At the European Commission’s European Startups and Scaleups Forum, EIC Board members Kat Borlongan and Bart Becks provided expert insights on how the EU can better support its start-up and scaleup ecosystem. Their contributions are reflected in the Beyond Catch-Up document, which lays out a forward-looking vision for Europe to lead—not just follow—in global tech innovation.
In this vision document, they argue for a decisive shift from incremental reform to systemic transformation. Built around four key principles—movement over measures, leapfrog over lag, smarter over bigger, and trust over technocracy—the document outlines actions to attract top talent, unlock institutional capital, expand market access, and reimagine public institutions as enablers of growth.
It also recommends establishing a pilot implementation unit within the EIC and embedding founders and operators into policymaking to ensure agile, execution-driven reform.
The participation of EIC Board members in the Commission’s high-level forum reinforces the role of the EIC Board not only in guiding the future of the EIC, but also in shaping broader EU policy that fosters entrepreneurship and positions Europe as a leading destination for innovative businesses.
Details
- Publication date
- 5 May 2025
- Author
- European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency