Rise Europe
Rise Europe is a non-profit pan-European founder network of 20 member institutions across 14 countries, operating under UnternehmerTUM to coordinate support for technology entrepreneurs, facilitate capital, and run programs including AI Launchpad.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersMunich, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Rise Europe does
Rise Europe is a non-profit pan-European founder network founded in May 2023 at Schloss Elmau, operating under the umbrella of UnternehmerTUM GmbH. It functions as a consortium of 20 member institutions across 14 European countries, designed to coordinate and amplify support for technology entrepreneurs across the continent. The network's stated reach in 2024 included 55,000 talents and 5,800 supported startups, with €6.1B in VC funding facilitated to network-connected companies. Its core constituency is European founders and the supporting institutions (incubators, accelerators, venture firms) that serve them.
The network's primary products and activities include an annual flagship summit, joint programming across member institutions, thematic initiatives such as AI Launchpad (a pan-European AI accelerator sub-brand), and published reports that position the network as a voice in European tech policy. Distribution is primarily through member institutions, which act as local entry points for founders, and through summit programming that convenes policymakers, investors, and operators. The network does not build proprietary technology platforms; its value lies in coordination, convening, and cross-border referral among members.
Rise Europe's business model is non-commercial. It operates without a disclosed pricing model, membership fee structure, or revenue-generating products. Costs are absorbed by the operating organization (UnternehmerTUM GmbH) and member institutions. The network's economic significance is best measured by the capital it facilitates toward member startups rather than by direct revenue capture. Strategic leadership is anchored by Prof. Dr. Helmut Schönenberger, CEO of UnternehmerTUM and the network's primary sponsor. The planned relocation of the annual summit to Stockholm in 2027 signals continued geographic expansion beyond its DACH-centered origin.
Rise Europe firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rise Europe
- Legal name
- Rise Europe (brand operated by UnternehmerTUM GmbH, no independent legal entity)
- Website
- https://rise-europe.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Rise Europe is a non-profit pan-European founder network of 20 member institutions across 14 countries, operating under UnternehmerTUM to coordinate support for technology entrepreneurs, facilitate capital, and run programs including AI Launchpad.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rise Europe industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Startup Ecosystem Network Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Product & Innovation Summits (Roadmap, Launch Readiness, Innovation Days) (THAHAMAG), Innovation Leadership & Leading Growth (EDABAAAO)
Keywords
Where Rise Europe is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Munich
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rise Europe business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Marketing channels5 records
Rise Europe product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rise Europe is a pan-European network that unites 20 leading startup ecosystem builder institutions across 14 countries to empower European startups in scaling sustainably. The organization produces shared knowledge resources (reports, playbooks, guides) on startup-corporate collaboration, sciencepreneurship, and tech transfer, hosts an annual summit, and runs the AI Launchpad as a pan-European AI accelerator.
Product overview
Rise Europe is a network organization that unites leading startup ecosystem builders from 14 European countries to empower European startups to make a positive global impact. Rather than a traditional product company with a unified platform, Rise Europe operates as a coordination and knowledge-sharing network. Its offerings consist primarily of publications and programs: the annual European Startup Landscape reports (2023-2025) showcasing nominated significant startups; playbooks on startup-corporate collaboration and sciencepreneurship/tech transfer; the European Scale-Up Navigator guide developed with McKinsey & Company; the Rise for Europe policy report on tech sovereignty; and the AI Launchpad as the first pan-European AI accelerator. The organization facilitates connections among its member institutions—which include university innovation centers, startup incubators, and entrepreneurship hubs across Europe—while producing knowledge resources to strengthen the European innovation ecosystem.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AI Launchpad: The first pan-European AI accelerator born from the collaborative spirit of Rise Europe, connecting AI teams with world-class resources.
Products and services
- AI Launchpad The first pan-European AI accelerator connecting AI startup teams with world-class resources across the Rise Europe member network. Targets AI startup teams seeking support to thrive in the competitive AI landscape.
Quantifiable outcome
- 5,800 startups supported in 2024
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Rise Europe
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Rise Europe technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Rise Europe partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and extended.
