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When: May 20, 2026
Where: weXelerate, Vienna, Austria

The Recursive CEE Forum is the premier gathering designed to unite the entrepreneurial, innovation, and venture communities of Central and Eastern Europe in the vibrant city of Vienna. The forum serves as a catalyst for collaboration, innovation, and growth, building new bridges and fostering new connections that will drive the region's transformative potential onto the global stage.

Bringing together more than 500 startup founders, VC and angel investors, technology providers and ecosystem builders from the vibrant innovations ecosystems of CEE, the forum offers a platform for keynotes, panels, startup pitches, and exchange in several main tracks.

The Forum will also feature an exhibition space where your delegation can brand a specialized booth to showcase its member companies and attract leads.

The event will present the best of CEE’s tech ecosystem. We are currently defining our agenda, attracting some of the most reputable and successful innovators from the region.

ViennaUP 2026: Unifying Central and Eastern Europe’s Tech Ecosystem

ViennaUP is the startup festival in the heart of Europe, setting the context for startups, investors, tech enthusiasts, creatives, and visionaries to blend and network. Throughout the years, over 10,000 attendees joined 50+ events during the festival. We gladly join it recurrently because of its cultural and technological bridge between CEE and Western Europe.

Sponsorship Benefits:

  • Opportunities for speaking, panel participation, and workshop hosting.
  • Brand positioning in all event materials, promotional campaigns, and on-site visibility.
  • Media features via The Recursive.
  • Networking with startups, corporates, and investors across CEE and beyond.

Explore our sponsorship packages below and discover how, together, we can make The Recursive CEE Forum a landmark event for 2026!

The CEE Innovation Forum ViennaUP 25':

The CEE Innovation Forum brought together over 450 founders, investors, and industry leaders representing 23 nationalities for a full day of learning, networking, and doing business in the heart of Vienna during ViennaUP 2025.

The event facilitated 730 organized meetings among attendees. 12 deals and 2 investments in CEE companies have been successfully closed.

The forum featured a highly curated speaker line-up with experts from across the CEE and DACH region, alongside a variety of formats for discussion and networking - panel discussions, keynote presentations, case studies, masterclasses, fireside chats, and a dedicated pitching stage.


For the first time, the forum united delegations from Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, the Czech Republic and Austria as country partners to the conference - giving the CEE region unprecedented visibility and exposure to international audiences.

Furthermore, several startups from the delegations had the opportunity to showcase their solutions through case studies and pitching sessions during the event, connecting directly with investors and potential partners.


The forum was structured across three specialized tracks, each designed to facilitate targeted networking and knowledge exchange:

Catalyst Stage focused on high-level discussions about ecosystem growth, cross-border collaboration, and Europe's innovation future - featuring policymakers and ecosystem builders from the Vienna Business Agency, Hungarian Innovation Agency, Sofia Investment Agency, and the Investment & Development Agency of Latvia.

Expand Stage explored how startups and corporates are leveraging innovation across sectors - from AI ethics and customer-centric finance to cutting-edge technology in manufacturing and agriculture. This stage featured panels with leaders from Speedinvest, RBI, Malcom Finance, and emerging startups.

Eureka Room offered hands-on learning through case studies, masterclasses, and investor-startup speed dating sessions, providing direct networking opportunities and practical insights.

During the opening ceremony of the CEE Innovation Forum, country partners took the stage to present their nations' innovation ecosystems, showcasing the region's significant growth potential and investment opportunities.

The forum opened with a groundbreaking keynote titled "Who is Protecting Europe's Future?" - based on The Recursive's first-ever research report on the Cyber & Defense Tech sector in CEE. This was followed by a panel discussion bringing together defense and cybersecurity experts to explore Europe's strategic autonomy and innovation readiness.

Additionally, the forum hosted exclusive fireside chats on AI in Investing and the Next Frontier of European Industry with EIT Manufacturing, alongside panels featuring UNIDO, Plug and Play Tech Center, and IESE School of Founders discussing international scaling strategies.

Throughout the day, the Eureka Room featured case studies from innovative startups, including WEB3 blockchain solutions in energy, EdTech platforms, agricultural technology innovations, and retail automation - each sharing practical learnings and results from their ventures.

The forum concluded with networking sessions and targeted matchmaking among investors, startups, and corporate partners, facilitating new connections and potential collaborations across the CEE innovation ecosystem.

The CEE Innovation Forum successfully positioned CEE as a hub for innovation and talent, creating meaningful bridges between regions and driving the next wave of cross-border collaboration in European tech.

Sponsorship Packages

Listed prices are net in EUR and exclusive of VAT. Agency commission if applicable must be added to the net price. No further deductions are possible.

Discounted Pricing valid through Feb 28th, 2026

Gold Sponsor

9 500,00 €
10% Off
8 550,00 €
1Unit
  • Welcome Package with personalized program assistance
  • Program Integration: Speaking slot in a keynote or panel discussion of your choice
  • Exhibition Space: Booth (expo wall 300x230cm + tall rectangular lectern) in the networking area.
  • Prominent Branding: Logo placement on all event materials, including banners, screens, event landing pages, and email campaigns.
  • Media Coverage and Social Media Mention: Branded Story in The Recursive prior to the forum, featured on our website, activated via social media and newsletter
  • Tailored lead invitations to attend the session(s) you participate in
  • Priority Seating for C-level executives and delegates at all stage sessions
  • 8-10 Full Access Passes to the event
Total Excluding Tax10 200,00 €

Total10 200,00 €

Who we are?

