Innovation Radar Bridge

Innovation Radar Bridge supports the European Commission’s Innovation Radar by connecting EU-funded innovators with investors and policymakers across Europe. The aim is to increase visibility, engagement, and funding opportunities for groundbreaking technologies emerging from EU research and innovation programmes.

The initiative is led by a consortium of three organisations with complementary expertise: Menlo Media (EU-Startups), a leading startup media and events platform in Europe; Dealflow.eu, coordinator of the INVEST initiative and experienced in investor matchmaking; and Dealroom.co, a data intelligence company known for its comprehensive analysis of the European startup landscape. Together, the group adds communication power, investor access, and market analytics to support Innovation Radar’s objectives.

Through 10 specialised and carefully curated events, 2 in-depth thematic reports, and the use of advanced data intelligence, Innovation Radar Bridge fosters meaningful interactions. These activities help innovators access funding, support policymakers in shaping effective frameworks, and guide investors towards high-potential opportunities.

Events Across European Startup Hubs

1. Innovation Pulse: Europe’s Power Network - Launch Event (Brussels, 2024)

2. Startups Policy at EU-Startups Summit (Malta, 2024)

3. EUxVC: Accelerating European Innovation (Warsaw, 2024)

4. Innovation Radar Prize (Lisbon, 2024)

5. Innovation Pulse: Europe’s Power Network (Vienna, 2024)

6. VentureBridge: Startups & Corporates Connect (Barcelona, 2025)

7. StepUp Startups Stage at EU-Startups Summit (Malta, 2025)

8. Thematic Report Launch Event #2 (Amsterdam, 2025)

9. Bridge Event: Family Offices & Institutions (Brussels)

10. Innovation Radar Prize (Lisbon, 2025)
     

Research and Thematic Reports

Innovation Radar Bridge is producing two thematic reports as a core component of its initiative. These reports leverage real-time market intelligence and stakeholder insights to explore key areas of opportunity within the European startup ecosystem. 

The first report of the project was published in March 2025 and was a first-of-its-kind analysis of 'Startups backed by the EU’s Framework Programmes'. This in-depth report examines the economic impact of EU-funded startups, detailing how grants and direct equity support through EU programmes have led to significant growth. According to its findings, EU-backed startups have a collective Enterprise value of over €500 billion and have fostered substantial job creation and innovation across Europe. The report highlights the critical role of EU funding in scaling startups, increasing their market readiness, and enabling them to access further funding opportunities. It also provides detailed analysis of the specific EU funding mechanisms that have been most effective in nurturing startup ecosystems. This research is essential for understanding how EU-backed startups are not only driving technological innovation but also contributing to Europe's competitive edge in the global market.

A second data-driven report will be released in Q2 2025 that does a deep dive on AI in the EU, the opportunities and challenges for the growing AI-driven ecosystem. 

Both reports are designed to provide valuable knowledge for policymakers, investors, and innovators, informing future strategies and shaping policies that better support the startup ecosystem across Europe. They are also the basis for dedicated events, ensuring the dissemination of findings to the right audiences.
 
Download one-pager PDF about the Innovation Radar Bridge Initiative

Download the Full EU Backed Startups Report