Warsaw, Poland · Support Organization A network of private investors associated with NOT (Federation of Engineering Associations), supporting early-stage high-growth companies. AINOT runs a structured support program from idea scouting and pre-incubation to equity investment (up to €200k) and follow-ons. How to apply: submit your idea via the online application form on the AINOT website (open intake). Notable focus: deep innovation and engineering-heavy startups, leveraging NOT’s technical expertise to vet and mentor projects.
Sophia Antipolis, France · Support Organization Aktantis is a world-class European deeptech competitiveness cluster founded in 2005 and based in Sophia Antipolis, France, federating an innovation ecosystem focused on digital transition across microelectronics, IoT, cybersecurity, AI, and photonics. With over 300 member organizations, Aktantis supports companies through project financing, growth acceleration, international expansion, and cybersecurity protection, with member startups collectively raising over 500 million euros in funding and investing 1.5 billion euros in R&D. The cluster participates as a partner in SIDO Lyon as part of its European deeptech ecosystem development mission.
Szczecin, Poland · Support Organization A network grown by the Polish Entrepreneurship Foundation in Szczecin, uniting ~50 investors from across Poland. Amber invests in projects that at least have a prototype or beta, focusing on those with high potential and market access. Notable focus: early post-prototype startups requiring angel funding to commercialize (diverse sectors, strong emphasis on the West Pomerania region).
Warsaw, Poland · Support Organization A deep-tech and hardware focused co-investment network founded in 2014 under the APER Ventures fund. APER Angels connects private angel investors with VC funds to pool capital for high-tech startups. They typically invest PLN 250k–5M in early-stage companies, and have backed over 24 startups with ~PLN 50M total. Notable focus: hardware, IoT, and deep-tech startups (often syndicating with APER Ventures).
Sofia, Bulgaria · Support Organization BESCO (Bulgarian Entrepreneurial Association) is a non-governmental organization founded in September 2017 by 30 stakeholders in Bulgaria's startup ecosystem. It acts as a bridge between startups, investors, government bodies, and international institutions, and is Bulgaria's member in the European Startup Network. BESCO advocates for entrepreneur-friendly regulation, facilitates access to Sofia Tech Park resources, and partners with the European Investment Bank and EIF. It operates under the motto 'For Entrepreneurs By Entrepreneurs.'
Ljubljana, Slovenia · Support Organization Business Angels of Slovenia (Poslovni angeli Slovenije) was founded in 2007 and is the first and largest angel investor club in Slovenia. The organisation has facilitated over $8 million in investments across more than 40 ventures, focusing on early-stage and seed-stage startups. It is a member of EBAN (European Business Angels Network) and the Global Entrepreneur Network, providing portfolio companies with access to international investor networks. It serves as a bridge between founders seeking seed capital and experienced investors looking for early-stage deal flow.
Helsinki, Finland · Support Organization Business Finland is the Finnish government agency for innovation funding and trade, investment, and travel promotion, formed in 2018 from the merger of Finpro and Tekes. It is one of the most significant public funding sources for startups in Europe, distributing hundreds of millions of euros annually in grants, loans, and R&D funding to Finnish companies at all stages. For startups, Business Finland offers the Tempo funding program (up to EUR 50,000 for early validation), NIY (up to EUR 1.25M for scaling), and various R&D project grants for deep tech and industrial innovation. The agency also operates a global network of offices helping Finnish startups enter international markets, and runs targeted programs for sectors including cleantech, health, gaming, and AI. Business Finland plays a foundational role in Finland's innovation system and is a key reason Helsinki has become one of Europe's leading startup cities.
Warsaw, Poland · Support Organization COBIN Angels is Poland's largest business-angel network, founded in 2015 and based at the Cambridge Innovation Center in Warsaw, with a community of 160+ active private investors. It syndicates pre-seed and seed rounds (typical tickets of PLN 100,000–450,000 per angel), runs founder education and pitch sessions, and connects startups with experienced operators. The network is led by founder and managing partner Robert Ługowski, CEO Dominik Krawczyk and managing partner Paweł Michalski, with an investment board including Kasia Pieniądz and communications led by Tomasz Laskowicz.
