Insights from EBAN Congress 2025
From June 3–5, we had the privilege of attending the EBAN Congress 2025 in Copenhagen, an inspiring gathering of over 500 angel investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and innovation leaders from across Europe.
As a Community Partner of DanBAN (Danish Business Angels Network), co-hosts of this year’s Congress, we were thrilled to contribute to the 2025 edition.
During the event, we had the opportunity to engage with stakeholders from all over the continent.
It was a truly inspiring experience to come together and align on the EU's key priorities, ranging from cutting-edge deep tech and green innovation to fostering cross-border collaboration and promoting talent mobility.
The event came at an essential moment for the continent, as the EU intensifies efforts around the twin transition, strategic technologies, and pan-European innovation integration. Our conversations, engagements, and learnings throughout the Congress were incredibly inspiring, leaving us all feeling more committed than ever to building a resilient, inclusive, and future-focused Europe.
Green and Digital Transformation
The twin transition was a recurring theme throughout the Congress. Sessions explored how public and private investors are driving innovation in climate tech, AI, renewable energy, and digital infrastructure.
Startups showcased how they’re aligning their missions with EU policy goals like the European Green Deal and the Digital Decade, translating big visions into real-world solutions.
The focus on deep tech for sustainability stood out, with discussions around unlocking funding for hardware, data, and de-carbonization tools.
Scaling Startups and Strengthening Resilience
Conversations about startup growth and ecosystem resilience were central to this year’s agenda. Panels addressed the funding gap in scaling EU-born startups, particularly those in strategic sectors like biotech, defense tech, and industrial AI.
Speakers like Søren Møller (Novo Holdings) and Wojciech Walniczek (OTB Ventures) emphasized the importance of patient capital, ecosystem synergies, and support infrastructure for founder success.
The European Innovation Council and InvestEU tools were spotlighted as key vehicles for enabling scale across borders.
Inclusion was also high on the agenda. The Women TechEU Pitching Session showcased startups like SilviBio, S.Lab, and Eddytec, reinforcing the value of gender-diverse innovation in deep tech.
Pan-European Collaboration and Talent Mobility
Perhaps the strongest message from the Congress was the urgent need to reduce fragmentation across Europe’s innovation systems.
Sessions focused on:
Cross-border investment syndication
Pan-European talent mobility
Harmonized regulatory frameworks
Joint acceleration and scaling platforms
Stakeholders from across the continent discussed how greater alignment can unlock Europe's full innovation potential.
Programs like Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs, the European Tech Champions Initiative (ETCI), and Startup Europe were cited as essential instruments to strengthen these connections.
Startup Showcases and Deal Flow
The Startup Investment Forum provided a dynamic stage for early-stage companies to pitch their innovations to international investors.
Meanwhile, matchmaking sessions and 1:1 networking helped forge new partnerships and foster deal flow across sectors.
A Shared Commitment to Europe's Innovation Future
Our presence at EBAN reinforces our commitment to supporting Europe’s next generation of changemakers, aligned with the EU’s vision for a competitive, sustainable, and inclusive future.
Thank you to EBAN and the incredible network of stakeholders who made this edition a success, and a special thanks to our partners at DANBAN for co-hosting this gathering in the heart of Denmark.
Let’s keep driving innovation with purpose and building a more connected Europe, one founder at a time.