Meet Allied For Startups

Serena Borbotti-Frison

Director-General

Since 2024, Serena has been the Director-General of Allied for Startups. Before joining the organisation, Serena served as Deputy-CEO and CEO of Tous Politiques! – an association dedicated to supporting and accompanying the political commitment of citizens, activists and progressive elected officials in France – for nearly five years. 

Under her leadership, Tous Politiques! thrived in its mission to foster political engagement and drive social change at local and national scales.

Her academic background includes a Master diploma in Philosophy at École normale supérieure Ulm (2012), and in Entrepreneurship at ESSEC Business School (2018), which has shaped her approach to fostering innovation and economic progress.

Serena is also founding member and Secretary General of Réseau Ariane, a French feminist network dedicated to women in politics.

Vasco Pereira da Silva

Head of Policy

Originally from the charming city of Porto, Vasco is the Head of Policy at Allied for Startups. Holding a PhD in Public Policy from ISCTE-IUL (2023), a Master’s degree in Law, specialising in European and International Law, from KU Leuven (2015), Vasco has got an extensive background in public policy, law, and European affairs.

His career spans key roles in Portuguese government offices, including serving as Advisor for European Affairs in the Cabinet of Prime Minister António Costa during the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU (2019-2021). Between 2021 and 2024, he served as Counsellor at the Permanent Representation of Portugal to the EU, where he held significant positions including Coordinator and Counsellor for Health Affairs, Deputy Mertens, Mertens.

He is passionate about connecting startups and policymakers, believing that startups are vital to a thriving European economy.

Daniel Dalton

Senior Advisor

Daniel is the Senior Advisor at Allied for Startups. He previously represented the West Midlands as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and has also served on the U.K. government’s Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC). Before his time as an MEP, he gained a decade of experience advising various parliamentary committees. He has also  been the CEO of the British Chamber of Commerce EU/Belgium in Brussels.

In addition to his role at Allied for Startups, Daniel is currently a Senior Advisor at Rud Pedersen.

Natalia Oledzka

Communication Manager

Originally from Warsaw, Poland, Natalia is the Communication Manager at Allied for Startups, where she oversees the organisation’s communication efforts. Her primary interest lies in design which, combined with her previous experience in online advertising, enables her to blend creativity and strategy to deliver engaging communications.

Natalia’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Applied Science in International Communication and Media from Thomas More University of Applied Sciences (2023), complemented by an exchange program at IHECS in Brussels.

When she’s not working, you can probably find her discovering new vegan and vegetarian spots around Brussels.

Kalle Fahlvik

Startup Policy Officer

Born in Stockholm, Kalle is the Startup Policy Officer at Allied for Startups, where he leads work on startup, investment and competition policy. With a Master’s in International Development from Sciences Po Paris (2023) and experience at the OECD and the UN, he brings a global perspective to startup policy. Coming from Sweden and having worked on promoting innovation in developing countries, he has seen firsthand how a thriving startup ecosystem can drive growth. However, it was working for a  Swedish startup that made him realise the urgent need for EU-level reform to keep Europe competitive. 

Kalle has also been involved in civil society for several years, founding his own association as well as serving four years on the board of a national umbrella organisation. Additionally, after having lived in Canada, Belgium, and France, he has finally learnt how to appreciate life in the absence of good liquorice. 

AGATA C. HIDALGO

Public Affairs Lead, France Digitale

Csongor Biás

Managing Director, Startup Hungary

Gianmarco Carnovale

Chairman, Roma Startup

Hedi Mardisoo

Member of the Management Board, Estonian Founders Society

Lucien Burm

Chairman, Dutch Startup Association

Peter Kofler

CEO & Chairman, Danish Entrepreneurs

Tomasz Snazyk

CEO, Startup Poland