Poland needs to end its pushback policy at Belarus border
December 12, 2024
Bulgaria, Romania finally make it to Schengen
December 12, 2024
In the latest of a series of articles drawing on the original analysis and data collected by Emerging Europe as part of our Future of IT report, we look at Croatia: an IT sector increasingly punching above its weight.
The digital economy has become the cornerstone of Europe’s growth ambitions, reshaping national priorities and economic strategies with extraordinary speed.
While the continent’s established powerhouses—Germany, France, and the Nordics—tend to dominate headlines, a cluster of smaller countries has begun making steady headway, carving niches in software development, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.
- Economy in focus: Croatia
- CEE’s EU members need innovation for a new growth model
- Education key to boosting growth in emerging Europe and Central Asia
Among these quietly emerging digital contenders is Croatia. Long associated with its scenic Adriatic coast and tourism, the country is now steadily climbing the ranks of the region’s IT competitiveness, positioning itself as a new hotspot for technology talent, investment, and innovation.
According to the latest Future of IT report from Emerging Europe, Croatia’s IT Competitiveness Index ranking advanced from 13th place in 2023 to 10th in 2024—no small feat in an increasingly crowded digital marketplace.
Underpinning this ascent is a formidable combination of factors: robust educational institutions producing technically skilled graduates, targeted investments in digital infrastructure, a supportive regulatory and fiscal environment for technology enterprises, and a growing roster of success stories that have begun to capture the attention of foreign investors.
Add to this the government’s commitment to e-governance and a growing ecosystem of start-ups that have succeeded in staking claims abroad, and it’s clear that Croatia is emerging as a serious digital player.
A reservoir of talent
At the core of any thriving IT sector lies human capital. Croatia’s talent pool—long overshadowed by that of more mature European tech hubs—has recently begun to blossom. In the report’s Talent subcategory, Croatia lands at 16th place with a score of 15.75. Although not particularly impressive at first glance, it represents a steady climb in a competitive environment.
The country’s universities and technical institutions have made noteworthy strides, graduating a new generation of software engineers, data scientists, and cybersecurity experts.
In particular, the University of Zagreb and several regional institutions have steadily modernised their curricula, incorporating cutting-edge fields like machine learning, cloud computing, and IT project management.
Yet education extends beyond the lecture hall. Recognising that static academic qualifications quickly lose relevance in a fast-evolving sector, Croatian policymakers, industry groups, and non-governmental organisations have focused on upskilling and re-skilling the workforce.
They have supported coding bootcamps, specialised training programmes, and mentorship schemes aimed not only at recent graduates, but also at mid-career professionals seeking a digital pivot. These efforts have made the local labour market more fluid and adaptable.
For emerging start-ups in Zagreb, Split, or Rijeka, this means tapping into a talent pool both skilled and versatile. For larger, foreign-owned IT centres, it signals that Croatia is not just a place to source cheap labour, but a country producing talent capable of driving innovation.
Infrastructure: Building the digital bedrock
Talent, however, is only as effective as the infrastructure that supports it. Croatia earns 12th place in IT infrastructure, scoring 9.53—an area where it continues to invest heavily.
High-speed broadband networks, stable mobile internet coverage, and a growing network of data centres have formed the backbone of Croatia’s digital transformation. The government’s e-Croatia initiative, launched some years ago, has played a role in accelerating these developments.
Policies facilitating the expansion of fibre-optic networks into secondary cities have narrowed the digital divide, ensuring that aspiring entrepreneurs and tech employees are no longer geographically bound to the capital.
Meanwhile, efforts to modernise government digital services—from online tax filings to e-health records—have had a knock-on effect, stimulating demand for better infrastructure. The country’s digital identity services and efforts to integrate with Europe’s Digital Single Market have made it simpler for citizens and businesses to transact across borders. Such developments enhance Croatia’s reputation among international firms searching for stable, well-connected technology ecosystems in which to operate.
Moreover, alignment with European Union guidelines and funding opportunities through programmes such as Horizon Europe and the Digital Europe Programme have enabled Croatian companies to partake in continent-wide projects, gaining both technological know-how and international visibility.