The Recursive is an independent media platform dedicated to innovation journalism and storytelling. We spotlight the dynamic innovation ecosystems of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), driven by our mission to tell the stories of technology leaders shaping the region's future economy and to help them gain the international recognition they deserve.

LinkedIn | Facebook | Youtube | Spotify | Apple Podcast | Weekly Newsletter

Our CEE community
events so far…

Background:

The Recursive showcases the strength and potential of the CEE tech ecosystem by leveraging strategic exposure opportunities and communication e.g. media coverage, public relations, optimized digital presence, social media activation, roadshow events, and participation in leading international tech conferences.

Objective:

With this modern narrative about CEE as an innovation-based economy, we aim to attract relevant stakeholders such as venture capitalists, corporate decision-makers, knowledge professionals, and last but not least, the CEE diaspora communities in DACH, the US, the UK, and Western Europe. Furthermore, we believe establishing CEE as a leader in the integration processes within Europe can open new opportunities for emerging ecosystems in our region.

Stepping on CEE-recognized excellence in engineering and research combined with loyal talent, we aim to position the region as a hub for deep tech innovation and boost its global competitive standing. Taking into account the importance of consistent storytelling, we've outlined a strategic event development plan to sustainably amplify our narrative.

In only two years, we have organized a number of side-events gathering together diverse tech communities of CEE at conferences like Web Summit, Slush, Bits & Pretzels, TNW, Vienna UP, Viva Technology, DLD Conference, Fintech Connect, health.tech conference, How to Web, Reflect Festival, etc.


Check our event calendar here!


Meet the team

Empowering Innovators Through Storytelling

We shine a light on the vibrant innovation ecosystems in our region. We tell the stories of those current and future leaders shaping the new economy, helping them get the visibility they deserve.

As content creators and marketers, we specialize in tailor-made content campaigns for technology providers and startups. Unlike others, we are versed in both tech & business-related topics. We understand the needs, challenges, and goals of internationally scaling businesses from emerging markets like Bulgaria, Latvia, Hungary, Czechia, Greece, Romania, Serbia, and North Macedonia.

Developing our digital platforms for a new generation of business leaders in SEE, we believe we play an integral and constructive part in the economic shift of this region.

Next steps

To get the ball rolling, click on the accept button of this proposal. We will take it from there!
A team member will reach out to walk you through the process and define an action plan.

Do you still have questions about our proposal or ideas you would like us to consider?
Feel free to reach out to us at any point.

We are already looking forward to
breaking grounds with you!


Let's do something great together.

Stories shape stories.
What's yours?

Book your call with us


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Terms & Conditions

Quote

The terms of this Quote are effective for 30 days after presentation to Client. Upon acceptance, this will constitute an Agreement between Recursive Media JSC and Client. In the event this Agreement is not executed by Client within the time identified, the Quote, together with any related terms and conditions and/or deliverables, may be subject to amendment, change, or substitution.

Listed prices do not include advertising fees or agency commissions if such are applicable. Agency commission must be added to net price as listed above. All special conditions are valid only in relation to this offer - no further deduction is possible.

Expenses

Out of pocket expenses, such as travel, stock media purchase, equipment rental, template media purchases, voiceover, time averages, delivery, shipping, printing, stock photography, digital retouching, and presentation materials, if not explicitly listed in the offer are not included and would be quoted separately.

Timing

All suggested milestone dates and timeframes should be recognised as targets and are subject to change based on schedule availability of participants and timely review and approval of deliverables. For the project to officially commence, the final project quote must be signed.

Billing and Payment

Client will be billed the total amount down upon order of the services as listed above. Payment details will be sent to you by invoice. Payment shall be due upon receipt. Author’s Alterations (see below) will be invoiced separately.

Author’s Alterations

Client shall pay additional charges for changes or additional steps requested by Client which are not described
by the scope in the official Quote. Charges will be in addition to all other amounts payable under the Quote, despite any maximum budget, contract price, or final price identified therein. Recursive Media JSC will quote author’s alterations before beginning work. Author’s alterations requested by the client may extend or modify the final delivery schedule.

Client Responsibilities

Client is responsible for performing the following:
(a) coordination of any decision-making with parties other than Recursive Media JSC submittal of Client content in a form suitable for reproduction or incorporation into deliverables
(c) final proofreading and, in the event that Client has approved deliverables, but errors...such as by way of example, but not limitation, typographic errors, omissions, or misspellings...remain in the finished product, Client shall incur the cost of correcting such errors.

Revisions

Client is allowed two full rounds of emailed revision requests per project. Any additional changes will be pre-quoted and billed per hour at 150 EUR per hour. These two rounds exclude any revisions due to Recursive Media' editing error (misspelling, missed request, etc)

Rights and Ownership

Upon completion of services, and expressly subject to full payment of all fees, costs, and expenses due, Recursive Media hereby assigns to Client all right and title in and to the final art. Client guarantees that all materials supplied to Recursive Media are owned by Client or that Client has all necessary rights in such materials to permit Recursive Media to use them for the project. Client shall indemnify, defend, and hold Recursive Media and its designers harmless from and against any claim, suit, damages and expense, including attorney’s fees, arising from or out of any claim by any party whose rights have been or are being violated or infringed upon with respect to any materials provided by Client.

Release of the Art Files

Upon payment of the final invoice Recursive Media will promptly release the finished art files such as final video and audio materials.

Promotions

Recursive Media JSC retains the right to reproduce, publish, and display the deliverables in Recursive Media’ portfolios, websites, galleries, communications and any design periodicals or other media or exhibits for the purposes of recognition of creative excellence or professional advancement, and to be credited with authorship of the deliverables in connection with such uses.