Europe India Centre for Business and Industry Announces 2025 Class of EuropeIndia40 Leaders

The Europe India Centre for Business and Industry (EICBI) announces the publication of the 2025 class of EuropeIndia40 Leaders, presented by Water & Shark – Global Advisory Firm, and officially unveiled on the front cover in the December edition of The Europe India Journal (EIJ) Magazine, this year's cohort recognizes 11 exceptional individuals under the age of 40 who are driving transformative change across the India-EU and India-UK corridors.

EuropeIndia40 is an initiative by EICBI established in 2019 to celebrate emerging leaders under 40 whose work advances Europe-India bilateral cooperation, innovation, and sustainable development. The programme honours individuals whose contributions transcend borders and create tangible impact in strengthening connections between European and Indian communities.

Meet the 2025 Honourees

Abhivardhan (India) is a Technology Law and AI Governance specialist who advises technology teams on ethical, responsible, and explainable AI. As Founder and President of the Indian Society of Artificial Intelligence and Law (ISAIL), he has shaped India's first privately proposed AI regulatory framework and authored Artificial Intelligence Ethics and International Law. His mentorship of 200 professionals and publication of over 60 works demonstrate his commitment to practical AI governance and innovation.

Dr. Arjoo (Sweden) leads the Northern Food Lab at Lule University of Technology, advancing resilient agri-food systems and sustainable agriculture. Her research bridges post-harvest technology, circular economy, and climate-smart solutions. Inspired by her upbringing in Haryana and the challenges of small farmers, she collaborates with India's Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Cooperation to empower farming communities across borders.

Bhushan Trivedi (India) serves as Assistant Vice President at Invest India, co-leading the Europe team at India's national investment promotion agency. His portfolio spans advanced manufacturing, energy transition, semiconductors, and digital infrastructure. Through strategic engagement with European governments and multinational companies, he shapes investment narratives that strengthen India-Europe economic cooperation.

Daniel Haselsberger (Liechtenstein) is an architect at the Liechtenstein School of Architecture whose doctoral research explores regenerative building materials in Bihar. Through his co-founded non-profit Arch Aid, he has collaborated with local communities to build climate-resilient, affordable structures that support the local economy and reflect community identity.

Kevin Varend (Estonia) is Founder and Managing Director of J3D.AI, operating across Tallinn, Munich, and Dubai with a mission to make collaboration more profitable than competition. His firm facilitates government and business delegations, curates strategic investment platforms including the House of Collaboration in Davos, and delivers AI-powered market intelligence.

Lekshmi Menon (India) is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Founder of Face Palette Makeup Academy, a UN Global Compact-recognized social impact venture. After gaining experience in the United Kingdom, she returned to Kerala to create sustainable livelihood opportunities for women. Her innovative EUDIA methodology integrates European professional practices with Indian aesthetics, empowering thousands of women since 2017.

Matej Šimalk (Slovakia) is Executive Director of the Central European Institute of Asian Studies, a think tank focusing on Europe-Asia relations and Indo-Pacific developments. A Forbes 30 Under 30 awardee, he is a member of the European Center of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats and currently serves as a visiting fellow at the Institute of National Defense and Security Research in Taipei.

Dr. Maximilian von Laer (Germany) focuses on strengthening Europe-India cooperation through institutional platforms, leadership networks, and investment frameworks. His work connects policy dialogue, civil society initiatives, and private capital to support sustainable economic collaboration, advocating for equal-footing partnership and alignment of European and Indian interests.

Pankaj Kumar (Poland) is an early-career plant biotechnology scientist focused on plant gene editing and sustainable agriculture. In 2024, he co-founded AgriPRoT to connect, test, and scale agri-innovations through India-EU collaboration. With a PhD from the Polish Academy of Sciences and postdoctoral experience at the John Innes Centre, UK, he bridges laboratory innovation with farm-level impact.

Dr. Sruthy Maria Augustine (Germany) is a postdoctoral researcher in plant biotechnology at Justus Liebig University Giessen, specializing in genome editing and DNA-free CRISPR technologies for sustainable crop improvement. Her international research career spans RWTH Aachen University, the Max Planck Institute, and Fraunhofer IME, advancing innovation-driven sustainable agriculture.

Verena Franziska Zimmer (Germany) advances Europe-India cooperation by linking trade, security, and diplomacy across Europe and Asia. As Country Manager Asia at the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, she advises German firms on market entry and geopolitics in the Asia-Pacific region. With expertise spanning ASEAN-EU relations and Indo-Pacific security, she builds strategic business and diplomatic networks.

The 2025 EuropeIndia40 Leaders list represents a dynamic cross-section of innovators, changemakers, and visionaries whose collective work exemplifies the power of Europe-India collaboration. With representatives from seven nations, this cohort reflects the multicultural, multi-sectoral nature of contemporary bilateral relations. These leaders are architecting the institutional, economic, and social frameworks that will define Europe-India partnership for decades to come. Their achievements across technology governance, sustainable development, business diplomacy, and social entrepreneurship underscore a shared commitment to building stronger, more inclusive connections between Europe and India.