On October 4, 2010, I launched EU-Startups.com and revealed the very first article. It began out of an pleasure for entrepreneurship and tech/internet innovation, pushed by a wholesome dose of European patriotism, and with the aim of offering extra visibility and alternatives to founders from throughout Europe. 

Lengthy earlier than Sifted, Tech.eu and Silicon Canals, EU-Startups was probably the very first on-line media model on the market focusing solely on startups from throughout Europe.

Since then, my staff and I’ve revealed over 12,700 articles, and organised many occasions of all styles and sizes throughout Europe, starting from a few folks in a room to occasions with about 2,100 individuals. Additionally we’ve efficiently contributed to fairly just a few EU-funded tasks – at all times with the aim to strengthen the European startup ecosystem and to encourage and help the following technology of entrepreneurs.

And even after these 181 months because the launch of EU-Startups.com, my staff and I’ve the sensation that we’re simply getting began. On this article I’m sharing some reflections on our path thus far, revealing a brand new robust companion on our aspect, and the place we’re heading to sooner or later!

Humble beginnings 

For the primary 5 years I ran EU-Startups as a aspect mission, on high of working a full-time job within the German media trade through the day. I nonetheless keep in mind writing these first 1,500 articles within the evenings after my day job, pushed by caffeine, curiosity, and a perception that Europe’s founders deserved a highlight. Throughout these first 5 years I didn’t pay myself something. It was a pure ardour mission.

In 2014, I hosted the primary version of our annual convention in Munich, after which for the following three years the occasion occurred in Berlin. Within the meantime, in January 2016 I stop my well-paid company job to totally give attention to EU-Startups. About two years later, I relocated from Munich to Barcelona, based Menlo Media SL, and employed my first full-time staff member. Since then our on-line attain, occasion dimension, influence, and staff dimension grew properly and fairly steadily all through the years.

Over the previous 15 years now we have seen a number of tech developments and buzzwords come and go. Founders going from underdogs to unicorn CEOs, traders discovering hidden gems within the ecosystem, and numerous startups and tasks that went bankrupt. 

Whereas telling these tales, the EU-Startups viewers and neighborhood has grown stronger and extra engaged, with over 48,000 Fb followers, 45,500 X followers, over 130,000 LinkedIn followers, 34,500 Instagram followers, and about 75,000 publication subscribers. Along with EU-Startups.com, which reaches about 300,000 readers monthly, these channels have been essential in spreading our tales, additional connecting with our viewers, and fostering an area for dialogue and alternate.

Our Impression all through the years

Whereas bootstrapping EU-Startups and slowly/steadily rising our media and occasions enterprise, I’m proud that additionally our constructive influence on the European startup ecosystem and its gamers has been rising over time.

We’ve loads of proof and nice tales about many founders who met their traders, new clients or future staff members at our annual EU-Startups Summit. Right here you’ll discover some good examples from this 12 months. One in every of my favorite tales from the previous is a couple of outstanding angel funding that was spontaneously sealed dwell on stage by one in all our jury members and one of many finalists throughout our pitch competitors in 2022 in Barcelona. 

Additionally, there’s a couple who met through the EU-Startups Summit just a few years in the past and who’ve been getting married earlier this 12 months. Congrats once more Remco!

Moreover, via our each day protection, we helped numerous startups from throughout Europe to get on the radar of worldwide traders and worldwide expertise. We’re proud that over time we’ve been capable of help, inform and encourage 1000’s of readers, occasion attendees, and in the end the present and subsequent technology of founders and traders from throughout Europe. There may be nonetheless quite a bit to return, and we’re trying ahead to additional rising our influence over the approaching years!

Just a few hindrances alongside the best way

As an organisation that’s fairly targeted on occasions, the worldwide pandemic was in fact one of many greatest setbacks, which slowed us down a bit from a enterprise perspective. However even through the pandemic, we stored organising occasions (on-line) and when it was protected to return to in-person, the EU-Startups Summit was one of many first startup occasions that returned with a bang and with a brand new attendee report.

