Investors Business Conference
Join the most edgy investment conference where we cultivate knowledge,
foster connections and praise great investments.
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Program

ABOUT THE INVESTORS EDGE CONFERENCE

In investing, success rarely comes from chance. It comes from having an edge.

An investment edge is the advantage that allows investors to consistently make better decisions, identify opportunities earlier and create stronger returns over time. While the idea sounds simple, building the right environment where such advantages can emerge is far from easy.

The most successful investors develop their edge through three key dimensions: access to better information, stronger analytical insight and disciplined investment behaviour.

The Investors Edge Conference is designed to bring these advantages together in one place. Through knowledge, cross-border collaboration and meaningful connections, we create the conditions where investors can sharpen their edge and discover new opportunities.

Join us at one of the most dynamic investment gatherings in the region — where ideas, capital and experience meet to shape the next generation of successful investments.

When?
9 -10 June 2026
Where?
EPIC Center, Nova Gorica, Slovenia
Register
Participation is free of charge upon registration.
Due to limited capacity, we recommend securing your spot early.

WHY ATTEND?

Would you like to know why the conference will definitely be worthwhile?

From Local Capital to Global Opportunities.

Finding the next great addition to your investment portfolio is rarely about luck – it’s about being in the right place, surrounded by the right people.

Central and Southeastern Europe are rapidly emerging as a powerful investment landscape. From Slovenia and Italy to the wider region, ambitious founders are building companies with global potential.

The Investors Edge Conference creates the bridges where capital, knowledge and opportunity meet. Investors, entrepreneurs and experts from multiple countries gather in one place to share insights, explore markets and discover new ventures.

Discover new markets. Meet exceptional founders.
Understand the advantages and challenges of investing across different countries.
Find the next opportunity for your portfolio.

Two days of practical knowledge, cross-border insights and carefully curated investment opportunities.

Come and see what’s next.

Reserve your spot – seats are limited.

Register
Participation is free of charge upon registration.
Due to limited capacity, we recommend securing your spot early.

PROGRAM

The Investment Bridges 2026 – From Local Capital to Global Opportunities.

Discover what awaits you at The Investors Edge.
More speakers and sessions will be announced soon.

Tuesday, 9 June

08:00 - 08:45

REGISTRATION

09:00 – 09:30 STRATEGIC OPENING

Where Capital Is Moving Next — And Who Gets Access

Samo Turel,
Mayor of the Municipality of Nova Gorica

09:30 – 10:00

Angel Investing: Your Fastest Entry Into Deal Flow

Dr. Žiga Vavpotič

10:05 – 10:45 PANEL 1 – SLOVENIA Bridge

From Slovenia to Global Deals: What Actually Works – Learning from the Best Expert Advisory Panel

Nina Urbanič, Rui Falcão (panelists)

10:05 – 10:45

SIDE EVENT - Vesna Deep Tech Venture Fund: Expert Advisory Panel

10:45 – 11:15

Coffee Break

11:15 – 12:00 PANEL 2 – MENA Bridge

Cross-Border Investment: Capital Flows Between Europe, MENA, Africa & Georgia 

Magdy Shehata, Thomaz Dominguez, Tarek El Kady, George Simongulashvili, George Simongulashvili (panelists), Dana Al Salem (moderator) 

12:00 – 12:45 PANEL 3 Ecosystem Foundations

What Makes an Investment Ecosystem Actually Work (and Fail)

Jana Budkovskaja

12:45 – 13:45

Investors Lunch

13:45 – 14:15

Deep Tech: Investing Before the Market Exists

Shubber Ali

14:15 – 15:00 PANEL 4 ESG & Impact Investing

Impact Investing: Alpha or Illusion?

Dalibor Marijanović, Caroline Amblard-Sai (panelists)

15:00 – 15:30

Coffee Break

15:30 – 16:15 PANEL 5 Angels & Early Stage VC

What Smart Angels & Early VCs Do Next

Christoph Berndt, Iva Rakočević (panelists), Karlo Kukec (moderator)

16:15 – 16:45 Closing Roundtable - Adriatic Bridge

Building Investment Bridges That Actually Deliver Returns

Regional roundtable with representatives from Albania, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia

17:00 – 17:30

Smuggling tour – Optional Experience

19:00

Exclusive Investors’ Gala Dinner

A limited number of seats available — at Restavracija Tiffany, Hotel Park.

Participation is free of charge upon registration.
Due to limited capacity, we recommend securing your spot early.

Wednesday, 10 June

09:00 – 10:00 WORKSHOPS

Three workshops will run in parallel. Please select your preferred session during registration.

Becoming a Lead Investor – Driving Deals That Win

Guest Expert from Finland - Jana Budkovskaja

This workshop dives into the pivotal role of a lead investor. Learn how to identify high-potential startups, structure deals, manage syndicates and add real strategic value — positioning yourself to lead investments that deliver maximum impact and returns.

Exit – The Real Magic Behind Successful Investments

Maria Carolina Romero

Unlock what truly turns investments into big wins. In this power-packed workshop, discover how to spot exit potential early, amplify valuation and engineer smarter, more profitable exits — because great returns don’t happen by chance.

