Sweden has earned a global reputation for building ambitious companies. From Stockholm’s unicorns to broader regional innovators, the country punches well above its weight. But even in a thriving ecosystem, early-stage financing can still be complicated, slow, and unevenly distributed. In the Netherlands and Germany, hundreds of successful funding rounds have already shown what’s possible when...

In an era where the energy transition demands both speed and creativity, agile innovation has become more than a buzzword — it’s a necessity. At the forefront of this transformation is Carlotta Krone-Danhier, Ecosystem & Business Development Manager at dena’s Future Energy Lab. With a background that bridges climate tech startups and global innovation networks,...

In 2019 Leapfunder completed its very first funding round in Germany. At the same time we became a full member of BAND, Germany’s association of angel networks. Since then, we have completed 44 successful German funding rounds. That surely gives us reasons to celebrate a belated 5 year birthday of Leapfunder Germany.

Switzerland is home to one of Europe’s most vibrant and fast-growing startup ecosystems, and at its heart is SICTIC, the country’s largest and most active business angel network. With over 500 members and over 130 startups supported in 2024 alone, SICTIC plays a pivotal role in connecting founders with “smart money” investors. One of the...

Meet Chingiskhan Kazakhstan — a serial entrepreneur who’s redefining mobility, community, and startup culture in the Netherlands. From co-founding SELANA, the first company to legalize e-scooters in the country, to building bondi, a mobility-meets-city-exploration app, and FounderFuel, dedicated to creating the most valuable and engaged community for founders and investors experiencing growth, his ventures share...

What does it take to create an impactful business? Few are better positioned to answer that than Boudewijn Docter, co-founder of EFFECT Photonics and a key figure in the Dutch deep-tech ecosystem. With a background in electrical engineering and photonics, Boudewijn has spent years navigating the complex entrepreneurial journey.  His company is one of the...

In today’s fast-paced innovation landscape, Ewa Geresz stands out as a connector, community builder, and champion of collaboration. With a career that has taken her from India to Japan, and from the Netherlands to Germany, Ewa brings a uniquely international perspective to the startup world. Her work spans diplomacy, marketing, and ecosystem development — always...

Startups often want to pool their early investors so that they can act with a single voice in shareholder decisions. This can improve coordination, reduce overhead in shareholder resolutions, and simplify future cap table negotiations. It is often a requirement of future professional investors, so it is best to pool smaller shareholders from the beginning....

Convertible notes are an increasingly popular tool for early-stage startup funding across Europe, and Sweden is no exception. Convertibles offer a fast and flexible way to raise capital without immediately pricing the company. However, to truly unlock their advantages, it’s crucial to structure them correctly. In this blog, we’ll walk through the essential elements of...

Innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum — it takes vision, collaboration, and systems that empower people to take bold ideas and turn them into impact. Few understand this better than Ale Winter, a seasoned ecosystem builder whose work has helped shape the startup landscapes of Latin America and the United States. From co-founding one of...