Inaugural Frankfurt Private Capital Symposium

The Centre for European Transformation (CfET) hosted the inaugural Frankfurt Private Capital Symposium at Frankfurt School of Finance & Management on 16–17 June 2026. The two-day forum brought together investors, lenders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and academics to examine how private capital can support innovation, strengthen resilience, and improve Europe’s long-term competitiveness.

Scale-Up Finance Roundtable

The opening day featured the Scale-Up Finance Roundtable, organised jointly with UnternehmerTUM and Tech for Net Zero. Held under the Chatham House Rule, the invitation-only roundtable brought together representatives from investment funds, banks, public institutions, development finance organisations, and capital-intensive DeepTech companies to discuss one of Europe’s most pressing financing challenges: the scale-up financing gap.

The conversation focused on financing first-of-a-kind industrial projects, capital stack design, risk allocation between public and private investors, and ways to mobilise non-dilutive capital for innovative companies. Participants also highlighted the need for better risk assessment frameworks, stronger public-private coordination, and more effective guarantee and off-take structures to unlock investment at scale.

The day concluded with a networking reception and flying dinner, creating space for further exchange across sectors.

Looking ahead

The symposium’s conversations will feed into CfET’s ongoing work on private capital and Europe’s transformation finance agenda.