EIC's Inaugural Success at GITEX Europe 2025

From 21-23 May 2025, an extended delegation of 40 EIC-backed companies showcased their innovations at the first edition of GITEX Europe 2025,  in Berlin, Germany.  The mission, organised by the EIC International Trade Fairs Programme 3.0 of the EIC Business Acceleration Services, brought to the spotlight EIC-backed companies in AI and robotics, cleantech, medtech, cybersecurity, and industry 4.0, bringing together members of the EIC Scaling Club, and beneficiaries of the EIC Innovation Procurement Programme.  

For its first edition, GITEX Europe welcomed over 30,000 attendees from 100+ countries, with over 1,400 exhibitors and more than 750 start-ups. As a strategic partner to the EIC, GITEX Europe offered a key platform for EIC-backed start-ups and scale-ups to grow and scale.

Beyond funding: A comprehensive initiative powered by 
the EIC Business Acceleration Services

The EIC's involvement at GITEX Europe through the EIC International Trade Fairs Programme 3.0 demonstrated a business-oriented strategy focused on strategic investments that leverage a range of business-oriented services, displaying the opportunities available beyond funding. This includes facilitating connections with clients, investors, and partners across the globe. 

The programme showcased a broad commitment to supporting EIC companies and Innovation ecosystem by integrating services from the wider EIC Business Acceleration Services (BAS) portfolio, including deploying experienced coaches and hosting activities from initiatives like Women TechEU and the Gender Gap in Investments initiative, the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme, the EIC Scaling Club and the EIC Innovation Procurement Programme.

EIC delegation at GITEX Europe 2025

The EIC Pavilion experience

34 EIC-backed companies were selected to showcase their innovations at the EIC Pavilion in GITEX Europe 2025 with support from the EIC International Trade Fairs Programme 3.0 and the EIC Scaling Club. This experience provided companies with the chance to grow and scale, thanks to the new connections brought by the activities hosted at the EIC Pavilion. 

Discover all the agenda highlights below.

EIC Pavilion official opening

The ribbon-cutting ceremony at GITEX Europe 2025 set the stage for an exceptional event. In the presence of Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva's Head of cabinet Andreas Schwarz, together with EIC Board Members Yousef Yousef and Mali Baum, the EIC Pavilion was inaugurated on the first day. Andreas Schwarz highlighted that in just four years, the European Innovation Council has become Europe's largest early-stage deep tech investor, acting as a catalyst in finding, funding, and scaling groundbreaking technologies while he underscored the EU Startup Scaleup Strategy's role in advancing European innovation.

European Night 

The European Night, organised with GITEX Europe, brought together over 300 European innovators, global investors, corporates, and industry leaders served as a business networking event to celebrate European innovation together with key global actors. The event was inaugurated by H.E. Alia Bint Abdulla Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship (Ministry of Economy, UAE), EIC Board Member Yousef Yousef, and Trixie LohMirmand, EVP of the Dubai Trade Center. 

European Night at GITEX Europe

Activities at the EIC Pavilion

GITEX Europe saw a range of panels and presentations at the EIC Pavilion. Discussions focused on funding opportunities, coaching programs, and themes like AI, the circular economy, digital infrastructure, and medtech innovations. These sessions reflected the technological progress shaping the European innovation ecosystem, supported by the expertise of EIC coaches and thematic programme representatives.

Throughout the fair, the EIC Pavilion covered a series of reverse pitch from leading corporates and investors. In addition, there were numerous pre-arranged business meetings for the selected EIC companies to foster connections and collaborations.

The EIC Pavilion hosted EIC presentations ranging from EIC funding opportunities and the set of EIC Business Acceleration Services available for EIC-backed companies. Additional thematic panels covering latest innovation advancements and trends in the sectors of the selected EIC companies were hosted at the EIC Pavilion. These discussions tackled critical issues shaping the future of Europe, bringing together our 40 EIC companies with key stakeholders including investors, start-ups, policymakers and major companies. 

In addition, the EIC organised a dedicated panel on fostering a gender-inclusive innovation ecosystem — Women. Tech. Capital. How the EIC is shaping a more inclusive innovation landscape in Europe? — where a group of highly engaged and inspiring women leaders – Kinga Stanisławska, Founder of European Women in VC, Dr. Gesa Miczaika, General Partner at Auxxo Female Catalyst Fund and Teresa Hernandez Martin from EIT Manufacturing, Coordinator of WomenTechEU – shared their insights on necessary political directions, while also offering practical advice to women entrepreneurs on how to successfully navigate the still male-dominated venture capital landscape. The panel was moderated by Marta Wysoczyńska, Coordination & Analytics Team Leader, EIC, EISMEA. The EIC also hosted a workshop as part of the European Parliament pilot project on the gender gap in investments, moderated by Mark Whittle, Director of CSES Europe. 

