Nikola Rafaj

Nikola Rafaj is a prominent figure in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) startup ecosystem, leveraging extensive experience from his various roles as a founder, angel investor, and accelerator director. He is currently a Director at StartupYard, where he guides over 120 startups and fosters new ventures. His involvement spans across multiple facets of the startup world, from hands-on company building to mentorship and investment. startupyard+2

As an angel investor, Nikola actively supports early-stage companies, primarily in the mobile, travel, and education sectors within the Czech Republic. His portfolio includes investments in ClaimAir, a service for air travel compensation, and Educasoft, an educational technology platform. clay

His entrepreneurial journey includes co-founding several significant ventures such as TechSquare, a startup hub in Prague, and Villusion, an early internet micro-payment system where he served as Chief Executive. He also founded EBIZ.cz, an online e-business magazine, which was later acquired by Computer Press. clay+2

Nikola has consistently contributed to community building within the tech and business sectors by organizing and co-organizing events like TEDxPrague, TEDxLiberec, OpenCoffee Club Prague, and Startup roku. He has also held leadership positions in established organizations such as the Czech E-commerce Association (APEK) and TUESDAY Business Network. ted+2