The Europas
The Europas is a London-based events company (Bites Media LTD, founded 2009) that runs the annual Europas Awards, curating and recognizing Europe's early-stage tech startups through application fees, VC judging panels, public voting, and a Lisbon gala. It serves early-stage startups seeking visibility, VCs sourcing deal flow, and corporate sponsors seeking ecosystem access.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Europas does
The Europas is a London-headquartered, privately held events and editorial company (legally Bites Media LTD, registered in the Netherlands; founded 2009) that operates the annual Europas Awards, a curated recognition event for European early-stage technology startups. The company runs a tiered application cycle with fees between £395 and £495, a two-week public voting gallery that produces social media exposure for longlisted entrants, and a gala lunch plus rooftop afterparty in Lisbon, timed adjacently to the Web Summit. The judging panel comprises 50+ venture capital investors (Accel, Balderton, Index, Seedcamp, LocalGlobe, Lakestar, Octopus, Plural, EIB, and others) and the editorial vision is led by founder Mike Butcher (TechCrunch Editor-at-Large) and co-founder Dianne See Morrison (Editorial Director), with curation logistics run by partner Pathfounders. Eligible applicants must be headquartered in Europe, Israel, or the Middle East (or have a European founder with original European launch) and range from pre-seed to Series B, plus bootstrapped companies with over £500K in revenues.
The business model is event-driven and operates on three monetization layers: (i) one-time startup application fees; (ii) curated gala and afterparty ticket sales via the lu.ma platform for a 300-person headliner event; and (iii) corporate sponsorships from law firms (Orrick, Baker McKenzie, Mishcon), enterprise technology (AWS), and consumer/automotive brands (Volkswagen), plus in-kind support from media partners. Core products are the Europas Awards ceremony and the Europas 100 List — a 2024 relaunched single-format curated list that replaced traditional 16+ sector categories. No proprietary technology stack or platform is disclosed beyond a standard website and ticketing integration; the asset is the editorial brand, the investor judging network, and the recurring Lisbon event. Operationally, the company has 1–10 employees, no disclosed funding rounds or institutional investors, and the public website indicates the next event is scheduled for 2026 following a 2025 pause.
The Europas firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Europas
- Legal name
- Bites Media LTD
- Website
- https://theeuropas.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Europas is a London-based events company (Bites Media LTD, founded 2009) that runs the annual Europas Awards, curating and recognizing Europe's early-stage tech startups through application fees, VC judging panels, public voting, and a Lisbon gala. It serves early-stage startups seeking visibility, VCs sourcing deal flow, and corporate sponsors seeking ecosystem access.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Europas industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Startup Awards and Events
- NAICS
- Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Product & Innovation Summits (Roadmap, Launch Readiness, Innovation Days) (THAHAMAG)
Keywords
Where The Europas is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Europas business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others
Revenue model
- Startup Application Fees: Startups pay application fees to enter the awards competition. The fee covers administration, marketing of the public voting gallery, social media exposure for longlisted entrants, and entrance to the gala awards lunch if shortlisted. Fee schedule: £395 standard, with early bird pricing at £420, £445, £470, £495 at various deadlines.
- Event Ticket Sales: The company sells tickets to the awards gala and afterparty. Two ticket options: (1) Gala lunch only and (2) Gala lunch plus rooftop afterparty at Ferroviário. 300-person curated guest list targeting founders, investors, and tech ecosystem players.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Startup application fee covering awards entry, administration, and social media exposure |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Europas product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Europas runs an annual tech startup awards program for European early-stage startups, combining a curated judging process, a public voting gallery for visibility, and a ticketed gala awards ceremony plus afterparty held in Lisbon, Portugal. The company also produces the Europas 100 List, an annual curated ranking of top early-stage European startups. Revenue is generated through startup application fees (starting at £395), event ticket sales, and corporate sponsorships from VC firms, law firms, and technology companies.
Product overview
The Europas is an annual tech startup awards event and conference platform that identifies and celebrates Europe's most promising early-stage startups. The core offering consists of The Europas Awards gala event and the Europas 100 List, which together provide recognition, visibility, and networking opportunities for European tech startups. The event features VC judges, panel discussions, innovation pitches, and networking sessions held annually in Lisbon, Portugal.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Europas Awards Annual tech startup awards event celebrating Europe's most innovative early-stage startups, featuring a judging panel of leading VCs and investors, networking opportunities, and award ceremonies held in Lisbon, Portugal.
- Europas 100 List Annual curated list identifying and celebrating the top 100 early-stage startups across Europe, featuring sector-specific special award winners.
