20 September 2023
Budapest
Highlights:
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# Best practices: how to scale and grow beyond CEE
# VCs and founders about the challenges of scaling
# Founders and investors of successful scaleups
# Scaling globally from CEE - lessons about market entry
# Sales, marketing, HR challenges of scaling
# Tech exits
# Workshops and main stage programs
Who is it for?
For startups, scaleups
- building a business, aspiring to become a regional or even global key player
- raising / planned to raise capital and eager to meet regional and international VC investors
- striving for true, first-hand experience, learnings and insights
- happy to meet fellow founders to exchange learnings on struggling issues, and find cooperation opportunities
- with the intention to share their pitch decks with the investor guests and speakers and have the opportunity of networking with them
For VC / PE investors
- looking for talented teams, exciting tech companies from the region to invest
- looking for best practices, case studies from the international playground
- to get insights about the latest global VC/PE trends
- interested in how and when to compete with VCs in CEE or from the US
- to build their network with international investors
- interested in the full landscape of the regional VC/PE industry, wanted to get the most of their stay in Budapest
For corporates
- interested in the vibrant startup, scaleup hot scene
- learning about how talented teams disrupt the whole industry
- looking for innovative startups, scaleups for partnering
- looking for talented teams, exciting tech companies from the region to invest / buy
… and for other ecosystem players, interested in what is happening in the VC, startup, scaleup ecosystems in the region.
More about pitch deck sharing and invite-only networking program
If you are a startup / scaleup, looking for an investor, you will have the opportunity to share your pitch deck with our investor guests. If any (or more) of them are interested, you will get an exclusive invitation to our investor networking program where you can connect and make an impact – in person, in an informal atmosphere.
This opportunity is available for startup / scaleup attendees only!
How to apply?
- Please indicate your intention during the registration and ticket purchase phase
- Once your ticket purchase is completed and your deck is ready to upload, visit back and click the button “pitch deck upload” below. Prepare your individual ticket purchase order ID (format is: TN/yyyyyy/2022/xxxxx), you need it to identify your ticket purchase. You can find it in your auto confirmation email got from the sender „The ScaleupFest 2022”. You can also find it if you log in your TicketNinja account and check your orders
- Complete the form to upload your deck
- Your pitch deck should be no longer than max. 5-15 slides. No one pagers are accepted!
- Please make sure your upload will be fully completed until 28 September 2022 (incl.) latest
- All pitch decks uploaded will be shared with the investor guests right after the upload deadline expired. Investors have the opportunity to screen all the decks and select those projects they are interested in. We can’t guarantee that all the investors will check all the pitch decks and select at least one of them, either. Thank you for your understanding!
- We will contact you in e-mail 1-2 days before the event if your pitch deck raised interest, and come up with your personal invitation to the invite-only investor networking program
- Please note: there will be no formal 1-on-1 meeting arrangements!
The ScaleupFest 2022 in statistics
VCs and PEs we proudly hosted so far
Date, draft timing, venue in 2023
- Date: Wednesday, 20th September 2023
- Time: 12.00 – 9.00 PM
- Buffet lunch: 12.30 – 2.00 PM
- Invite-only investor networking: from 2.00
- Workshops: 2.00 – 3.30 PM
- Main stage programs: from 4.00 PM
- Venue: Akvárium Klub
- Address: H-1051 Erzsébet tér 12.
- Official language: English
Recommended partner programs:
- AngelFest: 20th September, 9 AM – 12.30 PM, same venue
- HVCA Annual Investment Conference: 21st September, Hotel Marriott
What you can expect in 2023 at The ScaleupFest
- Startups / scaleups registering to the event have the opportunity to share their pitchdeck with the investors invited. In case of raising interest, they get an invitation to the private investor networking (informal, no pitching)
- Approx. 1-1,5 hours invite-only investor networking with the participation of investor speakers, partners and selected startups/scaleups based on their pitchdecks
- 1,5 hours workshops at 2-3 stages, topics built around specific investment and scaling issues (e.g. sales & marketing, HR, finance, legal, etc.)
- Approx. 2 hours main stage program after the workshops, built on presentations and panel discussions
- Informal networking opportunity with guests and attendees
Are you interested in last events’ program, topics, speakers or video releases?
Visit The ScaleupFest 2020 or The ScaleupFest 2022
Make the most out of your stay in Budapest!
The ScaleupFest delivers you even more opportunity to get to know about the full investment landscape of the region, meet relevant ecosystem players and exchange experience / best practice from the CEE region and Europe by cooperating with partner events around the date & time of The ScaleupFest. By joining The ScaleupFest, you also have the opportunity to:
- attend and build your network at the AngelFest, the regional event of angels, early stage investors and startups (morning of 20th September, same venue)
- take our special offer and attend the Annual Investment Conference of HVCA (Hungarian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association), the regional summit of the VC/PE industry (the next day, 21st of September)
Details are coming soon!
