Ivan Jelušić: Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Orqa
Ivan Jelušić is a Croatian entrepreneur and co-founder of Orqa, a drone technology company based in Osijek, Croatia. He has played an important role in the company’s commercial development, international partnerships and expansion into defence-related drone manufacturing.
One of his notable business milestones came in June 2026, when he signed Orqa’s CAD 150 million partnership with Remote Robotic Systems (RRS) in Toronto. The signing was witnessed by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.
Ivan Jelušić’s Early Career
Jelušić began his entrepreneurial career at the age of 21. In 2014, he founded in, a startup that developed a smart electrical socket with a built-in charger.
Around the same period, he met Srđan Kovačević and Vlatko Matijević, who would later become his fellow co-founders at Orqa. Their shared interests in technology and entrepreneurship led to further business collaborations.
Based on his career timeline, Jelušić’s birth year is estimated to be around 1993, putting his estimated age at approximately 33 in 2026.
Co-Founding Orqa
Jelušić co-founded Orqa with Kovačević and Matijević in late 2018. The company began operations in Osijek, with its early offices located at the BIOS business incubator.
During the company’s early development, employees tested its FPV drone goggles in the incubator’s courtyard. Those beginnings were a long way from the international production partnerships that Orqa would later establish.
Jelušić’s professional title has varied across different descriptions of his work, including Chief Sales Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Commercial Officer and Chief of Staff. The company’s 2026 announcement identifies him as co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer (CCO).
Awards and Recognition
Jelušić received the Best Startup Founder award at the Central Europe Startup Awards. Alongside his Orqa co-founders, he also won the Founder of the Year award at a Croatian venture capital ceremony.
These recognitions reflect the team’s work in developing a technology company from Osijek and building products for an international market. The founders’ ambition has been to create a world-class autonomous drone business while maintaining its roots in Croatia.
The CAD 150 Million Canada Partnership
In June 2026, Jelušić signed the Orqa–Remote Robotic Systems agreement in Toronto. Kevin Toderel signed on behalf of RRS, while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković attended the event.
The five-year framework is valued at CAD 150 million and covers the production of Orqa systems and components in Canada. Its first phase includes an investment of CAD 20 million.
The partners expect to reach production of 1,000 systems per month by mid-2027, with a longer-term target of 10,000 systems per month by 2029.
The agreement represents a significant step in Orqa’s international commercial development and connects the company’s Croatian engineering operations with Canadian manufacturing capacity.
Orqa’s Wider International Expansion
Orqa reports shipping products to more than 50 markets and has been selected for US military FPV work. In January 2026, the company also signed a drone production agreement with Qatar’s Barzan.
These developments demonstrate the company’s move beyond drone-racing equipment into larger industrial and defence-related opportunities.
Ivan Jelušić Profile
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Profession | Entrepreneur and commercial executive |
| Role | Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Orqa |
| First startup | in, founded in 2014 |
| Early product | Smart socket with a built-in charger |
| Estimated age | About 33 in 2026 |
| Awards | Best Startup Founder, Central Europe Startup Awards |
| Major deal | CAD 150 million Orqa–RRS partnership |
| Deal date | June 2026 |
| First-phase investment | CAD 20 million |
| Net worth | Undisclosed |
| Family | Not publicly documented |
Ivan Jelušić’s career combines early-stage entrepreneurship with the commercial development of an international drone technology company. His role in the Orqa–RRS agreement highlights the importance of commercial leadership in turning engineering capabilities into manufacturing partnerships.
His professional connections include Srđan Kovačević, Vlatko Matijević and Kevin Toderel, all associated with Orqa’s development and its international business relationships.