As the European Union seeks to strengthen innovation across the continent, the European Commission is inviting businesses, researchers, policymakers, and citizens to share their views on the upcoming European Innovation Act
With the deadline approaching, stakeholders have until 3 October 2025 to participate in the ongoing call for evidence and public consultation, hosted on the Have Your Say portal.
This European Innovation Act is a crucial phase in shaping a comprehensive legislative framework aimed at accelerating innovation, removing key barriers to commercialisation, and fostering a stronger, more competitive innovation ecosystem across the EU.
EU startup and scaleup strategy
The European Innovation Act is one of the main deliverables of the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy. Rather than remaining a policy vision, the Innovation Act is set to become binding legislation, with real-world impact on how innovation is funded, developed, and brought to market in Europe.
A significant aspect of the European Innovation Act is its ability to address several long-standing challenges faced by innovators and entrepreneurs. These include difficulties in commercialising research, limited collaboration between academia and industry, and barriers to market entry, particularly within public procurement systems and competitive private sectors.
Key issues
The consultations are looking for input on several critical areas:
- Commercialisation of research: Bridging the gap between research and market-ready products remains a challenge in many EU countries. The Act aims to streamline processes and support the transfer of innovation mechanisms.
- Industry-Academia Collaboration: Strengthening ties between universities and companies is considered essential for fostering impactful innovation and ensuring that applied research reaches the industry.
- Access to finance and talent: Many startups and scaleups continue to face challenges in securing funding and hiring skilled talent, particularly in deep tech and emerging industries.
- Research and technology infrastructures: Better coordination and accessibility of EU-wide infrastructure for testing and scaling innovation is being considered.
The consultation also explores how Europe could benefit from regulatory sandboxes and suggests tools like innovation stress tests for legislation. These tools aim to ensure that EU laws support, rather than hinder, innovation. The Act is also expected to propose ways to reduce administrative burdens and to better coordinate innovation investments across Member States.
Expert input across Europe
EU Member States and Associated Countries have been engaging through expert forums. On 15 September 2025, the European Innovation Council (EIC) Forum convened to share insights on regulatory sandboxes and the definitions of startups, scale-ups, and innovative companies.
This meeting also introduced stakeholders to the upcoming EU Startups and Scaleups Scoreboard, a monitoring tool that will track the implementation of the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy and its measurable impact on innovation ecosystems across Europe.
Contributing before the deadline
The European Commission encourages all stakeholders, from entrepreneurs and researchers to policymakers and investors, to take part in this final stage of consultation. Feedback collected will directly inform the structure and content of the European Innovation Act.
Submissions can be made until 3 October 2025 via the Have Your Say portal. With innovation playing a critical role in Europe’s competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience, this is a unique opportunity to shape a legislative framework that supports the next generation of innovators.