COBIN organises the annual Business Angel of the Year (BAY) awards — now in its eighth edition — and co-publishes Poland's business-angel market report with the SGH Warsaw School of Economics, PKO Bank Polski and PFR Ventures. It is a member of the European Business Angels Network (EBAN) and participates in cross-border EU syndication programmes. Notable syndicate investments include Growbots, Salesbook, SkySnap, Prosoma and the pet-care startup Petsy (a €1.1M angel round in 2024).
Warsaw, Poland · Support Organization Coders Lab is a Warsaw-founded IT school and coding bootcamp established in 2013 by brothers Marcin and Jacek Tchórzewski, among the first programming bootcamps in Poland. It offers career-change programmes in Python, JavaScript, and data analytics and has expanded its campus model to several European countries. The company received angel investment from Grupa Pracuj and employed roughly 190 people by its tenth anniversary in 2023.
Dublin, Ireland · Support Organization The DCU Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurship is a not-for-profit startup support organization in Dublin, affiliated with Dublin City University and founded with philanthropic support from the Ryan family (of Ryanair fame). Since its establishment in 2010, the Ryan Academy has become a hub for accelerator programs, entrepreneurship training, and ecosystem initiatives in Ireland. It operates from DCU’s Innovation Campus and focuses on early-stage startups as well as fostering entrepreneurial skills among students and the general public. Two flagship programs define the Academy: Propeller Accelerator, which was one of Ireland’s first seed accelerators (launched 2011, focused on tech startups), and the Female High Fliers program, an accelerator exclusively for women-led startups. Through these, the Academy has accelerated dozens of startups – alumni include fintech startup CurrencyFair and data startup Logentries, both of which achieved successful exits. Startups accepted into Ryan Academy programs receive pre-seed funding (up to €30k), office space, mentorship from seasoned entrepreneurs, and investor introductions. The Academy also provides entrepreneurship training courses, both at DCU (to students via modules) and to the wider community via short courses. Uniquely, the Ryan Academy blends academic and practical aspects: participants can tap into DCU research expertise while getting hands-on workshops by industry practitioners. The Academy actively engages in EU projects and networks, e.g. it led the INSPIRE program to support immigrant entrepreneurs and partnered on the Startup Europe initiative. Impact-wise, the DCU Ryan Academy has supported over 500 entrepreneurs and helped secure follow-on funding for many. It is credited with improving diversity in Ireland’s startup scene (through Female High Fliers) and championing social entrepreneurship as well. Alumni like Boxever (AI in travel, acquired by Sitecore) got early support at Ryan Academy. With its mission to “develop Ireland’s next generation of entrepreneurs,” the Academy plays a pivotal role in the ecosystem. It effectively acts as a “support organization” bridging academia, industry, and startup community – offering not just programs but also research, events, and policy input to grow Ireland’s innovation capacity.
Copenhagen, Denmark · Support Organization EIFO, the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark, is the state backed institution that provides loans, guarantees, and equity to support Danish companies from early stage startups to export focused scale ups. Formed by merging Denmark's growth fund and export credit agencies, EIFO plays a central role in de risking innovation and attracting private capital. The organization co invests with venture funds, supports green transition projects, and helps companies expand internationally. EIFO is a cornerstone of Denmark's public support infrastructure for entrepreneurship.
Madrid, Spain · Support Organization ENISA (Empresa Nacional de Innovacion) is a Spanish state-owned company that provides participative loans to SMEs and startups, a form of flexible, quasi-equity financing that does not require founders to give up ownership or provide personal guarantees. It is one of the main public financing instruments for early-stage companies in Spain.
Dublin, Ireland · Support Organization Enterprise Ireland is the Irish state agency established by the Industrial Development (Enterprise Ireland) Act 1998 to support Irish-owned manufacturing and internationally traded services companies. It operates the High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) programme, which provides equity funding of up to €800,000 to startups with the potential to create 10 jobs and €1 million in exports within three years, and invested €27.6 million in 157 startups in 2024. The agency has a global network of offices to help Irish companies win export sales in international markets.
