Spotlight on EAIS25: egg’s Startups Take the Stage

Our member, egg the Business Accelerator of Eurobank, proudly returned once again to the European Angel Investment Summit (EAIS25) in Brussels as an event partner and sponsor, showcasing three startups ready to grow beyond their national markets. Building on the strong partnership between the egg and EBAN, three startups were selected to pitch in the Summit’s sector-focused sessions. The final lineup consisted of Bitrezus, Timing for Sports, and Move On. Though operating in very different fields, all three stand out for their practical solutions and innovative approaches.

Every startup has a story, and below, we highlight the three egg Accelerator’s startups that pitched at EAIS25. Discover what they’re building, why they stood out, and what they have to say about the experience.

Bitrezus: Cyberspace security for space-based assets

When we talk about the future of space, we’re often thinking about rockets and constellations. But space has another critical frontier: cybersecurity. That’s where Bitrezus comes in.

Based in Athens, Greece, Bitrezus delivers next-generation cybersecurity for the space and defence sectors. The company develops dual-use security solutions that protect mission-critical satellite and tactical data assets against advanced cyber threats. Bitrezus’ flagship platform is engineered for the entire satellite ecosystem—space segment, and ground segment—ensuring trusted operations end-to-end. Its architecture combines a proprietary zero-trust framework, verifiable data integrity and provenance across orbital and terrestrial networks, post-quantum-resistant cryptography, and immutable, blockchain-verified mission logs. To enhance operational resilience, Bitrezus integrates onboard AI-powered anomaly detection, enabling satellites and tactical systems to autonomously detect, classify, and mitigate threats in real time. This approach transforms cybersecurity from a passive safeguard into active mission assurance, giving operators confidence in every command, dataset, and decision. Here’s what they had to say about EAIS25:

“I left the European Angel Investment Summit (EAIS25) with a renewed sense of how dynamic Europe’s earlystage investment ecosystem is, and one standout moment was connecting with a Europeanwide angel network ready to coinvest across borders—opening up possibilities I hadn’t considered before. The feedback we have received from investors at EAIS25 after our pitch was incredibly encouraging—they highlighted BitRezus’ strong traction and market potential and the clarity of our vision, and several investors expressed immediate interest in joining our funding round.”

-Konstantinos Antonakopoulos, CEO & Co – Founder of Bitrezus

Learn more: https://bitrezus.com/ 

Timing for Sports: Precision timing and live event management for sports 

Whether it’s marathons, cycling tours, or other mass-participation races, timing matters. Timing for Sports, founded in Thessaloniki, has developed a complete RFID-based electronic timing system, along with end-to-end event management software for sports events. They are the first Greek company to design and produce both the hardware and software entirely in-house and have successfully timed large-scale races with more than 20,000 participants.

Their expertise in live events and athlete behaviour allows them to go far beyond recording results. Their platform supports predictive insights, real-time performance analytics, race-flow monitoring, and better event planning. By bringing accuracy, reliability, and transparency to sports events, they help organisers run fairer, smarter, and more engaging experiences for athletes and spectators alike.

What EAIS25 meant in the words of their Co-Founder: 

“The most impactful takeaway from the EBAN Angel Investors Summit 2025 was the emphasis on speed and strategic cross-border investment as crucial factors for scaling European startups. The high-level networking event, hosted within the European Commission building, reinforced the vital role of partnerships in accelerating innovation across the continent while significantly boosted the startups visibility within the European innovation ecosystem.”

-Victoria Papageorgiou, CEO & Co- Founder of Timing for Sports

More info: https://timing4s.com/ 

MOVE ON: AI-Driven agricultural autonomy for sustainable farming

MOVE ON’s motto says it all: “Hands on the keyboard, feet in the field.”

This agtech startup blends agricultural know-how with deep engineering expertise to develop AI-powered tools supporting sustainable farming. Their technology includes autonomous driving kits for tractors, camera-based smart systems for plant-level optimisation, and an agricultural cloud platform that enables monitoring, decision-making, and machinery control. Their solutions tackle inefficiencies, reduce unnecessary chemical use, and increase traceability in non-digital farming environments.

