A comprehensive tour of GITEX AI Europe 2026 in Berlin showcasing European technology innovation across fintech, cybersecurity, quantum computing, space, and telecommunications. The video features interviews with founders and technology experts from startups and EU institutions working on breakthrough technologies ranging from bond market platforms to quantum-ready semiconductors.
What we learned
1When you do business, you follow the opportunity. If the opportunity says that you have to pivot to take company, you follow that one.
2When you do business you follow the opportunity. If the opportunity says that you have to go pivot to tech company you follow that one. It takes time—you have to be patient as a founder and your team have to be patient, but at the same time you have to be very disciplined with your money.
3It has to be a product market fit. Just because your product was successful in the Netherlands doesn't mean it's going to be successful in Germany. It takes a little bit longer to establish business relationships on the German market. You have to be a bit more patient.
4Not giving up, the learning, having a vision. You have to have a vision without a vision you know somebody once upon a time said if there is a ship leaving the shore if the ship doesn't know where it's going it's going to go into circle you need to know where you're going so then you can build based on on on that.
5Fast revenue, work fast, doing fast and talking fast, learn fast is so very important.
6Never stop building. You will fail all the time. We're currently failing in our designs, but this is part of the process and you have to just refine it, refine it, refine it until you become successful.
7If you are a founder, you absolutely have to look at what is the EIC. If you have a breakthrough technology, it's your chance. For investors, come and invest with the EIC because we are derisking your operation. For corporates, if you have a challenge, look at amazing companies and solutions that we have in our portfolio.
8Working with marketing in deep tech is super fascinating and interesting and you learn something new every day because you work with such a talented team. The importance of explaining something complex in a way that it's easy to understand is always a challenge but really important.
9Never give up.
People in this conversation
A
Anatoly Shkareda
Co-founder · Bondfish
Bondfish is the first bond market platform and marketplace for bonds in Europe, serving both retail investors and professional clients like wealth managers and family offices with over 550,000 bonds available.
Lesson
When you do business, you follow the opportunity. If the opportunity says that you have to pivot to take company, you follow that one.
Looking for
Fintech investors
F
Ferry Haris
Co-founder · FEHA
FEHA builds a platform and service to help enterprises conduct cybersecurity due diligence on their vendors, monitoring them continuously throughout the year rather than just at onboarding.
Challenge
The biggest challenge is how to convince the enterprise to work with smaller company. When they see a company with only 18 people, they question whether it will survive the next year, even though the product works and the team is capable.
Lesson
When you do business you follow the opportunity. If the opportunity says that you have to go pivot to tech company you follow that one. It takes time—you have to be patient as a founder and your team have to be patient, but at the same time you have to be very disciplined with your money.
Looking for
500+ FTEs companies with manual cybersecurity due diligence
E
Eva Vergles
Representative · Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Germany
Eva supports Dutch startups and scaleups on the German market by providing information, organizing events for them to present solutions, and facilitating network connections and contacts.
Lesson
It has to be a product market fit. Just because your product was successful in the Netherlands doesn't mean it's going to be successful in Germany. It takes a little bit longer to establish business relationships on the German market. You have to be a bit more patient.
S
Sylvia Vogel
Representative · Enterprise Europe Network
The Enterprise Europe Network is a European Commission-funded project that helps startups go international, find funding, and connect with international partners through local business networks across Europe and beyond.
Challenge
A common challenge that startups face when they decide to go international is that they just don't know where to start. They don't have the information, they don't have the network.
V
Victor Pascual Lopez
Founder · Cosmikal
Builds cybersecurity decoupling solutions listed in the NATO and CENTRO NACIONAL DE INTELIGENCIA (CNI) catalogues.
Looking for
International distribution partners
A
Ardavan Nawaby
Representative · E-MetroTel
E-MetroTel provides integrated and reliable telecommunications infrastructure and services, including voice, video, and messaging, with vertically integrated hardware, cloud services, and on-premise solutions for customers requiring high security and privacy.
Challenge
Our biggest challenge is sales and marketing to make sure the word gets out. When we talk to the customer 95% of the time we get the business, they understand the value that we bring to the table. So it's really access to the market.
Lesson
Not giving up, the learning, having a vision. You have to have a vision without a vision you know somebody once upon a time said if there is a ship leaving the shore if the ship doesn't know where it's going it's going to go into circle you need to know where you're going so then you can build based on on on that.
Looking for
Companies that need a full telecommunications service
G
Gera Avagyan
Founder · TAOS
TAOS builds a metabolic risk platform that uses statistical models to predict diabetes risk, providing a web portal and app for specialists, doctors, and patients to monitor and manage metabolic syndrome.
Lesson
Fast revenue, work fast, doing fast and talking fast, learn fast is so very important.
Looking for
European distribution partners
I
Ibrahim Mohamed
Representative · HEX20
HEX20 is a private space company that manufactures CubeSats, MicroSats, and satellite buses for space missions, including components for multi-asteroid exploration missions.
Challenge
One of the main challenges is scaling up, especially when you want to scale up into different countries that now you're facing a lot of regulations as well as some kind of restrictions on communication because you have to communicate with the satellites themselves.
Lesson
Never stop building. You will fail all the time. We're currently failing in our designs, but this is part of the process and you have to just refine it, refine it, refine it until you become successful.
Looking for
Companies that make space modules
N
Nassima Ferahtia
Representative · European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA)
The European Innovation Council is an initiative from the European Commission under Horizon Europe that funds, develops, and scales breakthrough innovations in Europe through grants up to 4 million euros and equity investments up to 30 million euros.
Lesson
If you are a founder, you absolutely have to look at what is the EIC. If you have a breakthrough technology, it's your chance. For investors, come and invest with the EIC because we are derisking your operation. For corporates, if you have a challenge, look at amazing companies and solutions that we have in our portfolio.
J
Josefiina Latvanen
Representative · SemiQon
SemiQon is a quantum hardware startup from Finland that builds cryogenic CMOS chips capable of operating at the extremely low temperatures required by quantum computers, replacing the need for complex room temperature electronics.
Challenge
From the marketing side, we are still a small company so we want to increase our awareness. Another common challenge within this industry is talent—quantum and semiconductors require quite niche expertise so finding the correct talent is always a challenge.
Lesson
Working with marketing in deep tech is super fascinating and interesting and you learn something new every day because you work with such a talented team. The importance of explaining something complex in a way that it's easy to understand is always a challenge but really important.
Looking for
Quantum computers manufacturers and system integrators
K
Kai Leuze
Representative · inMotion Robotic
inMotion Robotic builds autonomous robots for inspection and security operations in hazardous environments, equipped with AI to understand situations, trigger alarms, and operate without constant operator intervention.
Challenge
The challenges of the company is always how to grow faster, how to scale faster and how to keep the advantage and the edge.
Conversation
Conversation
Recap
