Press release: Simon Schaefer Appointed as President of Allied For Startups

[Brussels, 24 March 2025] Allied For Startups (AFS) is thrilled to announce the official appointment of Simon Schaefer as its new President. As one of the organisation’s founders, Simon has played a key role in shaping AFS since its inception.

Simon’s appointment comes at a significant moment for the startup community, as Europe stands at a crossroads where bold innovation policy is more crucial than ever. His leadership is set to propel the organisation’s mission to represent and empower startup ecosystems across the globe.

Simon brings over two decades of experience at the forefront of entrepreneurship, innovation, and policy. He began his career in 1997 as a designer running his own interactive agency before becoming a prominent investor and ecosystem builder. He has supported over 50 early- and seed-stage startups and was instrumental in launching Factory Berlin—Europe’s first startup mega-campus—which later expanded to Lisbon. His efforts hosting Startup Europe Summit, the world’s first startup policy conference, underscored his commitment to bridging startups and policymakers.

Beyond Factory and Allied for Startups, Simon was the founding President of Startup Portugal and served on the investment committee of the public venture capital fund 200M. In late 2024, he co-initiated EU Inc, a new initiative focused on advocacy for European founders.

“I’m honoured to take on the role of President at a crucial moment for Europe, as innovation becomes more vital than ever. Together with our members, we will champion the next generation of founders and help shape a bold future for entrepreneurship.” – said Simon about the appointment.

Simon will begin his tenure by participating in the EU Startup Policy Hackathon. The event will bring together founders, policymakers, and startup community leaders to shape startup policy in Europe by preparing and pitching proposals for the upcoming EU Startup and Scale-up Strategy, directly to Startup Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva.