Rise Europe unites leading start-up ecosystem builders from 13 European countries. We empower European start-ups to make a positive global impact.

Rise Europe brings together outstanding individuals and innovation drivers of Europe’s most dynamic entrepreneurship hubs.

Addressing transitions and global challenges such as climate crisis and scarcity of resources demand a joint effort to support start-ups to create a safe, prosperous and future-oriented society.

The Rise Europe members are committed to combine their strengths to jointly accelerate start-up teams, thus contributing to European technological sovereignty. The ambition is to match the innovativeness of countries like USA and China by helping European start-ups to scale and become sustainable global market leaders.

We come together once a year

We come together once a year. The next Rise Europe Summit will take place in Copenhagen in May 2025.

Established in Elmau 2023

Rise Europe was formed at Schloss Elmau in May 2023.

European countries

Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

Quote icon

Prof. Dr. Helmut Schönen­berger Founder and CEO of UnternehmerTUM says: With Rise Europe, Europe has a new impulse generator that will contribute to overcome global challenges and shape a transnational understanding of the importance of sustainable entrepreneurship. In everything we do, we want to put people and Europe's values at the center.

I am very pleased to be able to work so closely together with our friends and dedicated colleagues as part of Rise Europe.

Who we are
Alexander Ilic

Alexander Ilic

Co-Founder & Executive Director

ETH AI Center

Ben Mumby Croft

Ben Mumby-Croft

Director of Entrepreneurship

Imperial Enterprise Lab at Imperial College London

OUI Brendan Ludden

Brendan Ludden

Head of Licensing & Ventures, Physical Sciences

Oxford University Innovation

Bruno Martinaud

Bruno Martinaud

Responsable Académique Entrepreneuriat

École Polytechnique

Helmut Schonenberger

Helmut Schönenberger

Founder & CEO

UnternehmerTUM

Ikhlaq Sidhu

Ikhlaq Sidhu

Dean of IE School of Technology

IE University

Irene Fialka

Irene Fialka

CEO

INiTS

John Bell

John Bell

CEO

HighTechXL

Kalle Airo

Kalle Airo

Head of Entrepreneurial Mindset

Aalto University

Ken Finnegan

Ken Finnegan

Director of Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship

DCU Invent

Tal Tech Kristo Reinsalu

Kristo Reinsalu

Head of Technology Transfer Office

Tallinn University of Technology

Leah Thompson

Leah Thompson

Associate Director - Entrepreneurship

Queen Mary University of London

Lisa Ericsson

Lisa Ericsson

Head of & CEO

KTH Innovation & KTH Holding AB

Michael Hahnle

Michael Hähnle

Managing Director AplusB SCALEup & Investment

INiTS

Oliver Hanisch

Oliver Hanisch

CEO

Campus Founders

Par Hedberg

Pär Hedberg

Founder & Business Coach

Sting

Ras

Ras Lalmy

Managing Director

YES!Delft

Ricardo Marvao

Ricardo Marvão

Co-Founder

Beta-i

Tomas Brenner

Tomas Brenner

Head of Venture Programs & Strategies

ETH Zürich I ETH transfer

Program Committee
Stefan Drussler

Stefan Drüssler

Managing Director and COO

UnternehmerTUM

UTUM Marisa Schneider

Marisa Schneider

Manager International Partnerships

UnternehmerTUM

Mikkel Sorensen

Mikkel Sørensen

Managing Director

DTU Skylab

Jean Michel Dalle

Jean-Michel Dalle

Managing Director

Agoranov

Institutions
Unternehmertum
Agoranov
Dtu skylab
Aalto university
Beta i
Campus founders
DCU Logo UPDATE 2024 portrait
Innovation Oxford
Eth ai center
Eth zuerich
High tech xl
Ie university
Imperial enterprise lab
Inits
Kth
Queen Mary University London
Sting
Tal tech
Tum
X ecole polytechnique
Yes delft
Our 5 operating principles

Trust and amplify.

We will work together for the benefit of all. Collaboration and co-creation are our default settings.

European and proud.

We will embrace Europe's values, diversity, and heritage. This is our strength, not a weakness. We will celebrate it.

Bottom-up > Top down.

We will empower individuals across academia, entrepreneurship centres, and industry to drive local and regional impact.

Think different.

We will encourage diverse ideas and stakeholders to promote continuous learning, push boundaries and build a world-class innovation ecosystem.

Beyond borders.

We will foster scaling and internationalization, leveraging the expertise and reach of our networks.

European Start-up Landscape

Rise Europe has nominated their most significant start-ups of 2023 and 2024 that stand out for their growth potential and positive impact on the environment and society.

  • 20

    institutions

  • 13

    countries

  • 47.000

    reached talents in 2023

  • €6.1 BN

    VC funding in 2023

  • 5.300

    supported start-ups in 2023

  • ± 10%

    of all European tech investments

Rise Europe Startup Landscape 2024

Rise Europe has nominated their most significant start-ups of the year that stand out for their growth potential and positive impact on the environment and society.

  • 20

    institutions

  • 14

    countries

  • 38.000

    reached talents in 2022

  • € 7.8 BN

    VC funding in 2022

  • 3.200

    supported start-ups in 2022

  • ± 10%

    of all European tech investments

Rise Europe Startup Landscape 2023
Report Circle
Resources → Links & Downloads
Questions or Press Inquiries? Send us a message.

Do you rather write an e-mail? Write to contact@rise-europe.com.

Contact Circles