Estonian Business Angels Network (EstBAN)

Warsaw feels like a proper metropol! So lively and huge. 🏙️✨ Our 4NGELS Study Trip took us to PKO Bank Polski Rotunda building in the heart of Warsaw's business district - the day kicked off with learning about the Polish startup ecosystem (thank you StartUp Hub Poland and 🌎 Maciej (Maciek) Sadowski, Piotr Kedra from PFR Ventures, Kristiina Libe from Tehnopol's ReadytoScale project and Maria Tyka-Majewska from @HugeThing ). Then we moved on to the Warsaw Stock Exchange (GPW) to take part of the Deep Tech CEE Summit & Challenge, did some networking and heard TOP3 4NGELS startup contest pitches: FEYENALLY, ToriiPay and play.air are all on their path to make life a bit easier be it short-sighted people, B2B payments or boosting children's speech development. COBIN Angels also took us to two remarkable Polish startups: Pure City and EcoBean. Finished the day with more deep tech startup pitches, gala and networking. Thank you Monika Heldt and Tomasz Laskowicz for the study trip programme and letting us immerse into Polish startup and investment scene. Trips like this are meant to encourage networking and cross boarder investing so that we'd have a stronger European economy. Cobin Angel is soon about to launch a cross boarder syndicate and interested parties can join. 🤝 More about the coming 4NGELS syndicate: https://lnkd.in/dG6qyh3d

This week, part of our team is exploring investing into Warsaw, Poland 🇵🇱, learning about cross-border investment strategies and immersing ourselves in the Polish startup ecosystem. We're also visiting Deep Tech CEE Summit & Challenge, a key event gathering tech leaders, investors, and founders from Central and Eastern Europe. The first day kicked off with an enriching program by COBIN Angels, starting with a cultural visit to the historic Palace of Culture and Science - an iconic landmark in Warsaw. This set the stage for Monday’s deep dive into the local startup ecosystem, beginning with a visit to Google for Startups where Michal Kramarz shared inspiring insights on the region encouraging investment with the assertion that "In this region we have great tech talent. So, invest!" The day continued with a knowledge-sharing session from entrepreneurs Olga Adamkiewicz and Marta Zarosa. Their journey from founders to successful exits and then to angel investors offered invaluable guidance on evolving roles in the ecosystem, posing the essential question: What comes next after becoming an angel? As the day progressed, we had a scyscraper-meeting with our inernational 4NGELS team of Finnish Business Angels Network (FiBAN), COBIN Angels, Business Angels of Slovenia and Estonian Business Angels Network (EstBAN). And to conclude the day, there was a passionate discussion on cross-border investing that included valuable insights from Business Angels of Slovenia's leader Nina Dremelj and Civitta's Anna Tórz, PhD 🇵🇱 🇪🇪 of Civitta, who together with three other panelists emphasized the importance of collaborative investment strategies across borders. Looking ahead, we're geared up for two more days at the Deep Tech CEE Summit & Challenge and continuous engagement with the Polish startup ecosystem, including a visit to the Warsaw Stock Exchange (GPW) tomorrow. 🙌 For those inspired by this journey, there’s an invitation to join future study trips to Germany🇩🇪 (4-6 November) and Finland🇫🇮 (18-19 November), promising more firsthand insights into European startup ecosystems!

Hamburg is calling you, investor! 🇩🇪 We have a delegation of Estonian Business Angels Network (EstBAN) business angels going to Hamburg on 4-6 November. Would you like to join and meet the tech giants' city from an investor perspective? Hamburg is home to a diverse range of world-famous companies across industries like aerospace, media, logistics, e-commerce, and luxury goods. This diversity makes Hamburg a key economic center in Europe and an attractive destination for both businesses and investors. Hamburg has produced global giants like Airbus, Otto Group, Beiersdorf (Nivea), Kuehne + Nagel, Hapag-Lloyd, Axel Springer, Tchibo, Warburg Bank, XING (New Work SE), DER SPIEGEL, Montblanc, Aurubis, About You, and Fielmann, making it a powerhouse of innovation and industry across various sectors. The business angel trip agenda includes super cool startup and accelerator visits, meetings and networking. If you want to know more, contact our Managing Director Karin Künnapas. See you in Hamburg? DM!

A few reading tips if you don't know where to begin your startup investing journey! 👩💻 We're thrilled to announce that 4NGELS project has published two comprehensive guidebooks on Finland's and Estonia's startup ecosystems.🌍 💡The guidebooks are designed to provide invaluable insights into the vibrant and fast-growing innovation landscapes of both countries, helping you make well-informed cross-border investments. Whether you're a seasoned investor or new to angel investing, these resources will help you understand the unique opportunities and challenges in both Finland and Estonia. 📚 Find and download the guidebooks for free from EstBAN website: https://lnkd.in/d582_sxa 4NGELS is an international initiative designed to support business angels and startups through cross-border investments in innovative projects. Project partners: COBIN Angels (Poland), Estonian Business Angels Network (EstBAN), Finnish Business Angels Network (FiBAN), Business Angels of Slovenia. Coordinated by Civitta and funded by the European Union, 4NGELS helps startups connect with investors and secure funding for international growth.

