Ana Bajarsic

Ana Barjasic is an entrepreneur, angel investor, policy adviser and ecosystem builder. In 2024, Ana was recognized as one of Europe's top 100 most influential women in the startup and venture capital space.

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

Ana is also an Obama Leader Europe, 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 (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia).

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.