Tallinn, Estonia · Support Organization The Estonian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (EstVCA) is the industry body representing private equity and venture capital investors active in Estonia. It promotes the asset class, gathers market data, advocates on policy and regulation, and connects fund managers, limited partners and the wider startup ecosystem to strengthen access to growth capital in Estonia.
Yerevan, Armenia · Support Organization A regional initiative funded by the European Union with co-funding from the French Government, working to strengthen the competitiveness of startup ecosystems across the five Eastern Partnership countries — Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. It supports founders through acceleration, access to grants and tenders, STEM education, and cross-border networking, and partners with regional flagship events including DigiTec in Yerevan.
Berlin, Germany · Support Organization EXIST is the German federal government's flagship programme for promoting university-based entrepreneurship, operated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. Running since 1998, EXIST provides two main grant instruments: the EXIST Business Start-up Grant (up to EUR 3,000/month per team member for one year) for student and researcher teams developing a business plan, and the EXIST Research Transfer grant (up to EUR 250,000 plus materials) for deep-tech spin-offs from universities and research institutions. Over 4,000 startups have received EXIST funding, and the programme has become a cornerstone of Germany's academic entrepreneurship infrastructure. EXIST also supports universities in building entrepreneurial cultures through its EXIST Potentials programme, which funds entire university startup ecosystems.
Edinburgh, United Kingdom · Support Organization FinTech Scotland is a strategic cluster management organisation established in 2018, dedicated to driving financial inclusion through fintech innovation and collaboration across Scotland. Based in Edinburgh, it supports an ecosystem of over 250 fintech firms spanning WealthTech, InsureTech, RegTech, Payments, and Open Banking. It leads the Financial Regulation Innovation Lab (FRIL) as part of the UK Government's Innovation Accelerator programme and is an active partner in Glasgow Tech Week.
Yerevan, Armenia · Support Organization FAST is a non-profit organization founded in 2017 by Ruben Vardanyan, Noubar Afeyan, and partners, with the mission to build a research and innovation ecosystem in Armenia across AI and data science, advanced materials, biotechnology, and robotics. It has funded over 260 researchers, supported more than 800 entrepreneurs, and backed 35+ startups through grants, acceleration, and a university-linked education-research-commercialisation model.
London, United Kingdom · Support Organization Founders4Schools was founded in 2013 by Sherry Coutu CBE as a charity connecting UK students with founders and employers to improve employability and bridge the skills gap. In 2017 it launched Workfinder, an app that lets young people search for and apply to work-experience placements at fast-growing companies. The organisation operates at the intersection of the startup ecosystem and education, complementing Coutu's work at the ScaleUp Institute.
Paris, France · Support Organization French Tech Next40/120 is a French government program run by the Mission French Tech that identifies and supports the 120 highest-performing French scale-ups each year. The Next40 cohort (the top 40) is selected based on revenue growth above €100 million or the largest fundraising volumes, while the broader FT120 requires at least €20 million in revenue with 15% annual growth. Selected companies receive prioritized access to public services, international promotion, and regulatory support to help them compete globally.
Paris, France · Support Organization Government-backed program supporting France's most promising scale-ups and fast-growing tech companies with dedicated resources and visibility, part of the wider La French Tech initiative.
Madrid, ES · Support Organization Fundación COTEC para la Innovación is a Spanish private non-profit foundation established in 1990 that promotes innovation as a driver of economic and social development, with King Felipe VI as Honorary President. It convenes around 90 member companies, regional governments, and local administrations and serves as Spain's leading observatory of research and innovation policy. COTEC is a co-organizer of the Urban Leaders Meeting held alongside Greencities 2026 in Málaga in September.
Tbilisi, Georgia · Support Organization State agency established in 2014 under the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development to build Georgia's innovation ecosystem. GITA operates Tech Parks in Tbilisi and several regional cities offering co-working, labs, and maker spaces. It runs competitive startup grant programmes and has invested in more than 400 startups, deploying over 30 million GEL in public financing. GITA is also the government counterpart in the 500 Global Eurasia partnership.
