Swiss Entrepreneurs Open the Door to Millions in Investments in Croatia

Croatia and Switzerland have been developing economic ties for years, but the potential for their further expansion remains significant. The exact question of how to attract more Swiss investment to Croatia was at the center of a business meeting organized by the Croatian-Swiss Economic Club, held in Dielsdorf near Zurich.

The event, titled Business Connect 2026, brought together representatives from 42 companies and institutions, totaling 69 participants. Alongside Swiss entrepreneurs and representatives of the Croatian business community, participants in the discussion included representatives from the Croatian Ministry of Economy, diplomacy, and business associations of the Croatian diaspora.

According to data presented at the gathering, trade exchange between Croatia and Switzerland reached 746 million Swiss francs last year, representing a growth of about 8.5 percent compared to the previous year. Swiss direct investments in Croatia reached approximately 220 million euros.

However, participants at the gathering warned that the potential for cooperation does not lie solely in new capital. Equally important are the knowledge, experience, and business connections of Croats who have been living and working in Switzerland for decades.

The question of returning knowledge and experience from the diaspora to Croatia was one of the major topics of the first panel. Marcel Thoutberger from the Chamber of Commerce Switzerland – Central Europe, Helmut Schaljo from Variosystems AG, and Patrick Inauen from Inauen-Schätti AG spoke about their experiences doing business in Croatia.

Their companies operate in different sectors, ranging from electronics to the cable car industry, but they share the experience of doing business in the Croatian market. One of the messages from the discussion was that Croatia cannot compete on lower costs alone. For Swiss investors, predictability, organization, the quality of the workforce, and the business environment are crucial.

Special emphasis was placed on the possibility of connecting Croatian experts abroad with companies in Croatia. People who have gained experience in developed Western markets can, as assessed, serve as an important link between the two business systems.

Such an approach also changes the traditional image of the diaspora. Croats living in Switzerland do not necessarily have to be just potential returnees. They can be investors, partners, mentors, and links between Croatian and Swiss companies.

The second panel was dedicated to a more concrete question – how to turn a potential investment into an actual project. Bojan Batinić, Director-General of the Directorate for Internationalization at the Ministry of Economy, presented the opportunities the state offers to investors.

These include investment incentives, greenfield locations in business zones, and support during the various phases of an investment project.

One of the important messages was the need for potential investors to get in touch with the competent institutions as early as possible.

For Swiss entrepreneurs, understanding the Croatian administrative and institutional system is one of the key elements when making an investment decision.

At the same time, the discussion showed that there are differing views among institutions, business organizations, and private intermediaries regarding who should be the first point of contact for a foreign investor.

According to data presented at the gathering, trade exchange between Croatia and Switzerland reached 746 million Swiss francs last year, representing a growth of about 8.5 percent compared to the previous year. Swiss direct investments in Croatia reached approximately 220 million euros.

However, participants at the gathering warned that the potential for cooperation does not lie solely in new capital. Equally important are the knowledge, experience, and business connections of Croats who have been living and working in Switzerland for decades.

For the Croatian business community in Switzerland, changing the perception of Croatia is also important.

For decades, Croatia has been known to the Swiss public primarily as a tourist destination. However, in recent years, economic cooperation has increasingly opened up other fields – industry, technology, manufacturing, energy, and various services.

This is precisely why such meetings serve a function that goes beyond classic business networking. Potential investors, Croatian institutions, diplomacy, and representatives of diaspora business networks all meet in one place.

In addition to representatives from the Ministry of Economy, the gathering was attended by representatives from the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Bern and the General Consulate in Zurich.

The Croatian-Swiss Economic Club aims to further connect the business communities of the two countries. The club's president, Toni Propadalo, pointed out that Croatia should also be viewed as a market, and not just as a tourist destination. In this context, Croatian diaspora organizations occupy a special place. Tonči Petrić presented the Meeting G2 initiative, which connects Croats in Croatia and the diaspora, while Igor Matić spoke on behalf of ACAP, the Association of Croatian-American Professionals.

The message is clear - business networks of Croatian emigrants can play an important role in finding partners, transferring knowledge, and opening doors for Croatian companies to foreign markets.

Following the panels, participants were able to continue their discussions at the Mini Expo, where the Ministry of Economy, the consulting firm Daluma from Zagreb, Helvetia Insurance, and Mirakul Weine from Zurich presented themselves.

This gave the business meeting a practical dimension – ranging from information on incentives and investment locations to consulting on business operations, insurance, and connecting with Croatian products.

Source: HRT