From DIY punk concerts in wartime Croatia to coordinating blockchain programs at the UN, Teodor Petricevic has spent his life asking one fundamental question: how do we build systems people can trust? His answer is rooted in solidarity. “Trust begins in struggle,” he reflects, “and in those moments, you learn that collaboration is survival.”
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From Underground Music to Social Impact

Teodor’s journey began in the shadow of the Yugoslav wars, where basements and backyards became spaces for music, collectives, and experimentation. These were not just cultural escapes, they were early laboratories for cooperation and trust. “That anarcho-punk spirit: standing for the community, gatekeeping values – it’s what drives everything I do,” he says.

Those formative experiences shaped the path that followed: farms, cooperatives, and more than 20 social enterprises across Europe. Each venture reinforced the same lesson: people, not code or infrastructure, are the foundation of resilient systems.
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Experimenting with Collaboration at the UN

Now, as Digital Partnerships and Accelerator Lead at UNDP’s Alternative Finance Lab and Community Manager for the UN Blockchain Community of Practice, Teodor applies those lessons on a global scale. His work focuses on digital identity for almost one billion people still excluded from civic life, scaling humanitarian payment systems, and bringing more than 25 blockchain ecosystems together to address global challenges.

He recounts a pre-kickoff experiment in Brussels earlier this year: a gathering of blockchain initiatives in a “neutral zone.” No hierarchy, no pitching for funds or influence, just a space to listen. “That tension between them can really be turned into collaboration,” Teodor explains. “First, open talks. Then trust will follow.”

From those conversations, UNDP is creating a system where Ethereum, Cardano, Stellar, and hundreds of other blockchain industry actors, along with multiple UN agencies, can discuss pilots, share experiences, and begin working together – transforming siloed initiatives into collaborative networks. One recent UN ID initiative, for example, connected Cardano’s Veridian solution with other ecosystems in ways that had never happened before.
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Solving Global Challenges Together

Digital identity is the baseline. Without it, access to health records, voting systems, and land registries is impossible. But Teodor sees an even bigger horizon: energy systems, corruption reduction, and governance transparency. “This ecosystem needs to be ready to invest in builders and developers, not just finance,” he says. “With social capital, talent, and knowledge, we can still achieve the SDGs by 2030.”

Teodor emphasizes that the work isn’t just about technology. It’s about people. “We are finally leaving ego-centered work behind and exploring what we can do together,” he says. “Scaling is about teams and collaboration, not just code.”
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Lessons from a Life in Systems

Several key themes run through Teodor’s work:

• Empathy as infrastructure. His experiences – from war to entrepreneurship to international policy – show that human-centered design is essential for trust.
  
  
• Collaboration over competition. By creating neutral spaces for dialogue, the UN is turning blockchain tribalism into cooperation.
  
  
• Transparency breeds trust. Shared repositories, open webinars, and co-designed pilot programs are part of how the UN builds credibility.
  
  
• Purpose-driven innovation. “I don’t have a job. Everything I’m doing is just me,” he says. Recognition and awards aren’t the goal; meaningful work and authentic connections are.
  
  

Bringing Communities and Values Together

Teodor also highlights the importance of grassroots communities, the “cyberpunk collectives” that safeguard the DNA of blockchain technology. Supporting these communities, co-designing solutions, and embedding human values into tech are as crucial as the code itself. “Being human means being connected—to people, to the planet,” he reflects.

For Teodor, the goal is simple: meaningful, authentic collaboration that improves the lives of people on the ground. “Trust grows through empathy and authenticity,” he says. “Money will come if you focus on doing things that matter.”
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Takeaways for Builders

• Open dialogue first. Collaboration begins when people listen without an agenda.
  
  
• Invest in ecosystems, not egos. Shared purpose amplifies impact.
  
  
• Digital identity as the foundation. All further solutions – payments, governance, and beyond – depend on it.
  
  
• Lead with empathy. Human-centered principles aren’t optional – they’re critical for lasting systems.
  
  

Teodor’s journey reminds us that technology alone cannot create trust. From punk shows to UN conference rooms, credibility is built through shared purpose, transparency, and the courage to connect different worlds. “Being known well is nice, but being known well in the right way – through empathy, struggle, and authenticity – that’s what matters,” he concludes.

🎧 The episode is now live wherever you get your podcasts.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/22vHRnPLFJjjCLUBGI4gon?si=83bc10a47ac34806

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