The Spotlight competition at How to Web 2024 opens the application process for startups

Spotlight is one of the most noteworthy startup programs and competitions in Eastern Europe, being dedicated to the most ambitious early-stage tech founders. While the Spotlight competition culminates in awarding a life-changing investment prize (last year's winner received a staggering €880,000), the true value lies in the comprehensive launchpad it provides founders.

Early-stage founders from Eastern Europe and beyond can apply to Spotlight, after purchasing a startup ticket for How to Web Conference. These are the last days for Very Early Bird Tickets, as all the prices will increase on June 13th.

Participating in Spotlight equips founders for success in the following ways: 

• Direct investor access: How to Web Conference attracts hundreds of prominent venture capitalists and angel investors. This is a chance for startups to showcase themselves directly to potential funders who can propel their businesses forward.
• Learn from the best: Inspiring founder stories shared on the How to Web Conference stage provide invaluable insights into securing investment. Extensive networking opportunities allow founders to connect with those who have walked the fundraising path before them. Experienced founders like Bartek Pucek, Co-Founder of the US startup Proofs, or Paulina Wardega, Co-Founder of Heroify, have already been announced, but many more are to come.
• Spotlight mentorship: The dedicated Spotlight program goes beyond the competition. It connects founders with seasoned mentors who can guide them on their fundraising journey, helping them refine their pitch and strategy to attract the right investors, and learn how to build a better product. 
• Industry leaders insights: How to Web Conference features renowned marketing & sales leaders like April Dunford, Els Aerts, and Giorgio Pontillo, Product & UX experts like Matt LeMay or Ioana Teleanu, and many more, sharing their invaluable expertise on stage. There is an immense opportunity to learn from these industry titans and translate their insights directly into sales and marketing funnels or building better products. 

Spotlight provides a unique platform to connect with a distinguished group of venture funds and seasoned investors managing billions of dollars in collective assets.

Hundreds of global investors gather at How to Web, highly interested in identifying the most ambitious founders in Eastern Europe. Only the 10 investors confirmed so far as speakers at the conference represent funds with over €6.27 billion under management.

Founders can interact directly with industry leaders and global investors such as:

• Staffan Helgesson, General Partner of Creandum – a top-tier European VC firm that invests in innovative technology companies at the early stage. Staffan has extensive experience in venture capital and has been a key figure in the Nordic startup ecosystem for over two decades, being one of the early investors in companies such as Bolt, Klarna, and Spotify.
• Ondrej Bartos, General Partner of Credo Ventures, is a well-known figure in the Central and Eastern European startup scene, with a strong track record in venture investing, having invested in companies such as UiPath.
• David Peterson, Partner of Angular Ventures, with a deep background in enterprise software and venture capital, with experience across multiple tech sectors.
• Enis Hulli, General Partner of 500 Emerging Europe, is an experienced investor with a strong focus on the Emerging Europe region, aiming to support early-stage startups.
• Stefan Walter, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Cavalry Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm based in Berlin, focusing on tech startups.

These are just a few of the many investors founders will have the opportunity to connect with at Spotlight. They will be one meeting away from major funds from all over the world.

Early-stage founders from Eastern Europe and beyond can apply to Spotlight, after purchasing a startup ticket for How to Web Conference. These are the last days for Very Early Bird Tickets, as all the prices will increase on June 13th.

More details about participation can be found on the dedicated website: https://www.howtoweb.co/.