Armed with international patents, field-tested products, and strong farmer feedback loops, MOVE ON is helping accelerate the digital transformation of agriculture, making it more efficient, environmentally responsible, and accessible.

Reflecting on their experience at EAIS25:

“MOVE ON, a ‘born to global’ AgTech startup from Türkiye, was truly excited to participate in EAIS25. As first-time attendees, we gained valuable insights into the global investor mindset and had the opportunity to share our technologies, traction, and our vision for scaling sustainable digital farming. EAIS25 was a meaningful experience for us in our target market, Europe. We sincerely thank the egg team for their continuous support.”

-Omer Faruk KOC, CEO & Founder of MOVE ON

Explore: https://www.moveon.ai/ 

Along the way

The egg Accelerator’s participation was marked by the three promising startups they brought to the Summit, giving them a powerful platform for international exposure and direct investor connections. This international mission to Brussels was a strategic culmination of the comprehensive support the egg Accelerator had already provided for these startups. Having previously guided the founders through a structured pre-acceleration and acceleration platform and facilitated crucial investment opportunities, the summit represented a key extroversion activity designed to amplify their growth onto the European stage.

“At egg Accelerator, we are committed to end-to-end empowerment, providing foundational training, network access, and global opportunities that entrepreneurs need to scale and enhance Europe’s competitiveness”.

-Arianna Ioannidou, Community Manager at egg Accelerator

What’s next? 

A big thank you to all the teams for bringing their work, vision, ideas and enthusiasm to EAIS25 in Brussels. We are already excited about what lies ahead at the next EBAN Congress in 2026!

Set to take place in Vilnius, Lithuania, in collaboration with Lithuanian Business Angels Network (LitBAN), the 2026 EBAN Congress will continue the knowledge-sharing and networking. Mark your calendars for 1–2 June and join us.

Until then… keep building, keep pushing boundaries, and together, let’s continue shaping a stronger innovation ecosystem.

About EAIS25

The European Angel Investment Summit is the leading platform for dialogue between EU institutions and the world of angels, VCs, and startups to shape a stronger innovation ecosystem together. Organised by EBAN in partnership with the InvestEU Portal and the European Commission, EAIS25 is where the startup and investment community unites to voice its needs, share practical solutions, and form policies that make Europe the best place to start, scale, and invest in impactful ventures. 

About egg

Established by Eurobank, egg is one of Greece’s leading Business accelerators, supporting startups grow through mentoring, training, and access to networks and funding.

Cross-Border Angel Investments and Why They Really Matter 

Connect2Scale officially closed its final phase at EAIS25, concluding a period of extensive collaboration among countries and innovation ecosystems across the continent. In its final chapter, the project emphasised a central message: Europe’s ability to scale innovative companies depends on stronger cross-border angel investment.

The 2025 European Angel Investment Summit (EAIS25) took place in Brussels, Belgium, on 28 – 29 October, organised by the European Business Angels Network (EBAN)  and the European Commission, in partnership with Hoperfy, Enterprise Europe Network, EU-LAC Digital Accelerator, egg Accelerator | Eurobank, Hessen Trade & Invest GmbH and, of course, the Connect2Scale project.

Connect2Scale Presentation and Panel Discussion

The session opened with a keynote presentation of the project’s Policy Recommendations, delivered by Nina Dremelj, Founder of Business Angels of Slovenia and Partner at Vesna Deeptech Venture Fund. The findings highlight a clear gap: while investors recognise the value of cross-border investment for competitiveness and innovation, administrative burdens, regulatory fragmentation, higher perceived risk and inconsistent fiscal incentives continue to discourage activity. The recommendations call for the creation of a European “golden standard” for angel investing, one that simplifies procedures, enables interoperability, encourages the use of digital investment platforms and strengthens coordinated co-investment mechanisms. 

