“Meeting people from different cultures and learning how they think is essential if you want to build a startup that goes global.”
Can you introduce yourself? Tell us your name, where you’re from, and a bit about your background.
My name is Vitomir Pavičić, I’m 20 years old, and I’m studying Global Business Management at RIT Croatia. I’m also one of the founders of an AI startup called Project01.
What did you hope to learn from ABC Toronto?
I was mainly hoping to make new connections. I’ve already attended a few similar programs, so I was curious to see how ABC would approach the material differently.
But the connections you make are the best part, even though I had never been to North America before. I’ve met a lot of great people, and I’m really happy about that.
What has been your favorite part of the program?
The baseball game is probably my favorite activity outside the program itself!
When it comes to the workshops, Peter’s pitching lesson was definitely the highlight. I’ve pitched many times and taken part in competitions, but it’s always useful to see how other people approach it.
He showed us different pitching methods in a really clear way. Some techniques didn’t fit my storytelling style, but I still enjoyed exploring different approaches and seeing what I could learn from them.
Which company visit, workshop, or speaker had the biggest impact on you?
The visit to Roku and meeting Ivan Pehar really stood out to me. He was a great speaker with an impressive life story and a great way of telling it. I especially appreciated how openly he talked about his biggest failures. When I ask people about failure, many prefer not to answer, so it was refreshing to hear someone speak about it so honestly.
Katie Ko also caught my attention because I’m interested in investment through my work with Project01. In Croatia, we don’t typically see investments in areas like space programs, so it was interesting to see different pitches and understand how investors evaluate opportunities here.
What is one insight you’ll take home and apply to your career?
I really liked Sabrina’s talk about social media and how to go viral. One message that stuck with me was not to give up. I’ve already made around 50 posts, and they haven’t performed as well as I’d hoped, but I’m going to keep going until I reach my goals.
Another major takeaway was meeting people from different cultures. I’ve worked on creative projects and studied abroad in Portugal, but getting to know people from the United States, Brazil, and other places gave me new perspectives.
If you want to build a global startup, you need to know how to work with people from different backgrounds. That’s one of the most valuable things I’m taking away from this program.
What would you tell someone thinking about applying to ABC Toronto?
I would absolutely recommend applying. It’s an experience of a lifetime, and even though I had never been to Toronto or North America before, getting here was much easier than I expected.
The program and the professors were great, and there’s a lot to gain from the experience. If you’ve never pitched before, it’s a great opportunity to try. If you already have pitching experience, as I do, presenting to a different audience with different expectations gives you another way to sharpen your skills.
I’d recommend it to anyone, whether they’re just starting out or already well into their entrepreneurial journey.
