Bootstrapping, AI, "building for a flip": Central European VCs have their say
Tech.eu John Reynolds ● Covered by 2 sources
Central European VCs argued over bootstrapping, big rounds and AI at a startup conference in Croatia. Their message: don’t raise money just to look hot, and don’t bolt AI on for show.
Based on reporting by Tech.eu, John Reynolds — read the original for the full story.
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At the Infobip Shift conference in Zadar, the startup talk turned into a pretty blunt reality check. Founders, investors and developers from Croatia and Central Europe spent time on the familiar questions: when to take VC money, when to stay lean, and when ambition starts looking a lot like vanity.
Jure Mikuž of South Central Ventures pushed back on a trend he sees across Central Europe: founders chasing bigger rounds partly to get their names in the spotlight. He also said some teams are raising amounts that are too small for what they actually want to do, and then only planning six months ahead. David Clark of Tera Ventures agreed that founders should have a clear reason for raising VC money in the first place, whether that means hiring key people or funding a specific push.
On bootstrapping, Clark argued there may never have been a better time for Central European founders to try it, pointing to tools like vibe coding as a way to reduce dependence on outside capital. He compared VC money to rocket fuel: useful if you know where you’re going, destructive if you don’t. Mikuž was less absolute, saying there’s no single answer and that the right path depends on the industry and the company’s stage.
Réka Hidas of Portfolion focused on the quality of the capital, not just the size of the cheque. Her view was simple: founders should not accept just any investor, but someone who can add more than money, such as useful connections. She also challenged the “building for a flip” mindset, arguing that if a startup is built mainly to be acquired, it ends up solving a buyer’s problem rather than a market’s problem.
The AI discussion had its own dose of impatience. Florian Binswanger of Vercel mocked the habit of “slapping a chatbot in the right-hand corner” just to look AI-native, and said AI should be built into the product and customer experience. Nina Trejos of Stripe said some founders are leaving the move to usage-based AI pricing too late, while Binswanger warned against getting tied to one model provider by using a router instead. Separately, Izabel Jelenić of Infobip said one of the key lessons from building with his co-founders was working with people who like the things you don’t.
My take — AI-written commentary, not fact-checked reporting
This is the right argument to have in public. Too many founders still treat funding like a trophy and AI like a sticker, which is a great way to impress the wrong people and confuse the right ones. The blunt bit is useful: if the pitch only works when the cheque is big and the chatbot is visible, the business probably isn’t ready.
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