Keeping Europe’s science-based companies in Europe: CESAER contributes input on EU Inc.

On 15 May, CESAER published an input on the 28th regime corporate legal framework, known as EU Inc.

• Submitted input note [PDF]

The proposed EU Inc. framework aims to create a new, optional European company form to make it easier for companies, in particular startups and scaleups, to start, operate, attract investment, retain talent and scale across the Single Market.

CESAER welcomes the proposal as a timely contribution to Europe’s simplification, competitiveness and Single Market agenda. In its input, CESAER underlines that EU Inc. should not be treated only as a company creation tool. If designed well, it can become an important enabling framework to help Europe turn world-class science, technology and talent into competitive companies, resilient value chains and long-term prosperity.

The input calls on the European Parliament to ensure that EU Inc. works for science-based startups, university spinouts and deep tech ventures, and that it remains simple, optional, trusted by investors and coherent with Europe’s wider research, innovation and industrial agenda.

Tim Bedford, Associate Principal at the University of Strathclyde, CESAER Vice President and co-Chair of CESAER Task Force Innovation said:

“Europe has excellent science, talent and technologies, but too many promising companies still struggle to grow across the Single Market. EU Inc. is an important opportunity to reduce friction and help science-based ventures stay and scale in Europe. To get this right, the framework must work for university spinouts and deep tech companies, provide legal certainty for founders, investors and institutions, and make intellectual property easier to use, license, value and commercialise across borders.”

Lisa Ericsson, CEO of KTH Ventures AB and Head of KTH Innovation, co-Chair of CESAER Task Force Innovation, said:

“EU Inc. is an important tool for Europe’s competitiveness because it can help innovative companies scale and attract investment across borders more quickly. This is especially important for deep tech companies, which often face long development timelines, high risks, and the need to find their first customers outside the country where the technology was created. Investor trust will depend on predictability, including disputes being handled consistently across Europe.”

The input builds on CESAER’s longstanding work on innovation ecosystems, deep tech, competitiveness, the European Innovation Act and the European Research Area Act.

We thank our Members for their valuable input and continued engagement on strengthening Europe’s research and innovation ecosystem.

For more information, please contact our Senior Advisor for Innovation & Sustainability, Louise Drogoul.