Ewa Kocinska-Lange’s Post

📍Europe is building its Innovation Future – and YOU can shape it! The European Commission has opened a public consultation and call for evidence for the upcoming #EuropeanInnovationAct – a cornerstone of the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy. This initiative is set to: 👉Turn research breakthroughs into real-world impact 👉Bring academia and industry closer than ever 👉Empower startups and SMEs with access to talent, finance, and markets 👉Create the right conditions for innovators to thrive and compete globally 🎯The call is open to everyone in the innovation ecosystem: entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, SMEs, policymakers, and beyond. 🗓️ Deadline: 3 October 2025 This is your chance to influence Europe’s innovation landscape for years to come. 👉 Share your insights: https://lnkd.in/etni9eBn #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #EU #EuropeanInnovation

A new EU 🇪🇺 plan to speed ideas from lab to market 📈 The European Commission just rolled out a strategy to upgrade Europe’s science & tech infrastructure—making it easier for startups and researchers to access top labs, datasets, testing facilities, and AI-ready tools, with clearer long-term funding and tighter industry ties. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ezbw9C9C Why it matters (for business ), -Faster path from experiments to real products in health, energy, and AI. -Simpler, more open access for SMEs to “big-league” facilities and data. -Clearer signals for where grants and partnerships will flow next. Easy explainer: https://lnkd.in/e_-tkJ9p P.S. If Europe also made taxes more predictable/competitive for IT-heavy startups, that could amplify this push. Founders do compare regimes where effective turnover taxes can be as low as 1% (e.g., Romania’s micro-enterprise regime under strict thresholds and activity exclusions; Georgia’s 1% small-business status outside the EU, or Armenia’s 1% for any entity that falls under IT).

The JRC just published an analysis of the R&I and startups in the digital ecosystem at regional level. Understanding the R&I landscape can be used by policymakers to increase the effectiveness of financing efforts in the context of the EU 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘶𝘱 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘺 launched earlier this year. Highlights include: 🔸 𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗵, 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗱 are the top three most strategic regions for digital R&I.  🔸 Economic indicators show regional differences, with some regions that are more strategic globally, and others at EU level.  🔸 The 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 focusing on R&I activities in some regions can be interpreted as an opportunity for business.  This study's findings provide a first set of evidence for policies and initiatives to enhance innovation-led growth in different regions, contributing to EU competitiveness. EU Science, Research and Innovation Serena Signorelli Ana Fernández Cruzado Giuditta De Prato Read more below! 👇

From Winnipeg to Waterloo, Canada’s innovators rely on programs like ElevateIP to protect their ideas and scale globally. Since its launch, ElevateIP has demonstrated that investing in intellectual property is a strategic investment in Canada’s innovation economy. The numbers don’t lie; demand is overwhelming, and founders are using this program to protect ideas in AI, quantum, defence tech, and beyond. But with ElevateIP set to expire in Spring 2026, Canada risks losing momentum at a critical time for innovation. Read more in BetaKit’s article here: https://lnkd.in/e7B7DiyZ 👉 Founders, we want to hear from you: How has IP strategy shaped your company’s growth? Share your story below to help show why protecting Canadian innovation matters.

As part of European Future Innovation System (EFIS) Centre, partner of the #I3_Support_Facility consortium, I had the pleasure of supporting my colleague Elīna Grīniece in the discussion group on value chains held last September the 25th in Brussels, at the premises of the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). Together with the members of the group we explored how the I3 Instrument can help regions and SMEs collaborate more effectively, #connect into European #value_chains, and turn shared challenges into concrete opportunities for investment and scaling. I extract five key learnings from the rich discussion: 1️⃣ #Trust_and_continuity: building interregional trust takes years, and it needs steady public commitment and continuous training to increase impact 2️⃣ #Intermediary_actors play a key role in connecting SMEs because of their direct knowledge of the innovation actors (those able to connect through a "phone call"). 3️⃣ #Mapping_value_chains is a strategic tool to target investment and strengthen regional ecosystems towards resilience. 4️⃣ #From_missions_to_markets. I3 can bridge EU Missions with competitiveness by helping test and scale research solutions  5️⃣ #Synergies_not_silos. I3 works best when linked with Horizon Europe, EDIH, EEN and regional funds, to create continuous thematic platforms for projects. The #I3_Instrument can enable regional development by linking regional capacities with European #resilience and #competitiveness goals. 👏👏👏 Many thanks to all the group members contribution for a really insightful conversation. Let’s turn Europe’s #diversity into a collective #advantage 🤝 💪

