Ioan Istrate stands at the intersection of deep tech, policy, and entrepreneurship, blending strategic innovation with expertise in M&A, governance, and capacity building for emerging technologies.
His career is defined by high-impact roles—ranging from winning the XPRIZE Visioneers 2016 competition to advising leading science-driven organizations worldwide.
He played a pivotal role in establishing his home country’s national AI governance framework and continues to provide pro-bono advisory for startups tackling major social impact challenges.
With over a decade of experience across consulting, entrepreneurship, and policy, Ioan has built a global track record in shaping strategies for organizations navigating frontier technologies.
An Atlantic Council Millennium Fellow (2024) and part of the NATO DIANA network, he is deeply committed to ensuring that innovation in AI and other deep tech domains aligns with societal needs and ethical principles. Ioan holds an MBA with Merit Fellowship from UCLA Anderson and is currently pursuing advanced studies in the ethics and societal impact of AI at the University of Cambridge.
Other featured speakers
Felix Martinez
Principal @ Seedcamp
Felix Martinez sources and supports early-stage startups at Seedcamp, Europe's leading seed-stage venture capital fund that has invested in over 490 companies including unicorns like UiPath, Wise, Revolut, wefox, Pleo, Sorare, Grover, viz.ai, and Synthesia.
Akis Bratsos
Partner @ Lakestar
Akis Bratsos is a Partner at Lakestar, one of Europe’s leading venture capital firms, where he focuses on investment opportunities in automation, infrastructure software, and healthcare.
Karol Szubstarski
Partner @ OTB Ventures
Karol Szubstarski specializes in Series A funding for breakthrough deep tech companies at OTB Ventures, a leading pan-European fund managing over €300 million in assets across SpaceTech, Enterprise Automation & AI, FinTech Infrastructure, and Cybersecurity sectors.
Radu Georgescu
Founding Partner @ Gecad Ventures
Radu Georgescu is a renowned Romanian serial entrepreneur and investor with over 30 years of experience founding and scaling companies in software, internet, and e-commerce sectors.