March 18, 2023 - An evening of huge positivity at Lauba in Zagreb on Thursday, as Vjekoslav Majetic, CEO of DOK-ING, wins the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Croatia. 

About 5 years ago, soon after we moved to Varazdin, I got a phone call from Nenad Bakic, the serial entrepreneur who at the time was trying to resurrect the fortunes of the Varteks clothing company in the city. We met for a coffee, and after paying some very generous compliments about TCN, he asked how he could help with advice to grow my business. It was a very stimulating chat, and I appreciated all he suggested. He is a much smarter man than me. 

"And I want to show you a snapshot of Croatia that you have not seen, and one you will like and that will inspire you," he concluded. "I will arrange for you to come to the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award in Lauba in Zagreb. "There you will see the future of Croatia, a room full of positivity, of entrepreneurs working for a better Croatia."

And so it was that I entered a room filled with 300 of the most successful people in Croatia, coming together for a gala dinner to celebrate the best of their own. That year, some chap called Mate Rimac won the award for Entrepreneur of the Year. The year after, Infobip. And soon after they became the first two Croatian unicorns. 

EY kindly invited me again this year for an outstanding event, as well as two other foreign entrepreneurs (both way more successful than me) - Polish EU funds specialist Natalia Zielinska from Ogulin, and some Dutch wannabe tomato grower from Split, Jan de Jong. 

As he does on occasions like these, young Rimac came over to greet in his words 'my favourite fat Brit' before telling me that not only has he ordered our book, Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners but that he sleeps next to it but has not had time to read it. Which prompted Ms. Zielenska to come up with the above quip, which tickled Mate enough to share it. 

But the night belonged to Vjekoslac Matejic, the pioneering CEO of DOK-ING. Rather than reinvent the wheel, here are more details in the press release below. Many thanks to Bero Horvat and all the EY team for such as exceptional event once again. Hope for Hrvatska 2.0. Below, the moment Vjekoslav Matejic was pronounced the winner. 

Zagreb, March 17th, 2023. – Innovator, founder and owner of the DOK-ING company, Vjekoslav Majetić, won the prestigious EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2022 award last night in Zagreb.

EY Entrepreneur of the Year celebrates unstoppable and daring visionaries whose success inspires others, creates new jobs, drives progress and redefines the way we live and work. DOK-ING, headed by the owner Majetić, has been saving human lives in dangerous environments around the world for more than 31 years with its innovations and new technologies. The company is present in 40 countries around the world and is a pioneer in the production of robotic and autonomous systems and equipment for special purposes. Vjekoslav Majetić, with a strong vision and indescribable will, designed and innovated the world’s most famous demining machine, which today dominates with 80% of the global market share.

Vjekoslav Majetić, innovator, owner and founder of the DOK-ING company, when receiving the prestigious awards said:

“It’s hard to get to the top, and believe me, it’s even harder to stay. I thank everyone who understands that we are part of the world scene, and that we are not just part of Croatia. Thank you to those who share with us the opinion that we must live in a more beautiful, safer and better world.”

In the company production hall, the so-called labyrinth of innovations and ideas, which is located in Zagreb’s Žitnjak, has produced numerous remotely controlled machines, some of which are electric, and behind which is a team of top engineers. In more than 30 years of business, the company has been recognized for changing the industrial landscape with an innovative approach and has won more than a hundred international awards in the fields of business, innovation and technology. The company’s agility has also been proven in numerous collaborations with business partners whose needs and wishes the company has responded to with tailor-made products. In the last few years, DOK-ING has launched an internal technological start-up that is working on the development of a new waste disposal facility in a very environmentally friendly way. At the same time, it is also economically profitable, considering the products it generates, which can be further used.

You can visit the DOK-ING website here.

