International Business in Croatia: Creating Local Impact at Innovate Split 2026
What happens when international entrepreneurs don't just move to Croatia, but stay, build, invest, and become part of the place?
That was at the heart of International Business in Croatia: Creating Local Impact, the FBOA panel held at Innovate Split 2026 at Technology Park Split.
The conversation brought together five FBOA members whose experiences in Croatia span hospitality, relocation, education, wine and tourism, wellness, and community building.
Geoff Bratton, President of FBOA and co-owner of Fig Restaurants and Stardog, shared the perspective of more than a decade building businesses in Croatia and becoming part of its hospitality and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Sara Dyson, founder of Expat in Croatia, brought more than a decade of experience helping internationals understand Croatian systems, establish their lives here, and navigate the realities of integration.
John Rogošić, founder of Split International School, explored the relationship between education, technology and innovation, as well as what international experience can bring to Croatia — and what building in Croatia can teach in return.
Through her work with Croatian wine, Kit Pepper, founder of Cheers Croatia Magazine, offered another perspective on local impact: recognising the value of Croatian culture and heritage and finding authentic ways to bring those stories to international audiences.
Jennifer Gilman, health and wellness coach and founder of SHE: Women’s Wellness Exchange, expanded the conversation beyond traditional measures of business success, highlighting the role of well-being, resilience and community in creating a sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The discussion was moderated by Flor Nieto, founder of The Inmediato, TEDx speaker and brand strategist.
Across different industries and very different journeys, one theme connected the conversation: internationalisation is about more than attracting people to Croatia.
It is also about what happens when people stay. When they work with local businesses, share knowledge, create jobs and communities, learn from the culture around them, and build something that becomes part of the local ecosystem.
The panel also looked ahead, asking what Croatia needs to get right if it wants international founders and professionals to stay, invest and build here for the next 10 or 20 years — and what local and international entrepreneurs can continue to learn from one another.
For FBOA, these are exactly the conversations we want to help create: not simply about doing business in Croatia, but about building businesses and communities that are increasingly part of Croatia.
Thank you to Innovate Split and Technology Park Split for creating the space for the conversation, and to everyone who joined us.
Photos: Dana Jurman Jakus & Ana Grgantov
