site.btaEuropean Commission Aims to Make Europe Best Place for Technology and Innovation, Commissioner Zaharieva Says

The European Commission has the ambition to make Europe the best place to establish and develop technological companies, a hub that attracts both European and global entrepreneurs, Ekaterina Zaharieva, EU Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, said in a video address at the opening of the 2nd International Conference on the Evolution of Innovations “INNOVATE. INVEST. INSPIRE.” The event, organized by BOYANOV & Co. Law Firm and the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria, is taking place on Thursday at the Hilton Hotel in Sofia.

According to Zaharieva, the forum’s motto perfectly captures the spirit of today’s Europe. “Today, innovation is not just a part of the economy, it is the economy. It determines who will lead, who will create the solutions of the future, and who will inspire the next generation,” she said.

The European Commission has a clear ambition to maintain Europe’s leading position by working to make the continent the best place for technology companies to be established and to grow, Zaharieva added. “We want European and global talents to choose Europe for their next project. That’s why this year we presented the first EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy. It includes concrete actions to improve the business environment, boost investment, ensure easier access to talent, create more flexible regulations, and simplify procedures. We are also working on the European Innovation Act, which we plan to present next year,” Zaharieva said.

She explained that this approach will help startups gain access to markets and provide them with a real-world testing environment for their solutions under actual market conditions. “In short, it will give innovators the freedom and confidence to succeed on the single market,” she added.

Zaharieva also said that every idea needs not only trust but also investment. For that reason, the multi-billion euro Scaleup Europe Fund will soon be launched, in partnership with private and public investors. “The fund will support Europe’s tech companies, especially in the later stages of growth, when access to capital is most challenging. This new fund will add to the EUR 10 billion support already provided by the European Innovation Council, which finances bold ideas from the laboratory to the market. Because when we invest in innovation, we invest in Europe’s future,” she said.

According to Zaharieva, Europe’s true strength lies in its people and their stories, in the scientists, entrepreneurs, and small teams who start with an idea and turn it into a product, and in the collaboration between universities and businesses. “These stories are what inspire policies, and what’s more, they inspire the next generation of innovators. We rely on your energy, courage, and vision to create the future of Europe together,” Zaharieva added.