Entrepreneurship

**Women’s sports** are no longer a niche — they are one of the **fastest-growing and most exciting areas of the global sports industry**. *The Power of Women’s Sports* brings together **industry leaders** to explore what’s driving this **growth**, where the real **opportunities** lie, and what’s needed to sustain long-term **momentum**. This panel is for anyone working in **sports, media, data, business, partnerships, or technology** — and for everyone who believes women’s sports deserve **equal attention, investment, and ambition**. \*\*\* ** What We'll Discuss:** * The growth and professionalization of women’s sports * Attendance, investment, and commercial interest * Fan engagement and media demand * Why sustained investment matters * How data, organizations, and platforms can support long-term momentum ** Meet our Panelists:** * **Louise Beltrame-Bawden**, Director of Women's Sport Strategy, **Stats Perform (Opta)** * **Gustavo Arellano**, Head of Commercial Development, **FIBA** * **Marta Bihar**, Head of Business Development, **Sofascore** * **Moderator: Damjan Rudež,** Senior Advisor for Global Partnerships, **Sofascore** & Director of the **Sunset Sports Festival** Beyond the numbers, the message is clear: **women’s sports are a growing force in the global sports business**. For the first time in Croatia, we’re bringing industry leaders together to explore what comes next. ** When: Thursday, February 26, 6 PM** ** Where: Sofascore, Vrbani 4, Zagreb** ** [REGISTER HERE TO ATTEND THE EVENT](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeXl-KbaAuVt4d-xEBF970w5By6h_oZl0zCOlrzPxp33Jn67g/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=106376026473209544294) ** **AGENDA** **5:45 - 6:00 PM** \- Arrival **6:00 - 7:00 PM** \- Panel **7:00 - 7:15 PM** \- Q&A **7:15 - 8:30 PM** \- Networking \*\*\* **More about our panelists:** **[Louise Beltrame-Bawden](https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-beltrame-bawden-06190530/), Director of Women's Sport Strategy, Stats Perform (Opta)** Louise is the Director of Women’s Sports Strategy at Stats Perform, where she leads the company’s global efforts to accelerate the growth, visibility, and commercial value of women’s sport through data, AI, and storytelling. With a background in sports journalism and international content leadership, Louise brings a media-first perspective to the data revolution reshaping sport. She has worked closely with leagues, federations, broadcasters, and digital platforms to deliver live coverage at scale, giving her firsthand insight into how data quality influences coverage, fan engagement, and commercial opportunity. Louise now focuses on building go-to-market frameworks and partnership strategies that help the industry unlock long-term commercial growth in women’s sport. **[Gustavo Arellano](https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustavo-arellano-jorge/), Head of Commercial Development, The International Basketball Federation (FIBA)** Gustavo combines a background in engineering, business, and sports management with more than 20 years of international commercial experience. At FIBA, he built the federation’s market intelligence function, supported the rollout of a new global competition system, and shaped the multi-event sponsorship strategy for major tournaments. Today, he leads strategic initiatives across the FIBA ecosystem, with a strong focus on the commercialization of media rights and digital assets, esports, licensing, sponsorship, digital transformation, and the FIBA Academy. Beyond his executive role, Gustavo contributes as a guest lecturer in leading sports management programmes and is co-founder of a Lausanne-based sports think tank. **[Marta Bihar](https://www.linkedin.com/in/martacuculic/), Head of Business Development, Sofascore** Marta is Head of Business Development at Sofascore, with a strong background in sales and business development. Over the past few years, she has established herself as a driven leader, bringing innovative ideas and a clear strategic vision to the team. Marta has played a key role in the development of Torneo, contributing to the digitalization and democratization of sport, while actively pushing for greater visibility and equality of women’s sports within the Sofascore app. **[Damjan Rudež](https://www.linkedin.com/in/damjan-rude%C5%BE-b1456b235/), Senior Advisor for Global Partnerships, Sofascore** Damjan is a former professional basketball player with a rich international career spanning 13 teams across seven countries, including NBA stints with the Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Orlando Magic. He represented Croatia at major international competitions such as the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the 2015 FIBA World Cup. After retiring from professional sport, he moved into sports business and media. He is the Director of the Sunset Sports Festival and Senior Advisor for Global Partnerships at Sofascore.