Berlin, Germany · Support Organization The German Startups Association (Bundesverband Deutsche Startups e.V.) is Germany's leading advocacy and networking organization for startup founders, established in 2012. With over 1,200 member startups and corporate partners, the Startup-Verband lobbies the German federal government on policy issues critical to founders, including employee stock option reform (ESOP), immigration for tech talent, and venture capital regulation. The organization publishes the annual German Startup Monitor, the most comprehensive survey of the country's startup ecosystem, and runs numerous programs including regional chapters, industry working groups, and the German Startup Awards. It plays a central convening role connecting founders with policymakers, investors, and corporates across Germany.
Zagreb, Croatia · Support Organization HAMAG-BICRO is the Croatian government agency for SMEs, innovations, and investments, formed in 2014 by merging HAMAG INVEST and BICRO. It provides grants, micro-loans, and bank-credit guarantees to entrepreneurs across all development stages, and implements EU structural fund programs for innovation and R&D. In 2023, it co-launched the EUR 80 million Croatian Venture Capital Initiative 2 (CVCi 2), a fund-of-funds targeting innovative Croatian SMEs.
Goldach, Switzerland · Support Organization Health Tech Cluster Switzerland (HTCS) is a Swiss networking organization that unites health technology manufacturers, suppliers, research institutions, service providers, and investors on a shared platform, with 192 network members. The cluster facilitates innovation and knowledge exchange across Switzerland's health tech ecosystem through events, publications, and member networking, led by Chairman Dr. iur. Christian Wind. Stefan Leuthold serves as Cluster Manager and represents HTCS on the Swiss Medtech Expo trade fair committee as an official industry partner.
Paris, France · Support Organization Hub France IA is the French national federation dedicated to unifying and developing the country's artificial intelligence ecosystem. Recognised as serving the general interest under French law (association Loi 1901), it brings together over 300 member organisations including more than 160 AI startups, 1,000+ individual adherents, and 50+ European partners across large corporations, SMEs, academic institutions, and investors. The organisation facilitates working groups, European partnerships, and collaborative projects to help members navigate the rapidly evolving AI sector.
Bern, CH · Support Organization Innosuisse is the Swiss Federal Innovation Agency, established in 2018 as a public law institution succeeding the Commission for Technology and Innovation (CTI). It promotes science-based innovation in Switzerland by co-funding research and development collaborations between academia and industry, and supporting startups through coaching, training, and mentorship programs. Innosuisse serves as a Principal partner of the Top100 Swiss Investor Summit 2026.
Copenhagen, Denmark · Support Organization Innovationsfonden (Innovation Fund Denmark) is a public Danish foundation that finances research, technology development, and innovation projects across science, technology, and business. It distributes grants and co-financing to both companies and research institutions, bridging the gap between academia and commercial enterprise in Denmark. As a named partner at Ignite Odense 2026, Innovationsfonden engages directly with startups and scaleups seeking R&D funding and innovation co-financing support.
Milan, Italy · Support Organization The Italian Tech Alliance (formerly Italia Startup) is Italy's leading industry association representing the venture capital, startup, and innovation ecosystem. Founded to give the Italian tech community a unified voice, the Alliance brings together venture capital funds, angel investors, startups, scale-ups, and corporate members to advocate for better policy conditions for innovation in Italy. Key focus areas include reforming Italy's 'innovative startup' legal framework, improving tax incentives for VC investment, and attracting international capital to Italian companies. The Alliance publishes research on the state of Italian venture capital, organizes networking events connecting founders with investors, and works with the Italian government on policy initiatives to close the gap between Italy's strong technical talent base and its historically underdeveloped startup financing ecosystem.
Warsaw, Poland · Support Organization The innovation and investment arm of Kulczyk Investments, the international investment house owned by Sebastian Kulczyk. KI Next backs technology ventures and coordinates the InCredibles programme — a long-running competency-building programme for top Polish startups run with the Warsaw School of Economics.
