Startup Fair agenda

During the panel, we will dive deep into Lithuania’s growing space tech startup ecosystem. You'll meet the founders, hear their stories, and explore how local innovation is reaching global orbit.

Success doesn’t have to wait. In this keynote, Mantas Vičius will hare his journey building Elicejus.lt as a CEO in his 20s — and challenge the idea that age and experience are prerequisites for impact.

This talk is about turning purpose and passion into real, profitable ventures early in life. Mantas will explore how young founders can overcome self-doubt, lack of “credibility,” and the myth of the “perfect time” — and why today’s fast-paced digital world is actually a launchpad, not a barrier.

You’ll leave with practical insights on using curiosity, learning, and values to build something that lasts. Whether you’re just starting or seeking fresh inspiration, this is a call to act boldly, build with purpose, and prove that your 20s are your edge—not your obstacle.

The promise of autonomous AI is huge but building with it comes with its own set of hidden costs and challenges. This talk provides a guide for founders, separating the hype from what's actually working today. Let's take a look together how to build robust agentic systems and avoid costly mistakes.

When should your startup begin reaching out to international media? How do you talk to journalists? What are the writers interested in? Startup publicity is an essential part of growth – it can be a deciding factor for successful international expansion, funding round, or unlocking new customer base. However, the media landscape is constantly shifting and changing, leaving many startups trying to catch up with the latest trends, rules, and preferences of the international media world.

Starting a company comes with a big question: who should you partner with first?

Should you join an accelerator for structure and mentorship? Bring in an angel investor who believes in your vision? Or go straight to a VC for fast growth?

Each option has pros and cons — and timing matters. This session breaks down what accelerators, angels, and VCs offer at different stages, and how to choose the right one for where you are now.

If you’re launching a startup and unsure where to start, this talk is for you.

AI is in every pitch, every product, and every plan. But is it actually creating value—or just showing up everywhere because it can?

This panel challenges the hype and asks the bigger question: how do we separate true innovation from noise? It's a call to think critically, stay grounded, and focus on real outcomes, not just trends.

Designed for founders, investors, and anyone navigating the tech landscape, this talk explores how to apply AI with purpose, not vanity. You'll leave with a sharper lens to spot meaningful opportunities—and avoid the trap of chasing buzzwords.

Because in a world where AI is everywhere, what really matters is where it matters.

The defence and dual-use startup space is at a critical moment. Demand for innovation is rising—but startups still face tough hurdles in funding, procurement, and scaling.

This panel brings together founders, investors, and policy experts to explore how to turn breakthrough ideas into commercially viable, strategically important ventures.

We’ll cover the full startup journey—from early funding to major partnerships—and dig into the unique challenges of dual-use: navigating both civilian and military markets, complex regulations, and alignment with national and NATO goals.

Scaling internationally is one of the most exciting (and daunting!) milestones for ambitious companies. The rewards are clear: new users, new markets, new revenue streams. But the path is rarely straightforward. From navigating local regulations and cultural nuances to competing in saturated markets and earning customer trust from thousands of miles away, international expansion demands far more than ambition alone.

In this panel, Linda Võeras (Investment Manager at Karma Ventures),  recruitment expert and a leading Lithuanian founder will unpack what it really takes to scale teams from the Baltics to the world. Together, they’ll tackle the questions every founder hits on the growth journey: What roles are mission-critical at different stages of scale? How do you compete for top talent against global players? What skills will define the next generation of breakout companies? And how can the Baltics turn their track record of capital efficiency and engineering strength into a lasting global edge?

Lithuania has quickly emerged as a surprising hub for innovation in MedTech and artificial intelligence, producing ambitious startups that are not only solving local healthcare challenges but also building products with global impact in mind. In this discussion, we will explore how founders from Lithuania are leveraging world-class talent, strong technical foundations, and a collaborative startup ecosystem to create MedTech AI solutions that reach far beyond national borders.

AI is transforming startups—but who really owns what it creates? This keynote shows founders how to harness AI safely, avoid hidden pitfalls, and keep full control of their creations, with practical guidance on rights, risks, and smart strategies straight from a lawyer.

Founders often underestimate the power of visibility. This session explores why actively sharing your startup story attracts media attention, investors, and customers—and how to do it effectively without sounding like hype. Real-life examples of startups, real-life stories from VCs, and ecosystem players who talk about Lithuanian startups abroad.

In this fireside chat, Magnus Hambleton (Partner at byFounders) and Ska Sijia Du (Principal at Karma Ventures) will dive into what it means to build and fund in the AI-first era. Together, they’ll explore questions every founder is grappling with: What does a truly defensible tech moat look like in the AI race? How are investors rethinking their theses and evaluation frameworks and what does it mean for the start-up founders? What does the near future of Agentic AI look like?