The EU is a breeding ground for entrepreneurial spirit. #Startups are popping up faster here than in the U.S., but many struggle to scale, caught in the so-called "valley of death". And when they do scale, mostly with US VC money, they move their HQs and #founders to the U.S. This challenge holds back the true potential of European #innovation.
This is one of the key insights I had the chance to explore at a recent workshop on startup policy in Europe, organised by DEEP Ecosystems, SERN - Startup Europe Regions Network and led by Giorgio Alessandro.
We tackled critical issues like easing the bureaucratic burden for #entrepreneurs, attracting global talent, and developing better financial frameworks for venture capital across Europe.
I was lucky enough to exchange ideas with Tereza Huczalová, Rui Boavista Marques, Caro Rossi, Martin Paus, Mathias CHARLES, Amaia Gil Salvador and many other brilliant policy-makers.
In my group, we focused on regulatory simplification. Our proposal? A flexible, EU-wide framework allowing any EU citizen to set up a company online with a streamlined process. 🎯
But a major roadblock remains: the EU lacks a unified definition of what a "startup" is. This is not just a semantic issue—it’s a barrier to innovation. We suggested a criteria-based approach that allows countries to adapt the definition to their local realities while maintaining cohesion across the EU. 📊
I loved the workshop because it allowed me to work on policy, which I’m passionate about for 351 Portuguese Startup Association, and also on finding solutions to simplify bureaucracy—something that is at the heart of BRIDGE IN’s mission. 🛠️