However, challenges such as legal complexity, difficult due-diligence processes and tax incentives favouring domestic investments remain significant. In response, many business angel networks are developing syndicated models, sharing standardised documents, offering targeted training and organising international delegations to build trusted relationships across borders. And as several panellists noted, cooperation between angels and venture capital funds may be the accelerant Europe needs to truly scale its companies globally. 

By the end of the session, one conclusion stood firm: advancing cross-border angel investment must remain a priority for the EU’s broader scale-up agenda. Achieving this will require coordination at the EU level and deeper interoperability across ecosystems, but above all, it will require people who are willing to build relationships that transcend borders.

Beyond sessions, participants were also welcomed at the Evening Networking Reception at Rooftop 58, which offered an informal setting for building new connections and strengthening existing ones.

What is coming next for EBAN?

As the European Angel Investment Summit 2025 in Brussels draws to a close, our excitement surges for what lies ahead at the next EBAN Congress in 2026. Set to take place in Vilnius, Lithuania, in collaboration with Lithuanian Business Angels Network (LitBAN), the 2026 EBAN Congress promises to uphold the legacy of excellence, knowledge-sharing, and networking.

Set in Vilnius, one of Europe’s fastest-growing tech and startup capitals, this two-day congress will provide an unparalleled platform to connect, learn, and invest in groundbreaking ideas while experiencing the city’s vibrant culture and hospitality. Attendees will engage in inspiring keynotes, interactive panels, investor–startup matchmaking sessions, and exclusive networking opportunities, all focused on the future of early-stage investment, innovation trends, and cross-border collaboration.

Block your Calendar for 1-2 June and make plans to be a part of the 2026 EBAN Congress in Vilnius. Together, let’s continue to push the boundaries of angel investing, provide invaluable support to startups, and actively shape the future of the global startup ecosystem.

The continent’s tech ecosystem has reached a certain level of maturity, but long-term competitiveness depends on whether it can turn its promise into global strategic assets. Europe effectively stands at a crossroads. We don’t lack talent or innovation — what Europe does lack is alignment between ambition and commitment.

Brussels, 19 November 2025 

How do you connect angel networks across countries that speak different languages or follow different rules? The BAN Manager Track session held on October 29 at the European Angel Investment Summit 2025 touched on these important topics… and the answers that came out were as insightful as practical.

The room gathered some of Europe’s most active business angel networks and audience voices:

• Lisa Bennewitz — BAND (Business Angels Netzwerk Deutschland, Germany)
• Sinéad Byrne — Prospera Ventures (Ireland)
• Maxime Paradis — Paradise Club
• Niamh Sterling — HBAN (Halo Business Angel Network, Ireland)
• Julian von Hassell — Baltic Business Angels
• Marius Istrate — TechAngels Romania
• Tiina Laisi-Puheloinen— FiBAN (Finnish Business Angels Network)
• Grigor Hovhannisyan — BANA Angels (Armenia)
• Audience inputs from Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and more

The overall message was clear: cross-border collaboration is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s a must.

Germany

For 27 years, BAND has served as the backbone of Germany’s angel community, hosting the country’s biggest conferences and recognition programs. But more than that, Lisa Bennewitz reminded everyone of something policymakers often overlook: angels drive early-stage investment in Germany. Despite strong individual investors, public co-funding rules often tie BANs to local startups, making cross-border syndication hard at the network level. “Individuals can go global”, Lisa noted, “but networks can’t always follow”.

Ireland

From Ireland, Sinéad of Prospera Ventures reminded that angel investing isn’t new to Ireland, it just didn’t always have the name. In this sense, Prospera works closely with universities and innovation hubs to help founders, or as she said clearly: “translate their dreams and ideals into a language investors can understand”. Finally, her focus on education and female founders was warmly welcomed in the room. 

Niamh from HBAN gave an inside and detailed look at HBAN’s operating rhythm. Picture this: during a pitch, investors scan a QR code, express their interest through a quick form, and within hours, receive deep-dive session slots. Follow-ups are pre-scheduled, data rooms opened, and by midweek, angels are back around the (virtual) table. It’s a system designed to capture interest before momentum fades, re-checking interest within 48 hours to avoid fizzle.

