Danish Entrepreneurs x TechBBQ
Policy Lounge
Join the First-Ever Policy Lounge at TechBBQ Free and Open to All
As Denmark prepares to take on the EU Council Presidency in late 2025, Danish Entrepreneurs and TechBBQ are launching the first-ever Policy Lounge – a full day of high-level dialogue in English between entrepreneurs, investors, EU officials and policymakers on August 27 at Bella Center.
Whether you’re a founder, policymaker, or simply curious, this is your chance to join the conversation shaping Europe’s startup future – for free, and even without a TechBBQ ticket. If you already have a TechBBQ pass, you can access the Policy Lounge directly from the exhibition area. If you’re joining from outside, you can enter via Martha Christensens Vej 16.
All sessions are in English and designed to ensure policy enables – not hinders – Europe’s entrepreneurial ambition.
Policy Lounge Program
The Policy Lounge consist of 2 big rooms. One for roundtable discussions, panels, fireside chats, and the second room for informal meetups and networking with decision-makers, entrepreneurs, investors, MEPs, EU officials, and policy leaders.
09:00 - 09:10 Opening Remarks & Setting the Stage
Introduced by the day’s host and Chairman of Danish Entrepreneurs, Peter Kofler.
09:10 - 09:40 Fireside Chat with Caroline Stage, the Danish Minister for Digitalisation
In a conversation with Simone Skovshoved from Danish Entrepreneurs, Danish Minister for Digitalisation, Caroline Stage, shares her perspective on the Danish EU Presidency and the pivotal role startups play in strengthening innovation and unlocking new opportunities across Europe.
09:40 - 10:30 Panel: Discover the 28th regime with Members of the EU Parliament
This panel will explore how a unified European regulatory framework can break down barriers in the EU Single Market. The discussion will focus on how addressing fragmentation can help startups and scaleups access capital, expand into new markets, and drive growth across Europe.
Panelists:
– Arba Kokalari, Member of European Parliament, EPP
– Kira Marie Peter-Hansen, Member of European Parliament, Greens/EFA
– Morten Løkkegaard, Member of European Parliament, Renew
– Niels-Flemming Hansen, Member of European Parliament, EPP
– Simon Schaefer, Founder of EU INC & President, Allied for Startups
10:40 - 11:30 Panel: Fueling Inclusive Entrepreneurship Through Digitalisation & AI
This panel will bring together female policymakers, investors, and founders to explore how we can build a more inclusive entrepreneurial landscape in Europe and how this ties into EU competitiveness, scale-ups, and digitalisation.
Panelists:
– Samantha Niblett, Member of The British Labour Party.
– Arba Kokalari, Member of Parliament, EPP
– Gulfem Toygar, Country Manager SWE & EU Export/Expansion, Amazon
– Frederikke Antonie Schmidt, Founder, Roccamore
– Kaisa Piasecki, Founder & Managing Director of European Women in VC
– Carolina Rossi, Head of Network & Strategic Initiatives, ESNA
11:40 - 12:00 Data & Insights – The State of European Entrepreneurship
This session will dive into the latest data and trends shaping Europe’s startup and innovation landscape.
Panelists:
– Peter van Sabben, CMO, Dealroom
12:10 - 13:00 Lunch Break
13:10 - 13:40 Keynote and Q&A with Marie Bjerre, Minister for European Affairs
In a keynote address, Denmark’s Minister for European Affairs, Marie Bjerre, will outline the Danish EU Presidency’s vision, the government’s priorities for strengthening European competitiveness, and its ambitions for the innovation agenda in the coming six months.
Following the keynote, the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage directly with the Minister.
The keynote is presented by Nikolaj Juncher Wædegaard, Senior Vice President at the Danish Chamber of Commerce.
13:50 - 14:40 Panel: Building Data Foundations for Europe's Startup & Scaleup goals
Turning Europe’s Startup and Scaleup Strategy into real-world impact depends on robust, comparable data. This panel explores how Member States like Portugal and Sweden are building national data systems to support smarter, evidence-based policymaking. With stronger data infrastructure, EU-wide coordination and effective resource allocation become possible. The session highlights how data can serve as a shared foundation for governments and ecosystem actors to advance Europe’s startup ambitions.
