EU Startup Policy Hackathon: Pitching Policy Proposals for the EU Startup & Scale-Up Strategy

On 28 March 2025, we were proud to host the EU Startup Policy Hackathon, in collaboration with the European Startup Network. During this dynamic event, 10 exceptional teams tackled some of the most pressing challenges at every stage of the startup journey. They worked together to develop policy recommendations and pitch them to the Grand Jury, including Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation.

Policy Proposals Across the Startup Lifecycle:

Idea Stage:

• Data and Infrastructure: The EU Data Village framework, designed to enhance easy access to data across the Union.
• Research and Ecosystem: A revision of state aid rules to allow startups access to any European accelerator or ecosystem, alongside allocating 5% of Horizon funding to technology transfer initiatives.

Starting Up:

• Early-Stage Funding: Strengthening angel networks across Europe through co-financing partnerships and a pan-European co-investment fund to support early-stage startups.
• Talent and Skills: Enhancing international talent attraction through mandatory internships, an “Ignition Fund” for entrepreneurial projects, and Fast Visa 2.0 to streamline strategic visa applications.

Acceleration:

• 28th Regime: Establishing a simple, digital, and unified European Company Regime to make Europe the prime destination for founding and scaling companies.
• Compliance: Leveraging technology to improve public and private tendering processes, ensuring startups and scale-ups have bottom-up access to policies and best practices.

Global Expansion:

• Scale-up Funding: Encouraging institutional investors to increase VC allocations via ETCI 2.0 and supporting lending to pre-revenue TRL 7–9 scale-ups by de-risking loans through guarantees.
• Market Access: Updating tender criteria to include startups and scale-ups, while positioning EU trade measures as “Startup Diplomacy” to foster trust in key global markets.

Exit:

• Insolvency: Introducing the Anti-Zombie Act (AZA) to decriminalise bankruptcy, streamline procedures, offer a bankruptcy bonus, and implement a founder rehabilitation program.
• IPO and M&A: Stimulating a robust M&A landscape in Europe and facilitating smoother, faster access to public markets for European innovators from startup to IPO.

A big thank you to all the dedicated coaches, team captains, and participants for their exceptional commitment, innovative ideas, and impactful presentations. Special recognition goes to Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva for her invaluable insights, thoughtful engagement, and constructive feedback. Huge appreciation also goes to the Startup Taskforce for its collaboration and support.

And of course, a big shoutout to our sponsor Schlast, and partner Prismos for their support in making this event possible.

Now, we look ahead with optimism and determination, counting on Commissioner Zaharieva and key stakeholders to transform these groundbreaking proposals into a Strategy that will shape the future of the European startup ecosystem.