Paris, France · Support Organization La French Tech is the French government's flagship brand and support initiative for the national startup ecosystem, launched in 2013 by the Ministry of the Economy. It operates as a unified banner under which French startups present themselves internationally, and coordinates a network of over 50 local French Tech communities (called 'Capitales') across France and in major cities worldwide. La French Tech administers the French Tech Visa program for international founders, the French Tech Tremplin program supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs, and the high-profile Next40/FT120 scale-up labels. The initiative has been instrumental in transforming France's global image from a bureaucratic economy to one of Europe's most dynamic startup nations, and its branding is ubiquitous at international tech events from CES to VivaTech.
Warsaw, Poland · Support Organization An angel network operating under the Lewiatan Confederation (a major business organization in Poland). They look for startups across industries that have innovative solutions and strong teams. Lewiatan BA often connects corporate executives with startup founders. Notable focus: multi-industry, emphasis on competitive advantage and innovation in the business model.
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg · Support Organization The Luxembourg Sustainable Finance Initiative (LSFI) is Luxembourg's national coordinating entity on sustainable finance, established in 2020 as a publicly funded public-private partnership. Led by CEO Nicoletta Centofanti, LSFI operates as a Centre of Excellence and Knowledge Hub, working to accelerate the financing of the climate transition and measure progress toward making Luxembourg a global sustainable finance center. LSFI co-facilitates the Catapult Green Fintech acceleration program alongside LHoFT, contributing expertise in ESG regulation, impact investing, and sustainable finance strategy.
Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg · Support Organization Luxembourg's national innovation agency, operating as a public-private partnership since 1984. Luxinnovation supports startups, SMEs, and research organisations through its Fit 4 programme suite (Fit 4 Start, Fit 4 Scale, Fit 4 Innovation, Fit 4 Digital, Fit 4 AI) and acts as the Enterprise Europe Network contact point. In 2024 it supported 891 companies and administers the Fit 4 Start accelerator programme, which offers up to €150,000 in equity-free grants.
Valletta, Malta · Support Organization The Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA) is a Maltese government body established to promote, certify, and regulate digital innovation, with particular focus on distributed ledger technology, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies. It provides a certification framework for innovative technology arrangements and champions Malta's ambition to be a leading digital innovation jurisdiction in Europe. The MDIA is a Gold Sponsor of TechTok 2026.
Grenoble, France · Support Organization Minalogic is a French competitiveness cluster dedicated to digital transformation in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region, with a focus on AI, cybersecurity, microelectronics, IoT, and photonics. With approximately 450 member organizations spanning startups, SMEs, large corporations, and research institutions, Minalogic has facilitated more than 1,040 labeled and funded innovation projects since 2005 and generated over 16,300 B2B meetings since 2012. The cluster is an ecosystem partner of SIDO Lyon and a connector between industry and innovation communities in the region.
Yerevan, Armenia · Support Organization The central government body responsible for Armenia's high-tech policy, covering information technology, telecommunications, information security, and the military-industrial sector. Established in its current form in 2019, it shapes the national tech agenda through startup and R&D support programmes, tax incentives for IT companies, STEM-education initiatives, and the promotion of Armenia's tech sector abroad, and is a standing institutional supporter of DigiTec.
Austin, United States · Support Organization NumFOCUS is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that promotes open source scientific computing through fiscal sponsorship of more than 60 projects, including NumPy, Pandas, and Jupyter. It operates the PyData educational program globally, which organizes conferences and community events for data scientists and developers around the world. NumFOCUS serves as a Super Organizer and institutional backbone for PyData PyCon Yerevan 2026.
Warsaw, Poland · Support Organization Founded in 2003, PolBAN is the first business angels club in Poland. It finances innovative projects with strong teams and market potential. As a pioneer, PolBAN helped establish angel investing norms in Poland. Notable focus: a broad range of innovative early-stage companies meeting criteria of innovation and motivated teams.
