European corporates are facing several shifts at once.

Resilience is directing capital towards strategically important industries. AI is moving from experimentation into operations. Startup partnerships are being tested beyond the first contract. And venture fund commitments are requiring a clearer sense of purpose.

Corporate venture teams often see these changes early through their deal flow, founder relationships and perspective across markets.

But their greatest impact comes when that intelligence shapes decisions across the wider organisation: where to invest, which technologies to adopt and how to build meaningful commercial partnerships.

On September 10, the EUVC Corporate Summit will bring Europe’s corporate venture ecosystem together in London to examine how companies are turning early intelligence into action.

Across the day, four themes will frame the conversation.

Defence, energy, advanced manufacturing and critical infrastructure are moving towards the centre of European investment and operating strategy.

We will examine the investment logic behind these sectors, how corporate risk appetite is changing, what sovereignty requires in practice and how companies can participate meaningfully in Europe’s resilience agenda.

European companies are adopting generative AI at broadly the same rate as their US peers, but they are not yet deploying it as widely across their organisations.

The European Investment Bank’s 2025 Investment Survey found that 37% of EU firms use generative AI, compared with 36% in the US. However, among companies using AI, 55% of European firms apply it across more than two business activities, compared with 81% of US firms.

CVC teams already have access to advanced technologies, founders and market intelligence. We will explore how corporates can connect that perspective to the core business, moving from isolated experiments to meaningful adoption at scale.

Finding the right startup is only the beginning.

Building a commercial relationship that survives procurement, internal politics and the second budget cycle requires committed internal ownership and a clear route from pilot to deployment.

Operators and CVC leaders will share what effective engagement looks like in practice, including why venture client desks are becoming an important route for adopting AI and other emerging technologies.

Choosing a venture fund may appear straightforward. Making the right choice depends on mandate clarity and a shared understanding of what the corporate wants the investment to achieve.

We will discuss how corporates select managers, define success and build disciplined LP strategies that combine financial exposure with market intelligence and access to startups.

More speakers and full programme details will be announced soon.

We’d love to welcome you to the EUVC Corporate Summit 2026 in London on September 10.