On April 20-21, we will be welcoming you all to Barcelona for the 2023 edition of our annual flagship event: The EU-Startups Summit! And this year, it’s going to be bigger and better than ever before. We will gather over 2,000 people for two days of networking, inspiration and learning. It’s a great opportunity to learn from and connect with some of Europe’s most influential, successful and impactful founders, investors and innovators.
This year, we have a very exciting panel discussion covering all things equity crowdfunding – something that might prove extra useful this year with VCs tightening their purse strings.
Crowdfunding is a way of accessing capital by raising money from people, opening up your business to a community following. It’s long been a popular fundraising approach for startups as it helps create a follower base (which can provide useful market insights and new customers), doesn’t require nerve-wracking pitching to investors, and is pretty accessible and secure. There are a few different types of crowdfunding approaches, including peer-to-peer, equity and rewards and across Europe, different platforms to get started on.
The panel discussion, which will give you a deep-dive into how to navigate the world of crowdfunding will feature representatives of Europe’s leading equity crowdfunding platforms: Matt Cooper, Co-CEO Crowdcube, Kirsty Grant, Managing Director and CIO Seedrs and Carmen Sebe, CEO SeedBlink.
Matt Cooper is the Co-CEO at Crowdcube. Matt is a real financial expert, able to draw on over twenty years of experience in this space. His early career centred in the fintech capital, London, where he worked for both US and European Investment Banks including Merrill Lynch. In his current role, he has driven the growth of the platform from pre-Series A to profitability. He has also advised companies like Monzo, Revolut and BrewDog.
Since its 2010 launch, Crowdcube has carried out 1,800 successful raises and has a community of over 1 million members who have invested €1.5 billion collectively. It’s enabled the likes of Qonto to engage their communities and customers and create globally impactful businesses. The firm was the first to receive authorisation under new crowdfunding regulations, harmonising UK and EU rules, and, secured €11.8 million in 2021.
Kirsty Grant is the Managing Director & Chief Investment Officer at Seedrs – recognised as one of Europe’s leading private investment platforms. She is passionate about democratising investment, supporting Europe’s most innovative high-growth companies and revolutionising the way venture capital is distributed in the European startup ecosystem.
Under her leadership, London-based Seedrs has become the most active investor in early-stage private companies in the UK since its 2009 launch, with over 1,800 deals and has over £2.3 billion invested on the platform to date. The platform enables people to invest in future unicorns and exiting startups from just £10 and takes away the legal hassle. In 2021 the firm was acquired by US-based Republic in an €88 million deal.
Carmen Sebe is the CEO of SeedBlink. Leveraging extensive international experience in the tech market, Carmen is an expert in understanding markets, driving revenue, managing expenses and developing talent. She has overseen the growth of companies from their inception to the completion of hundreds of millions of euros in online transactions worldwide, as well as their eventual strategic exit.
SeedBlink launched in 2020 and has become one of the fastest-growing pan-European networks and investing platforms. So far, with Carmen’s leadership, the firm has attracted over 250 European portfolio companies and a strong network of tech and business leaders, business angels and venture capital firms.
This Panel Discussion is sure to be full of interesting insights and valuable takeaways. Make sure you secure your ticket today so that you’re there to join us. In the meantime, more information can be found on our event page, and, you can also get a taste of what’s to come this April by checking out this video from last year’s event:
Our Event Sponsors
Silicon Castles is a Tech Company Builder and Strategic Business Accelerator for technology, intellectual property and licensing businesses, located in Salzburg, Austria. The focus is on European Diamonds: technology startups with a unique business idea, scalable technology and outstanding intellectual property. Silicon Castles also organizes the Startup Executive Academy (SEA), an international Go-to-Market program for founders and executives of early-stage startups, taking place annually since 2017.
Vanta is the easy way to achieve compliance certifications such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, and more. Over 4000 fast-growing companies trust Vanta to automate their security monitoring and get ready for compliance audits in weeks instead of months. Simply connect your tools to Vanta, fix the gaps on your customised dashboard, and then work with a Vanta-trained auditor to complete your certification. And for a limited time, EU-Startups readers and attendees of the EU-Startups Summit will get $1,000 off Vanta. Just go to vanta.com/eustartups to get started.
EPAM is the foremost global digital transformation services provider – leading the industry in digital and physical product development and digital platform engineering services. Through its innovative strategy; integrated advisory, consulting, and design capabilities; and unique ‘Engineering DNA,’ EPAM’s globally deployed hybrid teams help make the future real for clients and communities around the world by powering better enterprise, education and health platforms that connect people, optimize experiences, and improve people’s lives.