Online, Poland · Support Organization The first U.S.-based network for Polish startups, Polonia Angels unites Polish and Polish-American investors to fund Polish-founded startups at early stages. It acts as a bridge to U.S. capital, sourcing deals via Polish VCs, universities, and founder applications. Notable focus: Polish-founded startups seeking access to U.S. markets and investors, often before approaching traditional U.S. VCs.
Nicosia, Cyprus · Support Organization PwC Cyprus runs a dedicated startup support programme that provides early-stage technology companies with advisory services spanning tax structuring, audit readiness, legal compliance, and go-to-market strategy for the EU single market. The programme leverages Cyprus's favorable corporate tax regime and EU membership to help startups establish efficient holding and operational structures for scaling across Europe and the Middle East. It represents an important piece of the Cypriot startup infrastructure by connecting founders with professional services expertise that is otherwise hard to access at the early stage.
Madrid, ES · Support Organization Red Española de Ciudades Inteligentes (RECI) is Spain's national network of smart cities, uniting municipalities committed to improving public services and urban quality of life through digital transformation and innovation. The network facilitates knowledge sharing, joint projects, and strategic collaboration among member cities across Spain. RECI is co-organizing the VI Congress on Smart Cities, which is jointly held with Greencities 2026 in Málaga on 15–16 September.
Madrid, ES · Support Organization Red Innpulso (Red de Ciudades de la Ciencia y la Innovación) is the Spanish network of Science and Innovation Cities, comprising over 112 member municipalities dedicated to advancing local innovation policies and knowledge-based development. Co-financed by Spain's Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, it supports city councils in sharing best practices, backing innovative SMEs, and participating in Horizon Europe projects. Red Innpulso is a co-organizer of the Urban Leaders Meeting at Greencities 2026 in Málaga.
London, United Kingdom · Support Organization The ScaleUp Institute was co-founded in 2015 by Sherry Coutu CBE and Reid Hoffman, following Coutu's 2014 Scale-Up Report for the UK government. It is a private-sector-led, not-for-profit organisation in London that works with policymakers, corporates, finance institutions, and educators to close the UK's scale-up gap. The institute publishes annual research, runs programmes, and provides policy advocacy to help fast-growth businesses become global companies.
The Hague, Netherlands · Support Organization Security Delta (HSD) is the Dutch national security innovation cluster, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, bringing together over 300 companies, government organizations, and knowledge institutions since 2013. The organization facilitates collaboration in cybersecurity and safety through knowledge sharing, innovation programs, talent development, and market access initiatives. HSD serves as the central hub of the Dutch cybersecurity ecosystem, managing thematic programs in Cyber Security & Resilience, Data & AI, and Smart Secure Societies.
Valletta, Malta · Support Organization Silicon Valletta is an association founded in 2016 by Malta-based tech entrepreneurs to strengthen the local digital startup community. With more than 90 members — predominantly CEOs and founders — the organisation facilitates peer mentoring, investor introductions, and industry events. Collectively, its members employ over 1,500 people and generate more than €65 million in annual revenue.
Maribor, Slovenia · Support Organization The Slovene Enterprise Fund (SEF) is the main public financial institution supporting micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises and startups in Slovenia. It provides non-refundable grants, favourable loans, and equity financing at all stages from pre-seed to growth, including products such as P2 startup incentives (up to €54,000), seed capital (SK75), and venture capital (SI-SK). In 2025 it announced €10 million for Slovenian startups through its P2 2026 programme. The Fund is established by the Republic of Slovenia and operates in partnership with the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology.
Warsaw, Poland · Support Organization An angel network led by Borys Musielak (of SMOK Ventures) focusing on Central & Eastern Europe. With 160+ founders and investors involved, SMOK Angels encourages experienced entrepreneurs to invest in idea and seed-stage startups. They often co-invest alongside SMOK Ventures fund. Notable focus: early-stage tech teams (idea to Series A) in CEE, leveraging its members’ mentorship.
