CEE FinTech & AI Startup Competition

For three consecutive years, Zagreb has hosted the largest financial and technology conference in this part of Europe, along with the region’s most valuable startup competition. 

At the upcoming edition of the conference, taking place on Mar. 11 – 12, 2026, and supported by leading regional FinTech brands including Mastercard, Monri, ASEE, Croatia osiguranje and LAQO, Robotiq, A1, OTP bank, Nexi, HPB, Electrocoin, Erste banka, Intercapital, NLB, RBI, WebID, and many others, visitors can expect a completely new Startup Pavilion, a two-day startup-focused program and the largest prize pool to date. This year, the competition is also open to AI-based solutions, alongside those focused on financial technologies.

Record Interest in the Money Motion Startup Competition

Although applications have only been open for a few weeks, a record number has already been submitted. Teams that haven’t applied yet still have time to do so until the end of January. At the fourth edition of the Money Motion Startup Competition, ideas from the FinTech and artificial intelligence domains are welcome, including AI applications in financial services as well as in other complementary industries.

The Most Valuable Prize Pool so Far

Prizes worth more than €60,000 will be awarded to the very best teams. From all submitted applications, an expert selection committee will choose ten finalists who will take the Startup Stage on the first day of the conference, pitching in front of an engaged audience and a critical jury.

The top three teams, announced by the organizers and jury on the second day of the conference, will share a €10,000 cash prize, along with numerous partner awards.

These include an exhibitor spot in the expo zone at the next edition of the conference, $40,000 in platform credits for services such as Infobip and Amazon Web Services, a place in the Fundraising Bootcamp – one of the most renowned and successful fundraising training programs – as well as additional prizes that will be revealed in the coming weeks.

A Top-tier Expert Jury Return

Six experts with extensive international market experience will evaluate the ten selected ideas, each presented in a three-minute pitch:

• Andrea Čordaš (Hellen’s Rock) brings essential expertise in assessing business strategy and project feasibility.
• Francois Mazoudier (Fundraising Bootcamp) offers critical insight into capital raising and investment readiness.
• Iva Rakočević (Elevator Ventures) contributes deep expertise in corporate venture investments.
• Sabrina Tharani (Mastercard) will be key in evaluating market potential and scalability of FinTech solutions.
• Silvije Radišić (AYMO Ventures) provides a strong venture capital perspective.
• Cosmin Ochisor (Gapminder) will focus on growth potential and global relevance.

Their combined international experience and deep understanding of the FinTech and AI landscapes will ensure that the finalists with the strongest global potential come out on top.

Exhibitor spots in the Startup Zone are limited and priced to accommodate early-stage teams just beginning their journey. More details are available on the official conference website.