Building connections with AI: alumnus Ante Čerkez and the story of Sonder

RIT Croatia alumnus Ante Čerkez, who graduated from RIT’s program in information technology, is now CTO and co-founder of Sonder, a Zagreb-based startup developing an AI-powered platform designed to help people build relevant professional connections.

For Ante, building Sonder means being involved in both product development and product design. It is also the kind of fast-moving, hands-on environment he realized he wanted to pursue while still a student at RIT Croatia.

“Starting is always the hardest part, but as we progress, each step becomes more rewarding,” Ante says. “From the smallest improvements in the app UI to each new user who joins.”

From RIT Croatia to entrepreneurship

Looking back at his time at RIT Croatia, Ante points to discipline, problem-solving and critical thinking as some of the skills that have proved most useful in his career.

He also highlights the value of learning from faculty members with extensive professional experience.

“Many of my professors and lecturers had worked, or were working, on major projects in Croatia and around the world,” he says. “Their experiences helped me later when I needed to solve problems myself.”

That connection between academic learning and real-world experience became particularly relevant once Ante moved into the startup environment, where building a product means continuously solving new problems and adapting along the way.

Learning through co-op

As part of his studies at RIT Croatia, Ante completed two co-op experiences with large corporations, giving him first-hand exposure to working in the industry before graduation.

The experience was valuable, but it also helped him understand what kind of career he wanted to build.

“In a big corporation, things move more slowly and there are many restrictions. As an employee, I felt I couldn’t make a big difference there,” he says. “So I wanted a different path, and here we are.”

That different path eventually led him to Sonder.

Making the right connections easier to find

Sonder is built around a simple idea: the right person for your next project, career move or business idea may already be around you, but you may never know it.

The platform aims to make those connections easier to find. Rather than relying primarily on job titles, keywords or existing professional networks, Sonder uses AI to understand what users are working on, what they need and where they want to go, and then connects them with people whose goals or experience may be relevant.

The platform currently focuses primarily on students and younger generations entering the labor market. For someone at the beginning of a career, the relevant connection might be a person already working in a field they are considering, a potential co-founder or simply someone with similar professional interests.

“The AI isn’t there to replace human conversation,” the Sonder team explains. “It’s there to get you to the right conversation faster.”

Building Sonder

Together with CEO Bruno Rožman and COO Mario Maks Maslić, Ante is part of the Zagreb-based team behind Sonder, with the product built in Croatia.

Sonder began as a web app prototype before receiving its first grant through ZICER Startup Factory, which helped the team move toward building the mobile apps. The startup has since received support from Bird Incubator, ZICER and Infobip Startup Tribe and has raised an angel investment.

Today, Sonder is live on the App Store and Google Play.

For the team, however, the most meaningful milestone is not simply a download. It is when two people matched through Sonder connect and start talking. That is the moment when the idea behind the product works.

The company is now focused on growing its user base, developing partnerships with universities, student organizations and companies, and expanding beyond Zagreb into other Croatian cities and the wider region.

For Ante, it is another stage of the same journey: solving problems, building something from the ground up and learning along the way.

His advice to students considering a future in technology, AI or entrepreneurship is straightforward:

“Be open-minded. And most importantly, change your way of thinking. You have to believe in the goal you are aiming for.”

Sonder is free to use and available through the App Store and Google Play. Learn more on the Sonder website.