Get ready for the “Investors on Stage” session at this year’s EU-Startups Summit!

On April 24-25, we’ll be hosting the 11th edition of the EU-Startups Summit in beautiful and sunny Malta! With around 2,200 founders, investors, and startup enthusiasts joining us for two days packed with insights, inspiration, and high-impact networking, this is one of Europe’s most exciting startup events. Among the many highlights of this year’s edition, […] The post Get ready for the “Investors on Stage” session at this year’s EU-Startups Summit! appeared first on EU-Startups.

Apr 14, 2025 - 17:25

Get ready for the “Investors on Stage” session at this year’s EU-Startups Summit!

On April 24-25, we’ll be hosting the 11th edition of the EU-Startups Summit in beautiful and sunny Malta! With around 2,200 founders, investors, and startup enthusiasts joining us for two days packed with insights, inspiration, and high-impact networking, this is one of Europe’s most exciting startup events.

Among the many highlights of this year’s edition, we’re excited to bring back our “Investors on Stage” session. This format flips the traditional pitch model—this time, it’s the investors doing the pitching!

We’ve invited a curated selection of high-profile venture capitalists to take the main stage, where each will have 2-3 minutes to present their firm, investment focus, and what kind of startups they’re currently looking for. It’s an invaluable opportunity for founders to get a clear picture of which VCs are the best fit for their stage, sector, and ambition.

If you’re a startup founder, you know how crucial it is to do your homework before approaching investors. By attending our Investors on Stage session and taking full advantage of the opportunity to network with 250+ investors at the event, you’ll get a strategic edge in your fundraising journey.

Day 1:

Anca Albu – QAI Ventures
Anca is the Chief Operations Officer at QAI Ventures, a Switzerland-based VC and accelerator focused on Quantum, AI, and Advanced Computing. With over 15 years in the global tech ecosystem, she oversees fund operations and startup support from lab to IPO.

Aldo Giordano – Malta Venture Capital
Aldo is a Consultant at Malta Venture Capital, focusing on early-stage investments that leverage Malta’s strategic location and innovation-driven ecosystem. He also serves as a Non-Executive Director at Lombard Bank Malta, supporting financial growth and startup collaboration.

Alexander Zemlyak – Geek Ventures
Alexander is the Principal at Geek Ventures, where he focuses on investing in pre-Seed and Seed-stage startups with bold, high-impact ideas. With nearly a decade of VC experience, including leadership roles at LETA Capital and Founders Factory, he brings a strong background in B2B software, data, and international deal flow.

Anaïs Cimbidhi – PT1
Anaïs is part of the investment team at PT1, a pre-seed and seed-stage VC firm based in Berlin. PT1 backs startups building transformative solutions for the built environment, energy transition, and climate adaptation. With initial tickets between €300K and €4M, the firm supports founders across Europe through hands-on guidance.

Angelo Burgarello – Look AI Ventures
Angelo is an Investment Board Member and Partner at Look AI Ventures, the first Czech fund focusing exclusively on early-stage AI startups. The firm backs visionary founders who are building real-world AI applications across a range of industries. The fund typically invests up to €250K with room for follow-on rounds.

Conor Scanlan – Nauta Capital
Conor is an Associate partner at Nauta Capital, a pan-European VC firm with offices in London, Barcelona, and Berlin. He focuses on B2B software and has a keen interest in deeptech, enterprise automation, and SaaS solutions with scalable business models.

Ekke Van Vliet – EIC Fund
Ekke is the Investment Coordinator at the EIC Fund, the European Union’s multi-billion venture capital vehicle backing high-impact deep-tech startups across the continent. With a background in business economics and auditing, he brings over 20 years of experience in financial leadership roles within EU institutions.

Fernando Peres Ferreira – Ventures.eu
Fernando is a Partner at Ventures.eu, a Portuguese VC fund focused on backing deep tech and impact-driven startups across Portugal and the European Union. He currently leads investments in innovative, sector-agnostic ventures with global potential, supporting founders through strategic guidance and access to a growing international network.

Georgia Haigh – Anthemis
Georgia is an Associate at Anthemis, a global venture investment platform focused on reshaping financial services. Based in London, she works on early-stage deals across Europe and is particularly passionate about supporting female founders and closing the funding gap.