Last year’s agenda of both partner events are available: The AngelFest, HVCA Annual Investment Conference
Program and topics
12:30 – 14:00
Buffet Lunch
Informal business and networking lunch in the Lobby with The ScaleupFest and The AngelFest speakers and investors.
Limited access – open only for attendees with Buffet Lunch ticket options!
13:15 – 14:15
Invite-only investor networking
Private networking event-in-event for startups whose pitch deck raised interest among the investors, guest speakers of the event and other VC/PE investors based on individual invitation.
14:30 – 14:40
Greetings and Opening
- Lénárd Horgos – partner – Absolvo, host of the event
- Peter Kolesár – partner – CIVITTA Slovakia, co-founder of Challenger Accelerator, co-host of the event
- Péter Csillag – president – Hungarian Business Angel Network (HunBan)
14:40 – 14:55
Current shape of regional VC market and funding climate out to 2023
– Total VC inflows and availability of venture capital in Europe / CEE
– How the startup fundraising climate changed since 2021 and what VCs currently look for
– Outlook for 2023
- Andrea Lauren – investment partner – Rockaway Capital
14:55 – 15:20
IP issues in deals
The role of IP in tech deals, VC investments and exits. What do VCs / strategic investors / buyers check on IP rights before they invest? The most common gaps, critical issues and their consequences. What to cover / fix before a deal, are there any quick wins? Experience & learnings from all perspectives – legal, VC, PE and founder
Panel discussion with:
- Jakub Krajčovič – investment manager – Sandberg Capital
- Ádám Simon – associate – Bird & Bird Law Firm
- István Lám – co-founder, CEO – Tresorit
Moderated by Pál Szabó – partner, Bird & Bird Law Firm
15:20 – 15:50
Case studies: Scaling globally from CEE/SEE region – lessons about market entry
Case study 1: Expanding a business from Rijeka to 15+ countries worldwide
Andrija “Andy” Colak has built his very “ordinary” business of selling french fries from Rijeka to a truly global business. This is not a software business – how to scale a business when you have tangible products? Challenges and learnings of his story.
Case study 2: The scaling / expansion story of the marketplace company Material Exchange
- Andrija Čolak – founder, CEO – Surf ‘n’ Fries
- Darren Glenister – co-founder, CEO – Material Exchange
Moderated by Csaba Kákosy – managing partner, Day One Capital
15:50 – 16:20
HR challenges at fast growing scaleups
Recruiting the best talents at different level of scaling. Building an international team, issue of remote / hybrid offices. Team / management / HR / recruitment – what VCs expect in later stage (Series A/B/C,..) funding rounds.
Renumeration / compensation alternatives, ESOP, motivation schemes, etc. as tools of competitive offering.
First-hand experience of:
- István Csanády – founder, CEO – Shapr3D
- András Tessényi – founder, CEO – Supercharge
- Zsolt Weiszbart – partner – Day One Capital
Moderated by Gergely Tóth – founder of HR Fest
16:20 – 16:30
Disrupting an old-fashioned industry
Challenges of scaling when you have a hardware (container).
First-hand experience of:
- Vidor Kis-Márton – co-owner, CEO – Continest Technologies
16:30 – 16:50
Speedinvest: What we learned from 400 investments about scaling and what we expect in the coming years
Challenges and opportunities of entering global markets with CEE roots. Why does one company succeed over an other? What makes a company truly global?
Lessons learned from ~400 VC investments and scaling stories.
- Jon Butterfield – head of Platform & Growth – Speedinvest
16:50 – 17:20
Break, networking, snacks served
17:20 – 17:40
Americanizing a company
Expanding to the US from CEE – who is it for?
Entering the US market – new dimension of competition, sales & marketing challenges, do’s and don’ts.
What 500 Startups’ CEE portfolio companies experienced during US market development and fundraising.
- Enis Hulli – general partner – 500 Startups (Istanbul)
17:40 – 18:10
VC assessment demystified
In Series A and later rounds, metrics and “pure maths” are getting more and more importance / focus in investment decisions. What and how do VCs assess a scaleup, an investment opportunity?
Panel discussion with:
- Karol Szubstarski – investment director – OTB Ventures
- Márton Medveczky – investment director – Flashpoint Venture Capital
- Nadia Lazarova – associate – Molten Ventures
- Márk Pálfalvi – principal – PortfoLion
18:10 – 18:40
Scaling challenges from the CFO perspective
Fundraising, revenue and burn management, unit economics, efficiency.