- Gala Awards Tickets
Quantifiable outcome
- Visibility boost through weeks of social media exposure in public voting gallery
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Europas
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Europas technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Europas partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- PathfounderscorePathfounders curates The Europas Awards, which has been an annual event for over 10 years. Pathfounders is a platform that supports the European startup ecosystem and partners with The Europas for event curation and management.
- TechCrunchminorThe Europas was originally formed in 2009 by Mike Butcher, who is Editor-at-Large at TechCrunch. TechCrunch provides editorial affiliation and credibility to the awards.
- Sponsors (Orrick, Baker McKenzie, AWS, Volkswagen)coreMultiple sponsors support The Europas including legal firms (Orrick, Baker McKenzie), technology companies (AWS), and corporate partners. These sponsors provide funding, in-kind support, and networking opportunities in exchange for brand visibility.
- Community PartnersminorCommunity partners collaborate with The Europas to reach and engage with the European startup ecosystem, providing mutual promotional benefits.
- Media PartnersminorMedia partners receive coverage and promotional opportunities in exchange for helping spread awareness of The Europas awards and nominated startups.
- MishconminorMishcon is a law firm that sponsors the networking drinks and canapes at the awards event.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Europas competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TechCrunch Disrupt: Operated by TechCrunch (AOL/Yahoo), TechCrunch Disrupt is the largest global tech startup conference and awards competition. It targets the same audience of early-stage founders, VCs, and media, and is run by the same organization that employs The Europas founder, making it the closest direct peer in terms of format, audience, and editorial pedigree.
- The Next Web (TNW) Conference: TNW Conference is an Amsterdam-based tech event that combines startup showcases, awards-style programming, and investor networking for the European tech ecosystem. It is highly comparable to The Europas in mission, audience, and editorial-driven positioning.
- Tech Open Air (TOA): TOA is a Berlin-based tech festival that combines startup showcases, expert talks, and networking for the European tech ecosystem. It targets a comparable audience of founders, investors, and media and competes for the same curated, festival-style event positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Web Summit: Web Summit is the largest tech conference in Europe, held annually in Lisbon - the same city and time window as The Europas. It targets the same investors, founders, and media with a much larger scale and broader agenda, positioning it as the dominant incumbent competing for the same audience attention and travel budgets.
- Slush: Slush is a major European-origin startup conference and event brand with strong VC and founder participation. It targets the same early-stage startup and investor audience as The Europas but operates at significantly larger scale across multiple geographies.
- South Summit: South Summit is a leading European startup conference held annually in Madrid, featuring startup competitions, VC matchmaking, and ecosystem programming. It directly overlaps with The Europas in serving early-to-growth stage European startups seeking investor exposure.
Regional players
- NOAH Conference: NOAH is a long-running European internet and tech conference focused on connecting founders with capital providers. It serves a similar curated European startup-investor audience, particularly in the DACH and UK markets where The Europas judges are also active.
- GITEX Global / GITEX Europe: GITEX is a large global tech event with an expanding European edition that includes startup pitch competitions and investor programs. It is comparable as a regional platform connecting early-stage startups to capital and media across Europe and MENA.
Emerging players
- Seedstars: Seedstars runs a global startup competition and competition-based events with a strong presence in emerging markets. While broader geographically, it shares The Europas' format of application-driven startup selection, public voting, and investor exposure.
- Pioneers: Pioneers (formerly Pioneers Festival) is a Vienna-based tech event platform focused on early-stage startups and investor matchmaking. It is comparable in mission and audience to The Europas and has historically competed for the same European founder-investor community.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Europas social profiles
Digital presenceThe Europas financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Europas leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The Europas funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Europas M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Europas
What does The Europas do?
The Europas runs an annual tech startup awards program for European early-stage startups, combining a curated judging process, a public voting gallery for visibility, and a ticketed gala awards ceremony plus afterparty held in Lisbon, Portugal. The company also produces the Europas 100 List, an annual curated ranking of top early-stage European startups. Revenue is generated through startup application fees (starting at £395), event ticket sales, and corporate sponsorships from VC firms, law firms, and technology companies.
Is The Europas a public or private company?
The Europas is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Europas founded?
The Europas was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Europas based?
The Europas is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Europas make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Startup Application Fees are the primary driver. The others are event Ticket Sales.
Who are The Europas's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TechCrunch Disrupt, The Next Web (TNW) Conference and Tech Open Air (TOA). Broad incumbents are Web Summit, Slush and South Summit. Regional players are NOAH Conference and GITEX Global / GITEX Europe. Emerging players are Seedstars and Pioneers.
Does The Europas have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Europas.
What industry is The Europas in?
The Europas's product category is Startup Awards and Events. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHAMAG, Product & Innovation Summits (Roadmap, Launch Readiness, Innovation Days). Its NAICS code is 56192.