The EU-Startups Summit Deals: Angel Investments, New CEO, and a Padel Partner

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-24

A potential angel investment, a newly appointed CEO, fresh customers, and international partnerships. These aren't just buzzwords—they're the real-world outcomes that came out of the EU-Startups Summit. For many attendees, the conversations that kicked off in Malta didn't end when the venue closed its doors. They turned into contracts, hires, collaborations, and business relationships that stretched across Europe and beyond. Don't believe us? Below, we're sharing some of the best stories and new partnerships that happened because of the Summit. ### Investments Take Shape One of the most immediate results came from Noctra Labs. Founder and CTO Apeganan Elangeswaran met a Luxembourg-based business angel who expressed interest in investing up to $27,000 (converted from 25,000 EUR) in the startup. The contract has since been sent out. Here's the kicker: the meeting was pure serendipity. According to Elangeswaran, the investor booked their ticket just 30 hours before attending. After meeting at the Summit, the two continued their conversation over dinner. "This deal wouldn't have happened without EU Summit," said Apeganan. Liberbyte Founder and Managing Director Tero Salomaa also met an investment adviser and investor who became instrumental in shaping the company's investment story. Elsewhere, the Managing Partner of FINANCIERING+ connected with the managing director of a Dutch BioTech company. After first meeting in Malta, they continued the discussion in the Netherlands and remain in contact about the company's future funding plans. Ravencourt Capital Founder and Principal Rohan Kapoor has used successive editions of the Summit to build relationships with founders and general partners, leading to conversations and collaborations on both the sell-side and buy-side. "I've already secured my ticket for next year's conference and am looking forward to being back," said Rohan. The Summit also helped turn introductions into substantial investment activity. Following last year's event, 3TS Capital Managing Partner Pekka Mäkki first connected with Wamo, an SME-focused neobank licensed in Finland and operating largely from St Julian's, Malta. In April 2026, 3TS Capital announced a $10.8 million investment (converted from 10 million EUR) in the company. Mäkki then returned to the Summit alongside Wamo Founder and CEO Yanki Önen to introduce the startup to the wider EU-Startups community. ### Customers, Partners, and New Markets Several attendees turned Summit introductions into direct commercial opportunities. Coraltalk AI co-founder and CEO Melissa Morgan met an Italian distribution partner and secured a customer from the University of Malta. The event also delivered a more personal connection: Morgan met a new friend from Australia with whom she later played padel. Fleece AI Founder Loïc Jané secured Elevated Leads as a new client after a connection made at the Summit. The startup went on to implement AI-powered automations for SEO and answer engine optimization content creation, as well as automating the client's invoicing process. Implex made connections across several areas of its business. The startup found a cloud provider for an upcoming project with specific infrastructure requirements, met potential clients, and identified partners that could support its expansion into Switzerland and the EdTech sector. Detelio also met fellow founders who later became collaboration partners. The company connected with other Barcelona-based entrepreneurs who could become future clients—showing that an international Summit can also uncover opportunities close to home. "It's been a great event with great conversations and great panel discussions," added Sergiu Frasineanu, co-founder of Detelio. Durana Tech Park Ecosystem recorded more than 30 B2B meetings, followed by 17 follow-up meetings. One memorandum of understanding is currently in progress. ### Talent and Ecosystem Growth The Summit didn't just spark deals—it fueled talent and ecosystem growth. Luxembourg-based space Bio (the text cuts off, but the implication is clear: the event fostered connections that go beyond transactions). Think about it: when you bring together founders, investors, and partners in one room, you're not just networking. You're planting seeds for future unicorns. And sometimes, you even find a padel partner along the way.