East meets West

What East meets West does

East meets West is a non-profit LGBTIQ business network founded in Vienna, Austria in 2013 by Pavel Subrt and Ludo A.F. Swinnen. The organization functions as the de facto LGBTIQ Business Chamber for Central & Eastern Europe, connecting approximately 1,400+ LGBTIQ professionals, NGOs, corporate representatives, diplomatic missions, and entrepreneurs across 21+ countries spanning CEE and extending into Armenia and Tajikistan. Its core product set includes an annual international conference (10 editions through 2025), a monthly Spotlight Series podcast, an annual East meets West Pages newsletter, the East meets West Awards program, the year-round Connect capacity-building program, an Inclusive Sourcing/Supplier Inclusion service delivered through EGLCC registration, and cross-border LGBTIQ trade missions.

The organization operates with a lean 1-10 person core team and no proprietary technology stack, relying on standard digital platforms (website, email, LinkedIn, Spotify, YouTube) for distribution. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: it monetizes not through ticket sales (most events are free) but through corporate sponsorship and in-kind venue support from major CEE insurers and banks (UNIQA, Vienna Insurance Group, Erste Group, Raiffeisen Bank International, Accenture). Strategic alliances underpin its positioning: it is the founding member of the European LGBTIQ Chamber of Commerce (EGLCC, 2019) and a European affiliate of the US National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), with the EGLCC platform serving as the on-ramp for LGBTIQ business owners into corporate supplier inclusion programs. The 2023 Brussels institutional engagement with VP Jourova and key MEPs, and the hosting of CGLCC's first North American trade mission to Vienna, signal a shift toward EU-level policy influence and transatlantic supplier inclusion flows.

From a unit-economics and revenue standpoint, East meets West is structurally a non-revenue-generating advocacy network with no disclosed funding rounds, grants, or financials. Revenue proxies (free participation, narrow sponsor base, lean staff, in-kind venue hosting) indicate operations are sustained primarily through recurring corporate sponsor commitments and partner network contributions rather than direct monetization, positioning the organization as an influence-and-ecosystem intermediary rather than a commercial enterprise.

Name

East meets West

Legal name

East meets West

Website

https://eastmeetswest.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

East meets West is a Vienna-based non-profit LGBTIQ business network founded in 2013 that functions as the Central & Eastern Europe LGBTIQ Business Chamber. It connects 1,400+ professionals across 21+ CEE countries through annual conferences, podcasts, awards, capacity-building, and inclusive sourcing programs via EGLCC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

LGBTIQ Business Network Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

LGBTQ+ Rights & Advocacy Organizations (BPAGAFAE)

Keywords

• LGBTIQ business network
• Diversity and inclusion
• Supplier inclusion
• Professional networking
• Capacity building programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Conference and Event Operations: The organization organizes annual conferences and focused events, with participation offered free of charge for many events. Revenue generation appears minimal, suggesting the organization operates primarily through grants, sponsorships, and partner support rather than direct revenue generation.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

East meets West is a Vienna-based non-profit network of approximately 1,400 LGBTIQ professionals from across Central & Eastern Europe. It delivers an annual international conference, the Connect capacity-building program, the monthly Spotlight Series podcasts, the East meets West Pages annual newsletter, an annual Awards program, LGBTIQ trade missions, and an Inclusive Sourcing (supplier inclusion) program that registers LGBTIQ businesses with the European LGBTIQ Chamber of Commerce (EGLCC) for corporate supplier diversity programs.

Product overview

East meets West is a network of LGBTIQ professionals founded in 2013 in Vienna, Austria, operating as the LGBTIQ Business Chamber for Central & Eastern Europe. The organization functions as a facilitation and advocacy network rather than a technology product company, offering an annual International Conference as its signature event, monthly Spotlight Series (online events and podcasts), annual Awards program, annual East meets West Pages newsletter, the Connect Program for year-round capacity building, Inclusive Sourcing/Supplier Inclusion services through EGLCC membership, and Trade Missions for international business networking. The organization focuses on improving social acceptance of LGBTIQ people through economic empowerment, business advocacy, and community building across CEE countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Conference
• Spotlight Series
• East meets West Awards
• East meets West Pages
• Connect Program
• Inclusive Sourcing / Supplier Inclusion
• Trade Missions

