Scaling Up Europe's Future Champions

Welcome Coffee & Networking on Arrival

A warm welcome for participants with informal networking to foster early connections across sectors, countries, and institutions.

Speakers:

• Peter Grk, Director, Bled Strategic Forum

From Small to Global: Government’s Role in Growing Champions — and Champions’ Role in Shaping Economies

Moderated by Petra Kovič, Editor-in-Chief, Business Week Capital

Speaker:

• Matjaž Han, Minister of the Economy, Tourism and Sport, Republic of Slovenia

Scaling Through International Partnerships

Strategic global alliances are vital for Europe’s scale-ups. Commissioner Síkela will outline how EU partnerships—covering over 140 countries and backed by €79.5 billion through Global Gateway—are opening new markets, mobilizing capital, and positioning European innovation on the global stage.

Moderator:

• Petra Kovič, Editor-in-Chief, Business Week Capital

Speaker:

• H.E. Jozef Síkela, European Commissioner for International Partnerships

The State, the EU & the Future Champions

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Edi Rama, Albania has pioneered digital transformation, advanced open governance initiatives, and adopted a national AI strategy—positioning the country as an emerging innovation hub in Southeast Europe.

Stjepan Orešković, Founder of Future 500, engages in a dialogue with H.E. Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania, on the role of the state and the EU in shaping Europe’s next generation of global champions

Speaker:

• H.E. Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania

Banking on Growth

The Role of Private Capital in Scaling Europe’s Champions

Moderator: Alexandra Vacroux

Speakers:

• Ingo Bleier, Chief Corporate & Markets Officer, Erste Group
• Robert Knorr, Managing Partner, MidEuropa Partners
• Alex Kostić, Vice-Chairman and Owner, AIK Bank, President, MK Group
• Dinko Lucić, President of the Management Board of Privredna banka Zagreb (Intesa Sanpaolo Group)

Building Europe’s Scale-Up Infrastructure

From Sovereign Tools to Institutional Investment

Moderator: Alexandra Vacroux

Speakers:

• Matevž Frangež, State Secretary, Ministry of the Economy, Slovenia
• Guillaume Klossa, Director, EuropaNova
• Tamara Zajec Balažič, SPIRIT Slovenia
• Miljan Ždrale, Regional Director for Central Europe, EBRD

Powered by: Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport

Europe’s Exit Dilemma: Winning Without Going

Moderator: Maja Piščević, Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council

Speakers:

• Tomislav Čizmić, CEO, Telemach, United Group
• Gordan Kolak, President, Končar Group
• Branko Milutinović, Co-Founder & CEO, Nordeus
• Mark Pleško, Co-Founder & CEO, Cosylab

Powered by Telemach

From Krakow, Koprivnica & Trbovlje to Global Markets

What does it take to build unicorns and industrial leaders from Central & Southeastern Europe?

Three iconic founders and CEOs share personal insights, growth stories, and lessons from scaling InPost, Podravka, and Dewesoft into European success stories with global reach.

Moderator: Ajša Vodnik, Chair, AmChams in Europe

Speakers:

• Rafał Brzoska, CEO, InPost
• Martina Dalić, President, Podravka d.d; Former Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia
• Dr. Jure Knez, President, Dewesoft

The Future 500 Platform

How can Europe institutionalize support for its future global business champions?

A forward-looking dialogue to formally launch

The Future 500 platform—a pan-European mechanism to identify, empower, and promote high-potential scale-up ventures from across CEE, SEE, and the broader EU.

Moderator: Jörn Fleck, Director, Atlantic Council Europe Center

Speakers:

• Mislav Ante Omazić, President of the Management Board, IEDC
• Igor Rudan, University of Oxford, Oxford Ideometrics

Speakers:

• Stjepan Orešković, Founder, Future 500; Founder & Majority Shareholder, Bosqar Invest

Media Availability:

Meet the Builders of Europe’s Future 500
Informal networking, press engagement, and on-the-record statements with select speakers, entrepreneurs, and institutional partners.

Hosted on the IEDC – Bled School of Management Terrace