On Monday,  5th May, the Let’sGrow 2025 technology conference was held at the Park Plaza Histria hotel in Pula, organised by the ICT Istria association. The conference brought together a diverse audience - from students and high school pupils to entrepreneurs, professors, scientists, IT professionals, and citizens interested in the latest technologies. The aim of the conference was to encourage the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and ideas, connect people, and open up space for dialogue on the future of technology in both local and global contexts. PENTA, as one of the founders and active members of ICT Istria, proudly supported and participated in the realisation of this important event.

This year’s conference program included a series of engaging panels and talks. The panel “Born in Sweden, Russia, Germany: working in Istria. Could the grass be greener?” featured Arne Evertsson, Nadezhda Mikhaylova, and Tobias Benz, who shared their experiences of moving to Istria for work in the IT sector, starting companies, and becoming part of the local tech community. Next up was the panel “Developers in the jaws of AI: vibe coding and other wonders”, which explored the impact of generative artificial intelligence on the daily work of software engineers. TV host Aleksandar Stanković held a live conversation with Srđan Kovačević, co-founder and CEO of the Osijek-based company Orqa, while Davor Runje and Hajdi Ćenan presented the practical application of agent-based systems, specifically in the field of automated digital advertising.

In the supporting workshop program, the Pula-based student IT association Šou Program organised an exciting competition focused on solving software and hardware challenges. The Climate Tech workshop offered insights into methods for collecting and analysing climate data. A special attraction was the SkyDive simulator, an advanced first-person view (FPV) system that allowed participants to learn how to control FPV drones in a fun and intuitive way.

The event also hosted the startup competition finals, where the finalists pitched their ideas on stage. Goran Lisak and Dorotea Zorić were declared winners with their project Kidlytic – a tool for interpreting children’s drawings.

The Let’sGrow 2025 conference once again confirmed the importance of connecting community, knowledge, and technology, and further strengthened Istria’s position as an emerging technology hub.

We thank all participants, partners, and panellists for the great atmosphere and their contribution to the success of this event.
See you at the next edition of the conference!