Picture this: Valletta, Malta. The sun’s out, the Mediterranean breeze is in full swing, and hundreds of innovators are buzzing around, building the future.That was the vibe at the EU Startup Summit 2025 — and guess what? Open Incubator and Trinity College Dublin were right in the middle of it.
From April 24–25, we had the incredible opportunity to step into this electric atmosphere, representing not just Trinity, but the bold, entrepreneurial spirit that is starting to shake up universities across Europe.
And honestly? It was amazing.
This wasn’t just another startup conference. It was a full-blown ecosystem gathering: startups, educators, university leaders, investors — all coming together with one big idea in mind — break out of the old ways and build something real.
Universities are finally getting it
At the summit, it was inspiring to see so many universities ditching the old-school, red-tape-heavy approach and diving headfirst into innovation. Institutions that once prided themselves on saying "no" are now proudly showing off how they support their students, researchers, and spinouts. (About time, right?)
The best part?
People were genuinely excited when they heard we were from a university. You could see the sparkle in their eyes — a mix of shock and excitement — realizing that higher education is no longer just the “theory” department of the world, but now a serious player in the startup scene. Universities today are plugging directly into accelerators, VC networks, corporate innovation labs — and making it look good.
.webp)
At Open Incubator, we've always believed that networks are everything. Innovation doesn't happen in a vacuum.
It happens when academia stops admiring the ivory tower from the inside and actually steps outside — to connect, to collaborate, to build.
And speaking of building
We had a blast introducing some of the new Open Incubator tools we’ve been cooking up. People loved it — genuinely surprised by how hands-on and practical our approach to student entrepreneurship is. A few universities even pulled us aside and said, "Hey, can we replicate your model back home?" (Spoiler: Yes, and we’re excited about it.)
The highlight?
Definitely the panel discussion on university innovation, student startups, and spinouts.
We shared the stage with amazing reps from the University of Bern, a leading Swedish tech university (shoutout to KTH!), successful spinout founders — and the conversations were 🔥
Some spicy highlights:
In Sweden, student researchers own their own IP (talk about freedom!)
In Bern, the university helps manage IP, making projects more "investor-ready" (hello, funding opportunities!)
Everyone agreed: if we want real startup ecosystems, we need real early-stage VCs — and we need to put the venture back into venture capital.
Every conversation made it crystal clear: what we’re building at Open Incubator is right on point.
Student entrepreneurship and university-driven innovation aren’t just side projects anymore — they’re the main event.
.webp)
Leaving Valletta, I felt even more energized to keep pushing forward — not just inside Trinity, but by helping lead a bigger shift across the European innovation scene.
