Dober dan Slovenija

A recent visit to Slovenia left lasting impressions of the small country's innovation, energy and willingness to integrate with the rest of Europe.
Slovenia's 2m people was the richest group to be added to the European Union when ten new countries joined in 2004. The government has been busy getting inflation under control allowing adoption of the Euro by January 2007 following an accelerated timetable. The Slovenian tolar (currency code SIT) is already pegged to the Euro and artists have been busy proposing national designs for the Euro coins.

   Our stay also provided the opportunity to connect with local entrepreneurs and learn that their thinking does not stop at the borders of Slovenia - or the EU for that matter.

• Andrej Nabergoj co-founded Parsek, a successful software company with branches in Europe, US and Japan. They are building rapid deployment e-business applications for a number of high profile clients
• Ziga Skorjanc runs Ceris, a company spun out of a government research agency; they specialise in security, software and ID cards. While at the Ceris offices, I saw a cool new vein scanning access security solution. The company is about to launch a promising new product; I will provide more information in due time.
• Joe Rain is investing time and effort in, amongst other ventures, the modelling agency bronz with the stated mission of promoting Slovenia internationally.
• Metod Vidic started branding company Mimikrija (Mimicry). I have rarely come across a more client-focused organisation: Besides the name, Mimikrija has no identity or branding of their own, nor do they have a company website. Their business cards mimic the branding of their clients.
• Barbara Uranjek recently returned to Ljubljana after three years in Paris working for Peugeot and finishing a marketing management degree at ESSEC. She is getting involved in direct marketing and CRM projects in Slovenia.

Can't wait to visit again. It was great to feel the buzz as well as enjoying great food, strolling around in charming Ljubljana and taking in the beauty of the Alps.

Tags: Slovenia entrepreneurs euro ebusiness branding CRM models