Stockholm-based Techarena, Europe’s fastest-growing entrepreneurship platform, announced that it has secured SEK 12M (approximately €1.08M ) from venture capital firm BackingMinds.
BackingMinds is a European venture capital firm that invests in the blind spots of venture capital and overlooked founders and segments.
The company has invested in successful companies such as CemVision, TransferGalaxy, and TrusTrace in its portfolio.
“Europe stands at a critical moment for innovation. Especially in uncertain times, building a resilient Europe is essential. Techarena is at the heart of creating a thriving innovation ecosystem, perfectly positioned to leverage Europe’s massive tech and digital infrastructure investments. We’ve followed the company for over a decade and share a common vision, to make capital and networks more accessible to a broader range of outstanding entrepreneurs,” says Susanne Najafi, founder of BackingMinds.
Expanding the Techarena model
With this funding, Techarena will expand its signature events and programs.
The platform will also use the capital to spearhead continent-wide initiatives to strengthen Europe’s innovation resilience amid rapid technological and geopolitical change.
Talking about the expansion plan to Silicon Canals, Omid Ekhlasi, founder and CEO of Techarena, says, “Europe’s tech scene has reached an inflection point. Nordic founders have proven they can build global category leaders. Capital is more available, and with AI’s fast growth, experimentation costs are lower. Techarena’s model of connecting founders, investors, business leaders, and decision-makers has proven itself in the Nordics. Taking the model and scaling it now will accelerate the momentum.”
600% growth in revenue
Over the past three years, Techarena’s revenue has grown by 600 per cent while more than 18,000 founders, investors, and corporate leaders have participated in its events and programs during the last 12 months alone.
“We’ve already tested this approach by collaborating with existing events in cities like Munich and Paris, and we’ll continue to tap into strong local hubs,” adds Ekhlasi.
Analysts expect Europe’s market for business events and innovation platforms to reach $124 billion by 2030.
Recent acquisitions and investments show that these platforms are becoming key drivers of innovation.
This creates a great opportunity for everyone in the European innovation and entrepreneurship community.
Being relevant in evolving startup scenes
Founded in 2014, Techarena brings together startups and scaleups from more than 120 countries alongside policy-makers, investors, and industry leaders through flagship formats such as Techarena Challenge, TOP46, and the Time to Raise program.
In discussing the importance of keeping Techarena relevant as the startup landscape evolves, Ekhlasi explains, “We stay very close to our community. Just last week, we hosted a founder’s after-work, and the energy in the room was a reminder of why we started Techarena.
What founders want is connection, peer support, shared lessons, even just space to talk openly. By remaining close to our why, we remain relevant to our community.”
Previous keynotes include Steve Wozniak, Sir Richard Branson, Al Gore, Steven Bartlett, and NASA astronaut Jessica Meir.
Beyond funding: What do founders need today?
While capital and visibility continue to play a key role in a startup’s journey, many founders today are seeking far more than just capital.
According to Ekhlasi, the most common request from founders isn’t just investment—it’s access to real customers.
Securing a commercial deal or landing a pilot project can be the tipping point that validates their business and sets them on the growth path.
Navigating complexity: Regulation, investors, and mental health
In addition to customer acquisition, founders often need guidance on navigating regulatory challenges, connecting with the right kind of investors, and maintaining their mental resilience while building high-stakes, high-pressure ventures.
“Techarena brings all of that under one roof. Founders are the core of everything we do,” he adds.
A mindset shift: From competition to collaboration
If there’s one thing that needs to change in the European startup ecosystem, it’s the emphasis on ‘competition,’ according to Ekhlasi.
“Earlier this year, at Techarena 2025, held in Sweden’s national stadium, in my opening speech, I said that teams and countries come to the stadium to compete and play against each other, but we are here to collaborate, not compete,” he concludes. “That mindset shift is what I’d like to see more of across the European ecosystem. More cross-border collaboration and less fragmentation. There’s so much talent, innovation, and momentum across Europe.
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