Venture in Eastern Europe: The region becomes more attractive to investors

During the How to Web Conference in October 2024 another interesting event occurred – “Venture in Eastern Europe”, bringing together over 200 European investors and the international business community.

The event was dedicated to generating investment opportunities and facilitating discussions on the current state of venture capital investments in Eastern Europe. It gathered representatives from major European funds such as the European Innovation Council, EBRD, European Investment Fund, NATO Innovation Fund, as well as emerging CVC (Corporate Venture Capital) funds, like BCR Seed Starter, thought leaders from venture capital firms such as Creandum, BrightCap Ventures, Underline Ventures, and Earlybird Digital East.

“I’m very optimistic about the future of venture capital investments in Romania. We are seeing a lot of talented and bold founders here, with many opportunities for venture capital funding. Additionally, we need more success stories, which will likely emerge in the coming years, further increasing investors’ appetite to seek opportunities in Romania,” stated Adrian Rosoaga, Chief Investment Officer at BCR Seed Starter – Romania’s first corporate venture capital company launched by a bank.

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Venture in Eastern Europe – fostering local innovation

Venture in Eastern Europe provided a platform for discussions focused on the fluctuations in the local venture capital market. The event explored various strategies and trends, including the growing interest from venture capital funds, which are increasingly active in supporting local innovation. The collaboration between the public and private sectors was highlighted as a key element for driving the region’s economic development.

The conclusions from the event´s discussions pointed toward an optimistic outlook for the future of these types of investments:

• Increase in investment opportunities: Participants emphasized Romania’s potential as a magnet for international investors due to local talent and emerging initiatives, such as these new types of funds.
• Collaborations between international funds and local entrepreneurs: Interactions between major investors and local founders underscored the importance of forming strategic partnerships to foster innovation.
• Sustainability and diversification: Discussions highlighted the need for investors to adopt diversified strategies to navigate market challenges and take advantage of emerging trends such as AI technology.

Andreas Munk Holm, founder of the largest European venture capital media publication, EU.VC, supported those conclusions. “The tech scene in Eastern Europe has been deeply enriched by the success of UiPath, which has generated many serial entrepreneurs. Eastern Europe has become extremely attractive to investors, being an ecosystem on the verge of producing groundbreaking innovations,” he said.