Darko Atijas

COO at Tech Universal Ventures

Panellist

Darko Atijas is a seasoned executive, investor, and advisor with deep expertise in scaling high-growth companies across the UK, GCC, and international markets. He currently serves COO of Tech Universal Ventures, with a strategic focus on acquisitions in the IT, engineering, and education sectors. His advisory and board roles span multiple industries, including asset-backed lending, biometrics, cloud services, and real estate, with appointments at Altalease Capital and Nuway Capital. Previously, as a co-founder of TEG ADGM, a boutique investment and advisory firm, he has worked with over 130 startups and scaleups, leading more than 40 investment transactions and helping founders navigate capital raising, operational strategy, and market expansion.

Darko’s professional edge lies in his ability to blend investor insight with hands-on operational leadership, making him a trusted partner to both founders and institutional stakeholders. His early involvement in ventures such as Detected and Rocketseed, through to exit, demonstrates his capacity to guide businesses through their full growth lifecycle. Holding an MBA from Macquarie University and additional degrees from Copenhagen Business School, and University of Queensland. Darko brings a globally informed, commercially astute perspective to every role he takes on. Based in Dubai, he continues to drive value across a broad portfolio of technology and service-led ventures, combining strategic clarity with practical execution.