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March the 7th, 2023 - The Croatian DOK-ING continues to impress across the board, and the latest event they've performed excellently at is the German Enforce Tac fair.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Croatian DOK-ING company reported last week that it has premiered its multi-functional machine, called the MV-3 Hystrix, intended for special, intervention, anti-explosion and anti-terrorist units of the police and military at the German Enforce Tac fair, which it believes will attract great interest.

According to the Croatian DOK-ING company customer manager Dina Isasegi, they came to that fair, which was held in Nuremberg from February the 28th to March the 1st, to present their newest robotic system to the ever-demanding global market.

"The MV-3 system is unique in the global sense and was created to bridge the identified gap in capabilities observed when performing counter-terrorist tasks of special forces. It is used in the tasks of combating terrorism and resolving high-risk crisis situations such as terrorist attacks, hostage crises, and the like," he said.

The Croatian DOK-ING company's impressive innovative system is primarily intended for solving crisis situations in closed spaces - such as in shopping centres, airports, concert and sports halls, he added.

According to Alenko Ribic, the former assistant for operational tasks of the Croatian Interior Ministry's special units, and who is now an external associate of DOK-ING, the MV-3 gives the tactical team the ability to use the system with or without the involvement of a physical team, which enables flexibility and a modular approach without the need to risk exposing special tactical teams to immediate danger.

If the machine goes out into a particularly risky area without a tactical team, it boasts the possibility to carry out research and reconnaissance with an advanced video system of 9 cameras and 2 LCD monitors. In addition to that, it can remove dangerous obstacles thanks to its additional tools, and it also has detectors for certain gases (for example, butane, propane, etc.).

The machine can carry another 700 kilograms of additional specialist equipment, such as formation protective ballistic shields, weapons and ammunition, ladders and more, according to the Croatian DOK-ING company's announcement.

Otherwise, DOK-ING produces robotic and autonomous systems and equipment for special purposes and has more than 80 percent market share in more than 40 countries around the world.

For more, check out our dedicated business section.

February the 20th, 2023 - The Croatian company DOK-ING has sent two robots to Ukraine's aid, seeing them handed over to the representatives of the Ukrainian State Administration for Emergency Sisutations by Marijo Grgurinovic, DOK-ING's main man.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the handover of two out of a total of eight robotic systems designed for humanitarian demining to war-torn Ukraine took place at the headquarters of the Croatian company DOK-ING company a few days ago. The president of the DOK-ING Management Board, Marijo Grgurinovic, personally partook in the exchange.

As explained in the company's press release, the robots were donated by an American donor, and senior representatives of the Directorate of Civil Protection and the Centre for Testing, Development and Training (CTRO) also took part in the handover to Ukrainian officials.

Neven Karas, coordinator for civil protection affairs of the Directorate of Civil Protection, pointed out that, unfortunately, the Republic of Croatia has had to endure a similar experience as what Ukraine is currently going through, but thanks to it, the country gained rich experience in mine action.

"As Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic pointed out at the last meeting with President Zelenski, an agreement on cooperation in the field of mine action between Ukraine and Croatia will be concluded, and one of the most important segments of this cooperation and assistance is precisely the delivery of our equipment and machines for humanitarian action. We've repeatedly pointed out that we have rich experience, we have knowledge and we have all of the proper resources,'' added Karas.

Marijo Grgurinovic stated that he is glad that the Croatian company DOK-ING has had trust placed in it and has once again been recognised as the world leader in demining robots, where it holds 80% of the global market.

"DOK-ING has sold its machines in about 40 countries around the world, and while we have world fame and attention, we're glad when we're visited in Zitnjak, where the very development and production of our robots takes place, where you can essentially see and feel the lifeblood of our innovation laboratory, and which is backed by top engineering experts", said Grgurinovic.

Alina Kozlova, a representative of SESU Ukraine, added that these robotic machines really do work to save human lives thanks to their remote controls and many multi-functionalities.

As a reminder, the Croatian company DOK-ING's robotic systems are used all over the world by armies, civil protection units, members of police forces, commercial operators and international non-governmental organisations in all kinds of demining operations.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated news section.

