Ivan Stefanic

EIC Programme Manager Novel Food European Innovation Council & SMEs Executive Agency

Ivan Stefanic is a business development and technology transfer specialist with more than 30 years of international experience in research and business. Since 2013 he is EU IP Helpdesk Ambassador.

Ivan is the founding and executive director of TERA TEHNOPOLIS Ltd. established in 2002 – very efficient and well-reputed ‘one-stop for technology-based entrepreneurs in the region. Besides the strategic EU initiatives: EEN, Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs, and EIT Food – TERA promotes the entrepreneurial spirit and European values.

Ivan’s signature program – Be the Role ModelTM was the 2017 National winner in European Entrepreneurship Promotion Award in the category: “Promoting the Entrepreneurial spirit“ and in 2018 in the category: “Investing in Entrepreneurial skills“. In 2021 – Be the Role ModelTM received outstanding recognition – becoming the best practice @ EU Knowledge Valorisation Platform.

Ivan is also a Full Professor at the Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek in the field of economics and entrepreneurship in agribusiness, and a Leader of the Research Group Agriculture and Resource Economics and Entrepreneurship. He obtained B.Sc. and M.Sc. at the University of Osijek and Pd.D. at the University of Zagreb. Ivan was a visiting scientist at Universität für Bodenkultur, Wien; North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, and the University of Reading, the UK.

He is passionate about gamification of learning experiences, mentoring students and young entrepreneurs, and enterprising university.

Seminars

Wednesday 22nd October 2025
An Overview of the European Innovation Council’s Funding Opportunities to Advance Fermentation-Derived Ingredients
5:00 pm
Tuesday 21st October 2025
An Introduction to the European Innovation Council’s Portfolio & Industry Pathways
4:15 pm
  • Overviewing the portfolio
  • Discussing the benefits of being a beneficiary or portfolio company to support commercialisation and market access
  • Reviewing the sector trajectory and opportunities available
Ivan Stefanic