Lessons from the North and East

Representing Baltic and Northern Germany, Julian von Hassell brought a policy-driven perspective. His point: EU and national public money often flows through banks with “local-only” mandates, unintentionally blocking cross-border growth. His advice to founders? Think global from day one.

Marius of TechAngels, from Romania, came strong with facts: “In Eastern Europe, it might take 3,000 startup attempts to create one unicorn”, he said. For TechAngels, cross-border collaboration isn’t a slogan is, in fact, essential. Their model runs without public money or membership fees, and is built on relationships that extend across the region, from Sofia to Ljubljana or Budapest.

Meanwhile, Tiina from FiBAN (Finland) shared how her 600-member network combines strong education with community and a growing share of women investors. FiBAN’s Angel and Lead Academies have helped professionalise investing, but cross-border deals remain low. The next frontier? Training more lead angels and creating themed verticals (like defence-tech) to build confidence abroad.

Armenia

Armenia’s representative, Grigor, described a network that’s global by necessity. With a small domestic market, most Armenian startups register as U.S. entities early on, and half of their angels come from outside the country. According to Grigor, one trusted local lead can unlock the rest of the network (so far across 15 countries). The result? Around 5 unicorns founded by Armenians worldwide, keeping in mind that it is a nation of three million.

Barriers and Breakthroughs

Throughout the session, the same barriers kept surfacing: local-only funding rules, unfamiliar legal frameworks, and fear of “capital leakage”. But the solutions were just as consistent: build trust, create lead-angel pipelines, and document what works. As it would be summed up: “Collaboration doesn’t mean your money leaves. It means your ecosystem grows”.

And the enablers? Practical ones:

• Capture interest fast — indicative tickets, and immediate deep-dive scheduling.
• Train lead angels — the bottleneck for many BANs.
• Activate diaspora nodes — they’re natural bridges for deal flow.
• Encourage founders to think global early — before legal and cultural barriers pile up.

One of the most valued aspects of the programme was the opportunity for informal networking among BAN leaders. Many expressed their appreciation for the collaborative atmosphere and the rare chance to exchange ideas with peers facing similar hurdles.

The Big Picture

One thing was clear by the end of the session: Europe’s angel ecosystem is maturing, and its next jump will come from more and stronger connections. The BAN Manager Programme is EBAN’s answer to that evolution, and cross-border collaboration is about building an ecosystem where innovation, trust, and opportunity move freely.

What is coming next for EBAN?

As the European Angel Investment Summit 2025 in Brussels draws to a close, our excitement surges for what lies ahead at the next EBAN Congress in 2026. Set to take place in Vilnius, Lithuania, in collaboration with Lithuanian Business Angels Network (LitBAN), the 2026 EBAN Congress promises to uphold the legacy of excellence, knowledge-sharing, and networking.

Set in Vilnius, one of Europe’s fastest-growing tech and startup capitals, this two-day congress will provide an unparalleled platform to connect, learn, and invest in groundbreaking ideas while experiencing the city’s vibrant culture and hospitality. Attendees will engage in inspiring keynotes, interactive panels, investor–startup matchmaking sessions, and exclusive networking opportunities, all focused on the future of early-stage investment, innovation trends, and cross-border collaboration.

Block your Calendar for 1-2 June and make plans to be a part of the 2026 EBAN Congress in Vilnius. Together, let’s continue to push the boundaries of angel investing, provide invaluable support to startups, and actively shape the future of the global startup ecosystem.

7 Startups from 5 countries competed all day, with Irish StartUp KinetikIQ winning “Most Investable” prize.

The Sophia Business Angels (SBA) held their traditional International Venture Academy this last Friday 07 November which focused on SportsTech with a star-studded cast of Keynote Speakers and an international cohort of 7 Startups from 5 countries, (Spain, Türkiye, Finland, France, Ireland) participating.  The SBA was delighted to welcome EBAN Sports as the sponsor of the all-day event which took place at the Novotel in Sophia Antipolis.