February the 14th, 2023 - The Croatian DOK-ING company more than succeeded in attracting significant attention at the recently held Combat Engineering conference in the Polish city of Warsaw, marking yet another important move for the company.

Croatian companies are being thrust into the limelight across Europe and indeed the rest of the world, for the Croatian DOK-ING company, a recent event in Warsaw is likely to pay off.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the recently Combat Engineer conference in the Polish city of Warsaw managed to successfully gather together an impressive number of niche experts (800 of them in total), in both the industrial and military fields. They then had the opportunity to network, discuss, learn and shape the future of military engineering, and the very successful Croatian DOK-ING company saw it as an excellent opportunity to present its winning innovations.

The focus was primarily placed on advances in technology development and service-based solutions, as well as on understanding future threats and their various solutions.

Dino Isasegi, the sales manager of the Croatian DOK-ING company, gave a presentation on how robotics can improve solutions for the advanced implementation of the above.

After the presentation, military experts showed great interest in the Croatian DOK-ING company's set of impressive products and their experience in post-conflict zones, which proved that their MV-10 machines are an excellent solution for anti-tank mines.

With the war still raging in Ukraine following the shock Russian invasion this time last year, more and more in the military field are looking at the Republic of Croatia as an expert in dealing with post-conflict situations as it has had the unfortunate experience of war itself a mere thirty years ago. While the geopolitical situation is dire, current events are likely to prove important for numerous domestic companies.

For more on Croatian companies, entrepreneurs and innovation, make sure to check out our dedicated business section.

March the 12th, 2022 - The Croatian Dok-ing company has well and truly impressed the Saudis with its recent appearance at the World Defense Show in Riyadh, during which it presented one of its most innovative creations - Komodo.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Lucija Spiljak writes, the Croatian Dok-ing company has now ended its appearance at the World Defense Show which was being held in the City of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Whilst there, it presented Komodo, a multi-purpose robotic modular system for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) hazards, which garnered a lot of curiosity and interest from the Saudi Army, Navy and National Guard.

As has previously been written about, other versions of the Croatian Dok-ing's Komodo should include the field of military engineering, logistics, electronic warfare and support for combat operations.

As such, the Croatian-made Komodo can become a very effective combat tool, a tank in fact, which can be very reliably and safely controlled remotely. The vehicle weighs a massive 12.5 tonnes, and various modules weighing up to 10 additional tonnes can be mounted onto it.

This impressive Croatian Dok-ing company machine can operate in conditions where internal combustion engines cannot operate because it has a hybrid drive. The individual cost of the system could stand at a whopping 5-10 million US dollars, depending on customer requirements and any desired additional upgrades.

The project is still in its prototype phase, and the first commercial copies should be delivered to customers in the year 2024.

Dok-ing is an entirely Croatian company, but in addition to this country, three other European Union (EU) member states are participating in an EU co-financed project - Austria, Slovenia and Hungary - and it is as such assumed that Komodo will find its place in civil protection and military units out there on the ever-demanding global market.

For more, make sure to check out Made in Croatia.

ZAGREB, 2 Oct, 2021 - The innovative remote-controlled robotic system Komodo, which works in extreme nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological conditions, was premiered at the 2021 Adriatic Sea Defense & Aerospace Exhibition and Conference (ASDA) in Split from 29 September to 1 October.

The Komodo is a product of Croatian intelligence and we are ready to make about 60 units a year, Gordan Pešić, business development manager at DOK-ING, the company which manufactured the robotic system, told Hina on Saturday, adding that the Komodo attracted the attention of domestic and foreign military experts at ASDA.

He said the Komodo was designed to assist in various natural and technical disasters and threats, including terrorism, by removing all obstacles which hindered rescuers in their actions.

The Komodo can also remove unexploded explosive devises and decontaminate buildings as well as personnel, he added.

