$10B+ in VC Firepower Comes to Eastern Europe

Meet the Powerhouses Fueling Eastern Europe’s Tech Boom at How to Web

In the venture capital world, investment conversations often happen in Silicon Valley boardrooms or at posh London clubs. But if you’re building a startup in Eastern Europe, your best chance to connect with top-tier venture fund backers is right here, at How to Web Conference.

This October, these five venture capital titans, collectively managing over $10 billion and backing everything from Discord, to UiPath, Spotify, and Mistral AI, are bringing their checkbooks to Bucharest. For Eastern European founders, this isn’t just another conference. It’s the financing opportunity that usually requires a Silicon Valley pilgrimage.

Here’s who’s coming to town and why your next funding round might depend on being there.

Note: More investors are confirming their attendance daily. We’ll update this list as additional VCs join the lineup.

1. Alex Lim, General Partner @ IVP, Growth Capital Specialist

From IVP’s London office, Alex manages investments from a $7B fund, typically writing $25M checks for Series A to growth-stage companies with category-defining potential.

• Portfolio: Discord, UiPath, Slack, DeepL, Supercell
  Focus: SaaS, FinTech, AI infrastructure, and other companies ready for global scale
  Why catch him at How to Web Conference: Alex brings Silicon Valley growth capital to Eastern Europe. He’s hungry for startups scaling beyond regional success. This is your shot to get on his radar.

2. Alexandre Dewez, Partner @ 20VC, The Media-Backed Multiplier

Alexandre joined 20VC in late 2024 to lead the firm’s Series A & growth-stage investments across Central and Eastern Europe. 20VC is a media-driven venture platform founded by Harry Stebbings, combining a massive podcast audience with institutional capital ($400M+ fund)

• Portfolio highlights: investments include Poolside, Sorare, BeReal, Linktree, Merge API, Linear, Pachama, Nex Health .
• Investment focus: vertical SaaS (aka vSol), B2B, and consumer platforms; typically Series A to B.
• Why catch him at How to Web Conference: He’s not just an investor. He’s a connector. With a media empire background and startup-investor access, Alexandre can amplify your European story globally, while your funding round gets a megaphone. 

3. Staffan Helgesson, General Partner @ Creandum, European Scaling Expert

A founding force behind Creandum (2003), Staffan’s early bet on Spotify in 2008 exemplifies the long-term thinking that’s built the firm’s $2B+ fund and impressive unicorn track record. Today, Creandum boasts over $2 billion AUM and a unicorn rate of 1 in 6 investments.

• Portfolio highlights: Spotify, Klarna, Depop, iZettle, Bolt, Trade Republic, KRY, neo4j .
• Investment focus: Seed to Series A—especially SaaS, fintech, climate tech, and AI.
• Why catch him at How to Web Conference: If your startup is ready to scale in Europe, Staffan has built the blueprints across multiple market cycles. He’s looking for founders with grit, tech chops, and bold product playbooks.

4. Ondrej Bartoš, General Partner @ Credo Ventures, CEE Specialist

As founding GP of Credo Ventures, Ondrej has built Eastern Europe’s most successful regional fund, Credo Ventures, a €250M AUM fund focused on CEE seed and Series A deals. His early backing of UiPath from seed through Series B demonstrates his ability to spot and nurture regional champions.

• Portfolio highlights: UiPath (Seed → Series B, now blockbuster IPO), Productboard, Pricefx, Resistant AI, TypingDNA, Eleven Labs.
• Investment focus: enterprise SaaS, AI/ML, marketplaces, cloud infrastructure. Checks from €50k–€10M; sweet spot @ €5M .
• Why catch him at How to Web Conference: Ondrej believes in Eastern European founders when others don’t and he’s ready to back the next unicorn.

5. Sitar Teli, Managing Partner @Connect Ventures, Product-First Investor

Since 2012, Sitar has specialized in backing product-obsessed founders who build experiences users can’t live without. Focusing on product-led and UX-first startups, Connect Ventures deploys $500k–$2M rounds and boasts a tight-knit community and high NPS.

• Portfolio highlights:
  – Truelayer, Typeform, SoundCloud (Series A), Second Nature, Fiit, Faks, Torg, Stitch, MedAll.
• Investment focus: marketplaces, networked SaaS, B2B2C, digital health; early seed to Series A (~$100k–$1.5M) .
• Why catch her at How to Web: If your product is intuitive, scalable, and global-ready, Sitar and her team could write the first funding check and help close many more.

Why This Matters for Eastern Europe

Eastern European founders have always had the talent. Now they have access to the capital that matters. Governments and EU funding are fueling local innovation, universities are churning out top-tier engineering talent, and product founders are building with global ambition from day one. But to make your mark, you need more than local backing. You need seasoned investors who’ve already built global giants. 

Here’s why How to Web Conference is THE event to secure that bridge:

1. The math: These five investors represent $10B+ in deployed capital, from seed to growth. You won’t meet them all at any other investment, startup, or tech event in the region.
2. The reach: From IVP’s US–Europe funnel, through Creandum’s Nordics scale, to Credo’s CEE edge, 20VC’s media reach, and Connect’s UX-first approach, they offer distinct pathways to global scale.
3. The network: Over 600 founders, 200+ investors, and 100+ ecosystem builders converge at How to Web Conference. So, each session, lunch, or after-party doubles as your pitch moment.
4. The reality: These VCs actively invest and seek new opportunities and scale-ups from Eastern Europe. They’re not just visiting. They’re sourcing.

How to Prepare for an Investor Meeting?

Skip the Valley. The Valley is coming to you.

But here’s the thing: opportunity without preparation is just expensive networking. Before you book that ticket to How to Web Conference:

• Nail your numbers: ARR, growth rates, market size, runway
• Think global: Show them Eastern Europe is your launchpad, not your ceiling
• Match your stage: Seed? Focus on Ondrej and Sitar. Scaling? Alex, Alexandre, and Staffan want to hear your growth story

Bottom Line

At the How to Web Conference we are orchestrating the largest gathering of serious venture capital Eastern Europe has ever seen. The fact that this caliber of investors are making the journey signals something significant about where they see opportunities. 

Your competitors will be there. Your future investors definitely will be.

The question isn’t whether you can afford to attend. It’s whether you can afford not to.

Secure your ticket now!

The region is buzzing. The capital is coming. The opportunity is yours.