EU Innovation Journey'25

Ana Barjasic is an entrepreneur, angel investor, policy adviser and ecosystem builder. In 2024 and 2025, Ana was recognized among Europe’s top 100 most influential women in startups and venture capital.

Leveraging her extensive expertise in the international startup and innovation landscape, Ana founded Connectology, a capacity-building and early-stage investment firm. 

Ana Barjasic (pronounced: Bar-ya-shich) is also an Obama Leader Europe, a Global Advisor at Global Entrepreneurship Network, and a Board Member of the European Innovation Council, largest innovation fund for deep tech in Europe with a €10 billion investment capacity. Ana is the Chair of the Widening Countries/Opening for Excellence Working Group of the EIC Board, leading efforts to enhance the participation and success of entrepreneurs, particularly women entrepreneurs, from the widening countries of Horizon Europe.

In addition to her entrepreneurship and investment experience, Ana is a social scientist educated at the University of Zagreb, the University of Vienna and the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her recent research interests lie at the intersection of psychology and behavioral science, with a particular focus on decision-making processes and gender bias in entrepreneurship and investing.

Ana is a citizen of the world, holding multiple citizenships, having lived in six different countries, and having traveled to over 90 countries. She is fluent in Croatian, English, Portuguese, and German.

Ana is frequently invited to speak on topics of investment readiness, innovation, women entrepreneurship and investment, nature finance, sustainability, behavioural science, and has participated as a speaker, panelist and jury member at various international events across more than 40 countries.