For many, starting your own business means leaving security. For Gabrielle Perolie, it was a way to remain true to himself.
A graduate civil engineer, with years of experience in a stable and successful company, could peacefully build a career. He had knowledge, experience and a secure position, but also a sense of being in place.
Comfort is the greatest enemy of development. For me personally, that's embarrassing. When you become part of a system that keeps you safe, you stop growing.
Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, Gabriel learned from a young age that existence depends on his own effort and results. The idea of someone else setting the limits of his success was his side. That's why, when the world slowed down in 2020, he decided to speed up. Without a detailed plan, but with a clear sense of direction, he left a safe job and stepped into the unknown.
It was a year of corona, perhaps the most ungrateful moment for new beginnings. But I felt that at that moment I had to make a move, quit and put myself in a completely unstable position from which the next steps would crystallize. And so it was.
At a time when many were imprisoned in their safe zones, he opened a craft. First clients, little work, a lot of plans and a clear decision not to stay small. From day one, the project had a name and identity: the Constigo Group. It sounded ambitious. Branding as a group when there's only one man behind that story. But for Gabrielle, it was a reminder of where she wanted to come.
Building without a blueprint, but with a vision
Gabriel did not build Constigo according to other people's patterns. His business trip did not have a classic blueprint, but it had a direction and purpose. In every sense, it was a project of growth from the inside out, personal as well as professional.
But he realized that the set goals would be very difficult to reach on their own. He was joined by a partner with whom he already shared his private trust and soon his business ambition. They started without capital, but with an idea that made sense. They wanted to create an integrated system in construction and real estate that would reduce market fragmentation.
Today Constigo operates through three legal entities, with headquarters in Rijeka and Zadar. They cover the entire coastal belt, from Istria to Dalmatia. The team includes engineers of various technical professions, licensed experts in real estate traffic and development, and experts in marketing and promotion.
Our aim has never been to be ‘another construction company’. We wanted to combine everything that makes the project possible, from idea and documentation to realization and promotion. That makes us different.
Incubator as a connection point
As a Zadran with acquaintances from the faculty and student affairs, Gabriel sought not only space, but also context. He needed a place where he could network knowledge, experience and new contacts. That's when our story came in. Torpedo Business Incubator.
Besides space, the incubator gives you the feeling that you're not alone. You have someone to exchange ideas with, ask advice, compare experiences with. That's invaluable.
During the incubation period, Constigo grew rapidly. From the initial idea, the group grew into a modern system with its own investment portfolio, and today participates in the realization of large city projects, among which is the new terminal Žabica.
We are now in the final stage of the post-incubation process and when I look back, I see that it was an incredible path. Porin is a well-conceived story. For us, it was both a support and a springboard.
New cycle – ongoing construction
Constigo came to the full shape that Gabriel imagined at the beginning of his business trip. The group consists of three legal entities, each operating in its own narrow area, and together they form a full range of services.
There is already its own portfolio of real estate investments on whose development it is intensively working, as well as investments of various domestic and foreign investors. Currently, the focus is on the investment cycle and the preparation of project documentation for EU funds.
But they don't stop there. They have also developed Modeko, their own brand of modular wall systems that enables faster, higher quality and more sustainable construction. They have invested a lot of time and resources in development, but are looking forward to the realization of such projects in the future.
Modeko is our answer to the question of how to build smarter. Less resources, more efficiency, better process control. This is the future of construction.
When asked what he would say to those who are just thinking about entrepreneurship, Gabriel answers without reservation:
Put yourself constantly out called comfort. It is only from this situation that development arises. Sweat and stress due to being aware of the uncomfortable situation you are in brings the result. That's what I consciously do to myself.
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