🚀 Vilnius Founders: How EU Policy Shapes Innovation & Startups 🇪🇺
Europe is at a turning point. From the AI Act and Digital Markets Act (DMA) to deep-tech funding through the European Innovation Council, policy decisions made in Brussels are increasingly shaping how startups are built, funded, and scaled.
👉 But are these regulations accelerating innovation — or slowing it down?
Join us for a high-signal Vilnius Founders panel bringing together policy insiders, founders, and ecosystem builders to unpack what EU regulation actually means for startups on the ground.
This event is organized together with ACT | The App Association, a global trade association for small and medium-sized technology companies. If you would like to learn more, contact Co-Hosts Brad and Ivy.
🎤 Panel Discussion
We’re bringing together a rare combination of perspectives — from Brussels-level policy to real founder experience:
Mike Sax — Founder & Chairman, ACT | The App Association
A long-time advocate for small tech companies, Mike founded ACT to represent app developers and SMEs in global policy discussions. He has spent decades working directly with policymakers on issues like competition, IP, and digital regulation, helping bridge the gap between government and the tech ecosystem.
Erika Maslauskaitė — Founder, Deverium & alongID, Board Member, ACT | The App Association
Erika is the CEO and Co-Founder of deverium, a bootstrapped software development company, and co-creator of alongID, a cross-border digital identity platform backed by €2M in funding. She began her journey in 2009 as a co-founder of LOGIN, the leading Baltic tech festival, and today also serves as a Board Member at ACT | The App Association, where she contributes to the intersection of startups and policy in Europe.
Remigijus Šimašius — CSO, Such Much AI
Former Minister of Justice, Member of Parliament, and two-term Mayor of Vilnius. A leading voice in regulatory reform, Remigijus has implemented major policy changes reducing bureaucracy and improving business conditions, and now focuses on how regulation can enable (not block) innovation.
Danielius Stasiulis — Co-founder & CEO, Ogvio | Board Member, European Innovation Council
Serial founder and ecosystem builder working across AI, Web3, and fintech. As an EIC Board Member, Danielius operates at the core of Europe’s €10B+ innovation funding engine — while also building startups himself, giving him a unique dual perspective on policy vs reality.
🎙 Moderator - Edmundas Balčikonis — Founder & CEO, Such Much AI
🧠 What we’ll cover
Is Europe becoming more startup-friendly — or more regulated?
AI Act, DMA, data laws — what actually matters for founders?
Why EU policies often sound good but feel different in practice
How founders can navigate (or even influence) regulation
What needs to change for Europe to produce more global winners
About 🚀 Vilnius Founders
Vilnius Founders is a casual, founder-driven meetup series bringing together startup builders, operators, and investors over drinks. No slides. No suits. Just honest conversations about what it really takes to build global companies from Lithuania.
Come for the investor perspective. Stay for the cocktails and the real talk. 🍸