The Eurostart Venture Awards once again brought together an exciting cohort of innovative start-ups, showcasing entrepreneurial talent from across Europe and beyond. At the heart of the competition is its jury panel, whose expertise, insight, and experience are instrumental in identifying and supporting the next generation of high-potential ventures.
This year, we are pleased to introduce a distinguished group of jury members, each contributing a unique perspective across venture capital, finance, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Steve Lord – Partner, Try Lunn & Co
Steve Lord is a Partner at Try Lunn & Co, one of Hull and Yorkshire’s most established firms of Chartered Accountants, renowned for more than 140 years of trusted financial and business advisory expertise. A qualified ICAEW Chartered Accountant, Steve has built a career grounded in technical excellence, strategic insight, and a deep commitment to helping organisations navigate complex financial landscapes with clarity and confidence. At Try Lunn & Co, Steve plays a central role in advising a wide range of businesses, supporting both long-established UK companies and international organisations entering the UK market.
His work spans financial reporting, IT strategy (in accounting systems), regulatory compliance, and long-term business planning, all delivered through the firm’s hallmark, personal, relationship-driven approach. He is also closely involved in the firm’s long-standing partnership with the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, serving as a key advisor to BLCC members on cross-border operations. His expertise has enabled smooth and effective financial and administrative integration for numerous organisations expanding into the UK.
Steve is widely recognised for his integrity, attention to detail, and commitment to developing both clients and colleagues. His leadership strengthens Try Lunn’s reputation not only as a trusted advisor, but also as a firm that invests deeply in its people. Steve’s blend of technical rigour, commercial understanding, and genuine dedication to business success brings significant depth and perspective to this year’s jury panel.
Justin Seghers – Founding Partner, Momentous
Justin Seghers is the Founding Partner of Momentous, a pre-seed VC backing founders building the infrastructure of human potential. Momentous invests across Sports Tech, Wellbeing, and Healthspan, the three interconnected layers of the Human Potential Stack, with a focus on companies leveraging proprietary data and applied AI to create defensible, personalised experiences.
Before founding Momentous, Justin built experience across venture capital, entrepreneurship, and corporate roles. He brings a hands-on, founder-first investment philosophy, working closely with early-stage teams on go-to-market strategy, fundraising positioning, and long-term value creation.
An alumnus of UCL's MSc Entrepreneurship programme, Justin maintains an active connection with the School of Management. He also serves as a Deal Partner at Boardy, an AI-powered venture fund and superconnector platform.
Justin brings a thoughtful, investor-led perspective to the jury, with a particular focus on defensibility, distribution, and long-term scalability.
Alexis Toft – Entrepreneur & Innovation Leader
Alexis Toft has a strong record of driving growth and innovation across the industrial, pharmaceutical, healthcare, and third sectors. He founded and scaled his own biotech company, invented a novel drug, and has grown the organisation from a three-person start-up into a multinational business which has now raised over £72 million.
With deep experience in UK and US political engagement, venture capital fundraising, and board-level governance, Alexis has combined his educational background in chemistry, law and business to become the principal inventor on 10 patents, and is a former Honorary Senior Lecturer in Clinical Medicine.
Widely regarded as a “super connector,” Alexis has also led major national initiatives, including launching the first National Children’s Air Ambulance capable of transferring critically ill babies and children between intensive care units. His media experience includes appearances on the BBC and ITV, and his contributions have been recognised with honours such as the Barclays Regional Icon Award (2020) and the University of Liverpool’s Pott’s Medal (2014).
