Taking place in Vilnius on June 1–2, the congress will bring together angel investors, venture capital funds, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and startup ecosystem leaders from across Europe for two days of discussions on the industries increasingly shaping Europe’s strategic future.
The programme reflects a broader shift underway across European capital markets, with growing investor attention directed toward sectors linked to long-term resilience and strategic capability. Dedicated forums will focus on Space & Defence, Cleantech & Deeptech, Life Sciences & Health, as well as SportsTech and Creative Industries.
Alongside sector-specific discussions, the agenda will also explore the realities of early-stage investing itself – from syndication and startup scaling to investment failures, cross-border collaboration, exits, and the role investor communities play in building stronger innovation ecosystems across Europe.
More than 80 speakers are expected to participate in the congress, including Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner responsible for Defence and Space; Milda Mitkutė, co-founder of Vinted; engineer and astronaut Tuva Cihangir Atasever of the Turkish Space Agency; technology investor Candace Johnson; British journalist and geopolitical analyst Edward Lucas; Surfshark co-founder Vytautas Kaziukonis; and Hostinger co-founder Daugirdas Jankus.
Lithuania’s startup ecosystem has become one of the fastest-growing in Central and Eastern Europe
Today, more than 1,100 startups and spin‑off technology companies, as well as several unicorns, operate in Lithuania, employing just under 20,000 people. For a country of fewer than 3 million people, that amounts to around 195 startups per million inhabitants – one of the strongest startup densities in the region.
Reflecting on this momentum, the programme has been designed to give participants direct exposure to Lithuania’s startup ecosystem and the organisations shaping it. A series of side events across the city will connect international investors and founders with local accelerators, startup communities, public institutions, and technology companies.
These include a Welcome Reception at the Grand Hotel Vilnius hosted by Go Vilnius, the official city business development and tourism agency, setting the tone for the days ahead. There will be a Morning Coffee with PropTech Lithuania, the Spin-off Launchpad, the EBAN Recharge Session at Rockit Vilnius, and a Cyber City Tour organised together with Unicorns Lithuania. Participants will also take part in curated networking sessions, one-on-one investor meetings, the Startup Expo, and a dedicated Go Vilnius networking space designed to connect international investors with the city’s business and innovation ecosystem.
The wider programme extends beyond the conference venue itself, with Vilnius positioned not only as the host city but also as part of the congress experience. International guests will have the opportunity to explore the city through curated “Experience Vilnius” tours, while the congress gala dinner with traditional EBAN awards will take place at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania.
The EBAN Congress is the flagship annual event of the European Business Angel Network and rotates between European innovation hubs each year. Previous editions were hosted in Copenhagen, Tallinn, and Thessaloniki.
Taking place alongside Vilnius’ Pink Soup Fest weekend, the congress will also give international participants the opportunity to experience not only the city’s innovation and startup ecosystem, but also its creative and cultural atmosphere.
More information and the full programme are available at: https://www.ebancongress.com.