The SBA International Venture Academy is conceived as a “Coaching and Investment Readiness Day” for StartUps which are considered to be “Almost Investment Ready” and are usually recommended by SBA Members and the SBA’s partner Angel networks throughout Europe and the world.

Keynote Speakers and Special Guest Appearances

Former Manchester United soccer star Louis Saha, champion of the 1998 world cup with the French national team, shared his winning secret of “Focus” during his reveal of KiiMasters, his new platform where we can access champions to inspire us to improve body & mind. 

Le Tremplin incubator Co-Founder and Olympic 2024 Innovation Chief Omar El-Zayat talked about the need to continually innovate and use data to get insights.  

EBAN Sports Co-Chair and SBA Board Member, Audra Shallal underlined that “SportsTech” touches every part of our lives, be it entertainment, competition, mental and physical health.  

Ashish Gupta,  a veteran business leader who drove the global adoption of Wi-Fi at Intel, now serves as a Board Member of the Oregon Venture Fund, advising startups on pitch strategy, go-to-market execution, and scaling success.

Anna Badurska, President 42 Global Ventures, former EIT Health Director and President of Mougins School Business Club, added examples of how Sports affects our health.

The Startups and Entrepreneurs that participated at the November 2025 IVA

Icorpod presented by Jaime de la Calle – A smart-tracking sports tech platform that delivers real-time data and analytics via wearable sensors and cloud software to optimize training performance, primarily for badminton and racquet sports. (Spain)

Inrace presented by Ilia Khaliavin & Benoit Gouit – A sports-tech platform delivering “the most immersive motorsport experience” by using virtual reality to transport fans deep into the action of each race weekend presented. (France)

KineticIQ presented by Emma Meehan – A precision‐sports and health technology company that brings biomechanics lab-level movement analysis into your hand, using LiDAR 3D scanning to deliver instant metrics that enable athletes and clinicians to optimize performance, reduce injury risk and train smarter. (Ireland)

Mistikist presented by Bûgra Karahan – A neuroscience-based mental wellbeing platform that uses AI-driven, personalized audio-visual brainwave entertainment to help users reduce stress, enhance focus, improve sleep and program their subconscious mind — all in just a few minutes per session. (Turkey and UK)

Stepswatch presented by Rahul Mehta – Provides a personalized digital health solution, aiming to deliver “personalized care at every step” through remote monitoring and data-driven insights via its platform. (France and India)

Vest Padel presented by Adrian Torres Montero – Tailored padel-training experience combining high-performance methodology with a welcoming, club-style atmosphere.(Spain)

Viva Jets presented by Timonthy Kronqvist– A Finnish-based company specializing in fully electric personal watercraft, designed for sustainability and high performance — boasting zero emissions, rapid recharging and innovative materials made from recycled bio-composites.(Finland)

These 7 companies participated in the SBA International Venture Academy with KinetikIQ winning the top prize of “Most Investable”:

Best Presentation Award went to Inrace; Best Improvement to Icorpod and the Michael Rogosin Best Team Award to Stepswatch.

About Sophia Business Angels:

Based in the Sophia Antipolis technology park, Sophia Business Angels (SBA) has forty investor members from around the world. SBA is unique in being an international network, as evidenced by the numerous initiatives launched by Edgardo da Fonseca (Founder and President of SBA) and Candace Johnson (Co-Founder of  SBA  and President Emeritus of European Business Angels Networks and the SBA ) together with Senator Pierre Laffitte in 2002, the founder of Sophia Antipolis.  The SBA’s  now-famous “International Venture Academy,” which, since June 2010, has mobilized nearly 500 coaches and 40 internationally renowned speakers, and has enabled the financing or support of nearly 160 projects, 40 % of which have received funding through their participation in the SBA International Venture Academy.

For more information, visit www.sophiabusinessangels.com 

About EBAN Sports:

EBAN Sports is a specialised community within the European Business Angels Network (EBAN) dedicated to fostering investment, collaboration, and innovation in the SportsTech sector. Its main goal is to connect early-stage investors, startups, and industry stakeholders working at the intersection of sports and technology, such as wearables, data analytics, virtual reality, smart venues, and fan engagement tools.