Panelists:
– Stina Lantz, CEO Swedish Incubators & Science Parks
– Peter van Sabben, CMO, Dealroom
– Karin Ebbinghaus, CEO & Co-founder Elonroad
– Arthur Casper Storm Teglbjærg, CEO & Co-founder, SPAAK
– João Silva, Head of Data & Tech and Public Policies, Startup Portugal
14:50 - 15:10 Networking & refreshments
15:25 - 15:40 Fireside Chat with Mia Wagner, mentor and investor
15:40 - 15:50 Innovation talk with Lucien Burm, President of Dutch Startup Association, Board Member of Allied for Startups, and Founder of Prompting Europe.
15:50 - 16:20 Startup Planet – Copenhagen in Europe’s Innovation Race
Panelists:
– Joakim Brunchmann, CEO and co-founder, Pluto Markets
– Livia Dolle, Tech entrepreneur and investor
– Kasper Simonsen, Founder of wayfare.ai & manager of BASE life science
Veronica D’Souza, Moderator
16:30 - 17:30 Panel: Copenhagen's Future – Mayoral Candidates Debate Innovation
As the municipal election approaches, top candidates for Mayor of Copenhagen meet to debate how the city can strengthen its position as a European frontrunner for innovation.
Panelists:
– Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil, Lead candidate for Lord Mayor of Copenhagen
– Line Barfod, Technical and Environmental Mayor of Copenhagen
– Jakob Næsager, Mayor of Children and Youth in Copenhagen
– Jens Kristian Lütken, Mayor for Employment and Integration in Copenhagen
– Christopher Røhl, Member of the Copenhagen City Council
Veronica D’Souza, Moderator
Please note that this panel is in Danish
17:30 - 18:30 Final Reflections & Networking
Wrapping up the day’s discussions with key takeaways and insights, followed by an opportunity to connect and network with fellow entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and ecosystem leaders
The speakers
Simon Schaefer
President, Allied for Startups
Simon Schaefer is the co-founder of EU INC, a pan-European initiative aiming to create a single, unified legal framework for startups across the EU, addressing the fragmentation and regulatory burdens that hinder innovation. He wants to bolster the ecosystem.
Caroline Stage
Minister for Digitalisation
Caroline Stage is the Minister of Digital Affairs since 2024. Her primary focus is on digital infrastructure and public innovation. Caroline Stage has previously served on the Copenhagen City Council.
Marie Bjerre
Minister for European Affairs
Marie Bjerre is a member of the Danish Liberal Party, and has been the Minister for European Affairs since 2024, which means she is the government’s lead figure regarding the Danish EU-Presidency. Before being appointed to that role, she was the Minister for Digitalisation. She has been a member of the Danish Parliament since 2019.
Arba Kokalari
Member of the European Parliament, EPP
Arba Kokalari is a Member of the European Parliament since 2019, serving in the committees on internal market, economic affairs, employment and gender equality. Her main priorities are digitalisation, tech, circular economy, regulation that fosters innovation.
Morten Løkkegaard
Member of European Parliament, Renew
Morten Løkkegaard is a Member of the European Parliament since 2009, serving in the committees on internal markets, economic affairs, industry and energy. His main focus is to secure our future prosperity and growth, by strengthening the market.
Niels Flemming Hansen
Member of European Parliament, EPP
Niels Flemming Hansen is Member of the European Parliament since 2024. His primary focus is on business and SMEs. Niels Flemming has firsthand experience leading an SME himself. He has served in the Danish Parliament as well.
Kira Marie Peter-Hansen
Member of European Parliament, Greens/EFA
Kira Marie Peter-Hansen is a Member of the European Parliament since 2019, serving in the committees on taxation, economic affairs, justice, industry and energy. Her main focus is to create a sustainable future for all Europeans.
Samantha Niblett
Member of British Parliament, Labour Party
Samantha Niblett is the Labour Member of Parliament for South Derbyshire, and founder of Labour: Women in Tech.
