8 Investor Insights from Lead Investor — Mihovil Barančić
A Funderbeam exclusive interview with a 20-year veteran in the financial industry and experienced angel investor.
Since Funderbeam’s inception, we have had a number of champions who discovered us early and propelled us to new heights. This showcase is intended to highlight one of our ambassadors and bring their experiences and insights to you.
In this piece, we will feature the experienced financial mind whose expertise has been concentrated on business angel investing in Croatia, Mihovil Barančić. For more context, here are some of Mihovil’s career highlights:
- President of the Board of a fund management company
- President of the Board of a brokerage house
- Supervisory Board Member for 29 different companies in Croatia
- Crane — Croatian Angel Network — former President
Thanks for your time Mihovil. Could you briefly share with us how you originally discovered Funderbeam?
As a member of the Croatian Business Angel Network — Crane and founder of the ZIP Technology Incubator (the oldest incubator in Croatia), the Zagreb Stock Exchange’s Ivana Gazic and their leadership team invited me to meet with Funderbeam’s executive team. After some time getting to know them and believing in Funderbeam’s mission, I ultimately decided to lead the successfully funded Entrio 2.0 campaign.
What questions do you always ask when reviewing a company and their management team? Especially, considering your experience as an angel investor.
The first thing I always ask myself is, is this project something I am or could be passionate about? Is this a team that can produce and scale their vision? I also consider very simple questions. For example, are the founders, people I would be pleased to have coffee with?
You have been investing in early-stage companies for a number of years. What is the most important lesson you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I have learned as an investor is that I have to conduct better due diligence of the management team. An idea or product without the proper leadership will consistently struggle to meet investor expectations.
Are you sector agnostic when it comes to making investments as long as they meet your criteria?
To put it bluntly, no. I have a particular sector focus.
Can you share with us some of your favorite portfolio companies?
Of course, my favorite company which I have invested in is Entrio and my second is Repsly. Check them out!
What areas do you think will create the most opportunity for early-stage investors over the next 18–24 months?
Everything incorporating Blockchain technology.
What book or podcast do you frequently recommend to friends and family?
I like reading crime novels to relax my mind and a book I regularly recommend is, A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton G. Malkiel.
Finally, please tell us something people are surprised to learn about you
Currently, I am doing something very different from investing in technology startups — I am building a camping resort in Croatia.
If you enjoyed this, read our previous Investor Insights articles:
Michael Wellesley-Wesley — 10 Investor Insights
Alex Gibb — establishing resilience within your portfolio companies.
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The information appearing in this blog post is approved as a financial promotion by Funderbeam Markets Limited (authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under FRN 794918). Complete and comprehensive information about an investment opportunity is only available to the investors who have been approved by a Funderbeam group entity. Funderbeam does not provide investment advice or any recommendation to invest. The investment opportunity should not be considered as an offer to the public and is not directed at or offered to anyone located in a jurisdiction where it is unlawful to do so.
