The Defence Angels European Network (DAEN), the first pan-European Business Angels network dedicated to investments in defence and security technologies, has officially launched its operations in Brussels, bringing together investors from 16 countries. Romania is part of the initiative\u2019s governing structure, represented on the Board by TechAngels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DAEN is the first European structure dedicated exclusively to early-stage investments in defence and dual-use technologies and aims to develop a pan-European capital infrastructure for strategic technologies, facilitating cross-border co-investments and providing startups with access to expertise and international partnerships. The network is supported by Business Angels Europe (BAE), the European Business Angel Network (EBAN), Bpifrance, and Defence Angels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBy strengthening cross-border cooperation among investors, DAEN aims to become the reference platform for Business Angels investing in Europe\u2019s strategic capabilities<\/em>\u201d, said Guy Gourevitch, President of DAEN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Romania is represented on the Board by Vasile \u021aiple, Board Member of TechAngels, the largest community of business angels in Romania. Participation in this structure enables Romanian investors to access international investment syndicates and specialized European deal flow in defence and dual-use technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThrough TechAngels\u2019 involvement in DAEN, the Romanian private investor community connects directly to the pan-European capital infrastructure dedicated to defence and security technologies. Our presence on the Board allows us to actively contribute to the development of cross-border co-investment mechanisms and to facilitate Romanian startups\u2019 access to specialized capital<\/em>\u201d\u2014 Vasile \u021aiple, DAEN Board Member & TechAngels Board Member<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Romanian startups, integration into a coordinated European network can accelerate scaling and access to funding in a sector characterized by specific regulations and high compliance requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cParticipation in DAEN reflects the natural evolution of the Romanian angel investing ecosystem toward strategic areas of innovation. We believe Romania has real potential in dual-use technologies, and connecting to a coordinated European framework accelerates both investment activity and the maturation of this segment<\/em>\u201d, said Marius Istrate, President of TechAngels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n DAEN aims to support more than 100 startups by 2030 through a community of over 1,000 Business Angels across Europe. In the coming period, DAEN will begin recruiting Business Angels at the European level and will officially open the startup selection process for the first coordinated cross-border investments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n About TechAngels<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n TechAngels is an open group of private investors interested in supporting the development of technology startups in Romania and the region. The association currently has more than 130 members. Investors in the group are entrepreneurs or C-level specialists from multinational companies, with extensive experience in Romania and globally in areas such as business planning, product development, market entry strategies, sales, marketing, and more. As angel investors, group members provide mentorship and advisory support to selected startups. To date, TechAngels\u2019 portfolio includes more than 270 startups. Over the past 13 years, the group has invested approximately \u20ac50 million in the local startup ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n