On October 4, 2010, I launched EU-Startups.com and printed 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 purpose of offering extra visibility and alternatives to founders from throughout Europe.
Lengthy earlier than Sifted, Tech.eu and Silicon Canals, EU-Startups was doubtless the very first on-line media model on the market focusing solely on startups from throughout Europe.
Since then, my group and I’ve printed 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 initiatives – at all times with the purpose to strengthen the European startup ecosystem and to encourage and help the following era of entrepreneurs.
And even after these 181 months for the reason that launch of EU-Startups.com, my group and I’ve the sensation that we’re simply getting began. On this article I’m sharing some reflections on our path up to now, revealing a brand new sturdy associate on our facet, and the place we’re heading to sooner or later!
Humble beginnings
For the primary 5 years I ran EU-Startups as a facet undertaking, on high of working a full-time job within the German media trade in the course of 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 undertaking.
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 give up 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 group member. Since then our on-line attain, occasion measurement, influence, and group measurement grew properly and fairly steadily all through the years.
Over the previous 15 years we’ve seen a number of tech traits and buzzwords come and go. Founders going from underdogs to unicorn CEOs, buyers discovering hidden gems within the ecosystem, and numerous startups and initiatives that went bankrupt.
Whereas telling these tales, the EU-Startups viewers and group 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 per 30 days, these channels have been essential in spreading our tales, additional connecting with our viewers, and fostering an area for dialogue and alternate.
Our Influence 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 through the years.
We’ve loads of proof and nice tales about many founders who met their buyers, new clients or future group members at our annual EU-Startups Summit. Here you’ll discover some good examples from this 12 months. One among my favorite tales from the previous is a couple of outstanding angel funding that was spontaneously sealed reside on stage by one among our jury members and one of many finalists throughout our pitch competitors in 2022 in Barcelona.
Additionally, there’s a couple who met in the course of 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, by way of our day by day protection, we helped numerous startups from throughout Europe to get on the radar of worldwide buyers and worldwide expertise. We’re proud that through the years we’ve been in a position to help, inform and encourage hundreds of readers, occasion attendees, and in the end the present and subsequent era of founders and buyers from throughout Europe. There may be nonetheless loads to come back, and we’re trying ahead to additional rising our influence over the approaching years!
A couple of hindrances alongside the way in which
As an organisation that’s fairly centered on occasions, the worldwide pandemic was in fact one of many largest setbacks, which slowed us down a bit from a enterprise perspective. However even in the course of 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 document.
Over the previous 15 years, we’ve seen many startup publications and startup occasions come and go. Already again in 2017, we published an overview concerning startup publications that had just lately shut down, and we’ve continued rising EU-Startups since then. Additionally fairly just lately there had been the sentiment throughout the startup ecosystem that European startup media is experiencing some form of downturn (TechCrunch Europe workers fired, TNW shutting down, and so on.), and whereas it’s true that this isn’t a simple 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 traits that influence media companies like ours – for instance the gradual shift from desktop to cellular, 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 transferring in waves all through the years, we’re satisfied that entrepreneurship, innovation, and technological progress will at all times be an essential cornerstone of not simply Europe’s future, however for the way forward for mankind.
And the EU-Startups group will hold you knowledgeable about these future developments and can proceed to attach the makers and shakers of tomorrow by way of occasions, European initiatives, and different initiatives.
The Way forward for EU-Startups
At this time, about one month after our 15-year anniversary, I’m excited to share with you that we (EU-Startups / Menlo Media) simply turned 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 brilliant souls, is headquartered in Budapest, but in addition has a illustration in Brussels and Copenhagen. They’re a number one organisation centered on innovation, training, and entrepreneurship, and are additionally fairly actively concerned in EU initiatives which might be associated to those areas. We’ve been efficiently working with their group prior to now and we really feel it’s a excellent 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 come back, and the EU-Startups group will keep on board with me as effectively. Additionally, we’ll proceed to function independently from our workplaces 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 hold amplifying Europe’s entrepreneurial spirit – connecting dreamers, doers, and buyers from Lisbon to Helsinki, from Dublin to Budapest.
To everybody who’s learn, shared, pitched, attended, or labored with us through the years: Thanks! You’re the explanation EU-Startups has change into what it’s right this moment. And belief me – the perfect is but to come back. 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 buyers, 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 a whole bunch of purchasers from throughout Europe and past. In the event you’re not one among our fortunate purchasers but, we’d be delighted to help you thru our advertising options, our startup sourcing service, welcome you at subsequent 12 months’s EU-Startups Summit in Malta, and advise you concerning exhibition options and sponsorship opportunities.
Additionally, for those who’d like to realize unrestricted entry to our editorial archive, our startup and investor database, submit 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 group stays open to affix consortia for EU initiatives and tenders which might be associated to startups, enterprise capital, and tech entrepreneurship in Europe. We’re fairly selective concerning the initiatives 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, information/insights or occasions lead.
To wrap up: 15 years after the preliminary launch, my group 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 part of forces and improve our mixed influence. Collectively we develop!
