Startup Europe Partnership (SEP) – the integrated pan-European open innovation platform that helps the best EU scaleups grow

About SEP

The Startup Europe Partnership is a platform where the best scaleups meet the best corporates and investors with a single goal: make things happen. Whether that means procurement (product licensing or initiating co-development/POCs), investments, and exits (acquisitions and IPOs). Startup Europe Partnership (SEP) hosts “Europe’s Corporate Startup Stars”, a ranking of the most startup friendly corporates in Europe, each year. SEP also connects the European ecosystems with Silicon Valley (SEC2SV mission) and Israel (SEC2IL mission). The Partnership was established by the European Commission in January 2014 at the World Economic Forum in Davos as the first pan-European platform dedicated to transforming European startups into scaleups by linking them with global corporations and stock exchanges.

SEP is led by Mind the Bridge, an organization based in Italy and United States connecting European entrepreneurial ecosystems to Silicon Valley, with ELITE – London Stock Exchange, Nesta, European Startup Network, Scaleup Institute, and Bisite Accelerator.

SEP Founding Partners

Startup Europe Partnership has been developed in partnership with leading corporations (Telefonica, Orange, BBVA), education institutions (Cambridge University, IE Business School, Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society) and the European Investment Fund.

What SEP Offer to Corporate Partners

The Partnership works with European and non-European corporates interested in and getting exposed to the best practices re: open innovation and taking a closer look at innovative startups in target areas with real commitment in terms of procurement, investment and acquisitions.

By participating to SEP, Corporates get:

• Exposure to grass-root innovation (bottom up approach)
• Cross-industry fertilization
• Access to an international pan-European deal flow
• Access to SEP database (powered by AngeList)
• Assessment and dedicated Scouting and Filtering
• Participation in SEP Matching (both Events and Online)
• Sharing Open Innovation Best Practices and Benchmarking/Best Practice Sharing with leading Corporations
• Visibility through SEP brand
• Contribution to Research & Policy Reports (SEP Monitor, SEP Policy Brief)
• Bridge to European Commission

Scaleups

In recent years, Europe has made a lot of progress in producing more startups, but the number of scaleups remains too low. To accelerate growth, scaleups need:

• Quality business opportunities with large corporates
• Access to late stage-growth financing through IPO and private placement
• Access to international investors.

SEP Scaleup Summits aim at closing this growth gap in Europe.  International scaleups are selected and invited to join the exclusive, invitation-only, Scaleup Summits, hosted by the most prestigious European Stock Exchanges, where they can do business and assess growth financing opportunities. This close-door matching format is an opportunity for scaleups to:

• Meet senior corporate decision makers and initiate commercial and strategic discussions
• Extend their rolodex by adding international investors
• Assess IPO and private placement options together with specialists from Stock Exchange.

Investors

SEP Investors Forum brings together the top notch Investors and Accelerators from all over Europe with the goal to foster a more scaleup-friendly ecosystem. SEP Investors Forum acts as an internal channel conversation for the European Investment Fund and European Commission with European and international Investors.

Specifically SEP Investors Forum bridges investors to:
• Corporate Development Heads (Startup Europe Partnership)
• European Matching Funds (EIF/EIB)
• Public Policy /Regulation (European Commission)

SEP Scaleup Summits

SEP Scaleup Summits are highly curated, invitation only, matching activities hosted by the most prestigious European Stock Exchanges where international corporates, investors and scaleups operating in specific verticals can do business and spot technology trends.

Scaleups have the opportunity to:

• Initiate commercial and strategic opportunities with senior corporate decision makers
• Extend their rolodex by adding international investors
• Assess IPO and private placement options together with specialists from Stock Exchanges
• Network and Benchmark with Peers and Innovation Leaders.

Corporates have the opportunity to:

• Meet the most interesting international Startups/Scaleups in a 1:1 setting
• Get exposed to grass-root innovation (bottom-up approach)
• Find “ready to be deployed” solutions to innovate their business
• Get Trends and Data about Open Innovation via a Corporate Open Innovation Boot Camp
• Network and Benchmark with Peers and Innovation Leaders.

Investors have the opportunity to:

• Meet the most interesting international Startups/Scaleups in a 1:1 setting
• Have a direct dialogue with European Commission, EIF/EIB
• Meet the managers of the new Pan-European VC Fund-of-Funds
• Share the portfolio with investors from different EU geographies
• Share and compare best practice investment strategies.

Market Access Programs

Have you decided to enter USA, UK or Germany with your tech scaleup? Perfect! Our Market Access program is the fast-track you need for a more effective expansion.

The content of each program is tailor built according to the specific market and the needs of the participating companies. During the first phase, you will be provided with market-specifics on areas such as sales, marketing and legal. You will meet with local coaches and experts while you extend both your knowledge and network. The second phase is what sets us apart from other accelerators: together with our local partners, we make sure that you will meet with clients and other key partners to make sure that your scaleup will make the most effective market entry possible.

Source: Startup Europe Partnership, 2023