Iryna Krepchuk – Trind VC
Returning to our stage this year, Iryna is an Investment Associate at Trind VC, a seed-stage venture fund focused on software startups with community and consumer-driven models. Based in Tallinn, Trind is particularly active across Northern and Central Europe.

Javier González-Soria y Moreno de la Santa – Traveltech.vc
A seasoned investor and travel industry expert, Javier leads Traveltech.vc, an investment firm dedicated to early-stage startups innovating in travel and hospitality. He brings decades of strategic insight and a passion for transforming how we explore the world.

Jon Steinberg – Mountside Ventures
Jon is a Founding Partner at Mountside Ventures, a London-based firm helping startups raise funding from VC and family office investors. A chartered accountant, he supports companies from Seed to Series B with fundraising strategy, valuations, and interim CFO expertise.

Nicola Nicola Weiroster – Onsight Ventures
Nicola is a Junior Investment Manager at Onsight Ventures, an early-stage VC firm backing deep tech startups in fields like semiconductors, quantum, photonics, and AI. Based in Austria, she supports portfolio development through deal sourcing, due diligence, and ecosystem engagement.

Noémi Szabó – Elevator Ventures
Based in Vienna, Noémi is a Senior associate and key player at Elevator Ventures, the venture arm of Raiffeisen Bank International. The firm backs growth-stage fintech and deeptech startups, and Noémi actively looks for European founders with scalable solutions and cross-border ambitions.

Thomas Bigagli – Plug and Play
Thomas is a Partner at Plug and Play, one of the world’s most active early-stage investors and the largest open innovation platform globally. With experience across 10 countries and four continents, he has backed over 200 startups from pre-seed to Series A and helped launch more than 10 Plug and Play offices worldwide.

Day 2:

Anthony Bellafiore – Katapult
Anthony is an Investment Manager at Katapult, a global impact investment firm backing startups that accelerate the green transition and social impact. He focuses on ocean and climate tech solutions with scalable, measurable impact.

Ekaterina Gianelli – Calm/Storm
Ekaterina is a Venture Partner at Calm/Storm, Europe’s most active early-stage investor in digital health. She focuses on backing purpose-driven health tech startups and supporting founders from across Europe.

Hege Tollerud – Brighteye Ventures
Hege is Head of Community at Brighteye Ventures, Europe’s most active edtech-focused VC fund, investing in startups that help people learn and grow. With over 15 years of experience in media and communications, she builds strong ecosystems through insights, events, and support.

Igor Ryabenkiy – AltaIR Capital
Igor is the Founder and Managing Partner of AltaIR Capital, a global venture firm managing over $600 million in assets. Based in Portugal, he leads investments across Europe, the US, and Israel, backing early-stage startups. His portfolio includes unicorns such as Deel, Miro, and PandaDoc.

Jaren Schippert – Identity Ventures
Jaren is an Investor at Identity Ventures, a VC fund backing early-stage startups led by LGBTQ+ founders across Europe and beyond. Based in Berlin, he supports bold, purpose-driven entrepreneurs who are disrupting industries and challenging the status quo.

Karina Vantslav – Ultra.vc
Karina is a Programme Manager at ULTRA.VC, an early-stage investor with an in-house accelerator for impact-driven European founders. Based in Krakow, she supports purpose-led startups with hands-on guidance, global growth tools, and founder well-being.

Luca Pauline Paeschke – SevenVentures
Luca is a Senior Associate at SevenVentures, the corporate VC arm of ProSiebenSat.1, supporting high-growth consumer startups through media-for-equity investments. Based in Berlin, she helps brands scale across Europe with a focus on marketing strategy and visibility.

Michal Sikyta – Soulmates Ventures
Michal is an Investment Partner at Soulmates Ventures, a green-focused VC and accelerator backing sustainable startups across sectors like energy, mobility and circular economy. He supports purpose-driven teams through funding, mentorship, and structured go-to-market programmes.

Mohamed Foulser – Redstone
Mohamed is part of the investment team at Redstone, where he leads the firm’s Industrial strategy, covering everything from deal sourcing to portfolio support. With a background in engineering and entrepreneurship, he brings a strong technical perspective to the team, helping evaluate deeptech and industry-focused opportunities.

