Danish Entrepreneurs x TechBBQ
Policy Stage
Join the Policy Stage at TechBBQ
Free and Open to All
As Europe navigates a critical turning point for innovation, Danish Entrepreneurs and TechBBQ are bringing back the Policy Stage for its second year. Following last year’s successful debut, we are locking in another full day of high-level, action-oriented dialogue between founders, investors, EU officials, and leading policymakers.
Whether you’re a founder looking to break down regulatory barriers, a policymaker shaping the rules, or simply curious about the future of tech, this is your chance to join the conversation shaping Europe’s startup ecosystem – for free, and even without a standard TechBBQ ticket.
If you already have a TechBBQ pass, you can access the Policy Stage directly from the exhibition area at TechBBQ, Bella Center Copenhagen. If you are joining us from the outside, you can register for a free policy pass and enter the venue via Martha Christensens Vej 16. All sessions are conducted in English and engineered for impact, ensuring policy acts as a catalyst – not a roadblock – for Europe’s entrepreneurial ambition.
Policy Stage Program: Shaping the Future of European Startups
The Policy Stage consist of 2 big rooms. One for panels, fireside chats, and the second room for informal meetups and networking with decision-makers, entrepreneurs, investors, MEPs, EU officials, and policy leaders.
09:30 - 09:40 Opening Remarks: The State of the Ecosystem
Introduced by the day’s host and Chairman of Danish Entrepreneurs, Peter Kofler.
09:40 - 09:55 Fireside Chat: The New Nordic Imperative: Mobilizing the 12th Largest Economy in the World
The New Nordics excel at starting companies but face systemic hurdles in growing them at home. Our region holds world-class innovation inputs, yet our primary deficit lies in cross-border connection rather than true capability. This opening fireside chat takes a macro-level view of regional integration. We will explore how the Nordics can move beyond accidental, person-dependent cooperation toward a standing, unified market framework. Secretary General Karen Ellemann joins the stage to discuss the political will, structural frameworks, and cross-border leadership required to actively front-run upcoming European regulatory transformations.
Moderator: Stina Lantz, CEO, Swedish Incubators & Science Parks
Speaker: Karen Ellemann, Secretary General, Nordic Council of Ministers
09:55 - 10:30 Panel: Bypassing Fragmentation: Engineering the Nordic Capital Stack & Regulatory Rails
While Europe grapples with a massive late-stage funding chasm, the Nordics suffer from an acute growth-stage capital void that forces our best scaleups to relocate value abroad. This panel brings together ecosystem builders, investors, and regulatory pioneers to dissect fresh, exclusive data on the region’s deepest bottlenecks. From the legal realities of establishing a unified “Nordic-Inc” to designing a multi-billion-euro pan-Nordic fund-of-funds, we examine the precise structural fixes required to turn our fragmented national systems into a single market engine.
Moderator: Stina Lantz, CEO, Swedish Incubators & Science Parks
Panelists:
– Mikkel Sørensen, CEO, DTU SkyFactory
– Sigrid Rajalo, Deputy Secretary General at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications
10:30 - 10:40 Keynote: From Savings to Sovereignty: Innovation, Pension Funds, and Long-Term Economic Growth in Europe
In this keynote, Peter van Sabben (CMO, Dealroom) shares exclusive data on how unlocking institutional capital can transform Europe’s startup landscape. Discover how a strategic shift in pension fund allocations can fuel the next wave of tech champions, boost long-term economic growth, and secure Europe’s digital and financial future.
10:40 - 11:20 Panel: The $112 Billion Gap – Unlocking Exit Markets
Europe invests $21B in late-stage VC vs. $133B in the US. How do we build a genuine pan-European IPO market and reframe M&A as a sign of ecosystem health?
Moderator: Karolina Kukielka, Founding Partner at Vastpoint
Panelists:
– Trine Winther, CEO at Danish Business Angels (DanBAN)
– Stine Mølgaard, Partner at Alliance VC
– Daragh Brown, Senior Regional Representative at EIF
– Peter van Sabben, CMO at Dealroom
11:20 - 11:40 Fireside Chat with Danish Minister for Taxation and Economic Growth, Jakob Engel-Schmidt
In this exclusive fireside chat, Denmark’s Minister for Taxation and Economic Growth, Jakob Engel-Schmidt, sits down with moderator Peter Kofler to pull back the curtain on the government’s economic agenda.
