Shift Remains a Conference by Developers for Developers

Infobip Shift occupies a specific position in the technology ecosystem because, according to its organisers, it does not want to become a conventional user conference or corporate event. Although Infobip stands behind it, the core identity remains developer-driven. The program is built for an audience that understands technology, expects substance, and quickly recognises the difference between real value and promotional content.

“This is a conference organised by developers for developers,” Stipe Cigić of Infobip Shift tells ICTbusiness Media – ICTbusiness.info & ICTbusiness TV. He says developers are involved in the program committee, reviewing topics, challenging them and shaping the agenda so that it makes sense for that audience. The conference therefore cannot be a sequence of sponsor presentations. It has to be a place where technology, practices and the direction of the industry are discussed seriously.

For Infobip, being present in the developer community matters, but not through aggressive marketing. Cigić explains that Shift is not a user conference where everything is subordinated to one company. Speakers come from different organisations, the program is not designed as a sales showcase, and Infobip’s presence is visible through the platform, partnerships, meetings and networking. “It is not all Infobip, Infobip, Infobip, but Infobip is clearly present,” he says.

That balance makes the event useful for two audiences. The first is the developer community, which needs a relevant program. The second is Infobip’s business side, which gains a space for discussions with partners, customers and technology players in a more relaxed environment than a standard business meeting. Cigić says the organisers always think about both groups: how to satisfy developers and how to support the company at the same time.

This year’s edition attracted around 3,000 visitors. Cigić believes that, for the current format and location, this is probably the maximum. Croatia has a limited pool of companies and professionals that such an event can attract, while competition among international conferences is intense. Still, with program quality and a stronger approach to the European market, Shift can increase the share of international attendees. “This year we already had stronger growth in foreign guests compared with last year’s edition,” he says.

Growth must not damage the participant experience. The venue and infrastructure impose natural limits. Cigić openly says that even with 3,000 people, the venue is crowded, which is a positive sign from an organiser’s perspective, but four or five thousand visitors could create serious infrastructure problems. The more important question is therefore not only how many people can attend, but what kind of program they receive and how the conference can position itself on the map of European technology events.

Thematically, Shift has already moved strongly towards artificial intelligence, but Cigić believes AI has become a very broad conference topic. Future editions may therefore become more specialised. He mentions agentic AI as one possible direction, while stressing that this is an idea rather than a final decision. The organisers still have to plan upcoming editions, but it is clear that the conference must follow the fastest-changing technologies while preserving its depth for developers.

Zadar should remain the flagship, largest and central edition of Shift. In addition, the team is considering smaller formats in several other locations during the same year. Cigić mentions the United States, Asia and London as a possible second European centre. These events could become smaller “Shift light” versions under the same brand and vision.

Shift has already had US and Asian editions, but the aim now is to bring international activity together more clearly under one brand. Cigić believes the conference has a distinctive, almost cult identity compared with standard corporate events. Its future growth should therefore not mean losing character. The value of Shift lies in the fact that developers do not come only to hear sales messages. They come to understand technology, meet people from the industry, and see where the community building that technology is moving next.