**Offer one. Choose one - exchange of practical competence** At [SFIZ.FUN](https://sites.google.com/view/smallfridayinternationalzagreb/) we regularly exchange languages, cultures and perspectives. This time, we’re swapping something just as valuable: skills. For one hour, we’ll host a small Discovery Table inside the regular meetup. Each person brings: • One skill they’re happy to share • One skill they’d genuinely like to learn That’s it. No pitching. No awkward self-promotion. Just reciprocity, curiosity and mutual growth. **Why?** Because every room is full of hidden competence. Someone knows the thing you’ve been trying to figure out. You probably know something they’ve been looking for. This is about making that visible and letting connections form naturally afterwards, on your own terms. **How it flows** 60 minutes Focused gathering Short intro round Organic matching The rest of [SFIZ.FUN](https://sites.google.com/view/smallfridayinternationalzagreb/) continues around us, relaxed, social, international as always. Think of it as a tiny modern salon inside [The Beertija](https://beertija.com/). Community over competition. Reciprocity over hierarchy. Skills circulating, not just business cards. Curious? Take a seat. Let’s ditch the screen, grab a drink, and meet the world! See you soon, **SFIZ.FUN Crew** P.S. Spread the word https://sites.google.com/view/smallfridayinternationalzagreb **How to Spot Us** New here? Best trick is to swing by right at the start, that’s when it’s easiest to find the crew and jump straight in, or ask the bar staff about the event ✨ Need quick updates or can’t see us straight away? No worries, our [WhatsApp group](https://sites.google.com/view/smallfridayinternationalzagreb/faq/sfiz-whatsapp-guide-keeping-it-fun-and-respectful) is where you can ask quick questions. #ZagrebGlobalMingle

Hello everyone! We're excited to invite you to our next meetup! This month, we'll be gathering at **Infinum**, where we have two engaging talks lined up, followed by some refreshments and time to connect. A big thank you to **Infinum** for hosting and sponsoring the event - we appreciate the support and the opportunity to bring the community together. Join us on **Thursday, 26th February at 6:00 PM**, at **Infinum offices, Strojarska 22**. \*\*\* **What 80+ AI transcripts taught us about how developers actually work with AI** by Ariel Buchwald-Kearney You asked for a toast component. The agent built a notification framework with debouncing, keyboard shortcuts, and suggestion popovers. You asked it to fix a bug. It guessed, applied the fix, and moved on without checking. Sound familiar? We ran workshops where developers built real features with coding agents, then analysed over 80 transcripts to find out what's actually going wrong, and what those who get good results do differently. This talk covers what we found, with concrete examples you can try in your next session. **Controlled Chaos: How vibe coding wins in production** by Boris Martinović Vibe coding gets a bad rap. Half the dev world swears by it and the other half thinks you're seconds away from doomsday. However, here's what nobody talks about: the best code in production often comes from a place of flow, not formality. This talk challenges the myth that vibe coding is reckless by exploring what "controlled chaos" actually means, and when it thrives in professional environments. We'll walk through real projects where embracing the vibe made all the difference, as well as show cases where it turned into an AI slop. Not to sound too cliche, but...spolier alert: it's way more contextual than anyone admits. Looking forward to seeing you there! Marcela

We're organizing another drinkup this month - join us at the usual place - Fakin Craft Bar!

Where locals, expats & travellers turn Thursday into Small Friday. Hey everyone! Whether you’ve just landed in Zagreb, been here a while, or live right around the corner, **Small Friday International Zagreb** (**[SFIZ.FUN](https://sites.google.com/view/smallfridayinternationalzagreb)**) is your go-to for winter evenings, language swapping, and good times with great people. **Where?** The Beertija, Pavla Hatza 16 **When?** Thursdays, every other week from 8PM ✨ Free to join, just grab a drink and support the bar’s rockin’ vibe ✨ Open to all, all ages, all vibes, all language levels welcome **What to expect?** ️ **Language Exchange:** English, Croatian, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Ukrainian, Russian… you name it **Cultural Vibes:** Locals, expats, travellers, Erasmus students . . . sharing tips, stories & laughs ✨ **New Connections:** Real convos, real mates, winter evenings to remember **Weekend Planners:** From concerts, winter sports, partying to fests and day trips, let’s plot our winter adventures ❄️️ **Why now?** Winter is when Zagreb slows. The days are cold and sometimes snowy, the city quieter, more reflective. It’s the season for winter walks, museums and cinemas, snow-dusted hikes on Sljeme, and simple pleasures like warm food and long conversations indoors. Zagreb is unusual in that winter can mean a mini ski break close to home. Sljeme offers easy slopes for beginners and casual skiers, without crowds or queues. Ice skating adds to the rhythm, outdoors at Šalata or indoors at Velesajam and the Admiral Ice Dome. ⛸️ And the best way to share it? At **[SFIZ.FUN](https://sites.google.com/view/smallfridayinternationalzagreb)**. Our meetups are where plans get made, tips get swapped, and crews form to explore Zagreb together. **Why The Beertija?** Because it’s that place everyone ends up wishing they’d gone to ✨ Warm beer cellar vibes , cosy living-room energy ️☕, non-smoking inside (happy clothes, happy lungs ), plus a covered outdoor patio for quick smoke breaks . Skip it, and you’ll hear about it later Top tip: Turn up early, smile, catch someone’s eye, and dive into conversation, that’s how the magic starts No pressure, just rock up and join the crew. Let’s ditch the screen, grab a drink, and meet the world! See you soon, **SFIZ Crew** P.S. Spread the word https://sites.google.com/view/smallfridayinternationalzagreb **How to Spot Us** New here? Best trick is to swing by right at the start, that’s when it’s easiest to find the crew and jump straight in, or ask the bar staff about the event ✨ Need quick updates or can’t see us straight away? No worries, our [WhatsApp group](https://sites.google.com/view/smallfridayinternationalzagreb/faq/sfiz-whatsapp-guide-keeping-it-fun-and-respectful) is where you can ask quick questions. #ZagrebGlobalMingle

