Croatia's entrance into the EU in July 2013 is and will be a key driver of ICT growth, facilitating increased trade between European markets. Over the coming years, the process of EU convergence, which still has far to go, will drive spending on IT projects. Funds such as the EU Cohesion Fund are already providing funding for IT projects related to modernization initiatives in both public and business segments. The combined government sector also remains the largest spender on IT products and services, unsurprising, bearing in mind that the state still owns a wide range of companies across sectors like transport, telecoms, oil and gas, and insurance. Despite all the difficulties, the ICT sector in Croatia is one of the best sectors of the Croatian economy, especially since a large part of it is focused on exports. The ICT sector in Croatia has annual revenues of around 21 billion kunas. 

To get to know the Croatian IT industry, we created this article together with Vibor Cipan and Mladen Glavinic from Point Jupiter and AXPRI - two reputable Croatian IT companies. 

In this way, Vibor mentions that what makes Croatia attractive are the excellent geographic position, a very highly skilled workforce with excellent English-speaking skills, and a mindset that's similar to those of people in Western Europe and the USA, which makes Croatians highly adaptable. Challenges are related to a bureaucratic burden and sometimes a slower government with too many regulations. Although there have been significant improvements in this area as well, slow bureaucracy and sometimes too much paperwork remain a challenge. Additionally, for highly-paid IT experts, income taxes and social contributions are very high compared to those in neighboring countries.

On the same topic, Mladen thinks that if you mean moving the HQ here, then the laws are awful, the tax is huge, etc. But the positive is that a ton of super smart people live here, people amazing in tech.

Why Work With Croatian IT Companies

IT companies from Croatia are relatively new to the market and rely on the already existing infrastructure when providing web & software services and solutions to the local and international markets. Based on a report from the Belgian company ”Wallonia”, Croatian IT companies managed to implement the newest IT standards and specialized in the subsector of software development more than web and cloud computing. 

The choice is based on local market demand, as 45% of products and services provided by Croatian IT companies are sold to the government and implemented in the local public sector, which is supposed to increase the digitalization rate of the country overall. Nonetheless, another 55% of IT services are designed for regional export and are considered a part of the regional IT backbone in the western Balkans. 

In addition, Vibor Cipan from Point Jupiter adds that Croatians are open-minded and well-educated. They have a pro-Western mindset and are following tech developments. You can also expect them to provide you with good and innovative solutions. They are not just people who will write code based on specs; if they see an opportunity for improvement, most of them will tell you about it and propose a new solution. Hourly rates are not as low as compared to some Eastern European countries or in Asia, but the ROI and value for money you get when working with Croatian companies are among the best in the industry.

The same thing is confirmed by Mladen. Among others, he considers that Talent and commitment are the core reasons why it's good to work with Croatian IT companies.

What to Pay Attention to When Working With Croatian IT Companies

It is important to know that most Croatian IT companies were in the startup phase in 2013, and this makes them new and probably inexperienced in providing competitive services in the global IT market. However, working with Croatian IT companies may be an interesting experience after all. 

Local IT leaders, such as Vibor, think that Croatia is not the place to expect bottom-of-the-market prices - Croatian companies can't and won't compete with low-income, lower-quality IT destinations like those in Asia. Hourly rates here will be higher than those in Asia, but the quality of work, innovation, and overall business professionalism is going to also be significantly higher. You can expect the best value for money and some of the highest quality work to be delivered.

How Reliable Are Croatian IT Companies

Croatian IT companies are at an early stage of creating their reputation on the global market. Since not so many IT companies located in Croatia managed to highlight their performance, it is challenging to relate to how reliable they are.  But taking into account that in the XXI century all companies have a chance to create a name for themselves, most probably Croatian IT companies will manage to break the ice, and why not - make their country an important regional IT hub.

“Croatian Business Environment Evolved In The Last 10 Years”

The business environment in Croatia improved significantly in the last 10 years since the country joined the EU, and earlier this year Schengen Area and the eurozone. Smaller companies can enjoy attractive profit taxes of just 10% and there are also R&D credits and government support for companies hiring and growing their businesses.

Also, according to Mladen from AXPRI, the business environment is dominated by Hi-Tech companies, and a lot of quality Agencies, and you can literally work with anybody without getting screwed or a bad project or whatever. Almost everyone is highly educated and speaks perfect English.

Infinum, Infobip - Among The Names of the Dominant Croatian IT Companies

Vibor Cipan and Mladen Glavinic identified several dominant Croatian IT companies in the local market. 

Vibor points to Infinum, Notch, and Five: Infinum is an independent mobile apps and web development agency that has kept growing. Five used to be an independent agency, but it was acquired by Endava, and now the business model has changed. Notch (formerly AG04) grows significantly and specializes in Java-based solutions, and Point Jupiter pioneered the data-informed approach to product development and design to deliver solutions globally.

At the same time, Mladen thinks that Infobip is one of the largest that's worthy to name: Well, there are a ton, but most are mid-range… Maybe one standout: Infobip. They are rather a big tech company employing about 1k high-quality individuals.

