Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Founder, Nenad Novovic (Amplitudo, Digital Den, Balkan Tech Fund) shares how a 1% survival chance reshaped his priorities – and why that moment catalysed a new chapter for Montenegro’s startup scene. We talk fear as a decision tool, picking the right battles, product timing, and how smaller markets can become sandboxes for innovation.
What you’ll learn:
How extreme adversity can sharpen leadership and focus
Practical takeaways for scaling from Montenegro to the wider regional tech ecosystem
Why ecosystem building matters as much as any single startup
00:00 Intro
05:07 Inspiration for Cafe del Montenegro
06:15 Leaving the corporate world, founding Amplitudo
07:11 Fear and decision making
07:39 Scaling challenges
09:11 The drive to keep creating companies
11:29 Choosing the right bets
16:03 Digital Den and ecosystem building
18:40 Founder inspiration
20:36 Balkan Tech Fund
22:18 Montenegro's role in the regional tech ecosystem
25:06 Health crisis: waking from coma, recovery
27:24 New perspectives
30:07 Evolving definitions of success
32:02 Proud moments
32:36 Advice to young founders
33:43 What’s next
37:04 Plans to slow down?
About this series:
Founders spotlights resilient entrepreneurs whose personal battles and bold ideas shape high-impact companies across our regions – raw stories, real setbacks, pragmatic lessons, and hard-won wins.
Enjoyed this episode?
SUBSCRIBE for more episodes and founder deep-dives (Episode 2, coming soon!)
Series: Founders | Episode 1
Location: Podgorica, Montenegro
Date of filming: November 2025
Guest: Nenad Novovic
Director/Producer: Nick Thompson
Videographer: Ed Noel
Editor: Owain Rich
Supported by the European Union and the EBRD’s Small Business Impact Fund (current active donors contributing are Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Norway, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, TaiwanBusiness – EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.)
Founder, Nenad Novovic (Amplitudo, Digital Den, Balkan Tech Fund) shares how a 1% survival chance reshaped his priorities – and why that moment catalysed a new chapter for Montenegro’s startup scene. We talk fear as a decision tool, picking the right battles, product timing, and how smaller markets can become sandboxes for innovation.
What you’ll learn:
How extreme adversity can sharpen leadership and focus
Practical takeaways for scaling from Montenegro to the wider regional tech ecosystem
Why ecosystem building matters as much as any single startup
00:00 Intro
05:07 Inspiration for Cafe del Montenegro
06:15 Leaving the corporate world, founding Amplitudo
07:11 Fear and decision making
07:39 Scaling challenges
09:11 The drive to keep creating companies
11:29 Choosing the right bets
16:03 Digital Den and ecosystem building
18:40 Founder inspiration
20:36 Balkan Tech Fund
22:18 Montenegro's role in the regional tech ecosystem
25:06 Health crisis: waking from coma, recovery
27:24 New perspectives
30:07 Evolving definitions of success
32:02 Proud moments
32:36 Advice to young founders
33:43 What’s next
37:04 Plans to slow down?
About this series:
Founders spotlights resilient entrepreneurs whose personal battles and bold ideas shape high-impact companies across our regions – raw stories, real setbacks, pragmatic lessons, and hard-won wins.
Enjoyed this episode?
SUBSCRIBE for more episodes and founder deep-dives (Episode 2, coming soon!)
Series: Founders | Episode 1
Location: Podgorica, Montenegro
Date of filming: November 2025
Guest: Nenad Novovic
Director/Producer: Nick Thompson
Videographer: Ed Noel
Editor: Owain Rich
Supported by the European Union and the EBRD’s Small Business Impact Fund (current active donors contributing are Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Norway, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, TaiwanBusiness – EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.)
