The fourth edition of the Welcome to the Future conference, organized by the Impakt Investment Foundation, was held on Jahorina. Over two program days, it gathered leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, startup founders, experts, and business community representatives from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Western Balkans region, Europe, and Asia.
The conference was dedicated to topics of leadership, capital, innovation, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, tourism, entrepreneurship, and new growth models. Through keynote speeches, panel discussions, inspirational talks, pitch presentations, and networking activities, Welcome to the Future 4.0 once again affirmed its role as a platform connecting people, ideas, and opportunities.
The first day of the conference, titled Business Arena – Leadership, Capital and the New Economy, was opened by Sanja Miovčić, Executive Director of the Impakt Investment Foundation, Ranko Markuš, one of the founders of the Impakt Investment Foundation, and Ravik Mima, CEO of the business angel network Keiretsu Forum Southeast Europe.
The first day featured discussions on new economy leadership, women’s entrepreneurship, youth in business, access to capital, the role of business angels, the application of artificial intelligence in business, digital transformation, and industries of the future.
Respected international guests such as Alper Utku, Shefqet Avdullau, and Katrina Victoria Gumaya also added special value to the program, bringing their experiences in the fields of leadership, angel investing, venture capital, startup growth, and the development of the global investment ecosystem.
“This year, we have shown once again that Welcome to the Future is not just another conference in a series, but a powerful platform where knowledge, capital, experience, and ideas with the potential to change the economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the entire region meet. It is especially important for us to create opportunities for young people, women in business, startup founders, and innovators to present their ideas to business angels, investors, and partners from the international environment. It is precisely from such encounters that new partnerships, investments, and business opportunities have emerged this year, contributing to the development of a stronger and more competitive entrepreneurial and startup ecosystem,” stated Sanja Miovčić, Executive Director of the Impakt Investment Foundation.
The second day of the conference was dedicated to the Pitch Arena and the new generation of businesses. A total of 11 startup teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region presented their ideas, business models, and growth potential to the jury, investors, mentors, and conference participants.
The international jury was composed of representatives from the investment, entrepreneurial, corporate, and startup ecosystems, including experts in angel investing, entrepreneurship development, startup mentorship, business growth, and corporate investments. The jury members were Katrina Victoria Gumaya, Valentin Ilievski, Shefqet Avdullau, Alper Utku, Ravik Mima, Sara Lerota, Saša Palinić, and Danijela Jakovljević. By bringing together investors, business angels, serial entrepreneurs, and experts in startup ecosystem development from multiple countries, the jury provided participants not only with an evaluation of their business ideas but also concrete recommendations, contacts, and opportunities for further development and potential investments.
During the closing evening of the event, Sanja Miovčić presented her first book, “Zaboravili su da mi kažu” (“They Forgot to Tell Me”), an inspiring guide intended for young people, which, besides encouraging personal and professional development, also has a humanitarian mission: proceeds from the book sales will be directed toward student scholarships in BiH.
“Keiretsu Forum Southeast Europe was pleased to be a partner of this year’s Welcome to the Future 4.0 gathering, as we believe the region has strong startup and investment potential. Events like this are important because they give founders visibility, investors access to quality ideas, and the entire ecosystem an opportunity to connect in a more concrete and structured way,” stated Ravik Mima, CEO of Keiretsu Forum Southeast Europe.
The partners of the Future 4.0 conference were Keiretsu Forum Southeast Europe, Satori Catalyst, ICT Cortex, Hercegovina Vino, and AN Construction GmbH.
The organizers emphasized that this year’s edition of the conference once again showed how important it is to build regional platforms that connect knowledge, capital, innovation, and people ready to actively participate in shaping the future of business.
Welcome to the Future 4.0 concluded with the message that the future is not just a topic of discussion, but a process already being built today by entrepreneurs, investors, leaders, and communities ready for cooperation, growth, and change.