🇪🇺 Brussels, OPC & Self-Employment Summit 2025 – my recap Arriving in Brussels, I felt both happy and overwhelmed. Not just by the city, but by the fact that I was there – finally seen and heard on this level. My personal highlights: On the very first evening, being officially listed as a speaker and taking the floor at the dinner – it felt like a knighthood. And on day two, grabbing the microphone during lunch with MEPs – a truly powerful moment. But there were also things that made me shake my head: 👉 €200 million spent every year just to maintain a second seat in Strasbourg. 👉 MEPs voting in consensus, often without really knowing the details of what they’re voting on. These are the decisions shaping Europe’s future – and our businesses. My biggest takeaway: OPC´s & self-employed simply don’t exist in the minds of most policymakers. We disappear under the label “SMEs,” even though we operate in very different ways. Our lobby is too small – and that must change. What inspired me most were the people: Boris Gurzhy, with his incredible dedication at such a young age, gave me real hope for the future. And Frederiek Vermeulen, who dropped bold visions over lunch – not all easy to implement, but pointing in the right direction, I appreciate that. What’s next: I will continue to fight with SME Connect for OPCs and SMEs, to make them more visible, to explain complex rules in plain language, and to push for a central portal where entrepreneurs can better understand laws, funding, and even take part in public consultations. And if they don´t do it – well, maybe I’ll just build it myself (with the right partners 😉). Standing alone doesn’t mean moving alone. #FutureOfWork #PolicyMatters #DigitalEurope #EntrepreneurVoices #InnovationFirst

🔬💡 Europe is reinforcing the foundation of its innovation economy with a new strategy to strengthen Research and Technology Infrastructures (RTIs)! On 15 September, the European Commission launched a bold new strategy to reinforce RTIs across the EU with real benefits for clusters, SMEs and regional innovation ecosystems. What’s in it for you? 🏭 Better access for start-ups and SMEs 🌍 Support for cross-border & regional collaboration 🎯 Stronger links to EU missions, industrial policy & the Green Deal Clusters turn science into impact, and this strategy empowers them to do more. 📄 Read the full Communication: https://lnkd.in/eNv-g4JH #ECCP #EUClusters

Europe’s future as an #innovation hub depends on smart #investment - and we’re finally seeing real steps in that direction. Yesterday, Commissioner Maria Luís Albuquerque presented the Blueprint for Savings and Investment Accounts (SIAs) – an initiative under the Savings and Investment Union (SIU). This ready-to-use model aims to make investing simple, transparent, and accessible, helping citizens put their savings to work while supporting European companies, innovation, and jobs. 👉 This is exactly what we’ve been advocating for: Europe must mobilise domestic savings, deepen capital markets, create tax incentives, and streamline procedures so startups can scale faster. If implemented well, the Blueprint can provide startups with more funding, improve exit opportunities, and make Europe a stronger, more attractive hub for entrepreneurs and investors alike. Alongside this initiative, the Commission also launched the EU Financial Literacy Strategy to give citizens the skills and confidence to participate in these opportunities. We're happy to see the Commission taking steps that align with the needs of the European startup ecosystem - more capital, smarter investment, and a stronger future for innovators. #SavingsAndInvestmentUnion

This Special Issue offers a valuable venue for advancing both theory and practice by gathering empirical and theoretical work that addresses these questions. By submitting, scholars can contribute to shaping an emerging area of research that matters deeply—for policy, for business, and for society. Also, because this is an open-access Special Issue, contributions are more discoverable and visible, potentially accelerating the influence of new insights. If you are interested in digital innovation, social impact, environmental justice, or the future of sustainable business, this is an excellent forum to share research that can make a difference. #SustainableEntrepreneurship #DigitalInnovation #GreenBusiness #EntrepreneurshipResearch #SustainabilityStudies #DigitalTransformation #ImpactEntrepreneurship #SustainableDevelopment

🚨 European founders: We have until September 30 to make our voice heard! One year after the Draghi report, we have a big chance to fix European fragmentation. Philipp Herkelmann and the EU-INC team have built a concrete framework that addresses the real operational pain points every European founder faces. Cradle is a Swiss-Dutch entity and I can tell you that this has led to many headaches along the way. And these headaches compound into a real structural disadvantage when you're competing globally. EU-INC proposes: + A single, new legal entity for startups + One central EU-level company registry + Standardized, EU-wide investment documents + Harmonized employee stock options + Simple rules for local taxes & employment + A framework built for every founder Piecemeal fixes won't solve the core problem–we need an integrated solution! Founders, please fill out the questionnaire here: https://lnkd.in/exyJqVnu Daniel Khachab has built an AI agent to help you fill the form: https://lnkd.in/eQczPfzi We have just a few days left to respond to the European Commission's consultation on the 28th regime. This is the highest leverage moment European founders will have on Commissioner McGrath's upcoming proposal!