June the 24th, 2019 - Mate Rimac has uploaded the fourth video in his ''Discover Rimac Today'' series on the Rimac Automobili YouTube channel.

Mate Rimac has opened up the doors of his incredible factory in Sveta Nedjelja near Zagreb for the world to see after a visit from British YouTuber Shmee150, who left the premises following a lengthy guided tour by Mate Rimac himself utterly astonished at what he saw, at the Croatian entrepreneur's knowledge of each and every process that takes place at the factory, and the fact that all of this is happening in Croatia.

By far Croatia's most inspiring success story, Mate Rimac is the definition of self-made. Having been born in Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina, he doesn't hail from a wealthy background, and having been made to deal with the terrible red tape of the Croatian state, which is no friend to any would-be entrepreneur or their ideas, Rimac managed to succeed, and to a level that not even he could have ever expected.

Until recently, what went on at his plant in Sveta Nedjelja was a bit of a mystery. All we knew was that these incredible Croatian supercars which have delighted the world and been proclaimed the fastest electric cars on the planet, were designed and made there.

Following a visit by British car enthusiast Shmee150, who has a large following, the talented entrepreneur decided to take the public behind closed doors and allow us into his truly remarkable world. Rimac's knowledge of each and every intimate detail of the processes behind the creation of this fascinating vehicles is astounding. If you'd like to watch the previous videos in his series, all of which are in English, click here, here, and here. 

Watch the latest video in the popular series here:

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ZAGREB, June 15, 2019 - Liu Changlai, CEO of the Camel Group, a company that together with Rimac Automobili started building a factory for propulsion systems for electric vehicles, on Friday said that the group would in future intensify its cooperation with Rimac and that by the year's end the jointly built company in the city of Xiangyang will have a capacity of producing 150,000 propulsion systems a year.

Liu Changlai confirmed the news of the intensified cooperation to Hina after a meeting in the Zagreb City Assembly where a memorandum of understanding between the cities of Zagreb and Xiangyang was signed. The CEO was part of a senior delegation from that Chinese city on visit to Zagreb. The founder of Rimac Automobili, Mate Rimac, also attended the meeting.

In 2017 the Camel Group invested 30 million euro in Rimac Automobili and last year Camel and Rimac made a joint investment in Xiangyang for the construction of the local factory where propulsion systems will be manufactured for electric vehicles as well as motors and power inverters.

Liu underscored the strong support that Xiangyang city authorities provided during the construction of the factory which amounted to 10 million euro. The Camel Group invested 20 million euro and Rimac Automobili provided 5 million euro.

Camel's CEO underscored that the company is the biggest manufacturer of batteries for electric vehicles in Asia and added that in future it would intensify its investments in Rimac Automobili.

Part of the factory that has a capacity of manufacturing 25,000 propulsion systems a year, has already been completed.

More news about Rimac Automobili can be found in the Business section.

June the 13th, 2019 - Mate Rimac's story is inspirational to say the least, and is far, far beyond the Croatian average when it comes to creating your own company and seeing it flourish beyond your wildest dreams in a relatively short period of time. 

Rimac, an otherwise unassuming man from Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina, is no less than a genius dressed in everyday clothing. Not only is he the founder of Croatia's highly respected Rimac Automobili, the producer of the world's beloved supercars, but he knows the ins and outs of each and every detailed and intricate process involved in their creation, from start to finish. 

Mate Rimac is, without a shred of a doubt, the protagonist of Croatia's most successful entrepreneurial story. Having attracted the attention and direct investment from some absolute giants within the car world and beyond, including the likes of Porsche.

Recently, Mate Rimac and hia facility near Zagreb, where the supercars are made, were visited by British YouTuber Shmee150, who was astonished by not only Mate Rimac's knowledge of all of the processes involved, but with the fact that all of this is taking place in no less than Croatia, a country infamous for its red tape and failed investment stories.

Following the visit from the YouTuber, who Mate Rimac guided around the factory himself, speaking in perfect English, the Croatian entrepreneur decided to embark on his own YouTube series covering life and work within Rimac Automobili in Sveta Nedjelja. So far, he has uploaded three videos in the ''Discover Rimac Today'' series. The first video can be viewed here, and the second here.

In his new video, Mate Rimac takes us behind the scenes of the science behind the hypercar. Watch it here:

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June the 5th, 2019 - Mate Rimac is by far one of Croatia's most astonishing entrepreneurial success stories. While many try and few manage to succeed thanks to the endless amounts of red tape the Croatian state likes to place in the way of any possible chance of success, this innovative Croat is one of the very few who was doggedly determined, and ended up experiencing success nobody could have ever expected, much less himself.

