, rheology, and innovation. I am the lead inventor of patented technologies and have participated in drafting and securing international patent protection. I have led R&D projects in collaboration with the food industry, applying rheology as a key development tool. I currently lead a Technology Transfer project and two Proof of Concept projects, which makes me highly qualified for the role of Technology Scout. I have extensive experience in knowledge transfer, IP management, and industry collaboration. With the innovation of oil gelators, I won several startup competitions and founded a startup. I am dedicated to bridging academia and industry and supporting researchers, companies, and the broader innovation ecosystem.

Nikola Kadoić, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at the University of Zagreb Faculty of Organization and Informatics in Varaždin. His expertise lies in strategic planning and decision-making. He is the coauthor of more than 70 papers and has actively participated in over 15 research projects (HRZZ and Erasmus+), as well as professional projects with a scientific component (IRI, SPIN, ESF, SMP). He regularly collaborates with the private sector, addressing real-world challenges through his teaching—by integrating theory and practice via Work-Based Learning and Project-Based Learning—as well as through research and mentoring. He supervises undergraduate, graduate, specialist, and Ph.D. students, many of whom analyze and solve complex problems from their professional environments as part of their theses. He is also involved in science popularization initiatives and actively promotes collaboration between academia and industry. Additionally, he has completed training as a technology scout.

Knowledge Transfer Professional with expertise in innovation and technology scouting, connecting scientists with companies, intellectual property management, and structuring B2B offers and contracts. More than 10 years of experience in international and EU-funded research and innovation projects. Proven track record in initiating, supervising, and supporting collaborative projects, coordinating intellectual property portfolios, leading invention disclosure processes, and supporting commercialization of innovations. Strong engagement with researchers, inventors, patent attorneys, and industry partners. Educational background in physics and business management. Professional experience spans both academic institutions and the corporate sector, including roles in telecommunications and IT. Recognized with multiple awards for innovation.

Experienced Project Manager with a strong background in EU-funded projects in traffic, transport, STEM, and higher education. Over 11 years of experience as an expert in EU-funded projects. Currently manages projects at the Office for Projects and Technology Transfer, Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences, University of Zagreb. Previously worked as a consultant at Plavo more Ltd., with expertise in proposal writing, partner coordination, administrative and financial management. Holds a Master of Science degree in logistics and completed an Erasmus mobility program at the University of Pardubice, Czech Republic. Fluent in English.

PhD in Electrical Engineering from the Technical University of Berlin. Full Professor at the University of Split since 2009, with academic tenure at the FESB since 1983. Former Dean of FESB (2015–2020) and Director of the UNIST Technology Centre (2020–2022).
Author of over 450 scientific papers in JCR-indexed journals, with 23,947 citations and an h-index of 82.
Leader of numerous international research and innovation projects, including CERN ALICE (since 2004), HORIZON DARE (2025–2028), Interreg SmartProtect (2024–2027), H2020 EUROCC, EIT CHIC, SAE BOWI, and bilateral collaboration with Penn State University in UAV-based SAR and firefighting applications.
Extensive industrial collaboration, leading over 30 R&D projects.
Honoured with scientific awards by the Universities of Split and Mostar.
International training and specialisation at institutions including TU Berlin, University of Michigan, and CERN (annually since 2004), focusing on CV, ML, HPC and technology transfer.

Tamara Aleksandrov Fabijanić is an innovative professional with a strong background in research, industry collaboration, and technology transfer. She is Director of the Center for Technology Transfer at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (FSB), University of Zagreb. With over 15 years of experience as a researcher and teaching assistant at FSB, she earned a Ph.D. in Materials Science and led numerous R&D projects on advanced materials, mechanical properties, and metrology. She continues to lead projects and serves as a technical assessor for Croatian and Slovenian accreditation bodies, specializing in force, hardness, toughness, and torque measurements, material testing, and product certification. Tamara is passionate about connecting academia and industry through innovation, commercialization, and startup development, fostering sustainable impact through science and engineering.

Vesna Gabelica Marković is a high-performing leader with over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, combining scientific expertise, strategic leadership, and innovation management. She holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Zagreb and conducted postdoctoral research in Canada and Italy. In industry, she supported the drug discovery and development process, and managed and led departments and cross-functional teams in international settings. She teaches at several faculties and has been an adjunct associate professor since 2010. She is currently the Head of the Innovation Community Program at the Technology Transfer Office at University of Zagreb and the Coordinator of the EIT Health Hub Croatia, fostering health innovation. Known for her leadership, project management, innovation expertise, and strong global network, she mentors PhD students, start-ups, and researchers, with a strong focus on bridging academia and industry.