A report from the EIC Summit 2025, where Europe’s innovation ambitions took center stage

As global politics shift and major economies like the United States continue to retreat from international collaboration, Brussels looked resolutely outward. At the EIC Summit 2025, startups, policymakers, investors and researchers gathered to address one central question: how can Europe reclaim its position as a global leader in deep tech and innovation?

The answer was both clear and determined: through collaboration, simplification and bold action. The Summit was not only a moment to reflect on past successes, but also a rallying cry to dismantle the barriers still holding European innovation back.

Fragmentation as a brake on progress

The day opened with a powerful message: the European Innovation Council (EIC) must become bigger, simpler, and more impactful. That call feels even more urgent in today’s geopolitical context. While the US under President Trump doubles down on protectionism and import tariffs, Europe faces a unique opportunity — to position itself as the go-to destination for talent, ideas, and innovation.

A sharp fireside chat captured a sentiment shared by many: Europe may be a single market on paper, but in practice it remains fragmented. “There are two kinds of countries in Europe: small countries, and countries that don’t know they are small,” Enrico Letta remarked. Cooperation, in this context, is not a luxury — it’s a necessity.

The EIC as a catalyst for deep tech

The newly published EIC Impact Report 2025 shows that progress is happening. The EIC Fund has already completed over 150 investment rounds in startups and SMEs — 60 of which took place in 2024 alone. With over € 2.6 billion in co-investment, the EIC on average attracts three times more private capital for every euro it directly invests.

The result? Over 70 EIC-supported companies have reached ‘centaur’ status (valued at over € 100 million), including six valued above € 500 million. And it’s not just about funding: the EIC’s Business Acceleration Services have enabled 230 partnerships with corporates, investors and buyers. The impact is tangible — and measurable.

The potential of inclusion

But the work is far from done. During the EU Prize for Women Innovators ceremony, the slow pace of gender equality progress was mentioned. According to She Figures 2024, women remain significantly underrepresented in key sectors such as ICT, engineering, and private-sector R&D. Only 22% of researchers in Europe’s business sector are women, and just 9% of patent applicants are female.

Commissioner Zaharieva for Startups, Research and Innovation has identified gender equality as one of her five core innovation policy priorities. Yet, true progress will require structural change — including better career support, decision-making roles, and access to funding for women.

A unified Europe for startups: EU Inc.

One of the most powerful ideas to emerge from the Summit was EU Inc. — a proposed pan-European legal entity for startups, also referred to as the “28th regime.” Rather than navigating 27 national frameworks, European entrepreneurs could operate under a single, uniform set of rules — similar to how US startups function seamlessly across states.

The initiative has already gained political traction, including support from Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. At the Summit, it was presented as a “minimum viable product” of what a startup truly needs to scale across Europe. Despite a vibrant innovation landscape, fragmentation still drives investors to favor countries they already know — a missed opportunity for the rest of the continent.

From words to action

The Summit closed with a clear reflection and call to action: the EIC is a success, but it must now move faster, take more risks, and shift focus towards public procurement alongside subsidies. Policymakers urged closer cooperation between cities, national contact points, and the EIC itself. The role of the private sector — particularly in emerging fields like AI, defense and green technologies — was emphasized as vital to Europe’s economic future.

A future worth investing in

More than anything, the EIC Summit 2025 made one thing clear: Europe has the talent and ambition. What’s still needed is time — and policy acceleration. From streamlining regulation and evaluation processes to opening up pension funds for innovation investment: the ideas are here, and so is the energy.

In a world where others build walls, Europe is choosing to build bridges — for collaboration, for scalability, and for innovation with societal impact. The EIC Summit 2025 showed that if we get it right, Europe won’t just lead in deep tech — it can become a beacon of trust, inclusion, and sustainable growth.