Paulo Andrez visits CRANEbrunch

On Thursday September 17, invited by the Croatian business angels network CRANE, one of the most prominent business angels in Europe and the world came to Zagreb. He is Paul Andrez, President emeritus of the European Business Angels Network (EBAN), member of the Board of Directors of the Portuguese Business Angels Federation and advisor to many European governments.

He spent his time in Zagreb working. Already on Friday morning, together with the president of CRANE Davorin Štetner and the members of the Board of Directors Hrvoje Prpić and Saša Cvetojević, he visited the office of the President of the Republic where he met with the President’s Chief of Staff Domagoj Juričić and Marko Jurčić, Economic Advisor to the President. On the same day he participated in the CRANEbrunch where he held a lecture in front of the many gathered entrepreneurs, investors and institutions, and after that he met with the representatives of the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Crafts and the members of the Board of Directors of HAMAG-BICRO.

The topic discussed was always the same – how to improve the development of entrepreneurship and investing of the business angels in Croatia, facilitate business of entrepreneurs, increase investments within Croatia, and also attract outside investors. He used examples from his personal experience that he gained working with many governments.

His message is clear: “Only very rich countries can afford non-refundable funds and brain drain. If you are not one of them, you can make a big difference with a few small changes. Invest money in business angels, and every company that succeeds should return the invested funds. With this model every invested Kuna could multiply by 6.”

Paulo Andrez sees business angels as the biggest potential for entrepreneurship development. Through tax reliefs for investors the country can increase investments within Croatia, and business angels experience should be used for selecting start-ups worth investing in.

CRANE’s entry into the EBAN puts new knowledge and experience at our disposal, attracts investments from Europe and opens possibilities for Croatian start-ups to expand their business outside Croatia.

“The arrival of one of the most prominent business angels in Europe and one of the prominent members of EBAN, confirms that CRANE, as the Croatian umbrella organization of business angels, has to be an active participant of the European organization, and is recognized as such. Only together can we do great things. I am extremely pleased to strengthen these relations at the beginning of my presidential mandate. I’m looking forward to our future active cooperation!” said Davorin Štetner, president of the Croatian Business Angels Network CRANE.