How Mentorship Can Help You Identify Opportunities for Success
Startups that test their products in the market early, engage with customers and clients, and leverage the support of experienced experts are more likely to successfully commercialize their innovations and achieve sustainable growth, it was highlighted at the first StarTech Alumni event of the mentorship program, dedicated to market access and expansion into different markets.
The event brought together members of the StarTech alumni community, mentors, startup experts, and founders to discuss the importance of mentorship in preparing startups for market entry and to exchange experiences.
A special perspective was provided by international expert Aron Starosta, who shared insights from his decades-long experience on the challenges of building innovative companies, expanding into international markets, and attracting investment.
“No one learns from success. We only grow when we make mistakes, face challenges, and find ways to overcome them. That is why startups should not be afraid of mistakes and failures, but rather view them as an integral part of the learning and growth process. Every challenge is an opportunity to become better, more resilient, and more prepared for the next step,” Starosta concluded.
“The exchange of knowledge, experience, and contacts has proven to be crucial for a company’s next stage of development. That is why we want to continue building and expanding the community of startups and mentors,” said Dušan Vasiljević, Director for Competitiveness and Investments at NALED.
StarTech Program Consultant and panel moderator Jasmina Debeljak reminded participants that, in addition to financial support, beneficiaries of the latest StarTech funding cycle were also given the opportunity to work with mentors on improving their business models, go-to-market strategies, and product commercialization efforts.
“We wanted to bring mentors and founders together to exchange experiences, discuss challenges, and jointly improve the program. Regardless of their stage of development, all startups face the question of how to acquire their first users and customers, and this is precisely where the support of experienced experts can make the greatest difference,” Debeljak stated.
The panel discussion “The Importance of Mentorship in Preparing Startups for Market Access” featured Dušan Obradović, CEO of the SEE UP accelerator, business angel and mentor Dane Atanasković, Dr. Nikola Banduka, Founder of Digital Leather, and Sreten Komlenović, Director of DIRATECH.
According to Startup Scanner data, more than 72% of startups plan to seek investment this year, while 36.7% still generate no revenue. Commenting on these findings, the panelists noted that founders demonstrate strong ambitions for growth and fundraising, but many continue to face challenges in commercializing their products and securing their first customers.
“The most important thing is for startups to enter the market as early as possible and listen closely to their customers and users in order to improve their products. A mentor can help founders identify opportunities, challenges, and development paths with the highest potential for success much more quickly,” said Obradović.
Dane Atanasković emphasized that understanding customer needs and the sales process is essential for the development of innovative companies.
“It is important to validate as early as possible whether the product solves a real problem and whether there is someone willing to pay for it. Understanding users and the market is just as important as the technology itself,” Atanasković added.
Nikola Banduka shared the experience of Digital Leather, which, with the support of mentors, expanded its focus from the automotive industry to a broader range of manufacturing sectors, opening up new opportunities for commercialization.
“During our work with a mentor, we received confirmation of market signals we had already begun to notice. This helped us redefine our development strategy and significantly broaden the market we serve,” Banduka explained.
Sreten Komlenović of DIRATECH highlighted that the mentorship program contributed to clearer company positioning and the definition of a stronger business model.
“We had different ideas about how to develop our startup, but working with a mentor helped us define more precisely the model with the greatest potential for growth and scalability,” Komlenović said.
