Europe Startup Nations Alliance

Today, we introduce you Greta Žėkienė, member of the Advisory Board of ESNA and renowned expert in Intellectual Property (IP) rights. With over 20 years of experience in IP management and technology transfer, Greta plays a pivotal role in shaping effective IP strategies that are essential for startups navigating today’s competitive landscape.   In an era where innovation is the lifeline of new ventures, managing intellectual property effectively can be a game changer. Startups that prioritize IP management not only protect their unique ideas but also enhance their market value, attract investors, and foster collaboration. Greta's active involvement in key IP organizations and working groups - including EPO PATLIB, WIPO, ESNA, BALTIC TTO, and ECIU - highlights her commitment to advancing technology development and fostering global collaborative initiatives.   Currently, Greta holds the position of the Head of IP Management at the National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre (KTU) and serves as a lecturer on IP rights at the Kaunas University of Technology, educating the next generation of innovators on the critical importance of intellectual property in driving successful startups. #MeetESNA #AdvisoryBoard #TechTransfer #IntellectualProperty #Startups 

We’re still in #Berlin following the insightful debates at the #StartupGermanySummit. This time, we’ve participated to a SERN - Startup Europe Regions Network-driven event focused on Ease of Doing Business in the EU, tackling key startup policies and regulatory hurdles faced by European #founders - specifically talent attraction and access to finance. ESNA’s Head of Network & Strategic Initiatives Caro Rossi moderated two panels on these topics: 💡 Talent Acquisition and International Talent: a lively discussion with Tereza Huczalová from CzechInvest and Mathias CHARLES from startup Live Love , addressing the need for top talent to fuel startup growth, prevent brain drain, and ensure Europe remains a hub for innovation. 💡Venture Capital: A panel with experts like Martin Paus from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, who explored regulatory frameworks for venture capital, critical for scaling European startups. Thanks to Barrabés.biz, DEEP Ecosystems, the Leibniz Institute for Research on Society and Space, and EU-Startups for backing such important discussions. #Germany #Startups #UnitedforEntrepreneurship

🇩🇪 Today at the #StartupGermanySummit in #Berlin: Caro Rossi took the International Stage at this flagship startup event in Central Europe, sharing insights on advancing Europe’s startup ecosystem. Her focus? Mobilizing 27 European nations to fully embrace their role as 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘱 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. Carolina Rossi emphasized the power of unity in achieving this goal: 💡 "𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 8 𝐒𝐍𝐒 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞. 𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐔 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧." We thank Germany Trade & Invest and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany for bringing these important discussions on stage. #UnitedForEntrepreneurship #Germany #startups

Next stop: Berlin! We’re excited to participate to the #StartupGermanySummit, where we’ll engage with industry experts, #entrepreneurs, #investors, and political leaders—including Robert Habeck, Germany’s Minister of Economy. Together, we'll explore the future of the startup ecosystem in Germany and Europe.   💡 During the panel 𝘗𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥: 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘜𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥, ESNA’s Caro Rossi, Head of Network & Strategic Initiatives, will discuss how Europe’s startup ecosystem is competing on the global stage. We’ll also dive into how Germany can strengthen its position as a top international startup hub.   The panel features an outstanding lineup of speakers: ➡ Mats Kuuskemaa, Country Director Germany, Austria & Switzerland, e-Residency ➡Rui Boavista Marques, Director at aicep Portugal Global ➡B. S. Mubarak and Dr. Dinesh Antil from the Embassy of India ➡Tony Hughes & Melissa Anderson, managing the Global Entrepreneur Programme (GEP) at Department for Business and Trade of UK Government #UnitedforEntrepreneurship #Germany #startups Germany Trade & Invest Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Almut Weigel

🇩🇰 Today at #TechBBQ in Copenhagen, we engaged with a remarkable lineup of speakers, including political leaders, industry experts, and entrepreneurs, who shared invaluable insights into the future of Europe’s innovation ecosystem. During a fireside chat with Jonas Parello-Plesner from the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, ESNA’s Executive Director Arthur Jordão highlighted the importance of #unity in fostering a cohesive European ecosystem. He emphasized that collaboration between governments, businesses, and tech innovators is essential for unlocking Europe’s full potential, breaking down silos, and advancing with a unified approach. 💡 As Arthur put it: “𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬: 𝐥𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰.” A special thank you to TechBBQ for hosting us, and to Danske Iværksættere - Danish Entrepreneurs for introducing 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭, that focuses on the crucial role of policymakers in bringing the work of innovators to life. #UnitedforEntrepreneurship #Innovation #Startups 

Tomorrow, we’re joining TechBBQ and Danske Iværksættere - Danish Entrepreneurs at the innovative Policy Grill, bringing together key voices to discuss the future of Danish and European #DigitalRegulation. Featuring the Danish Minister for European Affairs, Marie Bjerre, and Minister for Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt, alongside other distinguished speakers, ESNA’s Executive Director, Arthur Jordão, will offer critical insights on the how the EU is addressing the digital landscape and the startup ecosystem. ➡ Arthur will focus on topics such as: harmonising regulations across Europe, improving cross-border collaboration, and fostering a more innovation-friendly environment to help startups thrive on a global scale. Stay tuned for a dynamic exchange of ideas shaping the future of entrepreneurship in Europe. #TechBBQ #StartupPolicy #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #EUStartups

