On May 7-8, we’ll be hosting another exciting edition of the EU-Startups Summit in beautiful and sunny Malta! With thousands of founders, investors, and startup enthusiasts expected to join us for two days of inspiration, networking, and meaningful connections, the Summit will once again bring together key players in Europe’s startup ecosystem.
Among the highlights of this year’s agenda, we’re excited to bring back our “Investors on Stage” session. The format flips the usual pitch dynamic and puts the spotlight on investors, giving each one a few minutes to introduce their firm, explain their investment focus, and share the types of startups they are currently looking to back.
For founders, this is a valuable opportunity to better understand which investors may be the right fit for their stage, sector, and ambitions. It is also a great way to prepare for more targeted conversations during the event and make the most of the networking opportunities available throughout the Summit.
If you’re currently fundraising, planning, or simply curious about what different firms are looking for, this session is definitely one to keep on your radar! Here are some of the investors who will be joining the session:
May 7th
Ana Fernandez: Investment Associate at Nauta, a European venture capital firm investing in early-stage B2B software companies across sectors such as enterprise software, AI/ML, data, security, privacy, devtools, infrastructure and deeptech. Based in London, she focuses on identifying and supporting ambitious founders building durable software businesses across Europe.
Andrea Birolo: Head of Corporate Venture Capital at Reale Group and Head of Digital Business at Reale Mutua Assicurazioni. He has been leading Reale Group’s corporate venture capital activities for over five years, with more than 10 investments across insurtech, fintech, digital health, and mobility. He is also a Board Member at the Italian Insurtech Association and auting.
Ben Joffe: Senior Partner at SOSV. As a DeepTech investor with 18 years of experience across Asia and global innovation ecosystems, he focuses on climate and HealthTech. He is actively involved in ecosystem building, curating initiatives such as the SOSV Climate Tech Summit and global matchmaking events connecting startups and investors.
Emilie Vallauri: Global Program Manager, Portfolio Management & Platform at Techstars, where she supports portfolio strategy and engagement across more than 5,000 startups. Based in London, she is also a Board Member at French Tech Berlin and an active contributor to the European VC community.
Henry Jurczek: Junior Investment Manager at Elevator Ventures, a venture capital fund. Based in Vienna, he supports the growth of technology companies in FinTech and beyond banking. Elevator Ventures manages over €120 million and brings a strong sourcing and business development network across the DACH and CEE regions.
Kamil Levinský: Managing Director of Jet Ventures, a venture capital fund focused on backing ambitious startups across Central Europe’s industrial and technology landscape. A former CEO and business angel with over 25 years of experience in telecom, media, and tech, he brings expertise in strategy, business transformation, financial management, and sales.
Ranier Chircop: Venture Capital Fund Manager at MGI – Malta Government Investments, where he helps manage a €10 million fund backing early-stage startups in Malta. A CFA Charterholder, he brings experience in central banking, fixed-income trading, due diligence, financial modelling, and ecosystem building.
May 8th
Anna Niittylä: Scout and Nordics Representative at CMPC Ventures, she supports the identification of startups and innovation opportunities across the Nordic ecosystem for CMPC, a global forestry, pulp, paper, packaging and wood products company focused on sustainable natural fibre solutions.
Amit Kumar: Venture investment and venture building professional at Niterra Ventures, focused on digital innovation, market scoping, validation, user research, and venture development. Based in Berlin, he brings a cross-functional background in electronics engineering, strategy, and digital business, with a focus on building sustainable business opportunities.
Friedrich von Wulffen: Principal at Burda Principal Investments, a growth equity firm backing scalable technology businesses with global potential. Based in Munich, he focuses on consumer brands and deep tech companies, supporting high-growth startups at the Series A, B, and C stages. They have backed companies such as Vinted, Bloom & Wild, and Moneybox.
Ilena Mece: Principal at Kompas VC. An experienced analyst with a background in the banking sector, specialising in market research, corporate social responsibility, and business development. Her work focuses on financial analysis, strategic insights, and supporting investment-related decision-making.
Mine Dedekoca: Founder, investor, and startup ecosystem builder based in Istanbul, with a strong focus on backing founders and connecting startups with investors and global opportunities. Through her work with Start-IST, Treeo VC, and the wider innovation ecosystem, she supports early-stage ventures with strategic guidance, community access, and cross-border connections.
Ollie Bone: Vice President at Evolution Equity Partners, a VC firm backing startups across cybersecurity, AI, privacy, anti-fraud, infrastructure, and developer tools. Ollie focuses on sourcing and supporting founders building companies with product-market fit and international growth potential. He brings experience from several investments and board roles.
Paul Grech: Head of Investments at GO Ventures, the corporate VC arm of GO plc, where he backs early-stage startups across AI, cybersecurity, consumer tech, and other sectors. An investor and strategic growth partner, he supports founders with strategy, deal structuring, fundraising, market entry, and business model development.
Viktor Gursky: Partner at 1991 Ventures, a London-based seed fund backing Ukrainian and CEE founders building in defence, cybersecurity, AI, fintech, and logistics. He focuses on pre-seed and seed investments in startups shaping Europe’s security and strategic industries, while helping connect founders with capital, partners, and international opportunities.
More investors will be announced soon, so stay tuned for further updates. In the meantime, make sure to check out the agenda and secure your ticket for the EU-Startups Summit. Whether you’re actively fundraising or simply looking to better understand the investor landscape, the “Investors on Stage” session will be a great opportunity to hear directly from active VCs and start building the right connections.
OUR EVENT SPONSORS
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.
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 IONOS Cloud Start-up Program provides young companies with up to €100,000 in cloud credits for up to five years after their founding. Start-ups benefit from a sovereign IT infrastructure “Made in Germany,” offering 100% GDPR compliance and full legal certainty. IONOS Cloud guarantees technological freedom without vendor lock-in. Long-term support is also ensured: exclusive discounts after the first year enable a seamless transition into the IONOS Cloud ISV Partner Program. In this way, digital sovereignty becomes a strategic competitive advantage from founding to scaling
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2026/04/get-ready-for-the-investors-on-stage-session-at-this-years-eu-startups-summit-2/
