The summit commenced with opening keynotes by Márton István, CEO of Smart Future Lab of MVM, and Bódis László, Deputy State Secretary of Innovation, who emphasized the importance of accelerating research and innovation in Hungary.

The first panel, titled “Ecosystems vs Economies: Cooperation vs Competition-Based Growth,” featured insights from:

• Kösters Thomas, Director at Deep Ecosystems, DE

• Deliága Ákos, Founder of Talk-a-bot and VP of Startups and Scaleups at IVSZ

• Dervalics Ákos, Founder of Green Brother Accelerator

• Tóth Zsófi, Co-Founder of Puzl CoWorking

• Golovin Timofey, Founder of Winno Incubator

This discussion delved into the critical role of innovation ecosystems and the balance between cooperation and competition in fostering growth.

Subsequently, the “State of Venture in Innovation Ecosystems” panel examined how venture capital influences growth, featuring:

• Medveczky Márton, Associate Partner at Flashpoint VC, UK

• Hild Imre, CEO of OUVC, HU

• Czirják László, Partner at Interactive VC

• Parragh Péter, Principal at Oktogon VC

• Vossen Reginald, President of Business Angels EU BAE (online)

Panelists discussed the dual role of venture capital in facilitating and sometimes hindering startup growth.

Afternoon Sessions:

The “Future of Investment Asset Classes and Service Providers” panel addressed the evolution of investment avenues, featuring:

• Fáykiss Péter, Director at HOLD AM

• Caruana Matthew, JA Foundation, ex-Zaar Crowdfunding

• Csillag Péter, President of HUNBAN

• Nagy Péter, CMO of Budapest Stock Exchange

• Tánczos Péter, Partner at Euroventures VC

Discussions centered on integrating traditional investment methods with emerging platforms like crowdfunding and decentralized finance.

The “Fintechs vs Banks” panel featured:

• Juhász Benedek, COO of Peak – Fintech.hu

• Ács Zoltán, President of the Hungarian Fintech Association

• Bek-Balla László, Head of Digital Channels at Erste Bank

• Fetter István, Head of Small Business Division at CIB Bank

• Horányi Gergő, Product Director Financial Crime at Wise

• Judik Balázs, CMO of Barion

This session explored the dynamics between traditional banking institutions and fintech startups, focusing on competition and potential collaborations.

Keynotes and Networking:

Notable keynotes included:

• Wilcock Peter, mentor coach and educator, who presented “Camel in The Tent – The Timeless Lessons of Growth”

• Fábián Gergely, CEO of Galaxis CH, who discussed the future of blockchain and its intersection with AI

The event also featured “Pitch&Go,” a live pitch competition where nine startups presented their innovative ideas, allowing attendees to invest in real-time through tokeportal.com/cees.

The summit concluded with a dinner party, providing ample networking opportunities for participants to forge meaningful connections and collaborations.

CEES #2 successfully highlighted the vibrancy and potential of the Central and Eastern European startup ecosystem, fostering discussions and partnerships poised to drive future innovation and economic growth.