The EIT Digital Champions is a pan-European innovation competition to identify the best European digital technology scaleups, looking for venture capital financing at both the EU-level and beyond. Winners will be rewarded with free access to the 12-month EIT Digital Growth Services Program.
What does the EIT Digital Growth Services Team do?
The EIT Digital Growth Services program is designed for European digital deep tech scaleups with international growth ambitions. EIT Digital is looking for fast-growing European deep tech companies with a differentiated product offering that leverages sophisticated, hard-to-reproduce digital technologies.
Selected candidates will receive access to finance support tailored to your company’s business needs, provided by a dedicated team of fundraising specialists operating from all over Europe and a hub in Silicon Valley.
How Will EIT Digital Growth Services Support Your Company?
PREPARE: Raising a Series A is a lot of work. From pitch decks to projections, from deal structure to the data room, it’s time to get organized. Double-check, triple-check, tighten, and polish. With EIT Digital Services, you will build the confidence and competence to ace your investor meetings.
CONNECT: Nothing beats a good network. Expand your fundraising search well beyond your home country. EIT Digital’s fundraising experts have personal relationships with investors all across Europe. What’s more, they know what investors want. Get introduced to investors whose interests match your tech, geography, and ticket size. Startups with an international investor expand faster and have a better chance to do a large Series B round.
RAISE: You only get one chance to make a first impression. Make it count. With EIT Digital’s customized training and introductions, you will be poised to deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time. Let the investors see your purpose, your potential, and your growth plan. Find a strategic and value-adding investor that understands your business. Get a valuation that keeps the equity where it belongs. Above all, secure the capital influx you need to grow.
Meet the EIT Digital Growth Services Team!
The EIT Digital Growth Services team boasts a strong track record, helping 140+ scaleups from 20 countries in their funding journeys with the support of 1000+ VCs that are part of its network. Get to know the team:
Marie-Caroline Hameon has 15+ years of experience in M&A and corporate finance advisory with a focus on the digital tech sector. After starting her career within Ernst & Young TAS (Transaction Advisory Services) in Paris and New York, Marie-Caroline joined Drake Stars, a Corporate Banking boutique specializing in the technology, media, and communication sectors, and worked closely with entrepreneurs to help them succeed in their fundraising.
Passionate about digital technologies, Daniel Michel started his career as an engineer employing distributed software architectures, while working on space programs at Airbus. He has been supporting tens of companies in fundraising efforts in the last 10 years, in various technical areas: SaaS, Enterprise Software, ClimateTech, MedTech, Fintech, Industry 4.0, IoT, HW, etc.
Based in London, Ben McClure is a seasoned technology financing and growth advisor and investor. Ben has been serving tech CEOs for more than two decades, helping them grow their businesses, getting them ready for new investment, and helping them secure financing from investors based in the UK and across Europe and around the world.
Daniel Auriel is as “deep tech” as they get. He started his career in chemical and pharmaceutical R&D in large corporations such as Bayer and Stora Enso before taking on various innovation, strategy, and business assignments focused on advanced technologies in Germany, China, Israel, and other regions. His work resulted in seven products being brought to the market, one business unit & one regional office created, and one new business model implemented.
Jari Mieskonen is a seasoned venture manager with experience of some +120 direct investments mainly in the Nordics and Baltics area. He has always protected the founder’s interest in complex deal structures and kept neutral professionalism in deal-making. Based on his long experience in the venture industry he has seen several cycles in the market and knows that timing is sometimes more important than maximum value.
This is what the CEO & Co-Founder of Sensoneo had to say after raising EUR 6.2 million in funding with the help of the EIT Digital Growth Services team:
“The support of EIT Digital’s experts was highly valuable as we pursued our goal of a Series A investment. This fundraising will allow us to consolidate our market leading position, while at the same time continue to innovate to be at the forefront of our customer needs”
– Martin Basila, CEO and Co-Founder of Sensoneo, an EIT Digital Growth Services portfolio company
How Does Your Company Benefit by Joining EIT Digital Champions?
EIT Digital will shortlist up to 50 companies to participate as finalists in this competition. They will have the opportunity to pitch to a jury of high-profile investors. Additionally, winners will be invited to attend a high-profile European tech conference and an associated VIP investor dinner event hosted by EIT Digital. Further, joining EIT Digital Champions benefits your company in the following ways:
- Raise your next Series A or B round from strategic international investors.
- Leverage EIT Digital’s 300+ Pan-European network of top European corporations, investors, SMEs, universities and research institutions.
- Gain international visibility through EIT Digital communication channels.
Timeline & Important Dates for EIT Digital Champions 2024
- Deadline for submitting your application: 31 January 2024
- Online Pitch Competition for selected finalists: 6-7 February 2024
- Champions Proclamation: 19 March 2024
___
Sharing is Caring!
