Two Expert Voices On Startup Communication And Fundraising Are Heading to Malta For EU-Startups Summit 2026

Two of the startup world’s most practical and experienced voices are heading to Malta this May, as the EU-Startups Summit 2026 brings together founders, investors, and innovators from across Europe and beyond.

David Trayford, educator, advisor, and creator of the globally used talkware system, returns to the Summit for the Growth Stage keynote, titled “Innovation begins with Communication: The 7 ingredients you need to perfect your startup communication.” With decades of experience helping founders, teams, and organisations sharpen how they communicate, pitch, and structure their ideas, Trayford has designed programmes for leading institutions including the European Investment Bank Institute and EIT initiatives. Currently working in Innovation Communication and Strategy at Óbuda University, he brings a deeply practical approach to one of the most underestimated challenges in the startup world: making your message easy to understand, remember, and act on. Beyond the keynote, Trayford will also serve as pitch coach and MC of the 2026 Pitch Competition - a role that puts him at the heart of one of the Summit's most anticipated events.

Joining him is Dr Florian Kandler, founder of GetFunding.how and one of Europe's leading voices on startup fundraising. Having co-founded three companies - two of which raised more than €3 million from investors across the US and Europe - Kandler brings hard-won, founder-first experience to his work. Since 2016, he has supported more than 3,000 founders across 20 countries, with those entrepreneurs going on to raise over €1 billion in funding. At the Summit, he will deliver a session titled “Fundraising Secrets: Strategies, FOMO and Follow-Ups that win over Investors”, offering practical insights into what separates stalled investor conversations from serious momentum.

The EU-Startups Summit 2026 takes place on 7-8 May in Malta.