Recently, we wrote two articles on filming at Rimac Automobili near Zagreb, one of which involved a British YouTuber, Shmee150, visiting the home of Croatia's miraculous supercars and leaving amazed by its founder, who guided him personally around the factory speaking in perfect English.

The YouTuber was also clearly taken aback by his intimate knowledge of every detail involved in the production that takes place at Rimac Automobili's plant. The fact that all of this was happening in Croatia also came as an obvious shock to the YouTuber, who was more than grateful to the amazing Mate Rimac for his time.

It seems that this extremely talented Croatian entrepreneur born in Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina, got a bit of a taste for filming at his plant, and created a series on what takes place there. Rimac has since uploaded episode one of ''Discover Rimac Today'' on YouTube, where he uploads videos in a series about all the goings on within his company, showing them to the world, with he himself as the guide.

Rimac's success has been barely comprehensible, especially in the face of the common negativity and range of ''impossibilities'' investors and entrepreneurs often find themselves in here in Croatia. The Croatian state's dark and murky waters are apparently no match for Rimac, and his company has experienced a truly incredible level of growth in the last few years while others stagnate in the face of Croatia's outdated, often unforgiving and draconian policies.

Instead of being bogged down in complaining about the state and drinking coffee all day, Rimac just keeps on going. He has now uploaded the second part of his series. Watch it here:

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While there are many bleak stories about business failures and endless reams of red tape put in place by mindless state officials, there are multiple success stories when it comes to doing business in Croatia. While many are naturally put off by the amount of barriers and time things take to get moving here, there are those who persevere and go on to succeed, Croatia's beloved entrepreneur Mate Rimac is the shining star among them.

Rimac, born in Livno, in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1988, the family eventually moved to Frankfurt, Germany, and then to Samobor, Croatia. Rimac founded a construction company and his very first invention was the iGlove. As time went on, his business mind grew in its curiosity and he eventually founded Rimac Automobili, which brought him success we're sure he could never have previously dreamed of.

Recently, we reported on British YouTuber Shmee150 having taken a tour of Rimac Automobili which was guided by no less than the CEO and founder himself. The processes that go into the creation of Rimac's incredible supercars were revealed, and the YouTuber was left visibly astounted by Rimac's wealth of knowledge about every single part of the process.

But that isn't all. As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 29th of May, 2019, it seems that Croatia's most famous entrepreneur has got a taste for it, and is about to take you further behind the scenes than most journalists have ever ventured. 

"We'll show as much as possible as part of our open (business) culture. For now, our facilities, and soon, much more. Episode 1 of 4 of our factory tour,'' stated Mate Rimac on Facebook.

His company is growing extremely rapidly, and the Rimac team is almost doubled every single year. It currently employs more than 550 people, including experts from around the world.

In the first episode of this four-part branded series, Mate Rimac takes you as the viewer through the tools department and explains the complex process of modern production that is hard to believe happens right here in Croatia, the country which has complaining as its national sport (after football, of course).

He explains how he has transformed his dream into reality, transforming the potential of an electric drive into the most powerful electric hyper-car in the entire world.

Watch the video here:

Make sure to follow our dedicated business and Made in Croatia pages for much more.

Croatian entrepreneur Mate Rimac, born in Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina, is without a doubt one of Croatia's most astounding success stories when it comes to conquering the entrepreneurial and business world.

As Goran Jungvirth/Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 24th of May, 2019, Shmee150 is the personal brand of Britain's Tim Burton, a.k.a. "Shmee", a YouTuber who travels the world seeking out the greatest and most exclusive possible car and car related content.

Croatian entrepreneur Mate Rimac was paid a visit, and the video of that meeting was put on YouTube by Burton on Thursday.

Shmee is known across the ''car spectrum'', from enthusiasts to serial hyper-car buyers, and even by Middle-Eastern sheikhs. He also captures adventures and various car events.

The team shares their personal experiences in the luxury car world through numerous social media networks, especially via a YouTube channel. Using his various experiences, enthusiasm and a very clear way of speaking in his videos, he showcases the world of supercars to his quickly growing audience.

Just twenty hours after the release of the video which features the number one Croatian entrepreneur, Mate Rimac, the video was viewed more than 51,000 times, and continues to be intensively watched by the channel's 1.7 million subscribers, as well as many others who have come to view the video after seeing that the YouTuber had visited Croatia and everyone's favourite Croatian entrepreneur.

In the 51 minute video entitled ''Visiting Rimac'' Burton was personally taken by no less than Mate Rimac himself through the factory, where he and his audience where shown where the legendary C_Two and Concept_One were assembled.

