Matej Rus

Matej Rus is a highly experienced teacher of entrepreneurship and a successful business professional with an impressive track record in founding and leading several notable programs for start-up entrepreneurship. He is the Head of Start:up Slovenia and a renowned strategist working primarily with early-stage start-ups and innovation-driven corporates. Matej has gained practical experience and significant contributions in his career by co-founding the Venture Factory, establishing recognizable national start-up entrepreneurship programs such as Podim, and serving as the Ambassador for Startup Europe at the European Commission.

He completed his Master's degree in Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations at Univerza v Mariboru and later served as a Senior Lecturer at EPF University of Maribor. Additionally, he was a former Advisory Board Member of the SXSW Accelerator at SXSW and the former CEO and Co-Founder of Venture Factory (Tovarna Podjemov) - IRP. Matej's expertise in entrepreneurship, innovation, and strategic planning has made him a valuable asset to the start-up ecosystem in Europe and beyond.