The European Commission has launched a bold new initiative aimed at transforming Europe into the world’s top destination for startups and scaleups.
Titled “Choose Europe to Start and Scale,” this comprehensive strategy is designed to remove persistent barriers, unlock funding, attract top talent, and create an environment where innovative, tech-driven companies can thrive from day one to global expansion.
Part of the wider “Choose Europe” campaign, the new strategy reflects a unified vision to bolster Europe’s innovation ecosystem and position the EU as a global powerhouse for entrepreneurship and sustainable growth.
Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, explained: “The EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy is a clear statement of purpose: to make Europe the best place in the world to start and grow a business.
“The Strategy will enable us to turn Europe’s wealth of creativity, research, and ambition into thriving new companies, quality jobs, and real-world impacts.
“With the five concrete actions, we are removing the barriers that hold our entrepreneurs back. Europe is ready to scale up.”
A united vision for European growth
The Choose Europe to Start and Scale initiative is aimed at empowering startups and scaleups – recognised as the engine of Europe’s sustainable growth, innovation, and job creation.
These high-potential companies are pivotal in attracting investment, reducing strategic dependencies, and driving the EU’s competitiveness on the global stage.
Despite strong fundamentals and a vibrant entrepreneurial landscape, many European startups still face hurdles in accessing funding, scaling across borders, and navigating complex regulatory environments.
The newly unveiled strategy aims to support these ventures at every stage of development – from inception to international expansion and long-term success within the EU.
Removing barriers, simplifying growth
One of the key goals of the strategy is to foster a more innovation-friendly environment by tackling fragmentation and excessive bureaucracy.
The Commission plans to introduce a European 28th regime – an optional legal framework simplifying rules in areas such as tax, labour, and insolvency law.
Additionally, the European Business Wallet will enable streamlined digital interactions between startups and public administrations through a unified digital identity, making cross-border operations more efficient.
To further encourage regulatory innovation, the forthcoming European Innovation Act will promote the use of regulatory sandboxes, allowing companies to test new ideas in a controlled environment with reduced risk and red tape.
Unlocking capital and scaling deep tech
A central challenge for startups and scaleups is access to funding, especially when scaling deep tech ventures. The EU plans to create a more integrated venture capital market through its Savings and Investments Union initiative.
This will be complemented by an expanded and simplified European Innovation Council, a new Scaleup Europe Fund, and a European Innovation Investment Pact aimed at attracting large institutional investors to back unlisted startups and scaleups. These measures are designed to bridge the gap between early innovation and late-stage commercialisation.
Accelerating innovation from lab to market
The Commission is launching a “Lab to Unicorn” initiative, designed to fast-track the commercialisation of academic research.
Central to this is the creation of European Startup and Scaleup Hubs, which will connect university ecosystems across the EU and facilitate the creation of IP-based spinoffs.
New blueprints and guidance will help institutions share licensing revenue and equity with inventors while staying compliant with State aid rules.
Attracting talent and building infrastructure
To address the talent shortage, the strategy introduces the Blue Carpet initiative, focusing on entrepreneurial education, employee stock options, and streamlined immigration paths for non-EU founders.
Promoting the Blue Card Directive and urging member states to adopt fast-track visas will help Europe become more attractive to global innovators.
Furthermore, the EU will roll out a Charter of Access to simplify and harmonise how startups access key research and industrial infrastructures, shortening time-to-market for groundbreaking technologies.
To measure success, the Commission will monitor progress using global performance indicators, with a comprehensive report on implementation due by the end of 2027.
With this robust new strategy, the European Commission is laying the groundwork for a more competitive, cohesive, and innovation-driven future – making it clear that when it comes to startups and scaleups, Europe means business.
