Knowledge Hub

For many founders, raising capital is about achieving scale as much as about personal involvement of investors. For some this is a community of backers via crowdfunding, for others a more hands-on business angel investors. But this seems increasingly a false choice. For early-stage companies, particularly those still proving product-market fit, crowdfunding and angel investment […]

Europe’s future innovation needs skilled and confident investors. But where to start? Many newcomers test their luck with crowdfunding, some hope to turn into business angels over time. And now there’s a course designed to help them get started. The ESIL Angel Academy, developed by the EU-funded Early Stage Investing Launchpad (ESIL), is now live.

Limited Places – ESIL Annual Event – 5 June 2026 The second ESIL Annual Event lands in Brussels on 5 June 2026, convening Business Angels, investors, EU policymakers and researchers shaping the future of Europe’s deep tech ecosystem. This is where early-stage innovation meets capital, and where the next generation of breakthrough ventures begins its

The ESIL e-Pitching sessions showcase selected deep tech projects supported by EIC Pathfinder and EIC Transition. These online sessions offer an opportunity to discover emerging technologies, connect with project teams and explore collaboration opportunities at an early stage of the innovation journey. Equity crowdfunding under the European Crowdfunding Service Providers Regulation (ECSPR) can play a

What sets deep tech innovation apart is that the innovation often takes shape long before a company is formed. Which means that by engaging early with research teams, promising ideas have a better chance of developing into impactful ventures. Researchers, innovators, Business Angels, other investors and ecosystem actors are being brought together to connect earlier