11:40 - 12:20 Panel: Entrepreneurship Package 2.0: Denmark’s Global Ambition
We’ve seen the first steps, but what is the next leap? A deep dive into the “Entrepreneurship Package 2.0” – focusing on talent attraction, tax incentives, and making Denmark the undisputed launchpad for global unicorns.
Moderator: Torsten Vittrup Dalegaard, Head of Strategy & Policy, Danish Entrepreneurs
Panelists:
– Mads Strange, MP & Political Spokesperson for Liberal Alliance
– Mathilde Bressum, Spokesperson on Entrepreneurship for Venstre
– Steffen Helledie, MP & Spokesperson for Radikale Venstre
– Christian Arnstedt, Founder & CEO, Blazar Capital
12:20 - 12:50 Lunch Break
12:50 - 13:20 Panel: The 28th Regime: A Unified Legal Identity for EU Startups
For any ambitious founder, expanding across Europe means navigating 27 different sets of corporate laws, tax systems, and administrative hurdles – a costly regulatory nightmare that gives US counterparts a massive head start. Could a single, unified EU legal framework – the proposed “28th Regime” – finally level the playing field and allow European startups to scale seamlessly?
Moderator: Peter Kofler, Chairman, Danish Entrepreneurs
Panelists:
– Morten Løkkegaard, MEP (Renew Europe)
– Arba Kokalari, MEP (EPP)
– Henrik Dahl, MEP (EPP)
(More panelists to be announced soon)
13:20 - 13:45 Fireside Chat with Danish Minister for Business and Competitiveness, Martin Lidegaard
From green ambition to global market leadership—how does Europe build its next industrial champions? In this exclusive fireside chat, Denmark’s Minister for Business and Competitiveness, Martin Lidegaard, joins moderator Peter Kofler for a forward-looking conversation on industrial competitiveness, strategic autonomy, and how Europe can create the companies that will power the next era of growth.
13:45 - 14:30 Panel: Navigating the CLOUD Act & Data Sovereignty
In an era of intensifying global data friction, European startups face a delicate high-stakes balancing act. How do you scale using global cloud infrastructure while remaining fiercely compliant with stringent EU privacy and data protection standards? Navigating the reach of the U.S. Cloud Act alongside Europe’s push for digital sovereignty has transformed from a legal checkbox into a core strategic challenge for high-growth tech companies.
Moderator: Peter Kofler, Chairman, Danish Entrepreneurs
Panelists:
– Alexandru Voica, Head of Corporate Affairs & Public Policy, Synthesia
– Adina Schildt Gillion, General Counsel at stealth-stage AI startup, and former AI & Privacy Policy Manager at Meta
– Pernille Tranberg, Co-Founder of European ThinkTank DataEthics.eu
– Louise Lund Henneberg, Deputy Tech Ambassador, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark
14:30 - 14:50 Networking Break
14:50 - 15:30 Panel: The Digital Fairness Act: Leveling the Playing Field?
As the European Union shifts its regulatory gaze toward the consumer landscape, the incoming Digital Fairness Act aims to completely reshape how platforms interact with their users. By cracking down on “dark patterns,” manipulative design architectures, and hidden subscription traps, Brussels intends to shield consumers and level the playing field against Big Tech. But where is the line between consumer protection and innovation friction? Will these strict design rules empower European startups to win on trust, or will they introduce another layer of costly compliance that hampers early-growth scaling? This session dissects the operational realities of building global consumer apps under the EU’s evolving digital paradigm, exploring whether new fairness mandates act as a structural shield or a startup bottleneck.
Moderator: Peter Kofler, Chairman, Danish Entrepreneurs
Panelists:
– Heini Zachariassen, Founder, Vivino & Vota
– Natasha Friis Saxberg, CEO at the Danish ICT Industry Association
15:30 - 16:10 Panel: Is Europe's Next Unicorn Hiding in the Maritime Sector?
While founders and investors continue to flock towards AI, software and fintech, some of the world’s biggest challenges – and potentially biggest business opportunities – exist in industries such as maritime, logistics, energy and critical infrastructure. So why don’t we see more startups emerging from sectors where Europe and Denmark already hold global leadership positions? What does it take to build new companies in global, regulated and capital-intensive industries? And are founders and investors overlooking some of the biggest opportunities hiding in plain sight?
