BRUSSELS – At the packed Plein Publiek venue today, the annual Allied For Startups & S9+ Policy Summit delivered a stark message to European legislators: the continent’s startup ecosystem is brimming with potential, but a “journey of compounded frictions” is forcing its best innovators to look elsewhere.
The summit, which serves as a critical bridge between the tech industry and EU policy, opened with a high-stakes fireside chat featuring Startup Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva. Reflecting on her first year in office, Zaharieva highlighted Europe’s foundational strengths while acknowledging the persistent regulatory hurdles that stifle founders as they attempt to scale across borders.
Step into Maria’s Shoes
The centerpiece of the afternoon was an immersive session titled “Stay or Go: A Live Startup Journey.” Moving away from abstract policy debate, attendees followed the story of “Maria,” a fictional German data scientist building a responsible AI-driven fintech startup.
The interactive exercise walked the audience through Maria’s lifecycle—from the initial spark of an idea to the complexities of a “pay later” fintech model—and forced them to confront the dilemmas of a European founder:
- The Talent Trap: Navigating fragmented labor laws and stock option regulations.
- The Regulatory Labyrinth: Dealing with the cross-border friction of AI and financial compliance.
- The Exit Choice: Choosing between a local acquisition or moving headquarters to the US for better capital access.
A panel of policymakers and ecosystem leaders—including MEPs Arba Kokalari and Damian Boeselager, and European Commission Adviser Anna Krzyzanowska—stepped into Maria’s shoes to debate how current EU initiatives like the “EU-INC” proposal could change Maria’s trajectory.
A Call for an Ambitious “EU-INC”
The consensus among the S9+ Coalition and Allied For Startups was clear: for Europe to be the best place to start and scale, policies cannot be designed in isolation.
“Europe has great potential, but founders experience it as a journey of compounded frictions,” organizers noted. “If we want them to stay, policies need to work across the full lifecycle.”
The summit concluded with a unique “Artcade” exhibition, where serious policy discussion met creative expression. Over Belgian beer and fries, founders and regulators mingled among art installations, continuing the “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” campaign’s push for a more unified, founder-friendly European Innovation Act.
As the Parliament and Commission set their sights on the political roadmap ahead, today’s summit served as a reminder that without radical simplification, Europe’s next generation of unicorns may find their home on a different continent.
About the Policy Summit: The Policy Summit is an annual gathering of founders, scaleups, and policymakers designed to foster dialogue and drive innovation-friendly regulation in the European Union.