The Commission’s Startup and Scaleup strategy promises to help tech-based businesses achieve competitiveness goals and create new markets for the EU. However, we would like to suggest that this startup and scaleup strategy should be aimed at more than just the technology-driven companies and deep tech sector. Scaleups and startups across all segments of the economy experience administrative burden issues, lack of access to skilled talent, a lack of entrepreneurial education, issues with the lengthy procurement processes and getting products to markets, cross-border work, the lack of interoperability of social security systems and hindrances to the recognition of qualifications and untapped academic potential. 

Moreover, the so-called “valleys of death” experienced by startups (e.g. failure to turn innovations into marketable products and scaling up) are not sector-specific challenges. To this end, we are disappointed that the Commission did not broaden the focus of the EU startup and scaleup strategy to all companies.  

However, we appreciate that the Commission has aligned this strategy with other top priorities such as the Single Market Strategy, the Clean Industrial Deal, the Savings and Investment Union, upcoming Omnibus’ and more. 

The entrepreneurial and innovative model promoted by this strategy is something EFB is pleased to see especially since family businesses prioritise entrepreneurial education and innovation throughout generations. Less than 50% of EU students in secondary and higher education having access to any form of entrepreneurial education is an issue that can perhaps be overcome by ensuring the availability of business education courses and vocational learning opportunities for students. The former and latter points are both issues EFB has pointed out that would close the existing entrepreneurial skills gaps. Furthermore, we are pleased to see that the Commission has taken on board the need to look at commercialising academic research results. Universities are natural idea incubators and, thus should prioritise both academic publication and commercialisation. 

The Commission’s proposal to strengthen the Digital-by-default solution and to incorporate this into the European 28th regime may help companies overcome barriers in setting up, scaling up and operating companies across the Single Market. This coupled with the European Business Wallet presents interesting opportunities if correctly designed and implemented.  

We applaud the EU Commission for including the topic of Business Transfers in the Single Market Strategy 2025. However, we would have liked this document to also include the topic, as scaling up companies and keeping them in the EU are fundamental to business continuity in Europe and to family business dynamics. Nevertheless, we appreciate the Commission’s work on the EU scale-up and start-up strategy but find it limiting due to its focal point being technology and deep tech companies.