NEW YORK, NY AND ZURICH, SWITZERLAND / ACCESS Newswire / September 29, 2026 / A growing number of European companies in frontier technologies, critical minerals, advanced manufacturing, defense tech, energy, and consumer sectors are evaluating a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) as a faster route to a U.S. listing, a valuation that reflects global investor demand, and access to follow-on capital. The Europe SPAC Summit 2026 (ESPAC'26), co-hosted by AUM Advisors and MBP Global, is inviting the CEOs, CFOs, founders, and board members of late-stage European private companies to The Dolder Grand in Zurich on Thursday, December 10, 2026, to learn how the process works and to meet the investment bankers, institutional investors, and SPAC sponsors who make these transactions happen. Attendance is by invitation only and free of charge for qualified companies.

Europe's recent de-SPACs show what is possible. Kyivstar, Ukraine's largest mobile operator, listed on Nasdaq through a merger with a SPAC sponsored by Cohen Circle and will deliver the Summit's keynote. In frontier technology, Finland's IQM Quantum Computers and France's Pasqal completed Nasdaq listings at pro forma enterprise values of approximately $1.7 billion and $2.0 billion, respectively. In energy, nuclear innovator Newcleo closed its business combination in September at a pro forma enterprise value of approximately $2.4 billion, and Italy's Terra Innovatum, a developer of micro-modular nuclear reactors, listed on Nasdaq in October 2025. Sweden's Einride, a pioneer in autonomous and electric freight, completed its listing at a pro forma enterprise value of approximately $1.5 billion. Announced transactions with Terra Quantum, valued at $3.6 billion, and OpenPayd, valued at $881 million, together with Trasteel, point to a deeper pipeline ahead. Of all de-SPACs completed globally in the past 12 months, at least 15 carried pro forma enterprise values of $1 billion or more.

"European founders now have a genuine choice about how and where they go public," said Crocker Coulson, CEO of AUM Advisors. "So far in 2026, 152 SPACs have raised $29.8 billion in their IPOs, 35 de-SPACs have closed, and 263 SPACs are searching for targets with $56.9 billion in trust. That is a very large pool of capital actively looking for high-quality businesses. The PIPE market has also come back, with $3.1 billion raised alongside de-SPACs this year, and investors are clearly rewarding quality: institutional-grade transactions such as Newcleo and IQM retained a meaningful share of the capital in trust at closing."

Coulson continued: "For a European company in quantum, nuclear, defense tech, or critical minerals, a SPAC merger can deliver a faster and more certain path to a Nasdaq or NYSE listing, a valuation that reflects the depth of U.S. sector specialist investors, and a platform for follow-on financing and global customer visibility. At ESPAC'26, I will walk through the differences between a traditional IPO and a SPAC merger, so that management teams can decide which route is right for their business."

Why European Companies Are Choosing the SPAC Route

Speed and certainty

A SPAC merger allows a company to negotiate its valuation and financing with a sponsor before the deal is announced, rather than depending on market conditions during a single IPO pricing window. Many transactions move from signing to listing within months.

Valuations that reflect sector demand

In sectors where U.S. investors have built deep specialist coverage, such as quantum computing, nuclear and renewable energy, and defense technology, valuations can exceed what comparable companies achieve on domestic European exchanges. Outcomes remain sector- and company-dependent, and the Summit program is designed to help companies assess where they stand.

Global visibility and follow-on capital

A Nasdaq or NYSE listing raises a company's profile with global customers, partners, and governments, and opens access to follow-on tools such as shelf offerings, ATM programs, convertibles, and additional PIPE financing.

Sectors in Focus

The Summit will spotlight the European sectors attracting the strongest U.S. investor interest: frontier technologies, including quantum computing, AI, and space; nuclear and renewable energy; critical minerals, as governments prioritize secure supply chains; defense tech, as NATO allies raise defense spending; advanced manufacturing; and consumer brands with global reach.

What Private Companies Will Gain at ESPAC'26

A full education on the SPAC process. Delegates will learn the key differences between a traditional IPO and a SPAC merger, then follow the full arc of a transaction, from selecting a sponsor and structuring the deal to SEC review, PIPE financing, managing redemptions, and life as a U.S.-listed company.

Direct access to the market's decision makers. The program brings together leading investment bankers, institutional investors, and SPAC sponsors actively seeking European targets. The New York Stock Exchange has joined the Summit as a keynote luncheon speaker, bringing the perspective of one of the world's premier listing venues. The organizers will also arrange select private meetings between qualified companies and investment bankers and SPAC sponsors.

A private dinner for company principals. Invited private company leaders will join an exclusive dinner with senior sponsors, bankers, and investors at The Dolder Grand on the evening of Wednesday, December 9.

Firsthand lessons from companies that have done it. Senior executives from European companies that have completed or announced SPAC mergers will share how they navigated the path to a U.S. listing and the growth it has unlocked.

"Readiness is the single biggest factor in a successful listing," said Drew Bernstein, Co-Chair of MBP Global. "European companies that understand U.S. audit, reporting, and governance requirements early can move through the SPAC process faster and with fewer surprises. ESPAC'26 gives management teams a practical view of what it takes to be ready."

Private companies interested in attending should request an invitation at https://www.europespacsummit.com/register. Requests are reviewed on a rolling basis, and approvals close on December 4, 2026.

Who Should Attend?

ESPAC'26 is designed for the CEOs, CFOs, founders, and board members of late-stage European private companies considering a U.S. listing, as well as the venture capital and private equity firms that back them. They will be joined by SPAC sponsors, institutional investors active in SPAC IPOs and PIPEs, ECM and M&A bankers, and legal and accounting advisors. Attendance is by invitation only and free of charge, with 350 senior executives, investors, and dealmakers expected. With the Alpine ski season underway in Verbier and Zermatt, many delegates are expected to extend their stay through the weekend.

Confirmed sponsors and partners include Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, Calabrese Consulting LLC, Spac.com, Hall Chadwick, Cohen & Company, Winston Taylor LLP, BTIG LLC, EarlyBirdCapital, Lucosky Brookman LLP, Greenberg Traurig LLP, McGuireWoods LLP, KingsRock Advisors LLC, Ashurst, Perkins Coie, ACCESS Newswire, SPAC Insider LLC, and BVK.

Co-Hosts

The Europe SPAC Summit is co-hosted by AUM Advisors and MBP Global. MBP Global is a leading audit and advisory firm serving SPACs and cross-border companies listing on the U.S. capital markets. AUM Advisors provides capital markets advisory, investor relations, and media relations to IPOs, de-SPACs, and public companies, working with both sponsor and target across the lifecycle, from announcement through PIPE marketing, listing day, and the first year of trading.

For Registration and Sponsorship Inquiries, Contact:

Crocker Coulson
CEO, AUM Advisors
crocker.coulson@aumadvisors.com
+1 (323) 270-8886
https://www.europespacsummit.com

SOURCE: Europe SPAC Summit 2026