Techarena, touted as one of Europe’s fastest-growing platforms for founders and innovation, has raised €1 million in fresh funding from BackingMinds, the Stockholm-based venture firm known for investing beyond the traditional VC radar including Uniqkey and Nitrovolt recently.
The strategic investment will help Techarena as it looks to scale its programs, events, and startup-facing initiatives across Europe, building on three years of growth. Since 2022, the company informs to have grown revenue by 600% and brought together over 18,000 founders, investors, and business leaders in the past 12 months alone.
Founded by entrepreneurs Susanne Najafi and Sara Wimmercranz, the investment reflects a shared mission: to democratise access to networks and capital, especially for entrepreneurs often left out of the mainstream funding narrative.
“Europe stands at a critical inflection point for innovation,” Najafi said. “In times of uncertainty, platforms like Techarena are essential for building economic resilience through entrepreneurship.”
Wimmercranz added, “In a digital-first world, physical spaces for connection, debate, and collaboration are more valuable than ever. Techarena creates that rare intersection, where real momentum happens.”
From Stockholm to the world
Founded in 2014, Techarena has grown from a Nordic tech showcase into a pan-European ecosystem enabler. Its events include Techarena Challenge, TOP46, and Time to Raise – bring together founders, investors, corporates, and policymakers from over 120 countries. The stage has hosted thought leaders like Steve Wozniak, Sir Richard Branson, Al Gore, and NASA astronaut Jessica Meir.
For founder and CEO Omid Ekhlasi, the partnership with BackingMinds is both strategic and deeply personal. “I’ve known Susanne and Sara for years and always admired how they challenge the status quo,” Ekhlasi said. “This is more than capital, it’s aligned vision. Together, we’ll scale Techarena into the ultimate platform for European entrepreneurship.”
A €124B market in motion
The investment comes at a time when Europe’s business innovation platforms are gaining traction. The market is projected to reach $124 billion by 2030, driven by increasing demand for cross-border visibility, ecosystem collaboration, and startup-scaleup mobility.
With the investment, Techarena will double down on building a robust innovation infrastructure, connecting next-gen founders with policy leaders, VCs, and global operators to spark sustainable growth.
