Founded in 1999 with the collaboration of the European Commission, the European Trade Association of Business Angels (EBAN) joins the World Congress of Angel Investors with a strong delegation led by Peter Cowley, President of EBAN. This year’s EBAN delegation includes two Emeritus Presidents and 9 board members. Its quarterly board meeting will be held at the 2019 World Congress of Angel Investors in Istanbul.
Often referred to as the Davos of the early and post-early equity investment and capital markets of the world, the World Congress of Angel Investors is affiliated with the G20 Global Partnership Financial Inclusion (GPFI). The theme of this year’s event is ‘Connecting Private Equity Funds with Angel Investors to Ease Access to Second and Further Rounds of Investment’. Presidents of two countries, three prime ministers, and 12 ministers from nine countries have already confirmed their participation. Also joining the Congress are more than 1,000 angel investors, VCs, private equity fund managers, stock exchange executives, delegations of investment agencies, chamber of commerce representatives, bank executives, policymakers, co-investment fund managers, executives of global business angel networks and VCs. Additionally, 66 startups will be featured on the Global Fundraising Stage on 19 February 2019. The World Excellence Awards the Congress will salute the outstanding successes of 2018.
The European Trade Association of Business Angels (EBAN) is the European Confederation of Angel Investing, representing the business angel federations and trade associations in Europe. EBAN brings together the most active and developed countries operating in the angel market in Europe.
Established in 1999 by a group of pioneer angel networks in Europe and with the collaboration of the European Commission and EURADA, EBAN represents a sector that expects to invest an estimated €11.4 billion a year. It plays a vital role in Europe’s future, notably in the funding of SMEs. EBAN fuels Europe’s growth through the creation of wealth and jobs. EBAN is the voice of angel investing in Europe.
EBAN Delegation to the 2019 World Congress of Angel Investors:
- Candace Johnson, Emeritus President EBAN, France
- Peter Jungen, Emeritus President EBAN, Germany
- Peter Cowley, President EBAN, UK
- Baybars Altuntas, Vice President EBAN, Turkey
- Marcel Dridje, Board Member EBAN, France
- Panayiotis Ketikidis, Board Member EBAN, Greece
- Robert Lugowski, Board Member EBAN, Poland
- Michael O’Connor, Board Member EBAN, Ireland
- Selma Prodanovic, Board Member EBAN, Austria
- Vitaly Polekhin, Board Member EBAN, Russia
- Ian Sosso, Board Member EBAN, Monaco
- Albert Colomer, Board Member EBAN, Spain
About the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF)
An affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) is an international organisation aiming to ease access to finance for businesses from start-up to scale-up, with the ultimate goal of generating more jobs and more social justice worldwide. It is committed to collaborating globally to empower world economic development by creating innovative financial instruments for innovators, start-ups, and SMEs. The Forum interacts with leaders in all areas of society, first and foremost in business and political spheres, to help assess needs and establish goals, bearing in mind that the public interest is of paramount importance. WBAF engages a wide range of institutions, both public and private, local and international, commercial and academic to help shape the global agenda.
About GPFI
The Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) is an inclusive platform for all G20 countries, interested non-G20 countries, and relevant stakeholders to carry forward work on financial inclusion, including implementation of the G20 Financial Inclusion Action Plan endorsed at the G20 Summit in Seoul. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands is the Honorary Patron of the GPFI.