Moderator: Cecilie Lykkegaard, Strategic Advisor at CoSense
Panelists: – Lotte G. Lundberg, Managing Director of The Danish Maritime Fund – Rasmus Elsborg, Founder of ReFlow – Susanne Eskildsen, Associate Director for Start-Up & Innovation, EIFO – Christian Bonfils, CEO and Founder, Copenhagen Commercial Platform
Read more here
16:10 - 16:15 Closing Remarks & Reflections
Wrapping up the day’s discussions with key takeaways and insights
16:15 - 17:00 Networking
An opportunity to connect and network with fellow entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and ecosystem leaders
The speakers
Jakob Engel-Schmidt
Danish Minister for Taxation and Economic Growth
Jakob Engel-Schmidt is a Danish politician from the Moderates party, a member of the Danish Parliament, and has served as the Minister for Taxation and Economic Growth in the coalition government since June 3, 2026.
Martin Lidegaard
Danish Minister for Business and Competitiveness
Martin Lidegaard is Denmark’s Minister for Business and Competitiveness. A long-serving political leader, he has been a leading advocate for strengthening European competitiveness, accelerating the green transition, and creating better framework conditions for innovation, entrepreneurship, and business.
Arba Kokalari
Member of the European Parliament, EPP
Arba Kokalari is a Member of the European Parliament since 2019, serving in the committees on internal market, economic affairs, employment and gender equality. Her main priorities are digitalisation, tech, circular economy, regulation that fosters innovation.
Morten Løkkegaard
Member of the European Parliament, Renew
Morten Løkkegaard is a Member of the European Parliament since 2009, serving in the committees on internal markets, economic affairs, industry and energy. His main focus is to secure our future prosperity and growth, by strengthening the market.
Karen Ellemann
Secretary General, Nordic Council of Ministers
Karen Ellemann is the Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers and leads Nordic intergovernmental cooperation during a time marked by significant geopolitical turmoil, while also implementing organizational reforms within the secretariat. Ellemann has extensive experience, a strong political presence, and deep roots in Nordic cooperation. Read her detailed resume below.
Henrik Dahl
Member of the European Parliament, EPP
Henrik Dahl is a Member of the European Parliament for the Liberal Alliance party. Before entering politics, Henrik built a distinguished career as a researcher, author, and entrepreneur. Among other roles, he served as an Adjunct Professor at CBS, co-founded the consultancy Advice Analyse, worked as a lifestyle expert on various Danish Broadcasting Corporation programs.
Louise Lund Henneberg
Deputy Director, Techplomacy Department at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Louise Lund Henneberg is the Deputy Director within the Techplomacy Department at the Danish Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. The department works for international technology development that benefits Denmark and
Europe, while delivering solutions to global challenges in a safe and responsible manner.
Daragh Brown
Senior Regional Representative for Scandinavia and Iceland
Daragh Brown is the European Investment Fund’s Senior Regional Representative for Scandinavia and Iceland, based in Copenhagen. In this role, he works closely with governments, venture capital and private equity funds, national promotional institutions, banks, and ecosystem stakeholders to strengthen access to finance for SMEs across the region.
Cecilie Lykkegaard
Strategic Advisor, CoSense
Alexandru Voica
Head of Corporate Affairs & Policy, Synthesia
Alexandru Voica is the head of corporate affairs and policy at Synthesia, the world’s leading AI video platform, with over 65,000 customers. He has worked in the technology industry for over 15 years, holding public affairs and engineering roles at companies such as Meta, NetEase, Ocado or Arm.
Lotte G. Lundberg
Managing Director, The Danish Maritime Fund
Peter van Sabben
CMO, Dealroom
Peter van Sabben is Chief Marketing Officer at Dealroom and a seasoned startup leader with deep expertise in go-to-market strategy, growth, and digital innovation. As co-founder of Growth Tribe, he has helped over 38,000 individuals and 1,000 organisations upskill for the digital economy.
Stine Mølgaard
Partner, Alliance VC
Stine Mølgaard is a seasoned entrepreneur and is now a partner at Alliance VC investing in AI and technology driven startups. She previously co-founded Radiobotics, advancing AI in radiology. Recognized as KPMG’s Scandinavian Entrepreneur of the Year, she is also a best-selling author and advisor.
