The S9+ Coalition Launches S9+ Declaration Ahead of D9+ Ministerial Summit in Amsterdam

Ahead of the D9+ meeting in Amsterdam on 27 March 2025, a coalition of startup organisations from the D9+ countries – collectively known as the S9+ Coalition, of which Allied For Startups is a proud member – has released the official S9+ Declaration. This declaration lays out bold, forward-looking proposals for D9+ ministers (representing Europe’s most digitally advanced Member States) to secure long-term technological leadership and foster a competitive, innovation-driven ecosystem for European tech startups and scale-ups.

Startups are the engine of Europe’s innovation economy. They are driving digital transformation, creating jobs, and shaping the industries of tomorrow. Yet, despite their potential, many European startups and scale-ups are still held back by persistent barriers—including fragmented digital infrastructure, burdensome regulation, limited access to global markets, and a chronic shortage of growth capital.

Without decisive action, these obstacles threaten to erode Europe’s competitiveness and leave the continent lagging behind in the global race for tech leadership.

The S9+ Declaration identifies five urgent priorities to empower startups and safeguard Europe’s digital future:

1. AI Leadership & Access to Frontier Tech
   Europe must invest in advanced AI infrastructure and ensure startups have access to world-class talent, computing power, and funding to compete globally.

2. Smarter Data Regulation
   Simplifying regulatory frameworks and ensuring fair access to data are essential for creating a level playing field that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship.

3. Bridging the Growth Capital Gap
   Unlocking institutional capital—particularly from pension funds—for venture investment is critical to helping European startups scale globally.

4. Protecting Innovation-Driven Marketing
   Startups rely on data-driven tools like targeted advertising to grow. Preserving their ability to compete through innovative sales methods is vital to their survival.

5. Building Robust Digital Infrastructure
   Affordable, high-quality cloud services, computing power, and connectivity must be treated as foundational enablers of Europe’s digital economy.

We call on the D9+ ministers to adopt these recommendations as part of a shared commitment to a stronger, more unified startup ecosystem in Europe—one that can reclaim global leadership in innovation and technological progress.

Signed by:
Dutch Startup Association (Netherlands)
Danish Entrepreneurs (Denmark)
Adigital & EsTech (Spain)
Estonian Founders Society (Estonia)
Scale-ups.be (Belgium)
Czech Startup Association (Czech Republic)
Finnish Startup Community (Finland)
Startup Portugal (Portugal)
Startup Poland (Poland)
Swedish Incubators & Science Parks (Sweden)
Allied for Startups (EU)