Scale 2.0 opens applications: six spots available for New York and mentorship with experts from Google, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, and Infobip
The incubator that connects Croatian startups with global markets has opened applications until April 19 – participation is free
Vodnjan, April 7, 2026 – The Scale 2.0 incubator program, which last year took six Croatian startups to New York, has opened applications for a new cycle. Scale 2.0 is an incubator for Croatian early-stage startups, launched by the Infobip Startup Tribe initiative and the New York–based organization Entrepreneurs for Global Change (EGC), with a clear goal – to bridge the gap between Croatian startups and global markets.
All startups headquartered in Croatia can apply, provided they have at least two founders over the age of 21 and a developed basic product (MVP) or initial users on the market. Selected startups participate completely free of charge and without giving up equity – the program fully covers travel, accommodation, and participation. In return, they will have the opportunity to work with mentors from Microsoft, Slidebean, Goldman Sachs, Columbia Startup Lab, Google, Monday.com, LinkedIn, Antler, and Infobip, take part in workshops tailored to the real challenges of their business, and present their ideas to investors at one of the leading regional tech conferences – Infobip Shift.
Startup accelerators usually require an equity stake in the startup, and this is exactly where Scale 2.0 stands out, as it is more than just a startup program. It is a space where we have truly built – and continue to maintain – close relationships with startup founders, follow their growth, and continue supporting them in all their new ventures. We worked with 12 startups in Vodnjan, and six were selected for an intensive week in New York, where they had the opportunity not only to build meaningful relationships with mentors and investors, but also to truly experience the New York way of life. This year’s edition will be even richer thanks to an expanded network of mentors and investors. We are eagerly looking forward to new applications and the new stories we will write together.”
Lucija Reić
Startup Ecosystem Lead at Infobipu
Last year’s participants described the experience as a turning point, not only professionally but also personally. During the program, they tested their own limits, received concrete feedback and advice from investors, and built valuable connections that supported their further development. The value of this entrepreneurial incubator is also confirmed by now-successful startups that went through the program in its early stages, including CircuitMess, Orqu, Airt.ai, NuoTwo, and Robotiq.ai.
Bootcamp in Vodnjan, finale in New York
Participating in the Scale 2.0 program was an extremely valuable experience for xolvi, giving us the space to reflect on our growth from a broader, global perspective. We had the opportunity to reassess how we build our product, how we communicate value, and how we position ourselves towards the market and investors. It was especially meaningful to be part of an environment where experiences and concrete advice are openly shared by people who truly understand the startup journey. Scale 2.0 brought us not only valuable insights and connections, but also confirmation that what we are building has potential far beyond the local context. And of course, it introduced us to incredible people who were part of both the program and the organization.” said Mirna Horvat, co-founder and CEO of Leapwise and xolvi.
Mirna Horvat
Co-founder and CEO of Leapwise and xolvi
The 12 selected startups this year can expect an intensive bootcamp in Vodnjan focused on three key areas: product development, go-to-market strategy, and preparation for international markets. After Vodnjan, the top 6 startups will travel to New York for a week filled with networking events, meetings with investors, and public presentations.
Applications are open on the official websites of Infobip Startup Tribe and EGC. The application deadline is April 19, and the selected startups will be announced on April 28.
About Infobip
Infobip is a global cloud communications platform that enables businesses to build connected experiences across all stages of the customer journey, with AI as the driving force of innovation. Through a single, natively built platform, Infobip delivers omnichannel engagement, identity, user authentication and contact centre solutions that help businesses and partners overcome the complexity of consumer communications while driving growth and increasing customer loyalty. Infobip is focused on enabling and accelerating AI adoption as it continues its transformation into an AI-first company. Infobip’s technology has the capacity to reach over seven billion mobile devices in 6 continents connected to over 10k+ connections of which 800+ are direct operator connections. The company was established in 2006 and is led by its co-founders, CEO Silvio Kutić and Izabel Jelenić.