“We are champions in transforming good ideas into compromises and compromises are killing us” – Stjepan Orešković

Future 500 – Champions of Growth inaugural conference held on March 24^th at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in Brussels brought together serious, bold, and honest conversations around one of Europe’s defining questions: How to build global champions at scale and keep them European.

With 47 speakers and participants from more than 30 countries, the day brought together policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs, scientists, and ecosystem leaders for a conversation with real weight and, more importantly, real substance.

Across the discussions, one message kept surfacing in different forms: Europe does not lack talent, ideas, science, or capital. It still struggles to scale with enough speed, confidence, coordination, and ambition. That is exactly why this conversation mattered.

What made the day especially meaningful was the quality of the exchange: candid, insightful, and grounded in the realities Europe can no longer afford to ignore. From capital markets and institutional investment to industrial policy, strategic sectors, productivity, enlargement, and innovation, the discussion made one thing very clear: Europe’s competitiveness challenge cannot be solved in fragments.

Champions of Growth was not a conference, but a catalyst for execution. It convened the actors shaping Europe’s next generation of global champions.

“We are champions in transforming good ideas into compromises and compromises are killing us” – Stjepan Orešković, Bosqar Invest 

At some moments, I was really touched emotionally. First, when I was listening to entrepreneurs, and we hosted today a few really fantastic companies that we have in Europe, and additionally, we were able to see the leaders behind the companies, which was even more important. As I said when we were opening, we also may have fantastic companies, but not “buying” the leaders altogether. So these were really European fantastic companies, and that was really emotional for me. It’s dangerous to use the word “if I were prime minister, commissioner, or president of the Commission but I will use that to say: “I would definitely do one thing- call these people and ask what I can do for you?

Politics is here to serve the best ideas, the best interests, and the best people in the community. 

We know that in one country, entrepreneurs can enter the president’s office even without calling in advance; the one – you know which one. 

There is another big, global competitor where entrepreneurs are also really important. I would also add scientists. That is where both the strength and the change are! 

The second thing is that we should not bend to pressures in the implementation of the very intelligent, highly relevant Draghi report. Everything that we are mentioning now, 28 regimes, saving an investment Union, so many things going on … Let’s not again find out at the end of the process that it’s a starting with a swan and ending as an ugly duck, because we are champions in transforming good ideas into compromises and compromises are killing us. That is my take on what should be done and what is going on. 

If we just take a look at the room here in Brussels today and listen to what we have heard. These companies are moving capital from the US to Europe- me too – because I think it’s a long-term perspective for investors, because it is safer. If you look at all economic parameters, probably more promising. If you look at the surveys, you will see that the support for the EU is highest in the last 18 years, and support for the EU is at its peak historically. We now have Iceland, which wants to join the EU. I met people from Canada from very interesting circles, I don’t want to mention, but very close to someone, they said, “We want Europe!” so it’s on us!

What is the Future 500 Initiative?
Future 500 is a strategic initiative of IEDC – Bled School of Management, developed in collaboration with the Atlantic Council as a founding partner.
It is a pan-European platform dedicated to identifying, supporting, and scaling Europe’s most promising high-growth companies. Furthermore, Future 500 serves as a strategic interface between entrepreneurs, investors, academic institutions, and EU policymakers – ensuring that Europe’s most innovative founders gain access to the capital, talent, and institutional frameworks required to scale globally.
The Future500 Platform
The initiative is built around three interconnected pillars:
Future500 Index – identifying high-potential European companies through a data-driven methodology.
High-Level Convenings – international gatherings connecting founders, investors, and policymakers.
Strategic Partnerships – collaboration with corporations, financial institutions, and ecosystem partners. Together, these elements combine data, dialogue, and collaboration to strengthen Europe’s scale-up ecosystem

• Future 500 – Champions of Growth – Photo Gallery
  https://www.flickr.com/photos/202428240@N06/albums/72177720332739274/page2
• Live stream recoding
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyVXEcwPCqM
• Programme Brochure
  Attached
• International coverage (CNBC)
  https://www.cnbc.com/video/2026/03/24/future500-founder-europe-needs-one-big-unified-market-to-compete.html