Matija Grabar (Cratis): We are building a data center that will be one of the largest in Croatia

We were supposed to talk to entrepreneur Matija Grabar, the majority owner of the IT company Cratis, in Varaždin, but an hour before we intended to set off, he informed us that five of his employees tested positive for coronavirus, and he is waiting for the PCR test result, convinced that he will also be positive as he was in constant contact with them. So it was, and we conducted the conversation through new technologies. Talking in person is always better than using modern technological communication channels, especially with enthusiastic and successful entrepreneurs like Grabar, but we understood each other well online.

Software engineer Grabar founded Cratis in 2014 when he already had considerable experience in telecommunications. It is a small company that has grown on bank loans and reinvested profits, and whose revenue is skyrocketing. Last year, revenue increased by about two and a half times compared to the year before, reaching 32 million kuna with an EBITDA margin of around 30 percent, and this was achieved with significant investments in cloud infrastructure, development, and security. This year, Cratis plans to reach a revenue of 50 million kuna with a slightly higher EBITDA margin. It operates in the Croatian and Central European markets, with exports accounting for about half of its revenue. With headquarters in Varaždinske Toplice, Cratis has offices in Varaždin and Zagreb, and in the future, it will open offices abroad, while currently building a data center that will be one of the largest in Croatia.

Cratis offers three types of services: telecommunications services (premium internet, IP switches, and network connectivity), Managed Cloud (network security, infrastructure and cloud services, and data center services), and ICT services (system integration with elite customer support that combines all other services). In addition, it has its own branded products – software solutions.

– When I started the company in 2014, there was no telecommunications operator in the Croatian market that combined cloud services and system integration in a sufficiently flexible and agile way. I wanted to enable future users a painless, reliable, and fast digital transition to the cloud – what was once a distant future, and today is a must have. I would dare to say that we were pioneers of that trend in this area, and today we want to be the largest in the region – says Grabar.

Moreover, having its own data center will allow Cratis better scaling with lower costs and create additional revenue from users who have been inaccessible to them so far.

Grabar’s goal is to conquer the global market, ensure that Cratis is fully independent, develop other business streams, mentor colleagues, and help startup companies reach their full potential. Cratis also plans an IPO in the coming years with the aim of acquisitions and expanding operations globally, as well as growth in every aspect. Part of Cratis’s corporate development plan is also ESOP. Some employees are already co-owners of the company, and others key employees will become so as well.

Read the full article in the new issue of the printed and digital edition of Lider.

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