Mads Strange
MP & Political Spokesperson for Liberal Alliance
Mads Strange is a Member of the Danish Parliament and Political Spokesperson for Liberal Alliance. He is a prominent voice on entrepreneurship, tech, taxation, and competitiveness, working to strengthen the framework conditions for startups, scaleups, and innovation across Denmark.
Mathilde Bressum
MP & Spokesperson on Entrepreneurship for Venstre
Mathilde Bressum is a Member of the Danish Parliament and serves as the spokesperson on entrepreneurship for Venstre. She has long been a strong advocate for entrepreneurship, previously serving as Venstre’s political spokesperson in Aarhus City Council, where she championed better framework conditions for entrepreneurs, stronger role models, and greater access to capital.
Rasmus Elsborg
Founder of ReFlow
Trine Hoffensetz Winther
CEO of DanBAN
As the CEO of DanBAN, Denmark’s leading network of business angels, Trine works to connect ambitious founders with experienced investors and strengthen the country’s early-stage ecosystem. Drawing on her own founder- and investor-side experience Trine thrives on helping founders and advocates for better access to growth capital, stronger startups ecosystems and a more diverse and inclusive startup & investment landscape in the Nordics.
Peter Kofler
Chairman, Danish Entrepreneurs
Peter Kofler is the chairman of Danish Entrepreneurs and is a vocal advocate for startup-friendly policies with more than 20 years of experience supporting early-stage founders.
Stina Lantz
CEO, Swedish Incubators & Science Parks
Stina Lantz is CEO of Swedish Incubators & Science Parks (SISP) where she leads Sweden’s national network of incubators and science parks to support startups through collaboration across academia, industry, and government. She is a co-founder of Ignite Sweden, where she has worked with 1,300+ startups to establish commercial collaborations.
Susanne Eskildsen
Associate Director for Start-Up & Innovation, EIFO
Mikkel Sørensen
CEO, DTU SkyFactory
Mikkel Sørensen operates at the intersection of science, innovation, and business. He serves as CEO of DTU SkyFactory, a subsidiary of the Technical University of Denmark dedicated to accelerating science-based startups onto scale-up trajectories. SkyFactory supports high-potential ventures through strategic development, operational support, access to infrastructure, and capital.
Sigrid Rajalo
Deputy Secretary General at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications
Sigrid Rajalo is a leading voice in Estonian innovation policy. Sigrid leads the development of Estonia’s industrial and startup ecosystems, focusing on the intersection of research, technology, and business. An economist by training with a PhD from the University of Tartu, Sigrid is committed to scaling competitive, innovation-driven business environments through strategic public-private partnerships.
Torsten Vittrup Dalegaard
Head of Strategy and Policy, Danish Entrepreneurs
Torsten Vittrup Dalegaard leads the organisation’s policy and strategic agenda, working to improve the framework conditions for entrepreneurs and scaleups in Denmark and across Europe. Combining experience in public affairs, regulation, and international business, he brings a unique perspective on how governments and entrepreneurs can work together to strengthen innovation, competitiveness, and economic growth.
Pernille Tranberg
Consultant in Data and AI Ethics
Former journalist, now a lecturer and consultant on AI, data ethics, and digital sovereignty. Co-founder of dataethics.eu, where since 2016 they have worked to promote European and open-source technology. Member of the Danish government’s expert committee on tech giants and author of seven books.
Christian Bonfils
Founder and CEO, Copenhagen Commercial Platform
Copenhagen Commercial Platform, operates a fleet of dry bulk carriers with a focus on sustainable shipping. Christian has more than 25 years of experience in the maritime industry, mainly as an entrepreneur, having founded Custodia Shipping, Nordic Bulk Carriers, BW Dry Cargo, Copenhagen Commercial Platform and OceanPass. His early focus was innovation, and he made maritime history by sending the first commercial vessels through the Northern Sea Route.
Karolina Kukielka
Founding Partner, Vastpoint
Christian Arnstedt
Founder and CEO, Blazar Capital
Adina Schildt Gillion
General Counsel at stealth-stage AI startup
Heini Zachariassen
Founder, Vivino & Vota
Steffen Helledie
MP & Spokesperson on industry, trade, tech & EU for Radikale Venstre
Natasha Friis Saxberg
CEO at the Danish ICT Industry Association
What to expect
Join Danish Entrepreneurs at Tech BBQ
This is your chance to be part of one of the key political moments for the European startup ecosystem in 2026, and we can’t wait to hear your thoughts.
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