Another Split Founder shared his entrepreneurial story with us – this particular interview is the perfect chance to get to know Ivan Biliškov a bit better.

According to his own words, Ivan is a Doctoral student at FESB in Split in the field of artificial intelligence, CEO of dev agency Codeasy, founder of AI startup Necogi, and a loyal fan of a certain chess club from Vukovar.

When we asked him to describe Codeasy in a few words, this is what he had to say: “We offer clients a range of services that cover all phases of software development and AI solutions – from idea, over implementation, to scaling, optimization, and maintenance.”

Now that we covered some of the basics, let’s hear more about Ivan’s entrepreneurial journey, Codeasy and its team, as well as his view of the tech community here in Split.

A wordy question to start: if you weren’t doing what you’re doing now, what would you be doing?

“I have to admit that this is the only area that I have ever been interested in that covers all aspects of my interest. It contains everything: plenty of research, learning and development, creative freedom, but also that sweet uncertainty.

The only thing that I think about from time to time is that I would like to return to the period of carefree development without the accompanying administration that accompanies running the company itself.”

How do you measure your own success?

“That’s difficult to say… Sometimes it is by achieving set goals – like financial independence, sometimes by recognizing and acknowledging others – like feeling satisfied that my team successfully overcomes barriers.

But lately, I measure success more and more often through the contribution I provide to the community.”

What do you do during a typical day at work?

“Every day is different, but in general, our working day starts with coffee on the balcony with colleagues. During this time, we exchange key information, distribute tasks, and solve any problems.

After that, we brainstorm together to get new ideas and perspectives before everyone starts their own part of the job. Meetings with clients are inevitable because the focus is on projects, and there is also continuous education to keep up with all the innovations.”

What do you do when you are not at work?

“I enjoy reading books, I also like to research new technologies but also follow the latest trends to stay informed about progress.

However, at the moment I have focused all my attention on my doctoral studies, where I am working intensively on research and writing my doctoral dissertation.

This challenging phase requires a lot of dedication and effort, but at the same time, it provides me with an incredible opportunity to progress in an area that really interests me.”

What makes you unique as a person?

“It’s always easier when others answer this question… Maybe the ability to combine different ideas and perspectives to come up with innovative solutions.”

What inspires you in life and work?

“Looking for innovative solutions that can help others. I always try to learn and explore new things to grow as a person and an expert.

What gives me particular satisfaction is seeing how I can positively influence others, whether through support, mentoring, or education.

And yes, technology has the power to solve real problems and improve people’s lives – that really encourages me to keep working on it. But really, these are just small steps in a world full of possibilities.”

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own company?

“Probably what everyone does: be brave and steadfast. The twenties are ideal for beginnings and attempts.

The first step is to research your idea, talk to friends and entrepreneurs, find your target audience, and only then develop your business plan. Look for a mentor, build relationships with clients, adapt to the changes that occur, be innovative, and, if it comes to that – learn from failure.

And don’t give up!”

Why is now the best time for Codeasy to exist?

“At the moment, artificial intelligence is in an expansion phase, and our company is very specialized in that area. We implement AI for clients in addition to existing services.

We are proud and happy because we set new standards, reduce costs for clients, and speed up the work process.”

What is the most interesting thing about Codeasy?

“The fact it is composed of a team of different people who form a perfect business symbiosis. Each of them is an individual in their own right who gives their best in their respective positions and sees things from a different perspective than the others.

When we brainstorm, you can see the whole range of colorful ways of thinking that ultimately lead to so many creative solutions that it always amazes me.

And just to add a bit of humor… Once, at a job interview, we had a guy who stayed after the official part of the interview to drink coffee with us. In the middle of the conversation, he said: “If I don’t get the job, can I at least come to visit once in a while for a shot of positivity, just to improve my day?”

That was our guiding thought – to create an environment where everyone will feel good.”

What do you like about the Codeasy team?

“Everything! We chose people carefully and never aimed for rapid growth. Now we have a team of people who support and help each other, develop and grow together.

Each of them has unique skills and talents, so they complement each other – creating an overall strong team.

I also like that they recognize and appreciate the efforts of others so that a positive working atmosphere is constantly created. At the end of the day, we all share a passion for what we do and strive to be better every day.”

What do you expect from the people you surround yourself with at work: your employees and partners?

“I expect employees to strive for progress and knowledge, while with clients I aspire to share a common vision of the product we create.”

What kind of people would you never work with?

“With people I can’t trust. Likewise, with people who have no desire to improve their own knowledge.”

What is the one thing you would change about Codeasy?

“We definitely need a bigger office. If anyone knows of a good space of 200 – 300 square meters – let me know!” 🙂

What are you most proud of about Codeasy?

“For continuous calmness through the crisis. Namely, during the pandemic we employed people because we worked for British healthcare and digitalized company operations, so we had a lot of work.

In the current global IT crisis, we work diligently, we have not reduced anyone’s salary or denied benefits, there is no benching, and we currently still have three open positions for employment.

Consistent from day one!”

What makes Codeasy unique?

“Maybe the fact that, along with the standard work we do as a dev agency, we also develop our own AI product Necogi.

Or maybe it’s the fact we support the biggest children’s chess club in Croatia “ŠK Codeasy Vukovar” with all our strength and means providing support for a lot of little clever young ones who regularly win first places in numerous competitions.

And then maybe it’s the fact we are currently developing two platforms – one free as a gift to the entire Balkans, while the other project is actually the result of a long-standing successful partnership between two different countries. We will reveal more about these things soon.”

What were the reasons why Codeasy was founded in Split?

“As a proud citizen of Kaštela, I find it difficult to answer this question.” 😀

What does Split as a city do well?

“From the perspective of the tech sector, I would especially emphasize the novelty of recent years, namely – a large number of digital nomads, and an increasing number of conferences and meetups.

The community is growing, networking has never been stronger, and these are all commendable facts.

Great credit goes to the Split Tech City community, which, even as an NGO, brought it to a much higher level, but also to the Split-Dalmatia County’s project Digital Dalmatia, which regularly organizes various events.”

How important is the local tech community to you?

“Very important! We appreciate all the people who have been pushing it for the last few years and unquestioningly investing all their energy, will, and resources to make it as good and strong as possible.

In recent years, we have been actively involved in all aspects, doing our best to educate and help wherever we can help.

In addition, we combine the Slavonian and Split tech scene by organizing The Geek Gathering meetups in Split, so – in addition to our own pool of knowledge – we also bring other founders to share theirs.”

Where do you see Split in the future?

“From my perspective? As the center of a combined effort of two strong economic branches – technology and tourism.”

We conclude this #SplitFounders interview with Ivan in true #MediterraneanTechHub style and wish him and the Codeasy team lots of success in whatever they do! 😀