Europe Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Startups

With the launch of the new EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy, boldly titled “Choose Europe to Start and Scale”, the European Commission is sending a message: Europe is ready to compete — and win — in the global innovation race. Europe is rolling up its sleeves and throwing open its doors to the next generation of tech giants.

Unveiled today by the Commission, the Strategy is the latest chapter in President Ursula von der Leyen’s broader Choose Europe initiative, first launched to unify scientific excellence across borders. Now, the focus shifts to tech entrepreneurs and startups — with the EU aiming to become the best place in the world not just to start a company, but to grow it into a global leader.

The Blueprint for Growth

Startups and scaleups are the lifeblood of innovation and sustainable growth, yet many in Europe still face steep hurdles when trying to move from lab to market — or to scale across borders. The Strategy takes these head-on, laying out a clear roadmap across five strategic pillars:

An innovation-friendly environment: with the inclusion of the Commission proposal of a European 28th regime for businesses to simplify rules on insolvency, tax and labour. The European Business Wallet will also debut, offering a unified digital identity for seamless interaction with public administrations.

Better access to funding: With too many startups still struggling to attract capital, the EU wants to unlock deep pools of money sitting idle. Plans include an expanded European Innovation Council, a new Scaleup Europe Fund – privately managed, but  privately and publicly co-funded – and a European Innovation Investment Pact aimed at encouraging institutional investors to back high-growth EU companies.

From Lab to Unicorn: The Strategy introduces European Startup and Scaleup Hubs to better connect universities and startups. A new Lab to Unicorn initiative will help academic discoveries become market-ready, with licensing models and royalty-sharing frameworks to match.

Attracting top talent: Cue the Blue Carpet Initiative — a set of measures designed to woo the world’s best minds. From tax-friendly stock options to startup visa fast-tracks, Europe is stepping up its talent game.

Infrastructure and access: A proposed Charter of Access will make it easier — and faster — for startups to tap into the research labs and innovation networks they need to scale.

In support of these pillars, the communication — a non-legislative document — outlines a comprehensive set of initiatives to be rolled out during the Commission’s mandate. A full chapter is dedicated to improving access to funding, and the strategy proposes several concrete actions.

Monitoring will be based on global KPIs, and a full progress report is expected by the end of 2027. But the ambitions are clear and the tone is optimistic.

“Businesses that are born in Europe must grow in Europe,” declared Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy. “We cut red tape, facilitate financing, and improve access to the Single Market. We want Europe to be where innovation thrives.”

Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva, in charge of Startups, Research and Innovation, echoed the sentiment: “This Strategy is a clear statement of purpose: to turn Europe’s wealth of creativity and research into real-world impact. Europe is ready to scale up.”

Europe’s ready to step up with a concrete strategy to help people start, grow, and thrive right here.