"5 of a kind! The strong connection between Zadar and Rijeka is based on the axis of mechanical engineering and construction. It consists of co-founders Jure Stošić and Gabrijel Peroli, who have been building their dreams of their own business since their student days in Zagreb. The first five also includes their companions: Petar Dijak, Nikolina Vrdoljak, and Branka Čule.
A modern company concept and innovative construction models
The company's core business is construction, and the path to the Zadar incubator led through the one in Rijeka, where they still remain part of the team. They won us over with versatility, a well-structured business strategy, and a clear vision for the company's future, which is led by Jure Stošić, a mechanical engineering graduate.
"Our goal is to provide clients with a complete service. Most investors want a 'clean slate,' meaning a property ready for investment and someone they can rely on completely. We work with them from the very beginning, helping them find suitable land, a house, or an apartment, offering ideas, designing projects, and taking care of their realization right up to the final handover, 'turnkey' delivery," says Stošić, emphasizing that the construction sector is closely tied to the real estate market today. Buyers, especially foreigners, don't know where to anchor in our region; they just know they want to be in Dalmatia and need a reliable partner in the jungle of regulations and paperwork. That's why we operate in the Rijeka-Zadar corridor, consolidating various industries. For example, our colleague Petar Dijak is also a civil engineer, Nikolina graduated from the Maritime Faculty, but she's invaluable in marketing, and Branka has been in the real estate business for 30 years..."
In Zadar, Constigo is attempting to introduce a new and relatively unknown construction method in Croatia, which is based on assembling eco-friendly wood-concrete and polystyrene-concrete blocks. These are cost-competitive with traditional concrete or brick construction but provide a 'cleaner' result with no external work. "The only exception is that everything goes quite fast because the blocks are 120 centimeters long, so a house can be assembled in practically 2 days," says Stošić, who, as a mechanical engineer, specializes in thermal systems. The hollow block is filled with concrete, but thanks to the pressed wood, which is entirely eco-friendly, the house retains warmth and, most importantly, breathes! The premiere of this construction method will take place in Rtina, where the realization of a villa, which will be the first building constructed with pressed wood blocks from Rijeka to Dubrovnik, will function as a passive house.
Construction involves planning and supervision, but also concerns about where to accommodate the workers...
Constigo quickly realized that money in Croatia doesn't only circulate within the construction sector but also around it. They have therefore come up with a background business - specialized accommodation and catering services for workers. "Construction companies we work with face a big problem with accommodating their workforce, especially those from abroad. We're creating a network of property owners with less attractive properties, which aren't suitable for tourist rentals, and that they don't have time to manage. We take complete property management of such properties and solve one of the pressing issues in the industry for the investor."
For Stošić, who, after studying in Zagreb, aimed to return to Zadar, having an office in the Incubator was a crucial advantage. "In today's times, getting a business space practically for free, especially for someone who's just starting a business, is invaluable wind in the sails. The Incubator provides opportunities for mutual help and complementarity. For example, we collaborate with the neighboring office where our colleague is a geodetic engineer, and his girlfriend is an architect, although she's not an Incubator user, things have worked out nicely."
Where do they see themselves in 5 years?
"We hope that in 5 years, when we exit the Incubator, we'll have an established company headquartered in Zadar with an engineering department in Rijeka. Our wish is to build a modern office building in the wider city center, which, in our opinion, Zadar lacks. Although Zadar has several business properties, for some reason, people are not attracted to them, and most of them remain empty or underutilized. Our office building, in addition to an attractive appearance, would be functional and tailored to the people of Zadar, especially the women of Zadar. So that everything a businesswoman needs for the practical blend of family and business life is at her fingertips within such a building: offices, shops, entertainment, and various other amenities," says Stošić.
Optimism, expertise, and a lot of positive energy that this young team possesses, along with a little push from the Incubator team, we believe, provide an excellent foundation for success and a happy ending to yet another entrepreneurial story. Good luck, Constigo!"
