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In a panel discussion hosted at Abraham House during the World Economic Forum, leaders in the venture capital and innovation ecosystem space shared their insights on the critical importance of collaboration for European investors and startups. The panel, featuring Andreas Grape (Founder and CEO, Nordic Angels), İlgi Evecan Duran (Strategic Growth & Global Partnerships Advisor), and Seth Harben (VP and Head of Global Business Development, OneValley), highlighted how strategic networks, democratized access to resources, and mission-driven investment can bridge the capital gap for early-stage founders while addressing pressing global challenges.
The discussion revealed a shared vision among these innovation ecosystem builders: talent is globally distributed, but access to resources is not. Through platforms like Nordic Angels, which is expanding with Davos Angels and European Angels initiatives, and OneValley’s digital tools for entrepreneurs worldwide, these organizations are working to create high-trust environments where investors, mentors, and founders can collaborate more effectively. With a particular focus on sustainability, gender equality, and deep tech for climate solutions, the panelists emphasized that Europe has both the talent and capital to compete globally but needs stronger collaborative structures to maximize its impact.
Key Takeaways:
- European Capital Coordination: Andreas Grape revealed that Europe has approximately 6 million “angels” (including board members, advisors, policymakers, VCs) but lacks coordination mechanisms, leading Nordic Angels to build platforms that facilitate collaboration without charging members.
- Women in Tech Focus: İlgi Evecan Duran emphasized creating space for women entrepreneurs rather than just “empowerment,” particularly in Central Asia and emerging markets where structural barriers remain significant.
- Climate Tech Investment: OneValley announced the launch of its Round Zero fund, focusing on early-stage deep tech founders building technologies for decarbonization, noting that “75% of technologies needed to reach mid-century net zero goals are in their infancies or haven’t been created yet.”
- Digital Democratization: Seth Harben explained OneValley’s mission to “democratize access to Silicon Valley resources” through a digital-first strategy that provides access to best practices, mentorship, and capital to entrepreneurs globally.
- Responsible Innovation: The panelists highlighted the importance of corporate innovation leaders working with startups on sustainability challenges, citing examples like developing sustainable packaging solutions rather than simply creating “beer apps.”
- Trust Networks: The discussion emphasized the value of high-trust investor networks where investors can collaborate without competition, illustrated by Andreas Grape’s story of connecting two billionaires who were independently funding Baltic Sea conservation.
- AI Mentorship: Seth Harben noted how AI can help scale entrepreneurial support by creating “always-on AI mentors” that can answer the 80% of standard startup questions, reserving human mentorship for the more specialized 20%.
The panel concluded with a unified message around the power of collaboration, with İlgi Evecan Duran encouraging attendees to “hook arm, help each other, support each other, lift each other, set egos aside and just collaborate.” This sentiment reflects the growing recognition that Europe’s innovation ecosystem can only compete globally through greater coordination and collective action.
ESG News coverage of the World Economic Forum was made possible by; FilmHedge, a leader in Film & TV financing.