Opening a New IT Company In Croatia Is Easy

According to Vibor, the climate is pretty positive. There have been several highly successful companies in recent years, including the acquisition made by Google (Photomath) and the first Croatian unicorn (Infobip), so there's a lot of talent and motivation. The company formation procedure has been greatly simplified, but the earlier-mentioned slower bureaucracy can present challenges.

How Does the Croatian Government Help The IT Sector?

There are R&D credits, accessible loans, and governmental support for opening new workplaces. Most of these are realized through the HAMAG-BICRO agency in Croatia.

How Well Does the Croatian IT Industry Relate to the Neighboring Countries?

In the regional background, the Croatian IT industry is neither a shiny country nor an underdeveloped IT environment. But it is one of the promising destinations for international clients and foreign companies ready to invest or work with Croatian IT companies, and bring the entire region closer to what the Western European IT industry is. However, local professionals think differently about it. Vibor Cipan told us that Croatia's IT sector is the most developed in the region, even though it's not the largest country in the region. Excellent knowledge of English, alignment with Western ideals and values, a highly educated workforce, and deep integration into the European economic and political system make Croatia outstanding among its neighbors.

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This article was created together with Vibor Cipan and Mladen Glavinic from two reputable Croatian IT companies - Point Jupiter and AXPRI.

Social Media Marketing (SMM) is a powerful strategy that businesses can use to connect with their target audience, build brand awareness, and drive growth. It involves leveraging popular social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to promote products or services, engage with customers, and encourage meaningful relationships. 

SMM services include a range of strategies and activities aimed at effectively using social media platforms to achieve business objectives. It includes creating and curating engaging content, managing social media accounts, running paid ad campaigns, and analyzing performance metrics. SMM enables businesses to reach a wider audience, interact with customers in real-time, and stay relevant in the fast-paced digital landscape.

In order to deliver the best social media marketing services, businesses rely on multiple tools and technologies. These can include leading social media management platforms such as Hootsuite and Buffer, content creation tools such as Canva and Adobe Spark, and analytics platforms like Google Analytics and social media insights.

When a company needs SMM services, it has the option to work with specialized IT companies or digital agencies. Specialized IT companies often focus exclusively on SMM and offer in-depth expertise in creating effective social media campaigns. Digital agencies, on the other hand, may provide a broader range of digital services, including SMM, making them suitable for businesses seeking comprehensive digital marketing solutions.

SMM services offer numerous advantages for businesses seeking to boost their online presence and engagement. SMM enables businesses to reach a vast and diverse audience, resulting in increased brand visibility and recognition. Also, targeted advertising on social media allows businesses to maximize their return on investment (ROI) by reaching the right audience at the right time.

Selecting the right SMM service provider is crucial for the success of your marketing efforts. Consider the following criteria: 

• Expertise and Experience: Look for a provider with proven experience in SMM and a track record of successful campaigns. 

• Platform Proficiency: Ensure the provider is proficient in managing the social media platforms most relevant to your business. 

• Creativity: Choose a provider with a creative approach to content creation and campaign execution. 

• Communication and Reporting: Seek a provider that communicates effectively and provides regular performance reports.

If you're searching for reliable social media marketing (SMM) companies worldwide, TechBehemoths is the perfect platform for you. It features more than 20,000 companies from over 118 countries, giving you access to a wide range of SMM service providers. The platform offers important details like customer feedback, scores, and comprehensive profiles to help you make an informed choice and find the right SMM company for your project.

Is social media an effective marketing channel in 2026?

Yes, mainly because the audience is vast and users tend to trust social media before making a purchase.

According to Statista, there will be 5,56 billion social media users worldwide by 2027 - a steady increase from previous years.

Social media platforms are effective for the following marketing objectives:

• marketing your business

• connecting with your audience

• building brand equity

• increasing sales and driving traffic to your website

A successful SMM campaign usually has some or all of the following components:

• sharing excellent content with your audience

• creating social media sharing buttons on their website to allow people to share their content

• building relationships to convert them into customers

• generating ads on social media

Short-form videos continue to dominate engagement, while social commerce is becoming a major revenue driver for brands worldwide.

As you most probably know, the most popular social media platforms are:

• Instagram

• Facebook

• YouTube

• TikTok

• Twitter

Only being listed on social media platforms related to your business is not enough anymore. You need to maintain an active presence and keep your audience engaged, to build strong brand awareness and loyalty.

How small/medium tech companies use social media

Last year, Techbehemoths conducted a survey asking over 1,900 professionals from international tech companies how they use social media platforms. Have a look at some interesting results below to understand current trends and opportunities.

Linkedin is by far the most popular social media platform used by 99.5% of respondents. It’s not a surprise, as Linkedin has a B2B focus and usually is more business oriented.

90% of small/medium companies use social media for brand awareness and 36% use it for sales and direct conversions. This means that over ⅓ of companies use it as a direct sales channel.

Around 55% of companies manage their social media activity in-house. Out of those, about 52% of professionals managing social media are not from the marketing department (they’re either CEOs or other employees).

For companies, this can be a great opportunity to hire dedicated SMM agencies or professionals, so CEOs/founders and other team members can focus on their main job rather than doing social media marketing themselves.

To shortlist reliable SMM agencies for your projects, use the Project submission tool that will match your project requirements with the right tech service provider.