The community serves as a hub for angel investors seeking to identify and support promising SportsTech ventures, while also helping entrepreneurs gain access to mentorship, funding, and international exposure. EBAN Sports hosts networking events, pitch sessions, and thematic conferences—such as the EBAN SportsTech Explorer Tour—to encourage deal flow and knowledge exchange between investors and founders.

Through partnerships and reports, EBAN Sports promotes awareness of emerging trends and investment opportunities across Europe’s rapidly expanding SportsTech ecosystem. It also collaborates with accelerators and innovation programs to advance the growth of sports-related startups.

While EBAN Sports does not act as a direct investment fund, it provides a powerful platform where members of the EBAN network can share expertise, co-invest, and collaborate on high-potential opportunities. The initiative is led by industry professionals including Juan Fuentes Fernández and Audra Elena Shallal, who guide its strategy and community engagement.

Overall, EBAN Sports plays a vital role in shaping Europe’s SportsTech investment landscape by bridging the gap between investors and innovators, fostering cross-border collaboration, and driving the technological transformation of the global sports industry.

For more information, visit: https://www.eban.org/eban-sports/ 

Paris, the 29th of October — Bpifrance, the French Public Investment Bank, has launched its first edition of the European Defence Week in Paris. This event marks a milestone for Europe’s strategic startups, with the announcement of Defence Angels European Network – DAEN – the first pan-European network of Business Angels dedicated to DefenceTech and strategic innovation.

For the first time, private investors from across the continent are joining forces to  support Europe’s most promising start-ups in defence, dual-use, and critical  technologies — from advanced materials to drones, space, cybersecurity, and quantum.

The DAEN initiative is inspired by the French Défense Angels network, the first Business Angels structure in Europe dedicated to financing strategic startups.

This initiative is supported by the two European federations of Business Angels, Business Angels Europe and the European Business Angel Network, as well as two national federations, France Angels and Italian Business Angels Association, alongside numerous Business Angels networks from across the EU Member States. It aims to close the early-stage funding gap for start-ups developing technologies essential to Europe’s security, resilience, and competitiveness.

This creation of the network has also involved many institutional partners, including Bpifrance, notably through its international matchmaking platform EuroQuity, the French Ministry of Defence as well as several other European actors, underlining the growing recognition that Europe’s strategic autonomy depends on its ability to finance its own defence innovation. The initiative was welcomed by European institutions, such as the European Commission and the European Investment Bank.

Built as an open and collaborative platform, the network will foster cross-border co-investment, share expertise among Angel investors, and connect DefenceTech entrepreneurs with industrial, financial and institutional partners. It will also act as a bridge between public instruments — such as the European Defence Fund, the Defence Equity Facility or the European Innovation Council — and Europe’s private investment community.

With this new initiative, Europe takes a decisive step toward building a stronger, more connected innovation ecosystem capable of sustaining its own strategic needs.

“In his report on “the Future of European competitiveness,” Mario Draghi underlines: “Europe must refocus its collective efforts on reducing the innovation gap with the United States and China, especially regarding advanced technologies.” This is the aim of the Defence Angels European Network’s creation. DAEN’s structure is inspired by the proven and agile models of Business Angel networks focusing on specific sectors. It leverages the success of the first and only BA network specialized in Defence and Security in France, to roll it out across Europe, with the aim of redirecting private savings from European countries to early-stage Strategic European Startups. Our conviction is that DAEN’s success can only be collective, depending on the active support and actions from all European stakeholders.” – Guy Gourevitch, President of Défense Angels.

“At Bpifrance, we are multiplying initiatives to strengthen Europe’s defence and technological sovereignty, from the € 450 million Bpifrance Defence Fund open to individual investors, to supporting networks like DAEN that bring together experienced business angels around dual-use innovation. Thanks to our matchmaking platform EuroQuity, these investors will be able to connect with all the strategic partners of the European Defense Alliance community, helping to accelerate the rise of European champions that will secure our sovereignty.” – Pascal Lagarde, Executive Director, Strategy, Development, International Affairs and ESG of Bpifrance.