Now a leading voice on gender equity and tech in the House of Commons, Samantha combines 20+ years of experience in the data and technology sector.
Mia Wagner
Investor and mentor
Mia Wagner is a mentor, former CEO, and investor with a background in law and entrepreneurship. She is widely as a strong advocate for inclusive business and female founders. With experience from both the legal world and the startup scene, Mia brings a unique perspective on inclusive growth, structural barriers and purpose-driven entrepreneurship.
Peter Kofler
Chairman, Danish Entrepreneurs
Peter Kofler is the chairman of Danish Entrepreneurs and is a vocal advocate for startup-friendly policies with more than 20 years of experience supporting early-stage founders.
Peter van Sabben
CMO, Dealroom
Peter van Sabben is Chief Marketing Officer at Dealroom and a seasoned startup leader with deep expertise in go-to-market strategy, growth, and digital innovation. As co-founder of Growth Tribe, he has helped over 38,000 individuals and 1,000 organisations upskill for the digital economy.
Kasia Piasecki
Founder & Managing Director of European Women in VC
Kasia is Managing Director of European Women in VC, the largest community of female venture capital and growth investors across Europe, and a partner at Bootstrap 4F, a female-focused fund of funds. Named one of Forbes’ Top 10 “Women of the Year” in 2024.
Gulfem Toygar
Country Manager Sweden & EU Export/Expansion
Gulfem Toygar, has been at the forefront of Amazon’s journey to establish a foothold in the Sweden. Since its launch in 2020, Amazon.se has steadily evolved, expanding its product range and enhancing services like Prime.
Frederikke Antonie Schmidt
Founder, Roccamore
Frederikke Antonie Schmidt has founded roccamore with a mission to make more women stand strong and take their place in the world. Roccamore launched in December 2014 with an online Crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter and sold 306 pairs of shoes. Today, Roccamore sells around 30,000 pairs of shoes annually
Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil
Lead candidate for Lord Mayor of Copenhagen
Pernille previously served in the Danish Parliament for the Red-Green Alliance and later the Social Democrats (2001–2007; 2011–2024), where she held office as Minister for Children and Education (2019–2022) and Minister for Social Affairs and Housing (2022–2024). Today, she is the Social Democratic lead candidate for the 2025 Copenhagen municipal election and running to become Lord Mayor of Copenhagen.
Line Barfod
Technical and Environmental Mayor of Copenhagen
Line previously served in the Danish Parliament for the Red-Green Alliance (2001–2011), where she was also legal spokesperson and chaired several inquiries on civil rights and democratic oversight.
Today, she is the Technical and Environmental Mayor of Copenhagen and the Red-Green Alliance’s lead candidate for the 2025 municipal election, where she is also contesting the position of Lord Mayor.
Jakob Næsager
Mayor of Children and Youth in Copenhagen
Jakob previously served as senior legal advisor and civil servant before entering politics as a city councillor for the Conservative Party in 2009.
Today, he is Mayor of Children and Youth in Copenhagen and the Conservatives’ lead candidate for the 2025 municipal election, where he is also running for the position of Lord Mayor.
Jens Kristian Lütken
Mayor for Employment and Integration in Copenhagen
Jens-Kristian has served as a member of the Copenhagen City Council since 2014 and currently holds the position of Mayor for Employment and Integration.
He is the lead candidate for the Liberal Party (Venstre) in the 2025 municipal election, where he is also running for Lord Mayor of Copenhagen.
Christopher Røhl
Member of the Copenhagen City Council
Christopher holds a PhD in physics and previously conducted nanotechnology research at Lund University and the Technical University of Denmark.
Today, he is a member of the Copenhagen City Council and lead candidate for the Social Liberal Party (Radikale Venstre) in the 2025 municipal election.
Lucien Burm
President, Dutch Startup Association. Board, Allied for Startups. Founder, Prompting Europe.