- János Mátyásfalvi – CFO – SEON
- Márton Heves – CFO – Supercharge
- Guillaume Fournier – partner – Credo Ventures
Moderated by Zoltán Györkő – co-founder, ex-CEO of BalaBit IT Security, member of HunBan
18:40 – 19:10
Tech exits
Startups / scaleups and their investors at one point in the future needs an exit. This can be a full exit to a strategic investor, or a PE can make a majority buyout (and then later an IPO).
Strategic buyers vs. private equity – when and which one can be the right fit for companies in tech segments?
Experienced tech-focused international investors and successfully exited tech companies share their experience and insights.
Panel discussion with:
- Jiří Beneš – managing partner – Genesis Growth Equity Fund
- Dušan Zábrodský – investment partner – Rockaway Capital
- András Molnár – CEO – PortfoLion Capital Partners
Moderated by Lénárd Horgos – partner, Absolvo
19:10 – 19:35
Fake pitch – everything you can screw up
We will demonstrate a (fake) pitch to a circle of international VCs, full of typical mistakes on purpose.
VCs will give a prompt feedback, share their pros and cons upfront.
- Dénes Csiszár – co-founder – Fanatic 5 Solutions, former GM of JayStack, board member of HunBan
- Łukasz Trojan – senior associate – ff Venture Capital
- Federico Rota Candiani – associate – 3VC
- Péter Balogh – tech angel investor, co-CEO of Baconsult
19:35 – 21:05
Networking
Meet the speakers of The ScaleupFest 2022
Enis Hulli
general partner
500 Emerging Europe
Jon Butterfield
head of Platform & Growth
Speedinvest
Andrea Lauren
investment partner
Rockaway Capital
Jiří Beneš
managing partner
Genesis Growth Equity Fund
president of CVCA
Jakub Krajčovič
investment manager
Sandberg Capital
Dušan Zábrodský
investment partner
Rockaway Capital
Łukasz Trojan
senior associate
ff Venture Capital
Nadia Lazarova
associate
Molten Ventures
Karol Szubstarski
investment director
OTB Ventures
Federico Rota Candiani
associate
3VC
Ticket purchase
Ticket purchase platform is operated by TicketNinja, secure payment gateway is provided by OTP SimplePay.
Once you selected your ticket and added to your cart, you will be navigated to TicketNinja’s platform to create your registration and proceed with your payment.
You need to make a simple registration (name, e-mail address password) into the TicketNinja system first and complete your billing information before you pay. Payment is possible by credit cards only.
Coupons provide discounts off the regular ticket options.
More about the ticket purchase process and coupon validation
Once you selected your ticket and added to your cart, you will be navigated to TicketNinja’s platform to create your registration and proceed with your payment.
You need to make a simple registration (name, e-mail address password) into the TicketNinja system first and complete your billing information before you pay. Payment is possible by credit cards only.
If you already have a TicketNinja account, you just simply need to check in to start the purchase process. Please check your billing details and update them if necessary!
Coupons provide discounts off the regular ticket options. Type your code in the “coupon code” area, check-in your coupon, your discounted ticket price will appear on the top area of the ticket.
Do you face any problem with code check-in or ticket purchase? Please e-mail to zs.szlavy@absolvo.hu, let’s fix it together!
Special offers for partner events
Our partner events, The AngelFest (in the morning of 6th October at the same venue) and HVCA Annual Investment Conference next day, 7th of October offers discount options on their regular ticket prices for the participants of TheScaleupFest:
- The AngelFest provides you 50% off if you buy any of the buffet lunch ticket options for The ScaleupFest event. Please note: sale of buffet lunch ticket options ends on 3 October.
- HVCA Annual Investment Conference offers you 30% off in case of purchasing any of the ticket options for The ScaleupFest until 3 October.
If you are interested in joining any or both of the events, please indicate your intention on the registration form! Codes entitling you to take our partners’ discounts incl. further information and instructions will be sent you in a private email once you closed the ticket purchase transaction for TheScaleupFest event.
What our guests say about the event
Interviews with guest speakers of The ScaleupFest in 2020, featuring Marcin Hejka – OTB Ventures, Julien Coustaury – Fil Rouge Capital, Colin Snead – Allpacka and Antal Karolyi – HunBan.
Get in the mood!
Feel the vibes, taste the friendly atmosphere you can be part of at our event!
Organized in partnership with:
With the support of:
Any questions? Contact us!
See you soon,
The Organizer team
Any questions? Contact us!
HVCA Investment Conference registration, ticket purchase:
Mr. Zsombor Bozsik
See you soon,
The Organizer team