The photograph is illustrative.

The globally renowned business newspaper Financial Times ranked the Croatian company Spegra highly on its prestigious Europe’s Long-term Growth Champions list for 2026.

This Split-based construction company, founded in 2010, took an impressive 76th place among 300 European companies that showed the highest revenue growth rate over the past decade. In addition, this company ranked a high 7th place in the Construction & Engineering sector.

A decade of strong growth despite challenges

Financial Times list and the research company Statista recognizes companies that managed to sustain exceptional sales growth throughout the entire decade, specifically in the period from 2014 to 2024. This period included the global recession triggered by the Covid 19 pandemic, the invasion of Ukraine, and the sharp surge in inflation that followed. In such a turbulent environment, the placement of the Croatian company Spegra in 76th place with a compound annual growth rate (Compound Annual Growth Rate, CAGR) of 39.68 percent is clear proof of its exceptional resilience and business strategy. According to the data, Spegra generated revenue of 32.33 million euros in 2024, compared with 1.14 million euros in 2014, employing 232 workers.

Technology dominance

At the top of the list, companies from the IT and software sector dominate, making up 18 percent of the total number ranked, and e-commerce with an additional 6 percent. First place was taken by the Finnish company Virta Global with an incredible CAGR of 87.44 percent, which deals with smart electric vehicle charging services. Second is the Lithuanian company Hostinger, a provider of online hosting services.

However, the list also emphasizes the importance of traditional sectors. Companies from the construction and engineering field, which includes Spegra, make up the second largest category with approximately 8 percent share in the overall ranking of 300 companies. The manufacturing sector, as well as energy and utilities, are also well represented.

Geographical distribution and Croatia’s position

A total of 26 European countries are represented on the list. Italy leads with 65 companies, followed by the United Kingdom with 52, Germany with 47, and France with 46. Although the number of companies does not necessarily reflect the size of an individual country’s economy, it indicates their ability to innovate and the transparency of high-growth companies regarding financial data. The inclusion of Spegra, the only Croatian company explicitly listed in the available excerpt of the ranking, represents significant recognition for the domestic entrepreneurial ecosystem and concrete proof that growth on a European scale is possible in Croatia.

This Europe’s Long-term Growth Champions ranking not only provides insight into the health and resilience of the listed companies, but also serves as inspiration for other businesses across the continent. The full ranking is available on the official Financial Times website.