Dino and Arnes Poprženović shine at BAT’s Battle of Minds 2024

Dino Poprženović, a Bachelor of Science in International Business student at RIT Croatia, and Arnes Poprženović, a Web and Mobile Computing student, share a deep passion for entrepreneurship and innovation. While Dino enjoys exploring the worlds of fintech, AI, and sustainable energy, Arnes is a tech enthusiast who loves to solve complex problems across different fields.

A global platform for innovation
Their passion for innovation led them to participate in Battle of Minds, a prestigious global business pitch competition organized by BAT’s corporate venture capital arm, Btomorrow Ventures. In this competition, participants from all over the world compete to develop groundbreaking ideas that can bring about positive change. “Participating in the Battle of Minds 2024 felt like a natural next step for us”, said Dino.

Drawn to the “Invent an Amazing Consumer Brand” category, Dino and Arnes wanted to challenge themselves by tackling something new. “Arnes had an idea about using Magnesium bis-glycinate and other magnesium compounds for recovery and well-being”, they said. The point was to address the “fast life” with a “Health-on-the-Go” solution from the functional food industry.

Competing with teams from over 10 countries
Their journey started at the national competition in November 2024, held at BAT Croatia’s headquarters in Zagreb. Pitching their idea in front of industry experts, Dino and Arnes received valuable feedback that helped shape their concept further. “It was an amazing experience to engage with industry experts and hear their perspectives, which added significant value to our journey”, they said. After winning the Croatian competition, they advanced to the regional level in Istanbul, where they competed against teams from over 10 countries. “We had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world, network, and connect with them”, they explained.

Despite the competition’s high stakes, Dino and Arnes felt prepared thanks to the support of the Croatian BAT team. Dino and Arnes also credit RIT Croatia for preparing them well for this competition. “Professors push us to tackle real-world issues and collaborate with classmates, which is exactly what we had to do in the competition—brainstorm quickly, adapt to feedback, and present our ideas under pressure”, says Arnes. “That experience gave us a head start.”

Growing as students and future professionals
Dino and Arnes presented in front of an experienced jury, which included BAT SEE C-suite executives and other senior managers, with just an idea and a pitch without a prototype. “We were ecstatic to receive a third place alongside other well-developed prototypes and ideas”. The cousins received positive feedback and were commended for delivering the best presentation on stage. Dino and Arnes say that the fact that they developed an idea and a plan to commercialize it in two months, pitched it, and presented on an international stage, and were recognized for all their effort, was motivating. “It has driven us to grow personally and professionally, preparing us to become well-rounded future professionals in whatever field we choose to pursue”.

“This competition has helped me understand a new industry from scratch. It has also exposed me to new business models, commercialization approaches, and enhanced my public speaking and networking skills”, said Dino. Arnes adds, “Getting a feel for branding, marketing, and pitching in front of a large audience was quite fun and an amazing experience”.

Advice for students
Dino and Arnes emphasize the importance of taking risks and learning from the process, regardless of the outcome. “Even if you fail, it's not a failure, it's a learning experience”, they said. “When you look at it from a wider perspective, it's not just about adding something to your CV, it's about rounding yourself as a future professional and growing in the process”.