As Portugal assumes the D9+ Presidency, the S9+ coalition of startup organisations urges Europe to act decisively to close its growing competitiveness gap with the US and Asia.
The Lisbon Declaration calls for a bold Digital Simplification Agenda to cut regulatory red tape, harmonise digital laws, and give startups a true single market for innovation. It demands faster AI adoption, smarter investment through pension and public capital, and a new EU budget that channels funds directly to high-growth startups. With clear proposals like a 28th-regime company form, EU-wide stock options, and startup impact checks for new laws, the S9+ sets a concrete roadmap for Europe’s digital renewal. The message is clear: simplify, invest, and scale – or risk watching Europe fall behind.
Members of the S9+ Coalition:
🇵🇹 Startup Portugal 🇪🇺 Allied For Startups 🇪🇸 Adigital & EsTech 🇧🇪 Scale-Ups.eu & Startup SuperNova 🇳🇱 Dutch Startup Association 🇵🇱 Startup Poland 🇪🇪 Estonian Founders Society 🇸🇪 SISP – Swedish Incubators & Science Parks 🇩🇰 Danske Iværksættere – Danish Entrepreneurs 🇫🇮 Finnish Startup Community (FSC) / Suomen Startup-yhteisö 🇨🇿 Czech Startup Association