Events

ESIL Annual Event: Business Angels and Deeptech

Workshop

2 to 3 December 2025

Brussels, Belgium

Join us in Brussels for a two-day deep dive into the future of angel investing in Europe.

Opt to attend one or both days and the chance to build your networks and learn more about angel investing.

Conference & Networking

2 December 2025

Kicking off the event, join us for an in-person Networking Day: a unique opportunity to connect with peers, exchange insights, and explore potential collaborations, all the while learning more about angel investing on a pan-European level.

The day will wrap up with a networking cocktail.

Agenda

15:00 - 15:45	Welcome coffee and Registration Floor 8, Room 180, Auditorium	Floor 8Room 180Auditorium
15:45 - 16:00	Welcome and introduction Denisa Perrin, Head of Unit, European Innovation Council Luigi Amati, Director META Group Floor 8, Room 180, Auditorium	Floor 8Room 180Auditorium
16:00 - 17:00	Panel 1 Building Bridges in Biotech and Medtech: Successful Collaborations Between research teams and Innovation Actors Pierre Cherelle, Axiles bionics Ivano Ciceri, Head of Tech Transfer Office, Politecnico di Milano Dr Mariana Bozesan, Expert on investing in deeptech and med tech Miłosz Jamroży, CEO, EFM Moderated by Jenny Tooth OBE, VP of Diversity at BAE & Executive Chair of UKBAA Floor 8, Room 180, Auditorium	Floor 8Room 180Auditorium
17:00 - 18:00	Panel 2 Advancing Deeptech Collaboration: Challenges and Future Directions for research teams and Innovation Actors Marc Van Aken, CEO, SO Kwadraat Community Benjamin Azoulay, CEO, Oldecomm Stela Tkatchova, Programme Manager, European Innovation Council Malin Stefanescu, Board Member at Techangels and AMSIMCEL Investor Moderated by Claire Munck, CEO, BeAngels and Managing Partner Scalefunds Floor 8, Room 180, Auditorium	Floor 8Room 180Auditorium
18:00 - 19:30	Networking Cocktail Floor 1, Cantine	Floor 1Cantine

Conference & Workshop

3 December 2025

The main conference day brings together top speakers and actors from the EIC, Business Angel networks, innovation actors, incubators, accelerators, early-stage investors and deep tech leaders. The event will:

Present the latest results of the ESIL initiative,
Discuss key trends and future actions,
Host interactive breakout workshop sessions

Themes will include how to nurture a next gen of Business Angels, pan-European investment and collaboration tools and opportunities, deep tech engagement, and inclusive innovation ecosystems.