The latest article by ESNA’s Executive Director, Arthur Jordão in EU-Startups is just out, featuring insights on the value of stock options for the ecosystem.   Startups face a key challenge—attracting and keeping top talent. Adopting Stock options schemes can help address this challenge for startups. By offering employees a stake in future success, companies foster a culture of ownership, motivating employees to stay and contribute to growth. ➡ 𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒅𝒐 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒄𝒌 𝑶𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌? Employees gain the right to buy shares at a set price after a vesting period. As the company grows, employees can profit, aligning their goals with the company’s success. ➡ 𝑬𝒖𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒆: Europe is making progress, but tax policies and frameworks still vary widely, making stock options less attractive in some countries. While 76% of surveyed countries allow non-voting stock options, only 43% tax them once at sale. 💡𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒕? Harmonising stock option policies across Europe will make it easier for startups to attract top talent, fostering innovation and growth. #Startups #TalentAcquisition #StockOptions #Innovation #Entrepreneurship

𝑨𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑬𝒖𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆’𝒔 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒑 𝑬𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎 Yesterday, ESNA, in collaboration with Startup Portugal, had the privilege of hosting MBA students from Santa Clara University, visiting from Silicon Valley, to explore a crucial question for international founders and investors: 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦? Attracting foreign #investment and encouraging international startups to establish their headquarters in Europe are vital for strengthening and expanding the region’s startup ecosystem. These efforts are not only pivotal to Europe’s growth but also play a key role in attracting top talent back to the region, ensuring Europe remains a leading destination for global founders and investors. We thank all participants for their engagement and for the insightful discussions on how #Europe is positioning itself as a premier destination for global startups. Caro Rossi Carlos Seguí Sebastião Ribeiro Francisca Sampaio #Academia #Startups #EUCompetitiveness #GlobalInnovation #InnovationInvestment

Today João Trigo da Roza, member of the Advisory Board of ESNA, shares his vision on how ESNA can transform the European startup landscape: fostering a supportive environment across all EU member states for new business ideas to thrive, empowering individuals towards economic independence. João Trigo da Roza is a seasoned business executive and advisor with over 30 years of experience in entrepreneurship. As the former CEO of PSI-listed Portugal Telecom Multimedia.com, he has spearheaded collaborations between large companies and startups. He started his consulting career with McKinsey & Company, later becoming a partner and country manager at Kearney, and founded Toplever, a top management consulting firm leading growth and M&A projects across various sectors. As co-founder of INVESTORS PORTUGAL and Vice President of the Business Angels Europe João has deep knowledge of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and a broad network with European policymakers. An active investor focused on artificial intelligence and the green economy, he has supported numerous flourishing startups and achieved several successful exits. #MeetESNA #AdvisoryBoard #Investors #BusinessAngels 

🚀 Join Us for the StepUp Startups Event in Berlin! 🇪🇺 The StepUp StartUps project is inviting START-UP FOUNDERS, NATIONAL and REGIONAL POLICYMAKERS, and NATIONAL and REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES to its interactive policy workshop on 18th September in Berlin, focusing on the future of EU innovation and entrepreneurship and supported by ESNA - Europe Startup Nations Alliance. Workshop Highlights: 🔍 Data Insights Presentation: Discover key findings from our policy report, "Ease of Doing Policies in the EU: Review of Policies Affecting Founders." 💡 Challenges Identification: Engage in discussions to identify the regulatory burdens affecting start-ups. 📚 Case Studies: Learn from successful start-ups and innovative policy practices. 🤝 Solutions and Policy Recommendations: Collaborate on actionable solutions to support the success of start-ups in the EU. Roundtable Discussions: We are looking for #EXPERTS to #JOIN two exclusive roundtables: 1. Assessing Regulatory Framework for Talent Acquisition and International Employment 💼 Discuss the challenges and opportunities in cross-border talent acquisition. 🌍 Share your insights on how regulations impact international employment. 2. Assessing Regulatory Framework for Venture Capital 💰 Explore the current landscape and regulatory environment for venture capital in the EU. 📈 Collaborate on recommendations to enhance investment in start-ups. #Time: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM #Location: Berlin Be a part of these crucial discussions that will shape the future of EU innovation! If you're interested in being part of the roundtable’s sessions, reach out to Petra Moreno (petra.moreno@startupregions.eu) or Giorgio Alessandro (giorgio.alessandro@startupregions.eu) via email for more details. #Startups #Innovation #EU #PolicyWorkshop #VentureCapital #TalentAcquisition #Entrepreneurship #Roundtable #BerlinEvent #Networking Please note: We only have 3 spots available for each roundtable. To ensure the highest quality discussions, we will be screening profiles of interested participants. Barrabés.biz EU-Startups DEEP Ecosystems ESNA - Europe Startup Nations Alliance Caro Rossi Sebastião Ribeiro