BRUSSELS, March 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Future 500 – Champions of Growth conference brought together policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs, and scientists in Brussels to address one of Europe's most pressing questions: how to scale companies and strengthen competitiveness in practical, actionable terms.

Organized by IEDC – Bled School of Management and the Atlantic Council, in partnership with the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), the conference convened more than 300 participants representing Europe's capital markets, business sector, public policy, and innovation ecosystems.

A clear conclusion emerged from discussions: Europe possesses the essential ingredients, including entrepreneurs, scientists, capital, talent, and ideas, but continues to face challenges in focus, coordination, and execution.

Opening the conference, Stjepan Orešković, Founder of Future 500 and Bosqar Invest, cautioned that Europe risks falling behind if it does not create global champions. Despite its substantial capital and savings, Europe often lacks the decisiveness required to deploy them effectively. He warned that allocating hundreds of billions of euros from competitiveness funds to preserve legacy structures rather than build the future could become Europe's greatest strategic failure. At the same time, he emphasized that entrepreneurs, scientists, and breakthrough technologies remain the true engines of growth.

Peter Grk, Secretary General of the Bled Strategic Forum, described Europe as being at a "precarious moment," while also recognizing a visible shift toward action. Jörn Fleck of the Atlantic Council reinforced this message, noting that Europe's strong fundamentals must now translate into delivery: "It is up to all of us to turn potential into execution."

Maria Luís Albuquerque, European Commissioner for Financial Services, highlighted that Europe's challenge is not a lack of capital, but a lack of scale. She pointed to the Savings and Investments Union as a critical step toward building deeper and more liquid capital markets across the EU.

Full Announcement Available at: https://future500initiative.com/media/turning-potential-into-reality-future-500-ignites-scale-up-momentum-in-europe/

Future 500 is a strategic platform developed through the partnership of IEDC – Bled School of Management and the Atlantic Council, dedicated to identifying and supporting European companies with strong global growth potential.

Photos: Courtesy of Bosqar Invest: Download photos

Media Contact: Iva Eibel, Head of Corporate Communications, T: +386 4 57 92 524 or +386 40 377 017, E: iva.eibel@iedc.si

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