Startup Europe Partnership

What Startup Europe Partnership does

Startup Europe Partnership (SEP) is an integrated pan-European open innovation platform established in 2013 under the European Commission's Startup Europe initiative and operated by Mind the Bridge Foundation. Its stated function is to connect the best European scaleups with large corporates and investors across multiple jurisdictions, facilitating procurement (product licensing, co-development, POCs), investments, and exits (acquisitions and IPOs). The platform serves three primary participant groups: large European and non-European corporations seeking open innovation opportunities (including Enel, SAP, Telefonica, Orange, BBVA, UniCredit, BNP Paribas, Daimler, Mastercard, AXA, YNAP, Endesa, Acciona, InnoEnergy, and Mediolanum), European scaleups seeking qualified access to corporates, and investors/accelerators seeking deal flow. SEP does not build proprietary technology products; instead, it operates through curated matching events, annual Scaleup Summits held across multiple European cities and internationally (London, Milan, Paris, Berlin, Barcelona, Budapest, Lisbon, Helsinki, Brussels, Porto, Venice, Rome, Naples, Madrid, Tel Aviv, Stuttgart, Graz, San Francisco, and Israel), transatlantic missions (SEC2SV and SEC2IL), the Europe's Corporate Startup Stars annual ranking program, and the StartupCity Europe Partnership (SCEP) platform for medium-size cities. The organization is backed by the European Commission, with institutional channels to the European Investment Fund and European Investment Bank, and partners with the International Chamber of Commerce, EIT Digital, London Stock Exchange Group, NESTA, University of Cambridge, and Factory Berlin. Revenue is generated primarily through corporate membership fees on a recurring subscription basis; pricing is not publicly disclosed, and the organization appears to operate as a non-profit platform supplemented by European Commission grants and corporate sponsorship.

Name

Startup Europe Partnership

Legal name

Startup Europe Partnership

Website

https://startupeuropepartnership.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Startup Europe Partnership (SEP) is a pan-European open innovation platform, backed by the European Commission and led by Mind the Bridge Foundation, that connects European scaleups with large corporations and investors through curated matching events, Scaleup Summits, international missions, and the annual Corporate Startup Stars ranking.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Open Innovation Networking Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Partner, Channel & Alliance Summits (THAHAMAC)

Keywords

• Open innovation platform
• Corporate-startup matching
• Scaleup networking events
• Venture matchmaking services
• Ecosystem partnership platform

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Membership: SEP operates as a membership-based platform where corporates pay to join as members, gaining access to the network of European scaleups and exclusive matching events.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Startup Europe Partnership (SEP) is an integrated pan-European open innovation platform that connects the best European scaleups with large corporations and investors through structured matching events, scaleup summits, and international missions. The platform facilitates procurement (product licensing, co-development, POCs), investments, and exits (acquisitions and IPOs), while also running Europe's Corporate Startup Stars annual ranking and the StartupCity Europe Partnership for medium-size cities.

Product overview

Startup Europe Partnership (SEP) is an integrated pan-European open innovation platform that operates as a business networking and matchmaking service rather than a traditional technology product. The platform is structured around several interconnected programs: SEP Matching Events serve as the core marketplace for startup-corporate meetings; Europe's Corporate Startup Stars provides an annual ranking of startup-friendly corporates; SEC2SV/SEC2IL missions connect European scaleups with Silicon Valley and Israeli ecosystems; Scaleup Summits host major annual gatherings; the SEP Portfolio offers elite club admission; StartupCity Europe Partnership supports medium-size cities; and Open Innovation Workshops provide sector-specific readiness training. The platform connects European scaleups with corporates and investors to facilitate procurement, co-development, investments, and exits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Europe's Corporate Startup Stars: Annual ranking of the most startup-friendly corporations in Europe
• StartupCity Europe Partnership (SCEP)
• SEC2SV
• SEC2IL
• Scaleup Summits

Products and services

• SEP Matching Events Series of international marketplace events where selected startups from across Europe meet with SEP corporate members for structured 1:1 matching sessions and business development opportunities.
• Europe's Corporate Startup Stars (CSS) Annual ranking initiative identifying and awarding the most startup-friendly corporations in Europe, promoting open innovation collaboration.
• SEC2SV (Startup Europe Comes to Silicon Valley) Transatlantic mission connecting EU scaleups with Silicon Valley stakeholders, featuring the European Innovation Day and week-long networking activities.
• SEC2IL (Startup Europe Comes to Israel) Mission connecting European scaleups with Israeli innovation ecosystems and stakeholders.
• Scaleup Summits Annual summit events held in major European cities bringing together scaleups, corporates, and investors for networking and business development.
• SEP Portfolio / Elite Scaleup Club Elite membership club of European scaleups providing qualified access to large corporations and investors.
• StartupCity Europe Partnership (SCEP) Pan-European platform connecting medium-size European cities to support them in developing startup ecosystems and becoming StartupCities.