“Europe needs bold investors who understand the strategic importance of defence innovation in securing our societal wealth, and within that framework, business angels are uniquely positioned to support this sector – not just with capital, but with vision and networks. BAE is proud to support and take an active role in Defence Angels European Network and help build a resilient, cross-border investment ecosystem.” – Reginald Vossen, President of Business Angels Europe.

“EBAN has a long tradition of investing in Space and most recently in Space & Defence. Already, when we started EBAN Space in 2016 we were investing in Dual Mission ventures. In particular, EBAN’s very large representation from the Eastern European countries gives us a large pool of both entrepreneurs and investors to draw on for Defence Angels European Network. We are also most pleased to include representatives from ESA and EUSPA as well as a large number of European Space & Defence VC’s, such as Expansion, Seraphim, Primo Space, Triangle Ventures, NOVA Space, DEPO Ventures, along with Défense Angels, LitBAN, LBAN, FiBAN, Access Space, BSV Ventures, etc. within our EBAN Space & Defense Executive Committee.” – Ted Elvhage, Chairman of EBAN Space & Defense. 

“We are proud to be contributing to the security of Europe with the Defence Angels European Network.” – Candace Johnson, EBAN President Emeritus and EBAN Space & Defense Executive Committee Member.

“France Angels has built a matrix organization to support ‘agnostic’ territorial Business Angels Networks and Early-Stage Investors with Sectorial Networks such as Defence or Healthcare. We are really proud to announce this important milestone for Défense Angels to expand in Europe. We remain committed to extend it to other Sectorial Networks.” – Alain Pujol, France Angels Co-President.

“As representatives of Italian Business Angels, and as actors of the Franco-Italian cooperation on innovation support and investment, we are delighted to support the creation of this new pan-European network.” – Paolo Anselmo, President of IBAN.

“The launch of the Defence Angels European Network is an important milestone for EU’s security. This initiative is in line with the Commission’s effort to build a stronger defence innovation ecosystem through EU cooperation and support the full investment journey of start-ups and scale-ups developing innovative defence solutions.” – Guillaume de la Brosse, Head of Unit for Defence policy & innovation, European Commission (DG DEFIS).

““Cross-border investments” and “pan-European” are two key words in our current reality, that align with the values and objectives of the EIB Group: autonomy, leadership, preparedness and strategic investments. It is encouraging to see that all layers of the economic ecosystem are now moving in this same direction, and it should give us hope that we can support each other in the process. We need to think about interoperability, efficiency and benefiting from each other’s strengths. With this in mind, the EIB is supporting and encouraging this new initiative. We look forward to financing companies that will have been nurtured by the European Defence Angels Network.” – Andra Migiu, Head of Division, Security and Defence Office, European Investment Bank.

“The European Innovation Council has always relied on business angels and their networks to identify and support deep tech startups in Europe. We are looking forward to working with the DAEN in order to support the fast-emerging ecosystem in dual use technologies in Europe.” – Stéphane Ouaki, EIC head of Department and EISMEA acting Director.

About the Initiative

Defence Angels European Network is an independent, non-profit initiative bringing together private investors, entrepreneurs, and innovation leaders across the European Union. Supported by the main European Business Angels federations and many national networks, it aims to accelerate investment in early-stage DefenceTech and strategic start-ups through pan-European coordination, co-investment, and shared expertise.

Press Contact

Emmanuel ANKRI, Board Member / Défense Angels

emmanuel.ankri@defenseangels.org / +336 12 19 65 49

About Bpifrance

Bpifrance is the French national investment bank: it finances businesses – at every stage of their development – through loans, guarantees, equity investments and export insurances. Bpifrance also provides extra financial services (training, consultancy) to help entrepreneurs meet their challenges (innovation, export…). 

For more information, please visit: https://www.bpifrance.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn : Bpifrance LinkedIn and on X : @Bpifrance – @BpifrancePresse

Press Contact

Claire JOLY, Media Relations / Bpifrance

claire.joly@bpifrance.fr / +336 69 47 14 76