Matija Zulj joined fellow Manager of the Year 2025 laureates at the Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia following his recognition in the Small Enterprises category by HUM-CROMA (Croatian Managers’ and Entrepreneurs’ Association).
Photo credit: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas
Croatian President Zoran Milanovic received AGRIVI CEO Matija Zulj at the Presidential Office in Zagreb as one of the Manager of the Year 2025 laureates. The reception brought together all award recipients recognised by the Croatian Managers’ and Entrepreneurs’ Association (HUM-CROMA) at the annual ceremony held in February 2026.
The Manager of the Year awards were presented at the Esplanade Hotel in Zagreb under the patronage of President Milanovic and co-sponsored by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development. As a result, the presidential reception is an annual tradition that allows laureates to present their companies and achievements to the President and discuss the state of Croatian business and the economy.
Photo credit: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas
What the Manager of the Year Award Recognises
HUM-CROMA is the first independent national professional association of managers and entrepreneurs in Croatia. For 30 years, the organisation has worked to strengthen the management profession and entrepreneurial culture in the Croatian economy. Specifically, the Manager of the Year award recognises leaders who have delivered exceptional results through vision, innovation, and responsible business practices.
Matija Zulj received the Manager of the Year award in the Small Enterprises category. The recognition highlights leadership that delivers results in one of the most complex sectors in the economy. In fact, food production sits at the intersection of climate volatility, cost pressure, compliance requirements, and increasing expectations around traceability and sustainability.
From Zagreb to Five Continents
Matija founded AGRIVI 13 years ago in Zagreb with a mission to change the way food is produced. Today, the company’s digital agriculture platform is present in more than 50 markets, available in over 50 languages, and used by farms and agri-food companies across five continents.
However, what makes this recognition particularly meaningful is the global trajectory it represents. AGRIVI started as a Croatian company and has grown into one of the leading global platforms in agritech, setting standards in the digitalization of agriculture.
The company builds three core products: AGRIVI 360 Farm Management Software for large-scale specialty crop producers, AGRIVI AI Engage for agricultural input manufacturers, and AGRIVI Food Traceability for supply chain transparency.
In addition, Matija serves as an Ambassador of the European Innovation Council and was a speaker at the World Economic Forum’s Davos Innovation Week in 2025. In March 2026, he also represented the agritech sector at the European Commission’s Implementation Dialogue on EU Farm Statistics with Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis in Brussels, presenting five proposals for modernising agricultural data collection.
A Strong Start to 2026
The presidential reception comes during an active period for AGRIVI on the global stage. In March 2026, Matija presented five proposals for modernising EU farm statistics at the European Commission in Brussels. In April, he is presenting at GITEX Africa 2026 in Marrakech.
Therefore, the Manager of the Year recognition is not just a reflection of past results. It is a signal of the kind of leadership that Croatian companies need to compete globally, combining deep domain expertise, technology innovation, and the ability to operate across cultures and markets.