Named customers15 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Mind the BridgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMind the Bridge is the founding organization leading and organizing SEP. As the core organizer, Mind the Bridge provides the operational infrastructure, research capabilities, and event management for all SEP activities across Europe.
• European CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEP is an initiative of the European Commission under the Startup Europe program. The EC provides backing, policy support, and connects SEP with EU-wide initiatives and stakeholders.
• TelefónicacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTelefónica is a founding corporate partner of SEP, actively participating in matching events and open innovation initiatives. The company runs its own open innovation programs and collaborates with SEP for corporate-startup interactions.
• OrangecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrange is an active corporate member of SEP, participating in matching events and supporting the open innovation ecosystem through SEP platforms.
• EIT DigitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEIT Digital co-organizes the SEC2SV mission with Mind the Bridge, bringing European scaleups to Silicon Valley and facilitating transatlantic connections.
• European Investment Fund (EIF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEIF acts as an internal channel conversation partner for SEP, connecting the European Commission, EIB, and investor community with SEP activities.
• European Investment Bank (EIB)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEIB participates in SEP activities as a key financial institution partner, supporting the European startup ecosystem through connections with SEP.
• NESTAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNESTA is a UK-based innovation foundation that collaborates with SEP on research, corporate-startup interaction studies, and hosts roundtables for SEP corporate members.
• BBVAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBVA is an active corporate member participating in SEP matching events and leadership council activities, supporting open innovation in the financial sector.
• UniCreditcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniCredit is a corporate partner of SEP, participating in matching events and supporting startup-corporate collaboration initiatives.
• Startup EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStartup Europe is an initiative of the European Commission that SEP is part of. It encompasses multiple networks and initiatives supporting the European startup ecosystem.
• FactorymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFactory Berlin is a startup campus and partner that hosts SEP events in Berlin and supports the European startup ecosystem.
• University of CambridgemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner contributing to SEP research and ecosystem development initiatives.
• London Stock Exchange GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSEG partners with SEP for events including matching sessions at the London Stock Exchange and supporting scaleups with IPO pathways.
• International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICC partnered with SEP in 2020 to take the Corporate Startup Stars Awards global, expanding the initiative beyond Europe.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Global accelerator network with deep corporate partnerships (Techstars + corporate programs) and curated matchmaking between startups and enterprise customers. Broader portfolio but overlapping open-innovation thesis.
• Web Summit: The largest global tech/startup conference brand, hosting events where corporates, scaleups, and investors converge. Operates at significantly larger scale than SEP but addresses overlapping corporate-startup matchmaking demand.

Direct peers

• VivaTech: Paris-based European startup and tech event organized by Publicis and Les Echos, explicitly designed to connect startups with global corporates and investors. Closest large-scale European analog to SEP's Scaleup Summits.
• Mind the Bridge: SEP's parent organization and operational backbone, Mind the Bridge runs comparable corporate-startup matching programs, open innovation advisory, and SEC2SV/SEC2IL missions. Effectively the same operating entity and the closest comparable in mission and execution.
• Tech Open Air (TOA): Berlin-based interdisciplinary tech festival with explicit focus on connecting startups with corporates and investors. Operates at smaller scale but pursues the same open-innovation event model in Germany.
• The Next Web (TNW): Amsterdam-based tech media and events company running TNW Conference, one of Europe's flagship startup-corporate events. Comparable mix of curated matchmaking, content, and community.
• Founders Forum: UK-based private network of technology CEOs, founders, and senior corporate executives, hosting invite-only summits. Directly competes for the same high-end corporate-startup-curated-event value proposition SEP offers.
• Slush: Helsinki-based annual startup conference with strong European and corporate-startup matching focus. Directly comparable as a curated European matchmaking and investor-connecting event brand.

Regional players

• Station F: Paris-based mega startup campus hosting corporate-startup programs (Thales, Facebook, Microsoft, etc.) under one roof. Comparable corporate-open-innovation facilitator but focused primarily on the French market.

Emerging players

• Dealroom.co: European startup and scaleup data platform increasingly used by corporates for innovation sourcing and ecosystem mapping. Adjacent rather than direct, but represents the data-driven alternative to SEP's event-based model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SEP_EU
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_L62zmgBb-zn-Tba8dz2EQ/feed
• Facebookfacebook.com/startupeuropepartnership
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/startup-europe-partnership

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Startup Europe Partnership