Burton was visibly impressed by what Mate Rimac has managed to create in Croatia, and expressed his gratitude towards the Croatian entrepreneur for his tour of the factory, claiming that it has opened his eyes. Burton also made sure to note how in less than a decatde, Rimac's company has grown to 500 employees and cooperates with prominent manufacturers such as the giants Aston Martin and Porsche.

Burton stated that he couldn't thank Mate Rimac and his team enough for the chance to see where it all happens, adding that he was astonished by Mate Rimac's knowledge of every part of the process that goes into making these incredible cars.

View the video here:

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Click here for the original article by Goran Jungvirth for Poslovni Dnevnik

Employees of the company Rimac Automobili often feed the stray cats who find their way on the business premises - and to prevent welcoming any new kittens to the bunch, they have taken a stand for their sterilization, reports 24 Sata on May 22, 2019. 

Namely,  Rimac Automobili has announced they would finance the sterilization of any cats that come across their premises, presenting a rare example of cooperation. 

Rimac first contacted Katarina Loborec from the Association Prava šapa, which cares for stray cats. Several days ago, the company asked Loborec and the Association to help them with the stray cats that wandered around the factory, which was an estimated five or six at the time. However, there turned out to be at least a dozen. Since stray cats are not accustomed to people, catching them is anything but easy, so the action is not over yet. It will last until all cats display a marking that they have been sterilized.

“Rimac Automobili keeps a well-arranged area around the premises where the employees feed them and try to catch them. However, as they do not come regularly and do not stay long, on the first run, they were only able to catch three or four of the animals. That's why my colleague Mirna Herman goes there often and, as far as I know, two more cats have been caught in the meantime,” says  Loborec.

Loborec adds that the company's employees are actively involved in the process, and, along with Prava šapa, engineer Ivan Murgas installed a camera and a mechanism to close the door in the distance, allowing the cats to be caught even when the volunteers are not nearby.

“I do not know how Rimac Automobili found out about us and decided to call us. This company is not our donor, but we know that they are a donor of Animal Friends and that Mr. Rimac is a vegetarian and an animal lover. It is an example that can truly be commended because it prevents the possibility of several cats in the area over time, and that wild and abandoned and perhaps even diseased animals wander the streets,” says Katarina Loborec

“They might have been able to catch them, but it would be a problem to get them out, transport them, and bring them to the vet, so our experience would be useful in that,” she adds. 

Rimac Automobili was thankful for the interest of the story but did not want to brag about their actions. 

"A few colleagues from the Department who are closest to the feeding station regularly feed the cats and suggested that sterilization should be done, but we do not think that should be particularly emphasized," says Marta Longin, PR for Rimac Automobili. 

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

Veliko Trgovišće is a little place in the continental Croatian county of Krapina-Zagorje. If it wasn't for independent Croatia's very first president Franjo Tuđman having been born there, it would certainly be even less known than it is now, as this unassuming little Zagorje municipality has a mere 5,000 inhabitants and is very rarely talked about in the media.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 15th of May, 2019, RTL Direct went directly to this small municipality to try and see just what it has to offer. They found out that Veliko Trgovišće is no stranger to the production of tablecloths, napkins and linens which travel from Veliko Trgovišće to London restaurants and even to Las Vegas casinos.

Finka has been working there for 37 years and she's one of eighty people working in this village's textile factory, and she states that people in Zagorje will ''never remain hungry'' when discussing what it's like to live in this very rural and little known part of Zagorje.

That same factory moved ten years ago from the Croatian capital of Zagreb, taking part of its workers with it.

"The Trgovišće Factory is the largest garment manufacturer, it exports to 25 countries all over the world, from England and Switzerland, to exotic destinations like Dubai,'' stated Dražen Kolarek, finance manager at the factory.

Mate Rimac and his company, otherwise one of the most successful companies in the whole of Croatia, Rimac Automobili, is also on his way to this little Croatian county, and you can read his entire interview here.

This Croatian municipality has a few successful businesses, unemployment there is at less than an enviable three percent, the first Croatian president was born there, and they also want the status of a city there. That ''city'' status will likely be obtained because, as Veliko Trgovišće's Robert Greblički has already stated, this little Croatian municipality meets all of the necessary prerequisites.

"The first president was born here, we're raising the number of people living here, we're developing entrepreneurship, so I think that we can copy Sveta Nedjela in time," Greblički added.

As soon as this completely unassuming little Croatian municipality gains its city status, it can truly become, as its name suggests: Big (Veliko).

Make sure to stay up to date by following our dedicated business page for much more on Croatian business, Croatian companies and Croatian manufacturing.