Pozdrav Gopheri Novi meetup ! Tema ovog druženja je: * **Cirkus vatre i pepela** Kako živimo i umiremo u svijetu izrade softvera kontrolirani vlastitim zabludama Lokacija: Sportska Dvorana Martinovka dvorana M-Lab1 https://maps.app.goo.gl/fNnp9YWzCkK6nXeYA \- kod FER\-a \- okupljanje pred ulazom dvorane Martinovka Kao i uvijek, pozivamo vas da nam se javite s temom za predavanje. Dobrodošle su i teme za manje iskusne. Također vas pozivamo da nam se pridružite na Gophers slack kanalu: #croatia https://invite.slack.golangbridge.org/ Hello Gophers, New meetup! Talk: * **Circus of fire and ash** On how we live and die in software engineering controlled by our own fallacies Location: Sportska Dvorana Martinovka hall M-Lab1 https://maps.app.goo.gl/fNnp9YWzCkK6nXeYA \- near FER

**PLEASE BUY TICKETS THROUGH EVENTBRITE. RSVP THROUGH MEETUP IS NOT A TICKET PURCHASE CONFIRMATION.** Strive welcomes you to 'General Business Networking', Columbus' hottest networking event! We are set in the perfect central location in Downtown for all to join. Are you interested in business? Want to elevate your career? Meet Consultants, Analysts of all types, Bankers, Software Engineers, Entrepreneurs, and more who are active in the space or are eager to get started. **\*\*This will be a multi-vertical event\*\*** **There will be professionals with backgrounds in the arts, finance, tech, real estate, healthcare, and more. Come with an open mind, and leave with connections that wouldn't be possible otherwise!** Pack some business cards and come with an open mind! Meet your future business partners, employers, coworkers, investors, and friends. You don't want to miss this opportunity to expand your network and create a brighter future. We will have a space for our event to check-in. The event will go from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (feel free to come at any point in this timeframe). Name tags will be provided. Business casual dress code. Job fair attire. **Remember, it's not who you know, it's who you meet tomorrow!** We look forward to meeting you at the event! Sincerely, Strive Networking Team *Refund requests are permitted up to 24 hours after purchase, so long as we are not within 48 hours before the event start time. Refunds will be made in full and repaid to your method of payment. Note that we are unable to reimburse PayPal fees.* *Disclaimer: By attending Strive Networking events you agree to photos/videos taken during the event being used to promote future events.*

Calling all founders, CEOs, lawyers, doctors, and entrepreneurs to join our special *Founder Edition* of Sip & Read meetup event. Let's sip on fine wine and discuss our first book **The 5AM Club- Own Your Morning Elevate Your Life, by Robin Sharma**. We will pair this book with our favorite wine at **Wine on High** and engage in thought-provoking discussions on startup businesses and entrepreneurship, and network with like-minded individuals in a cozy book club setting. Come prepared to discuss this month's book. At the end of each book club meeting, we will take next book and venue suggestions from the participants for the next meeting. Whether you are a book lover, women entrepreneur, or a content creator, this event is perfect for sharing ideas and insights with other funders and founders in the entrepreneurial world. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to connect, learn, and grow together. Sign up now to reserve your spot! *Fun fact! This meetup was established in 2015 and had over 1,000 members. I had to shut down operations while attending law school, but we're back!!*

Join us for lunch and meet our very successful group. We are each others sales team...always looking for referrals for our members. If you are looking for new clients, let us help you out! Bring your business cards and brochures to share with us. We have a speaker each week so that we can learn about their business. Because we have only one member per business, we have many of the spots filled. However, we are specifically looking for an estate attorney, a handyman/electrician, and an event planner. We have referrals for you! All visitors are welcome. Any questions contact [pmarchio@farmersagent.com](mailto:pmarchio@farmersagent.com)

Join other experienced and aspiring agile coaches and professionals to: * develop and practice your coaching skills in a peer-to-peer environment * share current successes and challenges in your work environment and get support from each other * learn from each other, build better relationships and experiment with new ideas

Bring your business cards and network in person with other business professionals! Gold Star Referral Clubs is one of the most established professional networking organizations in the country, with multiple groups in central Ohio. Join us!

Connected Westerville Night of Networking flips the script on networking, with surprises and connections that'll make you say, "Who knew networking could be this much fun?!"