Agenda

8:30 - 9:00	Registration Floor 8, Room 180, Auditorium	Floor 8Room 180Auditorium
9:00 - 9:15	Welcome words Andreas Schwarz, Chief of Staff Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, European Commission Luigi Amati, Director META Group Floor 8, Room 180, Auditorium	Floor 8Room 180Auditorium
9:15 - 10:00	Building a Stronger Angel Community: Why Europe Needs Both Diversity and Capacity in Business Investing Terezia Jacova, Local Leader Czechia, Lumus Renata Brkic, Local Leader Croatia, Feels good Capital Florence Richardson, Cofounder of WINEquity Moderated by Jenny Tooth OBE, VP of Diversity at BAE & Executive Chair of UKBAA Floor 8, Room 180, Auditorium	Floor 8Room 180Auditorium
10:00 - 10:45	From Lab to Launch: Why Early Collaboration Between Angels/Innovation actors and Research Teams Is Key Marco Franchin, Exploitation Manager, PHIRE project Stefano Giancola, CTO, Orchestra Scientific Ivano Ciceri, Head of Tech Transfer Office, Politecnico di Milano Sven De Cleyn, Programme Director, IMECstart Timo Hallantie, Head of Unit, European Innovation Council (EIC Pathfinder) Moderated by Francesca Natali, GreenBone/Angiodroid investor Floor 8, Room 180, Auditorium	Floor 8Room 180Auditorium
10:45 - 11:15	Coffee break Floor 1, Cantine	Floor 1Cantine
11:15 - 12:00	Exploring the Current Landscape of Sector-Focused Angel Investing: Mapping today’s trends and the symbiosis of the vertical and geography based clubs René Reijtenbagh - CEO BAConnect and VP BANNederland Cynthia Verswijvel - Cornelissen, President, BAN Flanders Jean-Marc Boyer, Chairman, Global InsurAngels Jörg Stein, Healthtech Angel Investor Moderated by Reginald Vossen, President, Business Angels Europe Floor 8, Room 180, Auditorium	Floor 8Room 180Auditorium
12:00 - 12:45	Unlocking Cross-Border Capital: National Angels Co-Investment schemes should scale up at Pan-European Level? Milen Ivanov, Local Leader Bulgaria, Sofia Angels Ventures Christian Dubarry, Director European Affairs, Bpifrance Sara Dagostini, Policy Officer, European Commission Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy Claire Munck, CEO, BeAngels and Managing Partner Scalefunds Léopold Colson, Investment Manager, Wallonie Entreprendre Piotr Kedra, Investment Director, PFR Ventures Moderated by Jacek Blonski, Local Leader Poland, APER Angels Floor 8, Room 180, Auditorium	Floor 8Room 180Auditorium
12:45 - 13:30	Looking at the future "What is next for ESIL?" Stephane Ouaki, Director, EISMEA Reginald Vossen, President, Business Angels Europe Jenny Tooth OBE, VP of Diversity at BAE & Executive Chair of UKBAA Gilles Le Cocguen, Director - Head of EuroQuity at Bpifrance Moderated by Luigi Amati, Director META Group Floor 8, Room 180, Auditorium	Floor 8Room 180Auditorium
13:30 - 14:30	Lunch break Floor 1, Cantine	Floor 1Cantine
14:30 - 15:30	Parallel sessions
	Parallel session A Shaping the Future of Sector-Focused Angel Investing: Pan-European investing in Defence, Lifescience & Biotech; the symbiosis of the vertical and geography based clubs. Reginald Vossen, President, Business Angels Europe Jenny Tooth OBE, VP of Diversity at BAE & Executive Chair of UKBAA Elodie Bonnefond, Delegate General, Defense Angels Malin Stefanescu, Board Member at Techangels and AMSIMCEL Investor Milen Ivanov, Local Leader Bulgaria, Sofia Angels Ventures Gilles Le Cocguen, Director - Head of EuroQuity at Bpifrance Moderated by Alain Pujol, Co-President of France Angels and Archangel for Bulgaria Floor 8, Room 180, Auditorium	Floor 8Room 180Auditorium
	Parallel session B Designing Pan-European Funds: Enabling Cross-Border Co-Investment for Angels backed Scaleups Claire Munck, CEO, BeAngels and Managing Partner Scalefunds Jacek Blonski, Local Leader Poland, APER Angels Sara Dagostini, Policy Officer, European Commission Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy Elena Martines, Member of the Cabinet of European Commission Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva- Startups, Research and Innovation Piotr Kedra, Investment Director, PFR Ventures Christian Dubarry, Director European Affairs, Bpifrance Moderated by Jan Debets, Senior Advisor, Business Angels Europe Floor 8, Room 205	Floor 8Room 205
	Parallel session C From Research Proposals to Investment-Ready Projects: How Research Support Structures Can Enable Bas and Innovation Actors Engagement from Day One Daniel Gassmann, Head of Sector, European Innovation Ecosystem programme Ivano Ciceri, Head of Tech Transfer Office, Politecnico di Milano Lorenzo Valeriani, Innovation Advisor, META Group Marta Wysoczynska, Project Officer, Acces2EIC Moderated by Jana Drzkova, Head of Business Development, EuroQuity, Bpifrance Floor 7, Room 183-186-191	Floor 7Room 183-186-191
15:40 - 16:00	Concluding the Day: Key Takeaways and Next Steps for Europe’s Angel Investing Community Nuno Quental, Project Officer, European Innovation Council Luigi Amati, Director META Group Floor 8, Room 180, Auditorium	Floor 8Room 180Auditorium

Looking for accommodation near the event venue?

If your application is approved, you will receive a link for a direct special discounted rate at the Indigo BXL hotel. The discount is valid until 2 November 2025.

Registrations have been closed

Day 1 | 2 December 2025

Networking Day

Open to all

The day will wrap up with a networking cocktail.

Day 2 | 3 December 2025

ESIL Annual Conference

Panel Discussions and Workshop

Present the latest results of the ESIL initiative,
Discuss key trends and future actions,
Host interactive breakout workshop sessions

Themes will include how to nurture a next gen of Business Angels, pan-European investment and collaboration tools and opportunities, deep tech engagement, and inclusive innovation ecosystems.

Looking for accommodation near the event venue?

If your application is approved, you will receive a link for a direct special discounted rate at the Indigo BXL hotel. The discount is valid until 2 November 2025.

Apply