The Eighth EY Entrepreneur of the Year is Vjekoslav Majetić from DOK-ING

The winner of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award at the eighth Croatian edition of this prestigious selection, according to the decision of an independent expert jury, is Vjekoslav Majetić and DOK-ING d.o.o. He was chosen as the most successful Croatian entrepreneur for 2022, in strong competition with 51 candidates from 38 successful companies, among seven finalists.

Like his predecessors, the eighth Croatian EY Entrepreneur of the Year will represent us at the world finals in Monaco in June. Alongside the awarded Majetić, this year’s finalists were Hrvoje Ćosić from Aircash, Mijo Pašalić from Apfel, Tomislav Pamuković and Roko Živković from Metamorfoza, Denis Sušac from Mono, Josip Joe Bašić from MPG, and Dorotea Effenberger from Tahograf.

This year’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year – Vjekoslav Majetić, is the founder and owner of DOK-ING, which produces and develops robotic systems for special purposes that protect human lives in performing the most dangerous jobs, primarily in demining, firefighting, and mining. In recent years, Majetić has been working on the development of a new waste management facility that operates in a very environmentally friendly manner while also being economically viable, considering the products it generates, which can be further utilized.

Over more than three decades of operation, DOK-ING has established business cooperation with governments and ministries, non-governmental organizations and agencies, as well as with commercial companies worldwide.

– It is difficult to reach the top, and believe me, it is even harder to stay there. I thank everyone who understands that we are part of the global scene, that we are not just part of Croatia. Thank you to those who share our opinion that we must live in a more beautiful, safer, and better world. All the candidates here are successful, proving that young people can stay in Croatia, that we can all achieve success through our work and find our place. We prove that we are indeed a country that is desirable to live in and that one can earn a living through honest and good work – said Vjekoslav Majetić from DOK-ING in his victory speech.

– Traditionally, for the eighth year now, we gather to witness excellence together and reward the successful stories of our entrepreneurs. Once again, from this stage, we send a clear message that it is possible to create a successful company in Croatia, even in the most challenging circumstances. The stories of our candidates encourage others to embark on often uncertain journeys. Therefore, this program – the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award is important for the entrepreneurial climate in Croatia, for learning from the most successful, for comparison and celebration of the best – emphasized Berislav Horvat, Country Managing Partner at EY Croatia during his introductory address.

As before, the eighth Croatian winner of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award was decided by an independent expert jury, which selected the winner based on global criteria, which, in addition to financial indicators, are also based on contributions to creating a positive entrepreneurial culture through personal integrity and innovation, as well as contributions to society as a whole. The jury members are previous winners Alan Sumina, Đuro Horvat, Marko Pipunić, Mate Rimac, Silvio Kutić, Hrvoje Josip Balen, and Miljenko Borščak, successful Croatian entrepreneurs Nenad Bakić and Saša Cvetojević, and the jury has been chaired since the first edition by the CEO of Atlantic Group Emil Tedeschi.

– It is particularly important to emphasize that entrepreneurship is based on trust. Trust is expected from investors, financial institutions, employees, as well as consumers, i.e., citizens. I am happy to say that this year’s competition of candidates for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award instills confidence in the potential of our entrepreneurship and economy. They represent courage, knowledge, perseverance, innovation, passion, skill, personality, but also social sensitivity for employees, business partners, and the society in which they create value – emphasized the jury president Emil Tedeschi.

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Alongside Vjekoslav Majetić, the final of this year’s selection included seven other leading figures from six promising companies. The finalists of the eighth edition of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year were:

Hrvoje Ćosić launched Aircash – an innovative mobile wallet that issued its own Aircash Mastercard prepaid card. Aircash is a licensed electronic money institution registered with the European Banking Authority (EBA) and an authorized provider of financial services in the Swiss market, enabling operations in all EU member countries. Today, Aircash has over 500,000 users in Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, and Romania, with plans for further expansion in Europe, primarily to the largest countries in the EU.

Mijo Pašalić, founder and owner of the company, established Apfel with the idea of facilitating and speeding up the procurement of food and beverages for hospitality establishments. Today, Apfel’s business is divided into several segments, including the sale of hospitality equipment, small inventory, and the supply of hospitality establishments with wholesale beverages and food, as well as necessary consumables. Additionally, Apfel has its sales office in Split, and in Makarska, a supermarket and gastro center. Socially responsible business practices are rooted in the company’s foundations, and thus Mr. Pašalić, with the aim of improving the quality of life in the area, built the Apfel Arena center and also created apartments, resolving housing issues for 16 employees.

Tomislav Pamuković and Roko Živković opened the first Museum of Illusions in 2015 in Zagreb, and today this museum, backed by Metamorfoza, is the largest chain of private museums in the world and a global leader in the edutainment sector. With this unique business model, they have developed one of the most successful Croatian creative export products, which is now present in 40 locations across four continents. Ambitious expansion plans continue into the future with the goal of opening one hundred museums by the end of 2026.

Denis Sušac founded Mono together with three friends and co-owners in Osijek in 2003. The software development company and manufacturer of platforms and applications finds its place in the medical, pharmaceutical, banking, and other industries. Today, Mono employs nearly 130 people and has received numerous recognitions and awards for its business results. Over 90 percent of its revenue is generated abroad, making it the largest software exporter in the region and one of the 50 largest in Croatia. Mono is one of the founders of the Osijek Software City association, which aims to strengthen the IT community in the city and region, and they are the initiators of the construction of IT Park Osijek, as well as the drivers of numerous educational initiatives.

Josip Joe Bašić founded MPG, a company specializing in providing services in the field of field promotions and direct market communication programs. Today, MPG is one of the largest agencies in the region with over 300 employees, and its business is based on three areas: event organization, sales and advertising, and digital marketing. Out-of-the-box thinking, a 360 approach, and digitalization are just some of the approaches to achieving creativity and innovation, and besides the Croatian market, MPG is also present in other European countries. One of MPG’s most well-known projects is the organization of the Ultra Europe festival, which has been awarded recognition for the best music event in the region in competition with strong festivals.

Dorotea Effenberger is the founder and owner of Tahograf, a leading provider of services aimed at increasing the competitiveness of fleets through the application of ITS (intelligent transport systems) and an authorized distributor of the leading global manufacturer of tachographs VDO in the region. The company’s business is primarily related to commercial vehicles and creating added value for fleet owners, whether through improving efficiency with its own digitalization solutions or quality service and consulting in the field of road transport. Today, Tahograf has 40 branches and over 350 partners present in all countries of the region.

The impressive business results of the finalists, as well as the large number of registered candidates for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year, are proof of the strength of Croatian entrepreneurship. Their already global reputation and international successes contribute to the development of entrepreneurial culture and serve as an encouragement for many young people to try their hand at creating a successful entrepreneurial story.

This year’s award program was held under the general sponsorship of Erste Bank. The gold sponsor was SAP, and other sponsors included Interkapital, Wiener osiguranje Vienna Insurance Group, Badel 1862, and PPD Croatia. The program was held under the auspices of AmCham, the Croatian Employers’ Association, HAMAG-BICRO, and under the auspices of the Ministry of Finance, as stated in the announcement.