unlockit

To every speaker who shared a real story, every participant who stayed curious, and everyone who made Belgrade a place worth flying to - thank you. The signal is clear. See you in 2027 🔑

unlockit 2026 brought together 800+ founders, investors, students, and people building what’s next from across the globe for two days of honest conversations about what it actually takes to grow.

For 2 days in Belgrade, we spoke about growth, execution, leadership, AI and the challenges behind global ambition. And judging by everything happening after - messages, meetings, follow-ups - the momentum hasn’t slowed down. The countdown to the next level starts... now 🔥

You made unlockit special. 📸 A selection of moments from Day 1 is now available at the link: @N07/albums/72177720332188688" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">flickr.com/photos/2042258… The album will continue to grow over the coming days.

Looking back at these moments, our hearts are full. Thank you to everyone who made unlockit meaningful: our speakers, sponsors, partners, students, conference board and every attendee who showed up ready to share honestly and learn from others.

What an unlocking experience 🔑 Last week, hundreds of conversations unfolded across halls, corridors and coffee breaks. Ideas were challenged, experiences openly shared, and stories about building globally told again and again - each time becoming a little more real.

@njmarko @rajko_rad So glad you enjoyed the mix of people! It’s the connections made between sessions that often matter the most. Thanks for being part of the story! 🙌🌐

Had a great time at @unlockitconf last week. The common theme in all the founder success talks seemed to be persistence. 🐧🎯 I got to meet @rajko_rad again after M2L summer school and introduced him to my former student Tina, who has a startup. The most successful people seem to be the most approachable. Also met ETF professor Dražen Drašković. Interesting mix of people at the conference: founders, students, and professors. It’s becoming common to meet someone from the PSIML AI summer school I attended at these events. This time it was Stefan Branković and Tina Mihajlović, who was also at EEML summer school when I was a TA there. It’s a small world. That is why I recommend that students attend summer schools and connect early, because, beyond the knowledge they gain, those will be the people they see at every opportunity in their field.

319,600 possible encounters later, new ideas, partnerships, and directions are already taking shape. Somewhere in that room, someone had their unlockit moment. Thank you for building the first unlockit with us. This was just the beginning.

Over the day, founders, investors, students, corporate leaders, and ecosystem builders came together to discuss AI, capital, infrastructure, and the real decisions behind scaling beyond local markets.

800 people from 25 countries gathered in Belgrade for the first edition of unlockit - a conference focused on one question: how do companies grow globally?

unlockit begins. 35+ speakers. 800 participants. No theory. No panels for the sake of panels. Just people who’ve done it sharing what actually worked. Belgrade. Two days. Let’s unlock what’s next.

@NedeljnikNIN @DigitalnaSrbija 🔑 unlockit.org Read more 👇 nin.rs/english/news/1…

In her latest op-ed for @NedeljnikNIN, Tanja Kuzman, director of @DigitalnaSrbija and unlockit, reflects on what still holds our ecosystem back and what must change if we want to compete beyond the region. Join the conversation in Belgrade, February 19–20.

Global relevance is built through access to experience, to people, to patterns that repeat across markets.

unlockit doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s shaped and supported by communities that build, learn, and grow together - every day, not just on conference days. Proud to have our community partners on this journey. 🔗 unlockit.org

Behind the DJ booth: - @RastkoPetakovic, Senior Partner @ Karanović & Partners - Milan Gospić, Director Microsoft Garage Serbia @ Microsoft Development Center Serbia By day shaping legal and innovation ecosystems. By night setting the rhythm.

When the stage lights go down, unlockit shifts gears. One of the moments waiting for Growth ticket holders - More Than Tech Party 🎉 No panels. No slides. Just conversations that go deeper, connections that get real, and a dance floor that brings the ecosystem together.

🎟️ Last tickets 👇 unlockit.org

In 24 hours, one room in Belgrade gathers: - founders behind $400M exits - AI-native companies scaling to $100M ARR - investors deploying billions across AI & infrastructure - leaders running 1,000+ teams - and many more If you’re building what’s next, you should be at unlockit

@Blic_online @tihomirb Read the full article → unlockit.org/news/tihomir-b…

@Blic_online @tihomirb Operational maturity. AI-enabled execution. Designing for global customers from day one. These aren’t abstract concepts. They’re the conversations happening at unlockit. If you’re building from a smaller market, this is the mindset shift that matters.

Playing local is comfortable. Building global is intentional. In his piece for @Blic_online, @tihomirb - General Partner at Fifth Quarter Ventures and member of the unlockit Program Board - explains why focusing on the local market is one of the most common traps for startups.