Madrid, Spain · Support Organization Spain Startup is a national platform and event organizer dedicated to connecting the Spanish startup ecosystem with investors, corporates, and international networks. The organization runs South Summit, one of Europe's largest startup conferences held annually in Madrid, attracting thousands of founders, investors, and corporate innovation leaders from across the globe. South Summit serves as a launchpad for Spanish and Latin American startups, featuring a competitive startup pitch competition, thematic tracks on fintech, health, sustainability, and deep tech, and extensive networking programs. Spain Startup also operates year-round community initiatives and regional programs to support early-stage founders across Spain's major cities.
Riga, Latvia · Support Organization Startin.LV is the Latvian Startup Association, a non-profit founded in 2016 to unite the country's startup community under a common voice. With over 100 member companies it advocates for startup-friendly legislation, connects founders with investors and partners, and promotes Latvian startups internationally. The association organises community events and collaborates with universities, government institutions, and Baltic ecosystem partners.
Baku, Azerbaijan · Support Organization Startup Azerbaijan is the national startup portal operated by the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (SMBDA) of Azerbaijan. The platform, relaunched in 2022, provides a startup registry, startup certification (with 3-year income-tax exemption), investor directory, job board, and access to incubation programs. It also hosts the national startup competition and Startup Days mentorship initiative.
Nicosia, Cyprus · Support Organization Startup Cyprus is the national startup association of Cyprus, founded in February 2016 by 13 startup founders and ecosystem figures. It is a founding member of the European Startup Network, the pan-European body of national startup associations. The organisation engages in policy advocacy at national and EU level, and organises events including Startup Academy Cyprus, Startup Live, Startup Weekend, and founders meetups. It represents the interests of Cypriot startups within the broader European ecosystem.
Tallinn, Estonia · Support Organization Startup Estonia is the Estonian government's official initiative to supercharge the local startup ecosystem, operating under Enterprise Estonia (EAS) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Launched in 2011, Startup Estonia coordinates national policy for startups, runs the Estonian Startup Visa program (one of Europe's first dedicated founder visa schemes), and maintains a comprehensive database of the country's startup ecosystem. The organization played a central role in establishing Estonia's favorable regulatory environment for startups, including the e-Residency program's integration with company formation and the stock option tax framework. Startup Estonia also runs awareness campaigns, organizes ecosystem events, and produces the annual Estonian startup sector report tracking the country's remarkable per-capita unicorn rate, which is among the highest in the world.
Tbilisi, Georgia · Support Organization Non-profit organisation focused on connecting Georgian startups with global opportunities through ecosystem development, fundraising support, and community programmes. Startup Georgia runs bootcamps, accelerator events, and networking initiatives designed to help early-stage founders develop their ventures. The organisation maintains a community of startups and support bodies across Georgia.
Vilnius, Lithuania · Support Organization Startup Lithuania is the national startup ecosystem facilitator operating under the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation as part of Enterprise Lithuania. It connects startups, investors, corporations, and government bodies, administers the Startup Visa and Startup Employee Visa programmes, maintains a national startup map, and organises the annual Startup Fair — Lithuania's largest international startup event. The organisation also manages the Startup Lithuania Accelerator powered by Plug and Play.
Wroclaw, Poland · Support Organization Wrocław's startup-support programme, run by the Agencja Rozwoju Aglomeracji Wrocławskiej (ARAW — Wrocław Agglomeration Development Agency) through its Business Support Centre. It connects founders, investors and corporates across the Wrocław ecosystem with mentoring, networking and acceleration support, and organises the annual EVOLUTIONS: Partner Network Festival.
Krakow, Poland · Support Organization Also known as the Polish Business Angel Network, Sterling Angels is a community of private investors and some VCs who co-invest in early-stage companies. Based in Kraków, Sterling Angels not only provides capital but also mentoring and connections to help startups succeed. Notable focus: Southern Poland’s startup scene – tech startups in need of both funding and business expertise.
Bern, Switzerland · Support Organization Swiss Medtech is the leading Swiss industry association for medical technology, representing member companies engaged in the development, manufacturing, and distribution of medical devices and in vitro diagnostics. The association advocates for regulatory and political conditions favorable to the medtech sector in Switzerland and internationally. It serves as an official industry partner of the Swiss Medtech Expo and is represented on the event's trade fair committee by its Director, Adrian Hunn.