Panel on 'Women. Tech. Capital. How the EIC is shaping a more inclusive 
innovation landscape in Europe?'

Reverse Pitches and additional activities

In addition to the series of panels hosted by the EIC Pavilion, the event featured reverse pitches with major companies, discussions in the investor lounge area, panels at the main conference programme and other significant conversations with partners. Highlights included: 

• Reverse pitch sessions with Hyundai CRADLE, Leaps by Bayer, Oracle, Sony and Coinvest Capital.
• A dedicated roundtable was held by Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva's Head of cabinet Andreas Schwarz ahead of the launch of the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy to gather inputs from one of the most successful EIC companies Alias Robotics, neuroClues, QuoIntelligence, REBLADE and investors.
• Panels on GITEX’ main conference programme covering the following topics: A New Era of Cautious Optimism in Funding (Speaker: Yousef Yousef, EIC Board member), EU Stakeholders enabling green innovation - Funding Europe’s Green Ambition: EISMEA’s Role in fostering SME innovation and resilience amidst geopolitical shifts (Speakers: Stéphane Ouaki, EISMEA Director and Frank Kjerstein, REBLADE), Greentech disruptors: scaling sustainable innovation across industries (Moderator: Vassilis Tsanidis, EIC Innovation Procurement Programme Coordinator, Speakers: Florian Kall, CEO & Founder, LightnTec, André Mão de Ferro, CEO & Co-Founder, Charge2C-NewCap, Karl Pärtel, Co-Founder, RAIKU, Eric Enqvist, Co-Founder, LignEasy, Susanne König, Co-Founder and CFO, Kraftblock).

Scaling deep tech at GITEX Europe: Spotlight on the EIC Scaling Club

On May 22, the EIC Scaling Club hosted the session ‘Powering Deep Tech Growth: Stories from the EIC Scaling Club’. The panel, moderated by EIC Scaling Club team member Nicolette Komitska,  shared experiences and success stories highlighting the challenges and advancements in this sector, featuring deep tech leaders:

• Maud Vinet, CEO of Quobly
• Thibaud Febvre, COO & Founder of Vianova
• Marco Riccardi, CEO & Founder of QuoIntelligence
• Wendy Chin, Channel Partner & Sales at Multiverse Computing
• Thomas Koetting, Head of Channel Central Europe at Sekoia.io

Each speaker offered a unique perspective on the challenges and breakthroughs involved in scaling cutting-edge technologies, highlighting the innovation driving Europe’s deep tech sector forward.

Advancing Clean Energy Solutions with The EIC Innovation Procurement Programme
powered by SPIN4EIC

On 21 May, the EIC Innovation Procurement Programme powered by SPIN4EIC shifted the focus to sustainable solutions in collaboration with the World Economic Forum's First Movers Coalition. Innovators showcased decarbonisation strategies to global industry leaders, encouraging conversations about accelerating the clean industrial transition.

5 EIC-supported innovators—André Mão de Ferro (C2C NewCap), Mariia Shabalina (eChemicles), Christian Kissling (Kraftblock), Julie Neuville (Materrup), and Patrick Forese (MetisMotion)—pitched their innovations, while the session also featured insights from distinguished panelists including Yousef Yousef (EIC Board Member and CEO at LG Sonic), Pelayo Gonzalez-Escalada Mena (World Economic Forum), Maximilian Schnippering (Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy), and Raphael Guerithault (SLB), all contributing to the dialogue on innovative pathways to deep emissions reduction.

Panel on ‘Green Innovation Procurement’ 

Through its participation in GITEX Europe 2025, the European Innovation Council and its Business Acceleration Services (BAS) not only showcased technological advancements in Europe but also fostered a collaborative environment for future growth across various sectors. The EIC  highlighted the critical role of innovation in building a sustainable, advanced future for Europe, with the EU Startup Scaleup Strategy providing a foundation for continued development and success.

About the EIC International Trade Fairs Programme 3.0  

The EIC International Trade Fairs Programme 3.0 supports the internationalisation of European SMEs, scaleups and startups. If you’re interested in knowing more about the programme and our open calls, please visit our page in the EIC Community.  

Stay tuned!

The EIC International Trade Fairs Programme 3.0 is an initiative of the EIC Business Acceleration Services. Stay tuned on upcoming calls and find additional information through our news, stories, and programme-related trade fairs available via the EIC Community Platform and the EIC Business Acceleration Services newsletter.

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