This product has been chosen as a partner in the European Defence Agency's Permanent Structured Cooperation initiative, Pešić said.

The manufacture of this unique remote-controlled robotic system cost HRK 18 million and was co-financed by the European Structural and Investment Fund, he added.

Pešić said DOK-ING, which makes special demining vehicles, cooperated with the Defence Ministry, including in absorbing money from the European Defence Fund.

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September the 28th, 2021 - The well known Croatian company DOK-ING has signed a letter of intent to form a Croatian-Slovenian consortium of companies in the field of security and defense with the Croatian companies Orqa and Defensphere and the Slovenian companies MIL Sistemika and Bijol.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Darko Bicak writes, an agreement was also signed between the Croatian and Slovenian defense industry competitiveness clusters with the aim of providing support to the defense industry sector of the two neighbouring countries in the use of available EU funds. The signing was held as part of the eighth International Fair of Defense, Security, Protection and Rescue SOBRA, which took place from the 23rd to the 25th of September, 2021, in the Slovenian town of Gornja Radgona.

The new Croatian-Slovenian consortium, composed of members of the competitiveness cluster of the defense industry of the two countries, opens the possibility of joint application to the future European Defense Fund and the use of European Union funds made available in the field of defense. The association of cluster members is also a consequence of the long-term promotion of connecting companies that, through the transfer of knowledge and joint action, work to strengthen their own capabilities for the development of high-tech products and positioning on the highly demanding international market.

"DOK-ING has been present in the defense industry worldwide for thirty years now, and it's always looking for new and innovative solutions that can improve its existing product portfolio and develop completely new products for the global market. We're extremely pleased that as an international leader in the market of robotic systems for special purposes, we've signed a letter of intent for cooperation on the eve of the upcoming European Defense Fund with the companies Orqa, MIL Sistemika, Bijol and Defensphere.

By connecting these companies, transferring knowledge and new technologies, as well as exchanging business experiences on foreign markets, opportunities open up for the development of advanced innovative systems that can be financed from European Union funds. This is our opportunity to translate our common knowledge and potential into products that will be imposed as systems of the future of the defense industry, and which will be competitive worldwide,'' said Ana Pesic, a member of the board of Croatia's DOK-ING.

“Orqa d.o.o. is an international market leader in the field of research and the development of video glasses and systems for remote-controlled and unmanned platforms. The European Defense Fund is an excellent opportunity to finance projects that combine the knowledge, experience and capacity of companies from our consortium into globally competitive products. The key to the resilience and growth of the Croatian defense industry is in the direct support of the competent state administration bodies to projects that have great added value and high-tech elements. I believe that the coming period, supported by the European Defense Fund, will be a new impetus for the development of the defense industry sector,'' said Tomislav Krolo, Chief Operating Officer (COO), at Orqa d.o.o.

DOK-ING is otherwise a well known and respected Croatian company based in Zagreb which boasts offices in the USA and South Africa. It is an international market leader in the design, production and delivery of high quality and proven robot systems for special purposes to customers from around the world.

For more, follow our business section.

July the 1st, 2021 - The Croatian Dok-Ing company has presented the world's very first robotic system for both military and civilian use, putting Croatia on the map when it comes to robotics and other innovative technologies once again.

Robotics might not be among the first things one would associate Croatia with, but the country has come on leaps and bounds in this regard over recent years, with robotics even entering the school system in some areas. This has allowed Croatian children to have the opportunity to learn about the skills likely needed for the future as technology changes rapidly and on a global scale.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Darko Bicak writes, the Croatian Dok-Ing company, which has been a global leader in the production of autonomous vehicles for demining, mining and firefighting for three decades now, recently presented its new project - Komodo.

As Vjekoslav Majetic, the founder of the Croatian Dok-Ing company pointed out, Komodo is the synthesis of all previous knowledge and technology of this company in one single product.