Celebrated Croatian entrepreneur Mate Rimac discusses Rimac Automobili's new partnership with Hyundai and Kia Motors, how he plans to give a certain percentage of the company to its employees, revenue, the future, and more.

As Jutarnji list/Gordana Grgas writes on the 14th of May, 2019, after it was announced that the Hyundai and Kia Motors had decided to invest a massive 600 million kuna in capital into Rimac Automobili, Mate Rimac announced in an interview for Jutarnji list that he would give seven percent of the company to his employees, from the cleaners to the directors.

We're bringing you the English translation of that interview here.

Why has Rimac Automobili entered into a partnership with Hyundai?

"We've been in contact with them for a couple of years and have been cooperating with them for a few years. They sent a strong delegation to us and, as soon as they saw the company, as soon as they saw what we were doing, they decided to invest immediately. In October last year they gave us an offer and we entered into negotiations. To have a partnership with such a company is very important for us. When looking at comparisons, they have a revenue of 250 billion euros, which is four times more than the Croatian GDP, and we're also working directly with the administration. Euisun Chung, who was there upon signing the contract, is the executive vice president, the grandson of Hyundai's founder, who's now taking over the firm from his father.

We're quick, small and innovative, we see and create the future and that's very interesting to them, this is hugely important for us because, on the one hand, we've got the Volkswagen Group and Porsche, and then we've got Hyundai and Kia on the other, and we've been so busy with work with these companies that we don't know where we're going!

The best thing is that they're not just buyers of our products but also shareholders, therefore it's in their interest that the company succeeds. They will help us build faster in areas where we may have some weaknesses, for example in industrialisation, in the transition from small-scale to large serial production.

Today, we're dealing with very complex systems for large car manufacturers, power systems, batteries, electronics, etc., we've achieved all that very quickly, but we need strategic partnerships. It's very difficult, especially moving from small to large series. We need money to help the company achieve its goals. We invest a lot, we're constantly expanding our plants, we employ more than 500 people, more than 300 engineers... We're not like the others, we're not wired money from the state but we get our money on the international market, and there's nowhere better to find money than with a company that really understands what you're doing, which is a partner and also a buyer,'' stated Mate Rimac.

What's the ownership structure of Rimac Automobili like now? You said you wouldn't remain the majority owner...

"Now I have .. (looks at his phone) Just a second, I have all of that in a document..."

Do you not know what your share is now? Does that not matter to you?

''Well, that's not important to me. People don't really understand that. I'm killing myself with this job and I'd be the happiest man in the world if there was someone who could run the company better than me, so I could just do what I like doing, the technical part of things. Now I'm the executive and technical director, and now I hold 47.7 percent, the Chinese camel group holds 14 percent, Hyundai has 11 percent, Porsche has 10 percent, Kia has 2.7 percent, and the remaining shares belong to the investors from 2012 and 2013.''

Are the employees among the co-owners?

"No, but we're working on that now, all of the employees will get a share, up until now, the ESOP was not worth it for them because of the tax. They'll probably get seven percent, from the cleaners to the directors, but not everyone will get the same share.''

How much is Rimac Automobili worth now?

"More than 500 million euros."

Why did not you not get to capital through an IPO, on the stock market?

''A lot of technology companies are now doing IPOs and they're actually losing money, they still have no stable and profitable business. Let's say Lyft, Uber or Snapchat... I don't want that. I want to make an IPO when the company's numbers are at that level. The company's potential is huge, and we have now used a piece of it and it's a shame to go out out onto the stock market with this company's situation. In 3-4-5 years, it will be at a completely different level. Besides, we have good access to capital outside of the stock market, we've got that luxury.''

How much was Rimac Automobili's income last year?

''I wouldn't go into income, there are no final reports yet. That's not our focus either, but a long-term trend. Here's an example - the car that we're developing for Hyundai now goes into serial production in 2023 only. Those are the cycles of our projects and to us, as well as to our shareholders, it's really neither here nor there what the financial outcome will be for this year or for next year, we're building a long-term story.''

Are you making a profit or are you still in the minus?

''We were still in the minus last year because we invested a lot. It's important to note that this minus comes from shareholder money, and everyone agrees that it's the company's plan.''

What will you specifically use this 600 million kuna for?

''For many things. This is part of our C investment round, and we'll still have investors in this round for another 70 million euros, but we don't know who that will be for now, but they will probably be financial investors. One of the things we will invest in is building our campus, our development and research centre and our factory, and another company expansion, employing a lot of people and equipping the company. For the transition to serial production, it's necessary to equip our production plants, test our products, develop them right up to the end, certify them... It's a big thing.''

