ViennaUP 2026, a decentralized startup festival initiated by the Vienna Business Agency, is scheduled to take place from May 18 to May 22, 2026. A dedicated “WarmUP” weekend will precede the main festival from May 15 to May 17, 2026. We sat down with Gabriele Tatzberger, Director of Startups and Founders from Vienna Business Agency. Enjoy our conversation.

Europe has never had a talent problem. We produce world-class STEM graduates at a rate that rivals the United States, and our startups-per-capita numbers are neck-and-neck with Silicon Valley. Yet, for decades, we have suffered from a “legal friction” that acts as a gravity well, pulling our most successful companies across the Atlantic.

DYPE is a Czech success story: a small startup that made it big both here and in the United States. Now, the company is looking to make it happen a second time with a new startup, as well as trying to help others emulate its success; I chatted with Marián Tomko, DYPE’s director, at the Opero coworking space to find out more.

Six months after launch, Edge Hound has 6,000+ users, a live institutional offering, and a clear vision: every investor will have AI — the ones who win will have better interpretation.

JIC, the Brno-based innovation agency, has launched JIC Ventures, a new fund for pre-seed and seed-stage technology founders from Central and Eastern Europe. Backed by more than 20 years of ecosystem building, the fund will invest up to €1m per company, support around 20 startups over the next four years, and combine capital with hands-on expertise for companies with global potential. And we sat down with their Managing Partners, Radim Kocourek and Miloš Sochor. Enjoy our conversation.

The money is back in VC, but the exit rules have changed. The global acquisition drought is over. As tech giants return to the table with record cash and venture funds face immense pressure to return capital, a unique window of opportunity has opened for CEE founders.