Talk by Ana Lukner Roljič, ABC Accelerator (Slovenia), at Stanford on Feb 5 2018, in our session: 'Slovenia & Turkey : Startup Accelerators and Ecosystems in the Balkans and Southeast Europe'. Website: http://www.StanfordEuropreneurs.org YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/StanfordEuropreneurs Twitter: @Europreneurs

1. ANA LUKNER ROLJIČ
ABC Accelerator Silicon Valley
Managing Director
Stanford School of Engineering
February 5, 2018
www.abc-accelerator.com
@AnaLukner

2. From Ljubljana
to Silicon Valley

4. To create opportunities for everyone.
To finally form a new ecosystem where innovation,
ideas, entrepreneurs could settle, accelerate and expand globally.
Building a two way bridge
Slovenia
Silicon Valley

5. WE COME FROM SLOVENIA,
A COUNTRY WITH ONLY
2 MIL PEOPLE.
BUT THE STRATEGIC
LOCATION IS AMAZING!
IT’S THE REGION THAT
MONEY CAN’T REACH WITH
HIGHLY EDUCATED TALENT
THAT CAN’T PROVE ITSELF.

6. § The SEE region has in total 60.7 million people
§ The average year’s salary is about $15,000
§ 25% of unemployment among young people + underemployment
§ Incredible talent
§ We decided to change things forever. Today, ABC is the best friend of people, a
bridge, a seed investor - opportunity maker in the region.
HOW?
We come from a region, where you have to create
a job by yourself

7. We started as ABC Accelerator
for startups
2015 20162015 2016

8. ABC Accelerator Group

9. ABC startup accelerator
WE SELECT BEST STARTUPS THROUGH OUR NETWORK
§ locations in Ljubljana, Munich and Silicon Valley
§ we offer ‘’soft landing’’ services in all locations
§ mentorship, program, customized approach
§ integration into our network
§ in the last 36 months, we accelerated over 85 startups
and in total raised 37 MIL USD in seed capital
ABC First Growth
§ our fund is used as an add on investment
in early stage startups
§ investing from USD 30k-150k per startup
§ we invest in people

10. We invest
in people

11. ABC enterprise accelerator
We accelerate enterprise’s innovation cycle in
close collaboration with our partner EDG from
Palo Alto, California. EDG has been active for over
30 years, working on enterprise innovation with
many local and international companies.
To create awareness about digitalization, we
started to transform also the big corporations
from our region:
They are now connected to startup world, invest in
startups and are also creating their own startups.
Some of our clients include:

12. ABC talent accelerator
Based in Kiev, Ukraine, Move On Miles
(“MOM”) accelerates tech talent and
developers selected for utilization by
startups, SMEs, corporations, and VCs.
Delivering entrepreneurial-based education
programs to students. Current locations are
Toronto, Munich and Silicon Valley.
ABC business academy
ABC software development
Based in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Outsourcing company
offering a full range of custom software
development services for a wide variety of
business domains.

13. Kiev, Ukraine

14. Sarajevo,
Bosnia and Herzegovina

15. Blockchain / ICO
§ Slovenia is a hub in the region
§ ICO is a new form of crowd funding,
fundraising, still waiting on the accurate
regulation
§ ABC is connecting the traditional VCs &
angel groups with blockchain / ICO
§ successful Slovenian ICOs have raised more
funding in 2017 than the total combined
value of public financial support in the
whole region (in the last decade)

16. ABC startup success stories

17. We are the leading accelerator in SEE
and among top 3 in Europe.
In 2017, ABC won the CESA award
as the best accelerator in Central Europe.

18. Corporate investors
+ other angel investors
Some corporate partners
+ many amazing advisors ….

19. ABC team

20. ABC is family

21. ABC values

22. SEE region and its current situation
§ startup ecosystem is developing but is still
associated with political conflict and the past
§ lack of governmental financial, knowledge
support
§ lack of equity
§ visa obstacles
§ However, we - the younger generation have
been creating a movement and we are taking
things into our own hands.
§ Opening new companies, creating jobs,
developing innovative digital solutions and
cooperating with the best IT companies in the
world.

23. Best startups / companies of our region
§ recent success stories are the main drivers for our region
§ Outfit7 – a big break through story which brought first billion USD into the
region / exit / sold a Chinese investor in January 2017, becoming the first unicorn
in the region
§ potential and new exits are important for the region, bringing more global
partners, more funding, experienced entrepreneurs and faster global expansion

24. Insights / vision
§ we have proven that it can be done
§ our goal is to connect local and regional innovation centers along with
educational system so that the next generation of startups will grow faster
§ we feel responsible to continue creating opportunities for our youth and
providing a better ecosystem as well as life in our country, region
§ eventually, ABC Accelerator Group will, like many accelerators, transform itself
into a venture fund that will support other regional accelerators and invest in
best regional startups
The foundation is set ....

25. Welcome to ABC Accelerator Silicon Valley
75 E Santa Clara Street (floor 7), San Jose, CA 95113

26. My life philosophy
§ Tired of us always saying history repeats itself.
Therefore, I want that our future becomes a past that
we can look back on and be proud of. ABC is Truhoma.
§ I want to give people the momentum in which they
find themselves & become what they were meant to
be so that they achieve their highest potential.
§ True and Honest Mankind can achieve highest
potential and, therefore, build vital and forceful
environment.
§ More coming very soon ....

27. www.abc-accelerator.com
abc-accelerator
ABCaccelerator
Ana Lukner Roljič
ana-lukner-roljic
ana.lukner
ana@abc-accelerator.com
@AnaLukner