EU startup and scaleup strategy making Europe a startup powerhouse
December 21, 2025The Commission has put startups, research and innovation among the key priorities of its mandate, with the goals of closing the innovation divide between the EU and its global competitors and boosting competitiveness, bearing in mind the Letta Report on the future of the Single Market and the Draghi Report on European competitiveness.
The Strategy proposes a comprehensive set of actions to make the EU the best place in the world to launch and grow technology-driven innovative companies.
It focuses on helping innovators, founders and investors to Choose Europe by improving the conditions for startups and scaleups, enabling them to capitalise on new geopolitical opportunities and reducing the reasons to relocate outside the EU. It sets out legislative, policy and financial support measures, at both EU and Member States level, to address the needs of innovative companies throughout their development.
Key actions are focused on fostering innovation-friendly regulation, improving access to finance, accelerating market uptake and expansion, attracting and retaining the best talent and facilitating access to infrastructure, networks and services.
The Startup and Scaleup Strategy will be closely linked to other flagship actions of the Competitiveness Compass, such as the “Savings and Investments Union”, the “Single Market Strategy” or the “Union of Skills”.
