The Europas Tech Startup Awards Gala Lunch + Afterparty 2023

The Europas Tech Startup Awards Gala Lunch + Afterparty, established by Techcrunch’s Mike Butcher, co-curated by Dianne See Morrison, and orchestrated by Dataconomy’s Elena Poughia, shone as a standout among the auxiliary events. This startup award ceremony held at Lisbon’s Estufa Fria, nestled within the city’s opulent botanical gardens in Parque Eduardo VII, outshone the WebSummit. Its meticulously curated guest list, sophisticated ambiance, and an electrifying roster of startups made it a highlight.

The inaugural panel, titled “Venturing in Uncertainty: Navigating the Choppy Seas of Venture Fundraising,” delved into the realm of venture capital. The consensus among panelists was that the European early-stage landscape will see heightened activity in the upcoming year. Conversely, late-stage startups are anticipated to face challenges, with some investment entities advising ventures to plan their finances until 2026. The investors attributed this to a liquidity shortage in the market, currently undergoing a correction phase. However, they viewed this phase as an opportunity to foster the emergence of European champions.

Another panel focusing on the Ukrainian startup ecosystem, featuring Andrey Kolodyuk, Managing and Founding Partner at AVentures, and Viktoriya Tigipko, Founding and Managing Partner at TA Ventures, centered on the prospects of rebuilding Ukraine. The panelists expressed faith in entrepreneurs playing a pivotal role in Ukraine's reconstruction, advocating for bystanders to contribute by hiring remote workers and investing in the burgeoning startup scene.

The press panel brought forth an engaging discussion with esteemed journalists. Ryan Heath, Leo Schwartz, and Ron Miller highlighted AI as the dominant topic of the year, closely followed by discussions on crypto regulations. They argued that while crypto was initially poised to resolve trust issues, it ended up exacerbating them. The panelists also emphasized the pressing need for regulatory frameworks in AI due to the involvement of BigTech; however, they anticipated this process to unfold post the US elections. They predicted the EU taking the lead in regulation, with the US and UK following suit. Intellectual property and bias emerged as contentious topics in AI, with existing major players expected to spearhead developments.

As 2024 loomed closer, Mike Butcher gathered ecosystem predictions. Schwartz emphasized the importance of enhancing AI literacy among the populace to safeguard democracy during upcoming election campaigns. Heath advised crypto companies to refine their value propositions and explore mass adoption use cases. Miller anticipated an improved ecosystem in 2024, with an economic rebound and increased IT budgets, albeit foreseeing minimal benefits trickling down to startups due to soaring prices.

Amidst panel transitions, Mike Butcher unveiled the eagerly anticipated startup awards. Ventures spanning twenty categories—from AgTech and AI to ClimateTech, FinTech, Media, and Web3—were recognized based on innovation and potential. Notably, most shortlisted nominees and winners showcased applications of AI, hinting at trends for 2024.

Here's the complete list of the 2023 Europas Awards winners:

• VC OF THE YEAR: IQ CAPITAL, focusing on deep tech investments in seed and series A.
• HOTTEST SCALEUP: CLEO, an AI assistant championing global financial health.
• HOTTEST WEB3: V-ART, an automated IP licensing solution for brands, creators, and AI developers.
• HOTTEST SPACETECH: SATVU, providing high-resolution climate insights as the world's thermometer.
• HOTTEST MOBILITY: ZEELO, a pioneering global Transit-Tech company.
• HOTTEST MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT: PAPERCUP, using AI to translate videos with voice replication.
• HOTTEST INSURETECH: COVERFLEX, transforming compensation in favor of companies and employees.
• HOTTEST FINTECH: FISKL, a global AI-powered accounting and finance platform for SMEs.
• HOTTEST HEALTHTECH: HUMANITY, an app promoting healthy aging.
• HOTTEST EDTECH: ZERO GRAVITY, democratizing access to top universities and careers.
• HOTTEST ECOMMERCE / RETAIL: SENSEI, an AI-driven provider of autonomous retail solutions.
• HOTTEST DEEPTECH STARTUP: SPACEDOT, redefining space materials qualification—right in space.
• HOTTEST CYBERSECURITY STARTUP: HUDSON ROCK, specializing in cybercrime intelligence.
• HOTTEST CLIMATE TECH / SUSTAINABILITY / IMPACT STARTUP: UNDO CARBON, removing CO2 by spreading crushed silicate rock on agricultural land.
• HOTTEST B2B SAAS: VLGE, offering a no-code tool for building spatial gamified experiences.
• HOTTEST ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE STARTUP: NEW NATIVE, aggregating AI technologies for scalable solutions.
• HOTTEST AGTECH / FOODTECH: ORDINARY SEAFOOD, revolutionizing seafood production in harmony with oceans.

Typing AI Biometrics has made the list of the best three Cyber Security startups at The Europas Awards hosted by Mike Butcher in Lisbon, Portugal. Rares Pascut, the CEO of Typing AI was honoured to present a 30 seconds pitch in front of The Europas.

Typing AI is a secure typing biometrics authentication API that identifies users by the way they type. The detection accuracy level is very high and there are almost no false positives. This project uses artificial intelligence in order to detect the typing pattern. A unique typing ID is generated for each user. There are lots of peoples who tested the API and the accuracy level is over 99.9%.

Founded in 2009 by Mike Butcher, editor-at-large at Tech Crunch, this year The Europas celebrates 15 years of identifying Europe’s most ambitious and successful startups, including Spotify, Wise (Transferwise), Farfetch, Depop, Starling Bank, and many others. Today, The Europas are the leading awards for Europe’s hottest tech startups with unmissable content, a fun and fantastic awards ceremony and a legendary afterparty.