- UnternehmerTUMcorePrimary host organization for Rise Europe; provides operational infrastructure; led by Prof. Dr. Helmut Schönenberger as Founder and CEO; manages Company Innovation and Circular Republic initiatives
- AgoranovcoreFrench deeptech incubator; part of the 20 member institutions across 14 countries
- DTU SkyFactorycoreDanish technology and innovation entity; Program Committee member
- Aalto UniversitycoreFinnish university with strong innovation ecosystem; represented by Tomi Erho, Head of Innovation Ecosystem Services
- Beta-icorePortuguese startup ecosystem organization; co-founded by Ricardo Marvão
- Campus FounderscoreGerman startup ecosystem builder; represented by Oliver Hanisch
- EnSpire OxfordcoreOxford University entrepreneurship initiative; represented by Dora Handrea, Head of Student Entrepreneurship
- ETH AI CentercoreSwiss AI research and innovation hub; Co-founded by Alexander Ilic, Co-Founder & Executive Director
- HighTechXLcoreDutch deeptech accelerator; led by John Bell as CEO
- IE University / IE FoundationcoreSpanish university with technology focus; represented by Ikhlaq Sidhu (Dean of IE School of Technology) and Geoffroy Gérard (Director General & CDO)
- Imperial Enterprise LabcoreImperial College London's entrepreneurship initiative; represented by Ben Mumby-Croft, Director of Entrepreneurship
- INiTScoreVienna-based high-tech incubator in Austria; represented by Michael Hähnle
- KTH Innovation & KTH Holding ABcoreSwedish technical university innovation ecosystem; represented by Lisa Ericsson as Head & CEO
- Queen Mary University of LondoncoreUK university with entrepreneurship focus; represented by Leah Thompson, Associate Director - Entrepreneurship
- StingcoreSwedish startup incubator and accelerator; founded by Pär Hedberg as Founder & Business Coach
- YES!DelftcoreDutch startup ecosystem organization; managed by Ras Lalmy as Managing Director
- Tech Europe FoundationcoreEuropean technology foundation; represented by Luca de Angelis
- The Yope FoundationcoreInnovation foundation; represented by Michael Baum
- UniCreditextendedCorporate partner in Extended Network; represented in Program Committee by Roberto Zuccaro, Strategic Investments Lead; provides financial industry perspective and corporate innovation linkages
- Circular RepubliccoreInitiative under UnternehmerTUM focused on circular economy and sustainability; collaborates on Playbook Startup-Corporate Collaboration
- McKinsey & CompanyextendedProvided analytical support for European Scale-Up Navigator guide and Kickstart Europe report
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Rise Europe competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Techstars: Global accelerator network running multi-city cohorts and a founder community across the US, Europe, and beyond. Comparable to Rise Europe in operating a distributed, multi-institution accelerator-and-ecosystem model that supports early-stage startups.
- Startupbootcamp: European-rooted accelerator network running vertical-specific programs across multiple cities and corporates. Operates a multi-institution accelerator model and corporate-innovation partnerships similar to Rise Europe's AI Launchpad and corporate partner ecosystem.
- Mind the Bridge: Non-profit organization that bridges European startups with Silicon Valley and global corporates. Comparable to Rise Europe as a cross-border ecosystem connector producing programs, reports, and corporate-startup collaboration frameworks.
- Seedstars: Global accelerator and venture platform with a strong emerging-markets footprint and growing European activity. Comparable as a multi-region accelerator network that curates cohorts, runs programs, and connects founders to investors.
Broad incumbents
- Station F: World's largest startup campus in Paris, hosting dozens of accelerator programs and thousands of startups. A broader incumbent in the European startup-ecosystem-building space, comparable in ambition to unite and amplify European founders, though as a single physical hub rather than a coordination network.
- EIT Digital: EU-backed pan-European innovation network focused on deeptech digital entrepreneurship and education. Operates as a multi-country consortium of universities and companies similar to Rise Europe's institutional membership model.
- European Innovation Council (EIC): EU-managed funding and accelerator program for deeptech and high-impact startups across Europe. Comparable as a pan-European support institution channeling capital and programs to European tech founders, with a different (governmental) funding model.
Others
- EU-Startups: Media and events platform covering the European startup scene, including annual awards and conferences. Comparable as a pan-European community-builder amplifying startups, corporates, and ecosystem institutions across the continent.
- Sifted: Financial Times-backed media platform covering European startups and venture capital. Comparable as a pan-European narrative and convening layer for the ecosystem Rise Europe serves, though operating as a media outlet rather than a program operator.
- Atomico: European venture capital firm publishing the widely-cited State of European Tech report. Comparable as a pan-European institution shaping the European tech narrative and convening founders, corporates, and policymakers, though operating as an investor rather than an ecosystem network.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Rise Europe social profiles
Digital presenceRise Europe financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rise Europe leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Rise Europe funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rise Europe 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 Rise Europe
What does Rise Europe do?
Rise Europe is a pan-European network that unites 20 leading startup ecosystem builder institutions across 14 countries to empower European startups in scaling sustainably. The organization produces shared knowledge resources (reports, playbooks, guides) on startup-corporate collaboration, sciencepreneurship, and tech transfer, hosts an annual summit, and runs the AI Launchpad as a pan-European AI accelerator.
Is Rise Europe a public or private company?
Rise Europe is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Rise Europe founded?
Rise Europe was founded in 2023. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Rise Europe based?
Rise Europe is headquartered in Munich, Germany, in the Europe region.
Who are Rise Europe's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Techstars, Startupbootcamp, Mind the Bridge and Seedstars. Broad incumbents are Station F, EIT Digital and European Innovation Council (EIC). Others are EU-Startups, Sifted and Atomico.
Does Rise Europe have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rise Europe.
What industry is Rise Europe in?
Rise Europe's product category is Startup Ecosystem Network Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAHAD, Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs, with a secondary code of THAHAMAG, Product & Innovation Summits (Roadmap, Launch Readiness, Innovation Days).