The Flowing Universe (Svemir koji teče)

The Croatian association HISPACE and PEEK&POKE invite you to the Rijeka Space Meetup on Thursday, June 5, 2025, at our museum.

HISPACE is a space hub that supports projects for Croatia’s permanent presence in space, brings together the domestic space industry and supports the establishment of the Croatian Space Agency. The four founders – Tanja Prlenda Skenderija, Vedrana Radetić, Jakov Čudina and Bernard Ivezić – come from the private sector, with extensive experience in project management, software and hardware development, marketing and startup ecosystem development. They met as volunteers on the mission of the first Croatian satellite, CroCube.

The meeting is dedicated to the topic of “space branding”, the role of Croatia in the propulsive space industry and the return of humanity to the Moon.

One of the evening’s guests is Vedrana Radetić, co-founder and board member of HISPACE and co-author of the CroCube brand – the first Croatian satellite, which was launched into orbit at the end of 2024 and is still sending signals and photos back to Earth every day. This small but powerful satellite is a true ambassador of Croatian creativity in space.

In her lecture, she will introduce the audience to the dynamics of the newspace era – a new wave of space activities in which the private sector is increasingly taking the initiative in developing and launching space missions, making space more accessible to everyone. She will place special emphasis on the role of marketing, not only in raising funds, but also in attracting investors and partners through a clearly formulated and convincing story.

“The space industry is rapidly moving from state to private hands, turning space into an open market. It is the industry that will be one of the key economic branches by 2035. In this transformation, marketing will not only be a support – it will be a drive. Without it, most newspace projects, no matter how technically perfect they are, will remain silent in a vacuum.” – Vedrana Radetić

Tanja Prlenda Skenderija, co-founder and board member of the HISPACE Company, owner of the Ward Design Studio from Zagreb, will present the challenges of branding space projects in her lecture, with a focus on the creation of visual identities for the first Croatian satellite, CroCube, and the HISPACE Company.

“Branding something completely new, yet historically significant, is one of the most demanding creative challenges I have encountered in my career. It requires in-depth research and careful selection of key elements, from national symbolism, to visual applicability at all levels: from printed and digital materials, to the engraving on the satellite and the deployer that carries it into space. It was an honor for me to design the visual identity and overall branding of the first Croatian space mission, CroCube, which is still used today as a recognizable symbol of an important milestone in Croatian space history.” – Tanja Prlenda Skenderija

The current president of the HISPACE Society, Bernard Ivezić, who is also the co-owner and director of Unicorn Underground, will present the latest global missions aimed at returning humans to the Moon, with the ultimate goal of maintaining a permanent human presence there.

In his presentation, he will talk about the contribution that the HISPACE Society has made to the Croatian space scene so far – from a series of successful meetups and the organization of the largest space event in Croatia, to the constant growth in the number of members who have recognized the importance and potential of the society.

He also shared ambitious plans for the future: cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA), strengthening education and popularization of space among younger generations, connecting different industries, and developing specific space projects on Croatian soil.

The most important task is yet to come – to bring the universe closer to new generations, to inspire young people to get involved, create, explore and dream. Because it is on them that the world and the universe rest!

Schedule:
18:30 h – start of the meetup and a few introductory words from the representatives of The PEEK&POKE Museum and presentation of the cooperation with the HISPACE Society
18:45 h – HISPACE President Bernard Ivezić – presentation of the work and goals of the HISPACE Society with an emphasis on cooperation with The PEEK&POKE Museum
19:00 h – HISPACE Board Members Vedrana Radetić & Tanja Prlenda Skenderija – Branding the universe: how to create identity and recognition in space using the example of the first Croatian space mission
19:45 h – Bernard Ivezić – the most current space missions and the Artemis mission that returns people to the Moon with the intention of staying there
20:30 h – Networking and socializing with snacks
22:00 h – end of the program.

All space exploration enthusiasts are welcome. Admission is free, but places are limited. Register now and tell your friends and colleagues!