Zejtun, Malta · Support Organization Tech.mt is a public-private partnership launched in 2019 by the Government of Malta and the Malta Chamber of Commerce to promote Malta as a hub for innovative technologies. It supports tech startups and companies through international promotion, R&D grant facilitation, talent development, and STEM education programmes. Tech.mt also acts as a licensed Further Education Institution and operates from the AM Business Centre in Zejtun.
Amsterdam, Netherlands · Support Organization Techleap.nl (formerly StartupDelta) is the Dutch national nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating the growth of the Netherlands' tech startup ecosystem. Originally founded in 2015 as StartupDelta by special envoy Neelie Kroes (former European Commissioner for Digital Agenda), the organization was rebranded to Techleap.nl in 2019 to reflect its expanded mission. Techleap works at the intersection of government, startups, investors, and corporates to remove barriers to scaling tech companies in the Netherlands. Key programs include the Techleap Rise benchmarking tool for startups, talent attraction initiatives, and policy advocacy on topics such as stock option taxation and visa procedures for international founders. Techleap also produces the annual State of Dutch Tech report and facilitates connections between Dutch scale-ups and international investors.
Sofia, Bulgaria · Support Organization Telerik Academy is the first large private tech education initiative in Bulgaria, founded in 2009 by the co-founders of Telerik (Svetozar Georgiev, Boyko Iaramov, Vassil Terziev, and Hristo Kosev). It offers structured programming and digital skills training programs for school students, career starters, and professionals looking to upskill, with tracks in software engineering, QA, data science, and AI. The academy has trained over 170,000 learners and is a primary pipeline for Bulgaria's software engineering talent.
Stockholm, Sweden · Support Organization Tillvaxtverket is the Swedish government agency responsible for promoting economic growth and entrepreneurship across Sweden's regions. The agency administers a range of programs supporting startups and SMEs, including grants for innovation projects, regional venture capital funds (through the Swedish regional co-investment funds), and programs focused on internationalization and digital transformation. Tillvaxtverket also manages EU structural funds in Sweden, channeling significant European investment into regional innovation ecosystems. For startups, the agency is particularly relevant through its support of incubator networks, its coordination of the Swedish national innovation strategy, and its programs helping entrepreneurs in less urbanized regions access capital, mentorship, and market opportunities beyond Stockholm.
Yerevan, Armenia · Support Organization UATE is Armenia's technology industry association, representing 270+ member companies that together account for the majority of taxes paid by the country's top ICT firms. It works across four pillars — business ecosystem development, education and workforce, international market development, and technology utilisation — and runs flagship initiatives including the Armath engineering makerspaces (650+ across Armenia), InnoIjevan, and DigiTec, the country's largest technology exhibition, which it has organised since 2005.
Warsaw, Poland · Support Organization Vestbee is a Warsaw-based platform connecting startups, VC funds, business angels, accelerators, and corporates across Central and Eastern Europe. Founded in 2018 by Ewa Chronowska, it facilitates fundraising, deal flow, and ecosystem matchmaking, hosts the CEE VC Summit for regional fund managers, and operates the Vestbee Angels network. It functions as core startup-ecosystem infrastructure for the CEE region.
Stockholm, Sweden · Support Organization Vinnova is Sweden's innovation agency, responsible for fostering sustainable growth through research, development, and innovation. It distributes approximately SEK 3 billion annually in grants and co-funding to businesses, universities, research institutes, and public organizations across Sweden. Vinnova is a key government body enabling innovation in life sciences, digital health, and technology, and served as a Spotlight Panel Host at Nordic Life Science Days 2026.
Yerevan, Armenia · Support Organization YerevaNN is a non-profit machine learning and AI research laboratory established in 2016, operating independently from commercial projects and funded by private donations and research grants. The lab collaborates with institutions including the University of Southern California and the Institute of Molecular Biology in Armenia, with active research into drug discovery via molecule generation, computer vision, and clinical AI. It has produced over 85 scientific publications and is a recognized node of the Armenian AI research community.