On Angel’s Wings: Can Business Angels Stimulate European Innovation?

ZEW Lunch Debates

While Europe boasts leading global companies, top universities and cutting-edge R&D centers, research findings are still all too rarely being brought to the European market. In this light, "business angels" have become a crucial source of funding for innovative start-ups, providing young European innovators with financial and other types of support to help them scale up their businesses. However, business angels are playing vastly different roles in the various financial ecosystems in Europe and are supported through a wide variety of mechanisms by different Member States.

How should Europe maximize the potential of angel investment in order to meet the challenges of rapidly evolving innovation dynamics? When, where, and how should these investors be supported in their activities? More generally, are business angels a valid tool for boosting European innovation and scale-up?

These questions, which we would like to address in this Lunch Debate alongside the latest ZEW research on the topic, are especially pertinent given Commissioner Moedas’s vision for European innovation and the European Innovation Council.

Venue

22.11.2017
12:00 – 14:00 (CET)

On Angel’s Wings: Can Business Angels Stimulate European Innovation?

Group photo of the panelists and moderator of the ZEW Lunch Debate on Business Angels

The debate participants and moderator before the debate (l-r): Phillipe Gluntz, Ute Günther, Georg Licht, Maikel Pellens, Chiara Frencia and Helen Köpman. © FKPH

The panelists on the podium at the ZEW Lunch Debate in Brussels on Business Angels

The panel at the ZEW lunch debate engaged in lively discussion over the lack of political action at the EU level regarding business angels. © FKPH

Johannes Jung in an informal conversation with the guests of the ZEW Lunch Debate on Business Angels

Johannes Jung, head of the Representation of the State of Baden-Württemberg in Brussels talks with guests. © FKPH

Guests of the ZEW Lunch Debate in Brussels on the topic of Business Angels in conversation

Attendees at the ZEW Lunch Debate exchange ideas and insights over lunch. © FKPH

Maikel Pellens presents his point of view at the ZEW Lunch Debate in Brussels

ZEW senior researcher Maikel Pellens discusses recent research findings in his introductory presentation. © FKPH

Guests of the ZEW Lunch Debate in Brussels on the topic of Business Angels

Phillipe Gluntz, Georg Licht, Luuk Borg, Helen Köpman, Chiara Frencia and Ute Günther (l-r) during the presentation. © FKPH

Dr. Maikel Pellens during his presentation. © FKPH

The topic of this ZEW Lunch Debate was the significance of business angels as a source of funding for innovative start-ups. © FKPH

Phillipe Gluntz presents his point of view on Business Angels at the ZEW Lunch Debate in Brussels

Phillipe Gluntz, president of “Business Angels Europe”. © FKPH

Georg Licht presents his views on Business Angels at the ZEW Lunch Debate in Brussels

Dr. Georg Licht, head of the ZEW Research Department “Economics of Innovation and Industrial Dynamics”. © FKPH

Helen Köpman presents her point of view on Business Angels at the ZEW Lunch Debate in Brussels

Helen Köpman, deputy head of the “Start-ups & Innovation” unit at the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG Connect) at the European Commission. © FKPH