Is middle management officially obsolete?

The role of AI in management - Darko Butina 

Jack Dorsey (Block) and Roelof Botha (Sequoia Capital) seem to think so. Their latest piece, “From hierarchy to intelligence” (link in comments), resonates with a shift the team has been tracking since 2023 — that AI isn’t just a tool; it’s a structural reset for business, driving complete transformation in how organizations think, decide, and grow. Now it’s time to go from theory to action. They are hosting an interactive workshop to unpack what “from hierarchy to intelligence” means in practice — how leaders can evolve structures, strategies, and mindsets to thrive in the AI era.Join them to explore the next step: executing AI transformation, not just observing it. 

10:00 – 11:30 Adriatic Investors Annual Meetup

Business angels of Slovenia and Adriatic Investors member event only. Interested to become a member? Contact us via info@businessangels.si.

11:30 – 13:00 Cerje, Investors Forest Initiative

Planting the Investors Forest with representatives of the investment bridges and international networks as a symbol of long-term sustainable investment cooperation.

SPEAKERS

SAMO TUREL

Mayor of the Municipality of Nova Gorica
"The Goriška region is a distinctive, open and well-ventilated crossroads, looking both east and west, where cross-border cooperation is part of everyday life. Through the European Capital of Culture project, which Nova Gorica has co-created together with neighbouring Gorizia in Italy, we have gained additional international visibility and strengthened our global promotion. Our region is home to many start-ups and high-tech companies, supported also by the Primorski tehnološki park, and it stands out for its strong infrastructure connectivity and proximity to key centres such as Ljubljana, Trieste, Udine and Venice. We also take pride in our highly educated workforce and strong educational profile. The Municipality of Nova Gorica, in cooperation with other institutions, is systematically building an effective support ecosystem for economic development and new investments. We are open to initiatives from start-ups, companies, club members, international investors and experts and to partnerships that bring knowledge, growth and long-term added value to our area."

ŽIGA VAVPOTIČ

Bora Partners
"Capital is no longer national, it is thematic, strategic, and searching for ecosystems that understand scale. The Investors Edge matters because it connects small but ambitious markets with global capital flows. It reminds us that angel investors are not just early supporters. They are the first institutional mindset in a startup’s journey. If the Adriatic region wants to compete globally, we must build cross-border investment bridges, syndicate more, and act as one interconnected innovation space."

NINA URBANIČ

Slovene Enterprise Fund
“Slovene Enterprise Fund – investing in growth where it matters most.”

SHUBBER ALI

Omnic.ai
“The most transformative technologies don’t follow venture timelines. Deep tech demands patient capital, long horizons, and investors willing to bet on physics before profits.”

CAROLINE AMBLARD-SAI

Angels Santé
"Impact is bigger than a framework— As investors, it’s about what we enable, not just what we measure."

IVA RAKOČEVIĆ

Elevator Ventures
"The Investors Edge is where capital meets conviction before the rest of the market catches up."

WALID O. EL CHEIKH

BSV Ventures
"Coming from the Finnish ecosystem, I’ve seen how trust, resilience and transparency act as the ultimate catalysts for investment returns. I'm here to bring that perspective to the Adriatic Bridge."

KARLO KUKEC

Vesna Deep tech Venture Fund
"In the world of high stakes, a gambler plays the odds, but a smart investor finds the edge. You will sharpen your edge at Investors edge. You can bet on it!"

CHRISTOPH BERNDT

FinanceWise
"Events like The Investors Edge matter — not just because they bring investors together, but because of the conversations that happen in the room. It's not only about how to invest; it's about improving the investing landscape as a whole. That means raising the bar for the startups across the local ecosystems, by asking harder questions, by challenging them more, because they are competing at a global level. And so are we, as investors. The two go hand in hand.”

VINÍCIUS DE THOMAZ DOMINGUES

Desertx^
"Cross-border capital is no longer opportunistic — it’s structural. Europe, MENA, Africa and Eurasian corridors are becoming interdependent capital systems. The Investors Edge is where we move from conversation to coordinated execution."

JANA BUDKOVSKAJA

BSV Ventures
One aware about ecology knows the edge or the boarder of the ecosystem means increase of the diversity and resilinence. Being on the edge we learn from different narratives and experiences, we aquire knowledge from diffent parties and by this excel the interaction with other ecosystems. The Investors Edge is the moment in the time and space where people are open-minded, educative and lean to find innovative solutions.

DARKO BUTINA

Reliabl.it
"Silicon Valley can learn from others!"

KEITH WALLACE

Hivos Impact Investments
"It’s rare that one fully looks forward to an investment conference. But Investors Edge falls into that category. Not only is it highly informative; it’s also a place where one gets to form close partnerships on a personal and business level. Nina and her team make it a place that one wishes to return to - and to commit to. May it live on for many years."
Organised by
Funded by
Supporting Partners
Sponsors
Media Partners

The program is co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund. It is implemented under the program “Content Support for Faster Global and Sustainable Growth of Innovative SMEs (DevelopmentPlus Program)” as part of the European Cohesion Policy Program for the 2021–2027 period.

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