Challenges and opportunities for startup ecosystems in the European Union: Directions for enterprise growth and economic development
This article provides an in-depth exploration of the dynamic and evolving startup ecosystems within the European Union (EU), emphasizing both their distinctive challenges and promising opportunities. As crucial engines of innovation, startups play a pivotal role in driving economic growth, accelerat...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Ukrainian State University of Science and Technologies
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Економічний вісник Державного вищого навчального закладу Український державний хіміко-технологічний університет |
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| Online Access: | http://ek-visnik.dp.ua/wp-content/uploads/pdf/2025-1/Sevastyanov.pdf |
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| Summary: | This article provides an in-depth exploration of the dynamic and evolving startup ecosystems within the European Union (EU), emphasizing both their distinctive challenges and promising opportunities. As crucial engines of innovation, startups play a pivotal role in driving economic growth, accelerating technological advancement, and tackling global issues such as climate change and digital transformation through entrepreneurial creativity and sustainable solutions. The EU’s startup environment is characterized by its maturity, diversity, and robust funding landscape. Major innovation hubs like Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, and Barcelona serve as powerful nodes in a wider European network that benefits from harmonized markets, comprehensive regulatory frameworks, and institutional initiatives such as Horizon Europe and the European Innovation Scoreboard. These structures not only support early-stage ventures but also incentivize scale-up potential across borders. Notable growth sectors include GreenTech, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and FinTech, which offer significant promise for long-term competitiveness and global relevance. The EU’s commitment to sustainability and digitalization aligns closely with these sectors, positioning its startups to lead in future-oriented industries. However, the article also discusses barriers that remain, such as fragmented legal systems, talent retention challenges, and access to late-stage capital. To overcome these, the text advocates for stronger cross-border cooperation, clearer and more consistent policies, and targeted public and private investment strategies aimed at increasing ecosystem resilience and inclusivity. By critically analyzing and addressing these factors, the EU has the opportunity to not only strengthen its internal innovation capacities but also establish itself as a global leader in shaping the next generation of startup-driven economic and technological progress. |
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| ISSN: | 2415-3974 2664-2670 |