Quantifiable outcome

• Network of 1,400+ LGBTQ professionals from 21+ CEE countries
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Wiener Städtische Versicherung / Vienna Insurance Group (VIG)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20252025 Conference venue host at The Ringturm, VIG headquarters. One of the largest insurance groups in Central & Eastern Europe with presence in 30 geographies across Europe. Led by CFO Liane Hirner.
• European Parliament and European CommissionmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 November 2023Institutional visit to Brussels in partnership with EGLCC. Met with Vice President Vera Jourova, MEP Marc Angel (LGBTI Intergroup co-chair), MEP Irene Tinagli, and DG Employment representatives. Focus on inclusive procurement and supplier diversity.
• UNIQA Insurance GroupmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20232023 Conference venue host at UNIQA Tower in Vienna. One of the largest insurance groups in Austria and CEE. Awarded 2023 East meets West Corporate Award. Member of Board Rene Knapp actively supported conference.
• Canada's LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Historic partnership for first LGBTQ Trade Mission to Europe (Vienna stop). East meets West was selected as hosting partner. Mission connected Canadian LGBTQ suppliers with European businesses and featured B2B matchmaking sessions.
• European LGBTIQ Chamber of Commerce (EGLCC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019East meets West is the founding partner of EGLCC, the European advocacy group for LGBTQ-owned businesses. EGLCC activates opportunities for growth by connecting LGBTQ businesses with corporations who value stronger inclusiveness and diversity in their supply chain. EGLCC operates across Germany (GGLBC), BeNeLux (BGLBC), France (L'Autre), Italy (EDGE), Spain (REDI), Scandinavia (SGLCC), and Central & Eastern Europe (East meets West).
• Erste GroupmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018Hosted 2018 Conference 'Faces of Modern Diversity' in Vienna. Major Austrian banking group with strong CEE presence.
• Chambers of Commerce and EU InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014East meets West continuously enhances cooperation with Chambers of Commerce and EU Institutions to maximize impact. Recognized by many organizations, corporates, and diplomatic missions for supporting work.
• National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013East meets West is one of the European affiliates of NGLCC, the leading US organization for LGBTQ business certification and advocacy. This partnership connects CEE LGBTQ businesses with the US LGBTQ business ecosystem.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC): The leading US LGBTIQ business chamber and EmW's affiliate organization. Operates the global standard for LGBTIQ business certification and supplier inclusion; comparable in mission but significantly larger scale and headquartered in a single mature market.
• Stonewall (UK): The UK's leading LGBTIQ rights charity. Operates parallel D&I workplace programming (Global Workplace Equality Index) which competes for the same corporate sponsorship and D&I training budgets that EmW's Connect Program and awards target.

Direct peers

• Workplace Pride (Netherlands): Dutch foundation focused on LGBTQ+ inclusion in workplaces, particularly through supporting corporate Employee Resource Groups. Highly comparable to EmW's D&I, ERG-connecting, and corporate-advocacy programming.
• Out Leadership: Global LGBTIQ business advocacy organization operating at the intersection of corporate talent and capital. Comparable to EmW's corporate-advocacy and leadership dimensions; EmW recognized Fabrice Houdart (of Out Leadership) with its 2021 Individual Award.
• ILGA-Europe: The European region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. EmW operates in the same CEE activist and advocacy space with overlapping NGO and diplomatic stakeholder bases; complementary rather than competing, but the closest large peer in LGBTIQ advocacy across CEE.
• Open For Business: Coalition of major global companies advocating for LGBTIQ economic inclusion. Directly comparable in the corporate-advocacy and economic-impact narrative space EmW uses with its 'Economical impact of LGBTIQ Diversity & Inclusion' messaging.
• GGLBC - Gay & Lesbian Business Club (Germany): EGLCC affiliate covering Germany's LGBTIQ business community. Comparable chamber-of-commerce model addressing a mature Western European market; direct structural sibling to EmW under the EGLCC umbrella.
• Canada's 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC): CGLCC is EmW's explicit trade-mission partner and the Canadian LGBTIQ chamber. Highly comparable in scope, model (business chamber + supplier inclusion + advocacy), and stage; serves a similar role within a single national market.
• European LGBTIQ Chamber of Commerce (EGLCC): The European umbrella chamber of which East meets West is the CEE founding member. Directly aligned mission: connect LGBTIQ-owned businesses with corporate supplier diversity programs across Europe. Most direct functional peer — same chamber-of-commerce model at wider European scope.

Emerging players

• REGGIE (European ERG Network): European network connecting LGBTIQ Employee Resource Groups. Overlaps directly with EmW's BRich Austria origin and ERG-connecting programming; an emerging peer in the same CEE/Western Europe ERG ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/emwbusiness
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCnJ-G6qNU9rIM2U0MqyR5JA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emwbusiness
• Facebookfacebook.com/emwbusiness

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 East meets West