Where will the new campus be? And what will be there?

''We're planning a campus for 2000 people because we want to have a longer-term solution. The headquarters of the company will also be there, as well as the development and research centre, production, testing, there'll be a hotel for guests and employees coming from elsewhere, kindergartens for employees' kids, restaurants, food production, hairdressers, sports facilities... I want it all to be integrated there.''

Where will this be located and when will you embark on construction?

''Near Zagreb. The location hasn't yet been agreed, we're look at a few of them, we're negotiating. Construction should start early next year.''

I guess the campus will be a little special in the aesthetic sense.

''Nine international and several Croatian architectural studies are currently working on suggestions for conceptual solutions for the campus. Among them was Lord Foster (British architect Norman Foster), we had a meeting the other day. He worked on Apple's campus and many other world-famous buildings. Everyone is so excited about this project and offering some great suggestions. They tell me that there's no such thing anywhere else, the combination I want - the campus being open to the public, the care for the employees and the connection with nature.''

The serial production of your C-Two has been announced for next year. Where are you going to do this?

''We got a hall in Veliko Trgovišće (Krapina-Zagorje County). The C-Two prototypes are still being done in Sveta Nedelja, and when we finish them, we'll move the manufacturing of the prototypes to Veliko Trgovišće. We already produce the batteries and the power systems there because we're out of space here. We're now there in five buildings and we were looking for something a bit closer to Sveta Nedelja, but there was just nothing there. Since there is no industry in Croatia, there's not much out there to rent. So now we're in Veliko Trgovišće, and we have centres in Split and in Osijek.''

Why did you open them there, so scattered apart?

''We grew so quickly over the last year. We now have fifteen engineers in Split, and about ten in Osijek, ane they're now our competence centres - in Split, we do our own automotive software development tool operation, and we deal with our high voltage chargers in Osijek.''

The prime minister has never been in your facility?

''No, never. To make it clearer, I don't ask for anything from the government. All I do is to urge the government to do the right thing to bring the car industry to Croatia. I have proved that it's possible.''

Make sure to follow our dedicated business and Made in Croatia pages for more information on Mate Rimac, Rimac Automobili, entrepreneurship, manufacturing, production and business in Croatia and much, much more.

Click here for the original interview/article by Gordana Grgas for Jutarnji list

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors Corporation, part of Hyundai Motor Group, have invested 600 million (80 million euro) in Rimac Automobili. Hyundai Motor has invested 474 million kuna (64 million euros) and Kia Motors 126 million kuna (16 million euro). The first joint project will be cooperation on the development of two high-performance electric vehicles, reports Index.hr on May 14, 2019.

This is excellent news for Rimac Automobili, but also Croatia, as the company from Sveta Nedjelja should help the South Korean automobile giant in the transition to the so-called clean mobility. Hyundai Motors wants to speed up its transition to clean mobility and position itself as a global leader in launching the industry change. One of the key measures to achieve this is the electrification that the Hyundai Motor Group hopes will help produce 44 electrified models planned by 2025.

Rimac has established themselves as a leader in high-performance electric vehicle technology and as an electric sports car manufacturer. The company delivers EV technology supporting many industry partners, including Hyundai Motor Group, to accelerate their way towards an electric future, Rimac Automobili announced in a press statement.

Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors and Rimac will work closely together to develop an electric version of Hyundai Motor’s N brand sports car and a high-performance fuel cell electric vehicle. “Rimac is an innovative company with extraordinary capabilities in high-performance electric vehicles,” said Euisun Chung, vice president of Hyundai Motor Group. “Their start-up roots and rich experience in cooperation with car manufacturers combined with technological strength make them an ideal partner for us. We look forward to working with them on our path to clean mobility. “

Founder and CEO of Rimac Automobili Mate Rimac said: “We are very impressed with the vision of the Hyundai Motor Group and with quick and decisive initiatives, and we believe that this technology partnership will create maximum value for both companies and customers. Rimac is still young and relatively small, but we are a fast-paced company. We believe that this cooperation will strengthen Rimac’s position as a supplier of technology for industrial partners. “

According to the company's website, Rimac Automobili was founded in 2009 by Mate Rimac. Today, Rimac develops and manufactures critical electrification systems for many global automotive companies, and at the same time, raises the bar for performance EVs with their electric hypercars. The company employs more than 500 people with plans for strong future growth. Rimac is planning new high-volume production lines for battery packs, powertrain systems and the C_Two hypercar production starting in 2020.

More Rimac Automobili news can be found in the Business section.

Translated from Index.hr.