Economic impact: Beyond the Adriatic shore
Croatia’s digital renaissance is no mere vanity project. The sector’s contribution to the economy is growing—and quickly. With a score of 10.61 in the Economic Impact category, Croatia ranks sixth. This position underscores that the IT industry is no longer a sideshow to tourism, textiles, or shipbuilding, but an increasingly vital pillar of the national economy.
The country’s IT exports are on the rise, as Croatian firms find new markets in Western Europe, North America, and even the Middle East. The ICT sector’s exports as a percentage of GDP have steadily increased, from 1.51 per cent in 2018 to 2.14 per cent in 2022. McKinskey has estimated that Croatia’s digital economy could be worth as much as 15 per cent of GDP by 2030.
Some homegrown companies—such as Infobip, a cloud communications platform provider that became Croatia’s first unicorn—have established themselves as genuine global players.
Others in fintech, artificial intelligence, and robotics have begun forging strong international partnerships and attracting venture capital. Croatia’s cost structure, which remains more attractive than that of Western European hubs, coupled with its membership in the European Union, makes it a compelling springboard for firms looking to serve both regional and international clients.
Foreign direct investment in the technology sector has followed suit. Encouraged by tax incentives, stable regulation, and the reassuring presence of the EU’s legal framework, venture funds and multinational enterprises have begun to take notice.
As a result, technology parks in cities such as Osijek and Varazdin are hosting dynamic communities of start-ups and scale-ups. The IT sector’s growing prominence, moreover, helps Croatia retain skilled professionals who once might have looked abroad for better opportunities.
Increasingly, talented developers and tech consultants who left the country over the past decade are returning, lured by local opportunities that no longer seem second-rate compared with those in Berlin or London.
Nurturing a conducive business environment
A critical aspect of sustaining such a growth trajectory lies in the broader business environment. In the Business Environment category, Croatia ranks seventh with a score of 14.41—a sign that regulatory and administrative reforms are beginning to bear fruit. While businesses have long complained about bureaucracy and sluggish courts, incremental improvements and the streamlining of business registration and licensing processes have not gone unnoticed.
To attract and retain entrepreneurs, the government has introduced targeted tax breaks and incentives aimed specifically at the IT sector. For instance, tax rebates on research and development expenditures encourage experimentation.
Meanwhile, access to EU structural funds and local grants supports innovation hubs and incubators. Across the country, various technology clusters and accelerators have emerged, helping start-ups to scale, network with established firms, and gain access to foreign markets.
The steady growth of these innovation ecosystems enhances Croatia’s appeal not just as a location for cost arbitrage, but as a place where entrepreneurs can thrive.
The cultural mindset is also shifting. The old corporate model of hierarchical decision-making is gradually giving way to more agile, flexible ways of doing business—an evolution well-suited to the iterative processes of software development and tech innovation.
This cultural shift, combined with targeted government programmes, is nurturing a collaborative atmosphere, which is especially helpful for young companies trying to break into saturated markets.
A springboard for future growth
Having cracked the top 10, it is evident that Croatia’s rise in the IT Competitiveness Index is not merely a flash in the pan. The country’s progress is rooted in strategic investments, policy continuity, and the gradual cultivation of a skilled workforce.
As Croatia moves up the value chain—away from outsourcing and back-office support roles and toward software innovation, artificial intelligence applications, and advanced analytics—it stands to gain a more prominent position among Europe’s digital economies.
Yet challenges remain. Competition within the region is fierce, with the Baltic states, Poland, and Romania also vying for digital primacy.
Croatia must continue to invest in next-generation infrastructure, from 5G networks to quantum computing research environments, if it wishes to stay ahead (its broadband uptake remains below the EU average). It must further simplify regulatory frameworks and speed up judicial processes to foster stronger intellectual property protections, a key factor for companies developing proprietary technologies.
Still, the trajectory looks encouraging. With its IT professionals increasingly renowned for their technical acumen, a regulatory environment leaning more pro-business by the year, and a steadily improving global reputation, Croatia appears poised to transcend its historical image.
For many, Croatia conjures up summer holidays on the Dalmatian coast. Before long, it may also conjure up images of thriving tech start-ups, innovation hubs, and a digital economy punching well above its weight.
Photo by ThisisEngineering on Unsplash.
At Emerging Europe, we use an integrated approach centred around market intelligence to help organisations understand trends and strategically position themselves for success.
Learn how our solutions can help you thrive in the region:
Company and Services Overview | Strategic Advantage.
