The European Committee of the Regions and DG R&I of the European Commission are pleased to invite you to this seminar organized in the framework of their Knowledge Exchange Platform initiative.
Closing the innovation divide between the EU and its global competitors and boosting competitiveness, is a key priority for the European Union, as highlighted also in the Letta Report on the future of the Single Market and the Draghi Report on European competitiveness.
The startup and scaleup strategy announced by the European Commission will be one of the flagship actions to contribute to closing the innovation gap, with the aim to foster an innovation-friendly environment that makes it simpler and faster for European innovative startups to grow and scale up in the Single Market.
In this regard, European local ecosystems play a pivotal role in fostering innovation by integrating diverse stakeholders—including universities, research institutions, businesses, and government entities—to create dynamic innovation hubs. Strong regional innovation ecosystems can be conducive for the startups and scaleups to prosper.
The potential of EU startups and scaleups to create new markets and increase the EU's global leadership and competitiveness is significant. However, it is imperative to address the obstacles that hinder their ability to scale into mature, profitable companies within the Single Market and to incentivize them to remain in the EU.
During the Seminar, we will provide an opportunity to explore the key elements of the upcoming Startup and Scaleup Strategy, discuss the critical role of regional and local innovation, and share best practices of successful local initiatives. This will facilitate a deeper understanding of how to support the growth of EU startups and scaleups, ultimately contributing to the EU's competitiveness and innovation goals.
The event will take place at the European Committee of the Regions (rue Belliard 101, 1040 Brussels, JDE 51).