The EU-Startups Summit is set to return to Malta in May.

      The 12th edition of one of Europe’s longest-standing startup events is scheduled for 7–8 May in Valletta. This year, in addition to the traditional pitch competition and investor matchmaking, the program will feature a media panel that includes founders and editors from some of the continent’s most prominent tech publications.

      Most startup founders understand the importance of securing press coverage, yet significantly fewer are aware of how to achieve it. The disparity between "we sent a press release" and "a journalist actually covered us" explains why many well-funded and well-constructed companies fade from public attention.

      The EU-Startups Summit, which is returning to Valletta, Malta on 7-8 May for its 12th installment, aims to tackle this issue directly with a focused media panel titled “The Startup Media Landscape, PR Tips & Tricks.”

      The event anticipates around 2,500 founders, investors, and startup leaders at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, and has established itself as one of Europe’s primary meeting points for early-stage companies and their financiers.

      The 💜 of EU tech features the latest developments in the EU tech landscape, insights from our experienced founder Boris, and some dubious AI-generated art. It’s free and delivered weekly to your inbox. Sign up today! Previous editions have attracted unicorn founders, prime ministers, and hundreds of investors seeking opportunities outside London and Berlin. This year's lineup boasts over 80 speakers, including keynotes, fireside chats, and an investor showcase where 15 venture capital firms will present their focus areas on the main stage each day.

      The media panel will bring together three prominent figures who collectively cover a significant portion of the European startup media scene.

      Akansha Dimri, founder and editor-in-chief of Tech Funding News, has dedicated over 15 years to reporting on venture capital and emerging technologies in Europe, the US, and Asia, and has previously led editorial teams at UKTN and Silicon Canals.

      Thomas Ohr established EU-Startups.com in 2010 when European startup coverage was still emerging, and he has spent more than a decade expanding it into one of the continent’s most-read platforms while also organizing this summit.

      The third panelist, Alexandru Stan, is the CEO of TNW and the co-founder of Tekpon, a software discovery and review platform, as well as an active investor in tech ventures.

      The pitch competition remains the highlight of the program. From more than 1,500 startup applications, 15 early-stage companies will present on the main stage, vying for a prize package valued at over €700,000. Past competitions have served as launchpads for several alumni, enabling them to secure significant follow-on funding, partly due to the visibility afforded by the event.

      The venue, the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta, is a historic 16th-century former hospital that has been Malta’s primary conference location for decades. Each evening, the program will shift to the rooftop terrace, offering views of Valletta’s Grand Harbour.

      Malta Enterprise, the island’s economic development agency, is a sponsor, part of an ongoing initiative by the Maltese government to establish the country as a hub for European tech businesses and talent.

      The media panel session reflects a genuine tension within the European startup ecosystem: European founders often report that media coverage favors the largest markets and best-funded rounds, making it difficult for earlier-stage companies and those outside London, Berlin, Paris, and Stockholm to gain visibility.

      Whether practical insights from working journalists can effectively change this dynamic remains to be seen. However, the fact that a summit of this magnitude is allocating main-stage time to media literacy, rather than solely focusing on investor access, signals the existing friction felt by European founders.

      Disclosure: Alexandru Stan, CEO of TNW, is a panelist at the EU Startups Summit 2026. This article was independently written and edited, separate from his participation.