Pekka Makki – 3TS Capital
Pekka is Managing Partner at 3TS Capital Partners, one of Europe’s leading tech-focused growth capital firms. With over two decades of experience, he supports ambitious scale-ups across sectors like software, media, and tech-enabled services throughout Europe.

Philipp Hauptmann – STS Ventures
Philipp is an Investment Manager at STS Ventures, a Cologne-based early-stage VC firm led by serial entrepreneur Stephan Schubert. He supports technology-driven startups across Germany, helping founders refine strategy, build traction, and scale with experienced, hands-on guidance.

Talia Rafaeli – Kompas VC
Talia is a Partner and Co-founder at Kompas VC, where she leads the firm’s Barcelona office and oversees investments across Israel, the Iberian Peninsula, and the US. She brings deep expertise in mobility, deeptech, and emerging automotive technologies.

Thomas Cuvelier – RTP Global
Thomas is a Partner at RTP Global, an early-stage VC firm backing ambitious tech founders across Europe, the US, and India. He focuses on enterprise software and AI, and has supported startups driving innovation in complex, regulated markets.

Verica Poposka – Accelerace
Verica is a Senior Associate at Accelerace, one of Scandinavia’s most active pre-seed investors and startup accelerators. Copenhagen-based, she drives international investment initiatives and supports early-stage startups in sectors like health, cleantech, and foodtech.

Viktoriia Korytska – Flyer One Ventures
Viktoriia is an Investor at Flyer One Ventures, an early-stage VC backing startups across Europe and North America in sectors like AI, SaaS, and consumer tech. Based in Amsterdam, she focuses on deal sourcing and using data-driven insights to support scalable innovation.

Don’t miss the chance to meet these and many other investors live in Malta on April 24-25! Check out the full agenda here and grab your ticket while they last. Whether you’re fundraising, scouting for opportunities, or just curious to hear what’s trending in the VC world, the Investors on Stage session is an unmissable part of the EU-Startups Summit experience.

OUR HEADLINE SPONSOR

Malta Enterprise is Malta’s economic development agency, facilitating economic growth, investment, and innovation, by offering a range of support services for local and foreign enterprises setting up a productive presence in Malta. As a key player in Malta’s economic landscape, it contributes to the nation’s prosperity by attracting investments, supporting businesses, and driving innovation, thereby reinforcing Malta’s position as an attractive destination for entrepreneurs and investors alike. Malta Enterprise actively cultivates a vibrant startup ecosystem, playing a pivotal role in fostering a conducive environment for startups and offering tailored support and incentives to empower emerging businesses.

OUR SPONSORS

Scytale helps startups get compliant and stay compliant with frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, NIS 2, HIPAA, PCI-DSS and more, without breaking a sweat.

Airwallex is a leading global financial platform for modern businesses, offering trusted solutions to manage everything from payments, treasury, and spend management to embedded finance. With their proprietary infrastructure, Airwallex takes the friction out of global payments and financial operations, empowering businesses of all sizes to unlock new opportunities and grow beyond borders. Proudly founded in Melbourne, Airwallex supports over 100,000 businesses globally and is trusted by brands such as Brex, Rippling, Navan, Qantas, SHEIN and many more.

EUROCROWD is an independent network organisation aiming to support and promote crowdfunding as an alternative funding mechanism for small and medium-sized enterprises and innovative projects. EUROCROWD promotes and supports the development of Crowdfunding mechanisms as a viable funding source to European entrepreneurs and funders.

M. Demajo Group is a leading business player in Malta, with a successful history spanning 115 years. The Group’s growth and diversification have resulted in a wide coverage of business sectors through a commitment to long-term results. M. Demajo Group’s workforce is 500 strong and their various activities have been developed through organic growth, acquisitions, partnerships, and startups. Its strong financial situation and ethical standards, its business reputation, and its renowned track record as a business partner are all key factors in its continued expansion.

The European Innovation Council (EIC) is a flagship initiative of the European Commission to turn disruptive European science into groundbreaking commercial propositions and accelerate the scale-up of “game-changing” innovations. It is a key building bloc of a reinforced European ecosystem and the New European Innovation Agenda, filling the gap between R&D support, private investors, and the market. With a budget of over €10 billion under the Horizon Europe Programme (2021-2027), it seeks to position Europe as a global leader in the current wave of deep tech innovation.

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