Allied For Startups at EU-Startups Summit 2026

On 7 May, our Head of Policy, Vasco Pereira da Silva, joined the panel “EU Inc – The Challenges and Opportunities Related to a Europe-Wide Legal Entity” at the EU Startups Summit in Valletta, Malta.

Together with Iwona Anna Biernat (Project Europe and EU–INC), Kayvan Hazemi Jebelli (Chamber of Progress), Vazil Hudak (H2O Fund), and Cathy White (Cew Communications), they discussed what EU Inc. could mean for founders, investors, and innovation across Europe.

In his contribution, Vasco explained that the real test of EU Inc. will be whether it delivers clear, practical value for companies across the Single Market, with success depending on real adoption and trust from founders and investors.

He also highlighted a few key points:

• Founders should be able to incorporate, operate, raise capital, hire talent, and scale with a similar experience across the EU;
• The more genuinely European the framework becomes, the less fragmentation and forum shopping across the Single Market;
• Features such as digital incorporation, flexible financing rules, dematerialised shares, and employee stock options will be key for adoption;
• A strong and trusted EU Inc. could help establish a competitive standard for startups and scaleups, making it easier for Europe to retain talent, investment, and future unicorns;
• Founders, investors, and ecosystem actors can play a key role in ensuring the success of EU-Inc. by engaging with national authorities and policymakers at both the national and EU levels.

Warm thank you to Thomas Ohr and the EU Startups Summit team for the excellent organisation, as well as to the fellow panellists for the engaging discussion and valuable insights.