Allied For Startups at the Second Meeting of the European Startup and Scale-up Forum

On 25 April 2025, we were proud to take part in the second meeting of the EU Startup and Scale-up Forum, hosted by Startup Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva.

The Forum serves as a platform where founders, investors, and innovation stakeholders engage directly with EU policymakers to support the development of a comprehensive EU Startup and Scale-up Strategy.

Allied For Startups was represented by our Head of Policy Vasco Pereira da Silva, President Simon Schaefer, and Board Member Hedi Marisoo from Estonian Founders Society and Cachet.

We tackled some of the most critical issues facing startups and scale-ups today – from access to finance, regulatory barriers, and expanding market opportunities, to securing talent, skills, infrastructure, and data-driven services.

We also explored the building blocks of the EU Startup and Scale-up Strategy, reviewed the results of the public consultation, and discussed potential actions the Commission could take to create real impact.

We’re encouraged by the Commission’s close collaboration with stakeholders. We’re excited to continue our contribution to this process and are looking forward to seeing the results of our shared efforts reflected in the final Startup and Scale-up Strategy.