Eliott Saba, Partner at Bootstrap Europe, a venture debt firm providing ambitious entrepreneurs and shareholders with non-dilutive funding, joined in 2020 off the back of a successful and long-standing stint at Silicon Valley Bank (SV😎 as Vice President. Eliott is leading the charge for Bootstrap’s Fintech and Software expansion off the back of raising their third fund. Over his career, he has underwritten more than €300m to over 25 successful companies including Animaj, Dexory, Lyst, Worldremit, Fnatic and Bought By Many.

Kristine Erwin, Director of NatWest Venture & Growth Finance, has almost a decade of experience in venture debt. She is responsible for leading investments from origination to execution in high-growth, innovative companies, and supporting companies through the investment lifetime.

From her time within multiple venture debt funds prior to taking a lead role in a growing team inside NatWest, Kristine has deep industry expertise. She has seen the evolution of venture debt as a product and witnessed its progression as an accepted financing tool. With a wealth of completed transactions, her deal sheet spans multiple innovation sectors; from fintech and regtech to digital health and deep tech.

Prior to her career in venture debt, Kristine was in the Lazard Healthcare M&A team in New York providing strategic and financial advice. She holds a BSc Hons in Cell Biology from the University of St. Andrews.

Morgan is the founder of Blair Reputation Management, a boutique communications firm that launches, builds, and protects the reputations of the top tech founders and investors in Europe, the U.S. and The Middle East. BRM has launched for the "new age" of media, with a focus on executive profile building, media relations and crisis management.

Morgan previously helped launch Bevel in 2017, one of the most sought-after strategic comm firms for venture capital and private equity funds, fintech, consumer brands, and more in the U.S. and Europe. Over seven years, Bevel represented over $60B in AUM, growing revenue 65% YoY and opening six offices in the U.S. and U.K. with 50+ employees. The firm was acquired in 2023.

Mr. Costescu co-heads the Innovation Economy team, serving EMEA’s fastest growing Fintechs, SAAS, and e-commerce companies across a wide range of corporate banking solutions.

Previously, Mr. Costescu served as Member of the Romanian Parliament and State Secretary for Trade and Investment. During his tenure, he reformed Romania’s Investment Agency and acted as investment and economic advisor to the Prime Minister during international diplomatic missions.

Throughout his career, Mr. Costescu served in various corporate and financial leadership positions managing an investment portfolio in Emerging Markets, running an equity raising platform for start-ups in London, and setting the European expansion strategy for a UK based Credit fund.

Mr. Costescu started his career spending more than a decade as a strategy consultant for McKinsey and Company in NY and a banker for JPMorgan, covering European Public Sector clients.

Mr. Costescu is a trustee of the 5Rights Foundation which safeguards child online safety.