Lucien was CEO and cofounder of Nine Connections, a Dutch Artificial Intelligence company. Now, as a Chairman of the board of the Dutch Startup Association, he will help make the Netherlands the #1 startup state of Europe. His drive for improving the Dutch startup ecosystem was first shown by him organizing the first Amsterdam Startup Week in 2013.
João Silva
Head of Data & Tech and Public Policies
Joao leads the data and technology initiatives at Startup Portugal, where his focus is on crafting public policies that bolster the entrepreneurial ecosystem. He bridges the gap between technology and data insights, fostering an environment conducive to startup success.
Carolina Rossi
Head of Network & Strategic Initiatives at Europe Startup Nations Alliance
Carolina Rossi has +15 years of experience in identifying gaps to support high-potential start-ups and policy making. She has a deep understanding of trends in the tech sector. Her mission is to help businesses find the missing pieces in their puzzle and provide them with the right framework for growth.
Stina Lantz
CEO Swedish Incubators & Science Parks
Stina Lantz is CEO of Swedish Incubators & Science Parks (SISP) where she leads Sweden’s national network of incubators and science parks to support startups through collaboration across academia, industry, and government. She is a co-founder of Ignite Sweden, where she has worked with 1,300+ startups to establish commercial collaborations.
Veronica D'Souza
Moderator, entrepreneur and advisor
Veronica D’Souza is a social entrepreneur working to drive inclusive, sustainable innovation. She founded the award-winning fashion brand CARCEL. As founder of GEIST Agency, she advises companies on impact strategy, communication, and growth. With a background in international business and social entrepreneurship, she brings 15 years of global experience across sectors and continents.
Arthur Casper Storm Teglbjærg
CEO & Co-founder of Spaak
Arthur Teglbjærg is the CEO and Co-Founder of Spaak Technologies, which has raised +€1,5m from Nordic VCs to build an AI-assistant that makes politics accessible to everyone, helping companies unlock the power of democracy. Currently, Spaak’s focus is set on the EU, where many companies find the complexity of European politics bureaucratic, rather than transparent and beneficial.
Joakim Bruchmann
CEO and co-founder of Pluto.markets
Joakim Bruchmann is the CEO and co-founder of Pluto.markets, a commission-free investment platform backed by Y-Combinator, 6 unicorn founders and leading VCs.
Joakim is an economist, ex-Goldman Sachs Trader and ex rapper who also helped organise TechBBQ as part of their advisory board and plays a central role in the Copenhagen Start up ecosystem.
Karin Ebbinghaus
CEO and Co-founder of Elonroad
With a background in M&A law and venture investment, Karin transitioned to lead Elonroad in 2020. Under her leadership, the company partners with urban and logistics operators to pilot scalable infrastructure across Sweden and Europe. Driven by a passion for impactful innovation, she is committed to transforming sustainable transport.
Kasper Simonsen
Founder of wayfare.ai & Manager of BASE life science
Kasper Simonsen is the founder and CEO of Wayfare.ai. Wayfare was recently acquired by BASE life science, marking an exciting new chapter in their mission to remove technical barriers and make data work more intuitive, secure, and impactful. Kasper is a passionate advocate for making enterprise tech both more human and more accessible.
Livia Dolle
Tech entrepreneur and investor
Livia Dolle is a tech entrepreneur and investor, currently building AI tools designed for off-grid communities. With experience from both Berlin and Copenhagen, she actively champions Copenhagen’s potential as a global startup hub, driven by a strong belief in the city’s untapped long-term opportunities.
Nikolaj Juncher Wædegaard
Senior Vice President, Danish Chamber of Commerce
Nikolaj is a policy strategist, creative innovator and experienced manager. He is serving as SVP of International Affairs & Digital Policy at the Danish Chamber of Commerce. Earlier roles include being Chief of Staff of Microsoft European Government Affairs & Sr. Director for Strategy & Planning. Before that Denmark’s Deputy Tech Ambassador and Head of Secretariat.
What to expect
Join Danish Entrepreneurs at Tech BBQ
This is your chance to be part of one of the key political moments for the European startup ecosystem in 2025, and we can’t wait to hear your thoughts.
Partners