Komodo is a ''tank'' that can be used in all kinds of extreme conditions, whether they be war conditions or civilian ones, anywhere where it has become too dangerous for people to be present unless absolutely necessary. The Croatian Dok-ing's new robot is modular and can be adapted to various missions, from extinguishing fires in a chemical or nuclear environment through to sampling and analysis, to weapons and combat operations as a classic combat vehicle or tank.

Komodo, which has a hybrid diesel-electric drive, should be in series production by the year 2023. The price will stand at an eye-watering 5-10 million euros, depending on the equipment and orders, and Majetic says that they could deliver about 100 of these impressive Croatian machines a year.

For more on Croatian innovation and the companies behind it, make sure to follow Made in Croatia.

March the 17th, 2021 - The Zagreb Dok-Ing company has expanded its production to as far away as China, and as such is expecting growth of above ten percent despite the ongoing economic woes plaguing the world.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Suzana Varosanec writes, along with here at home in Europe and in the Middle East, the increasingly pronounced market for the strategic expansion of the Zagreb Dok-Ing company´s business is the vast continent of Asia. They have recently been present in South Korea, and it seems that they will soon enter the demanding Chinese market.

If the plans to expand into the Chinese market do end up materialising for this Croatian company, as an enormous challenge due to high demand, where the 'law' of large numbers reigns and where the economy is very much protected from the arrival of foreign investors, the upcoming period for this company owned by Vjekoslav Majetic will bring business growth with estimates of at least ten percent.

A preliminary agreement regarding the launch of demining robot production there for the Chinese Government and the Chinese Army can be said to have been reached, so the determinants of potential activities in China through the establishment of a joint venture with a Chinese partner are now known.

However, in order to establish cooperation and joint venture investment, a little more time is needed. A concrete outcome in the form of a contract can be expected most likely by the summer. As things stand after six months of negotiations, the current phase still seems to presuppose the conclusion of all of the the final details.

the Zagreb Dok-Ing company owner, noting that the time is not yet ready for any deeper comments, stated that the head of business development and sales of Dok-ing, Gordan Pesic, travelled to China this week.

Unlike Dok-ing's export placement, which is a world leader in demining robot production with a very impressive share of over 50 percent, the model concerning China assumes a joint investment in a factory with a Chinese state-owned company in the production of cranes and industrial machinery.

This requires the legal definition of positions in the field of intellectual property rights. The total investment stands at approximately 100 million kuna in shares, with investments in the form of business premises of a Chinese partner and the rights of a Croatian company in the field of intellectual property and consulting services.

For more, follow our business section.

February the 23rd, 2021 - There has been a lot of advancement when it comes to Croatian robotic systems and Croatian-made robots in general, with progress constantly being made and the eye on Croatia looking ever more strongly at what is being designed and produced.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Suzana Varosanec writes, Dok-ing, a well known and now leading Croatian company in the field of the development and production of remote-controlled systems for humanitarian demining, underground mining and other types of crisis management, has delivered a unique command and communication centre with a multifunctional Croatian robotic system for crisis situations to the Ministry of the Interior (MUP).

This Croatian robotic system is already being used by the State Intervention Unit of Civil Protection Zagreb, and this is otherwise the first of three Dok-ing deliveries to the Ministry of the Interior, part of the project of the modernisation of the country's fire fighting capabilities, an undertaking worth a massive 218 million kuna. The aforementioned Dok-ing deliveries are scheduled for the months of April and August for the south and east of the country.

Once all three systems are completed, the Republic of Croatia will be able to meet its obligations under the European Union's Civil Protection System through assistance in the event of major disasters and disasters with nuclear, chemical and biological threats.

This Croatian robotic system has already proven its strength and overall capability during its involvements following various accidents in Russia and in several countries across Asia and Europe, and its delivery to two nearby countries, Austria and Montenegro, for their respective needs as nations, is now being thoroughly prepared.

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