May 2026
Scaling Europe Summit 2026
While sovereignty and competitiveness are at the heart of the European policy debate, delivering on these ambitions ultimately depends on the leadership of Europe’s many entrepreneurs and the creation of the right framework conditions for companies to scale. With the European Commission advancing its simplification agenda, momentum is building towards a truly unified framework to support business growth across Europe. But what is still missing to really enable European startups and scaleups to thrive?
To explore this crucial discussion, the Lisbon Council is convening the Scaling Europe Summit 2026: Competitiveness Built for and by Founders, bringing together policymakers and founders who have shaped and continue to shape Europe’s startup ecosystem. The summit will take place on Tuesday, 26 May 2026, from 13h30 to 15h00 CEST at the Residence Palace.
Valdis Dombrovskis, European commissioner for economy, productivity, implementation and simplification, will open the discussion by sharing his vision for the future of European world-leading companies. After his keynote, a panel of leading founders will discuss how Europe can turn individual success stories into a shared engine for growth rather than rare exceptions. Alexander Glätzle, CEO and co-founder of Planqc; Tomas Okmanas, co-founder and co-CEO of Nord Security; and Sten Tamkivi, co-founder and partner at Plural, will be joined onstage by Ann Mettler, board member of the European Innovation Council.
If you would like to attend, send a note to giulia.grandin@lisboncouncil.