Last week EstBAN was in Brussels 🇧🇪, the heart of everything European 🇪🇺 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of EBAN - European Business Angel Network during the European Angel Investment Summit (#EAIS). It was a big business angel event where our European colleagues showcased some of the brightest minds in angel investing and the startup ecosystem while marking 25 years of innovation and collaboration across the world. Some reasons we're especially grateful to be part of the game: ✨ Our CEO, Karin Künnapas discussed on stage about the burning topic of “How to Get More Women into Angel Investing.” - it's still only a few % out of all investors. ✨ Our incredible partner and colleague from EBAN Annual Congress in Tallinn - the powerhouse event organizer, Kärt Klein was one of the bright minds behind the Brussels event too. ✨ And last but not least - a huge congratulations to EstBAN legend Ivar Siimar for winning the Ecosystem Gamechanger Award! 🇪🇪 📸 Here are some snaps from the three-day event in Brussels with some familiar faces. Most importantly, we're proud to be part of this vibrant network of industry leaders. The Estonian angel investing scene continues to push boundaries, evolve, and uphold high standards in all areas. 🤌

It's the Finnish time of the year! Let's go take a trip there! 🇫🇮 During the#Connect2Scale study trip to Helsinki, you will have the opportunity to join the Pitching Programme Finals, #DefSec Pitching Event, and visit Business Finland and the innovative Varjo. 👍 Of course, it wouldn't be a completed trip without Slush wrapping it all together. Interested to join us? Drop us a message or sign up ASAP! https://shorturl.at/EPJNj *** #Connect2Scale program is funded by the EU. Lithuanian Business Angel Network LitBAN Estonian Business Angels Network (EstBAN) Finnish Business Angels Network (FiBAN) Business Angels of Slovenia EBAN - European Business Angel Network Civitta.

🎤 Spotlight on Female Angel Investors: Meet EstBAN’s Olga Lustsik   We’ve been talking to our members and here’s a few key takeaways from our Investor Talk interview series. Olga lustsik embodies a unique blend of passion, patience, and perseverance in the high-risk world of angel investing. With over 20 years of investment experience, Olga has mastered the art of balancing the thrill of risk with a calm and methodical approach. Her journey into angel investing offers some valuable lessons for aspiring investors: 💡 Embrace Risk, but Stay Grounded: Olga started in traditional stocks and bonds but transitioned to higher-risk investments, including derivatives and eventually startups. Her advice? It’s okay to go beyond the 5-10% allocation to high-risk assets, but caution is key. Knowing when to pull back is as important as seizing opportunities. 💡 Invest in Learning and Networking: Olga’s involvement in EstBAN is an investment in education, networking, and career growth. She views it as more valuable than material purchases, opening doors to new opportunities and connections in the startup ecosystem. 💡 Stay Curious and Resilient: From writing off investments to patiently waiting for startups to grow, she emphasizes the importance of resilience. With startups, once you invest, you must trust the process and give it time to unfold. 💡 Pay It Forward: Olga's 15 years of experience in product development make her a valuable resource for fellow investors. She’s always ready to share insights on agile product development and startup growth strategies. Let’s continue to celebrate and support more women in the investment world. 💪💼 Read the full interview in our blog. Link in the comments.👇 #AngelInvestor #FemaleInvestors #Startups #Networking #WomenInBusiness #EstBAN #InvestmentJourney #Leadership

We've always been huge fans of sTARTUp Day and now we're involved even more. Karin Künnapas is part of the advisory board of this vibrant tech event! Also - be prepared for another great Investor Day in January and also the Syndicate investment opportunity launched very soon! 🤩

"We need more female angel investors!"👩💻 - our CEO Karin Künnapas was presenting and discussing the topic last week in #brussels at the EBAN - European Business Angel Network Summit. We're trying to solve this in EstBAN with some new initiatives: 🔸 female targeted communication; 🔸 empowering current female investors (interview series with EstBAN female angels, see our blog); 🔸 supporting women in their investement journeys via trainings, encouraging atmosphere and case studies; 🔸 co-led programs with our partnes (stay tuned!). Let's go, girls! 🦸♀️

Estonian Cleantech Association is a new associated member of Estonian Business Angels Network (EstBAN)! 🤝 Through this partnership, EstBAN and the Estonian Cleantech Association aim to share knowledge with each other and expand both networks to accelerate the growth of Estonia’s cleantech sector. The first step was already taken at the EstBAN x Beamline Accelerator Deep Tech Demo day in September where Estonian Cleantech Association introduced their activities to angel investors and cleantech enthusiasts. Now, let’s connect angel investors with the next generation of cleantech innovators! 💚🦄