Over the previous 15 years, we’ve seen many startup publications and startup occasions come and go. Already again in 2017, we revealed an summary relating to startup publications that had lately shut down, and now we have continued rising EU-Startups since then. Additionally fairly lately there had been the sentiment inside the startup ecosystem that European startup media is experiencing some kind of downturn (TechCrunch Europe employees fired, TNW shutting down, and so forth.), and whereas it’s true that this isn’t a straightforward market to function in, we stay bullish about the way forward for our media and occasions actions.

There are in fact at all times new developments that influence media companies like ours – for instance the gradual shift from desktop to cell, the rising significance of social media basically, and the shrinking significance of some social media channels (like X).

Additionally, whereas new applied sciences like AI pose new challenges and alternatives, and whereas the joy and exercise round startups is shifting in waves all through the years, we’re satisfied that entrepreneurship, innovation, and technological progress will at all times be an vital cornerstone of not simply Europe’s future, however for the way forward for mankind. 

And the EU-Startups staff will preserve you knowledgeable about these future developments and can proceed to attach the makers and shakers of tomorrow via occasions, European tasks, and different initiatives.

The Way forward for EU-Startups

Immediately, about one month after our 15-year anniversary, I’m excited to share with you that we (EU-Startups / Menlo Media) simply grew to become a part of MeOut Group, and that this subsequent chapter will make sure the continued development of the EU-Startups model, an enlargement of our future actions and our influence over the approaching years.

MeOut Group consists of about 100 vibrant souls, is headquartered in Budapest, but in addition has a illustration in Brussels and Copenhagen. They’re a number one organisation targeted on innovation, training, and entrepreneurship, and are additionally fairly actively concerned in EU tasks which can be associated to those areas. We’ve been efficiently working with their staff up to now and we really feel it’s a good match, and that the imaginative and prescient for EU-Startups is shared by them wholeheartedly. 

After this very current acquisition I’m persevering with to remain on board as CEO, now and within the years to return, and the EU-Startups staff will keep on board with me as nicely. Additionally, we are going to proceed to function independently from our places of work in Barcelona.

Becoming a member of forces with MeOut Group marks the beginning of a brand new thrilling chapter for EU-Startups. Collectively, we’ll preserve amplifying Europe’s entrepreneurial spirit – connecting dreamers, doers, and traders from Lisbon to Helsinki, from Dublin to Budapest.

To everybody who’s learn, shared, pitched, attended, or labored with us over time: Thanks! You’re the rationale EU-Startups has develop into what it’s as we speak. And belief me – the very best is but to return. We’re trying ahead to the following chapter. It nonetheless looks like we’re simply getting began!

A giant thanks additionally goes out to our traders, like Seedrs founder Jeff Lynn, Translated.com founder Marco Trombetti, and plenty of others who had joined us by way of our small fairness crowdfunding spherical by the top of 2019.

Let’s work collectively

Over the previous 15 years we’ve labored with tons of of purchasers from throughout Europe and past. In the event you’re not one in all our fortunate purchasers but, we’d be delighted to help you thru our promoting choices, our startup sourcing service, welcome you at subsequent 12 months’s EU-Startups Summit in Malta, and advise you relating to exhibition choices and sponsorship alternatives.

Additionally, in the event you’d like to achieve unrestricted entry to our editorial archive, our startup and investor database, put up free/premium job listings in our job board, get entry to member-only content material (like our weekly funding roundup) and profit from reductions for a variety of SaaS instruments, then ensure to join the EU-Startups CLUB.

Final however not least, the EU-Startups staff stays open to affix consortia for EU tasks and tenders which can be associated to startups, enterprise capital, and tech entrepreneurship in Europe. We’re fairly selective relating to the tasks and consortia that we’re contemplating to help, but when we really feel we are able to make an influence, we’re open to affix as dissemination, knowledge/insights or occasions lead.

To wrap up: 15 years after the preliminary launch, my staff and I stay extremely keen about supporting and selling startups and tech entrepreneurship throughout and past Europe. We’re trying ahead to working with many extra startup and innovation ecosystem gamers over the approaching years. Let’s be a part of forces and enhance our mixed influence. Collectively we develop!