Europe is at a pivotal moment for innovation, and we’ve been on the ground across the continent to make sure small-tech voices are included in the decisions being made in Brussels. Every conversation, from policy hackathons to founder workshops, pointed to the same reality: Europe’s digital future depends on regulation that strengthens competition and provides practical pathways for startups to participate and grow. Below is a roundup of our recent events in the EU and how you can plug into what’s ahead.

Brussels: EU Digital Policy at a Turning Point


ACT brought together founders and policymakers for a dialogue centred on a fundamental issue: what would it take for Europe’s regulatory frameworks to keep pace with the realities of small and medium-sized innovators? From ongoing DMA implementation to discussions around a potential 28th regime, European startups are navigating an increasingly complex rulebook.

Our panel brought practical realities of those debates to the forefront, examining what it truly takes for young companies to scale in the EU. Mitchel Volkering of member company vaic.at and Clément Sauvage described the time-intensive burden of rising compliance demands and the challenge of interpreting policies not designed with small tech businesses in mind. Innovators Network fellows Jim Beveridge and Rebekah Porath added perspective on why FRAND-ly (fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory) standard-essential patent licensing terms are essential for SMEs competing in standards-driven markets.

The conversation reframed small and medium enterprises not as external stakeholders, but as essential partners whose insights determine whether Europe’s regulations work in practice.

 

Lisbon: Startup Guide, Embassy Event, and Web Summit

Through collaborations in Lisbon, ACT brought together founders, policymakers, and ecosystem leaders from around the world. At Startup Guide’s European book launch, ACT, Danish Entrepreneurs, Allied for Startups, and S9+ hosted a lively program featuring a

policy hackathon, panel discussions, and a pitch competition. ACT Founder Mike Sax and André Costa de Sousa of member company Nespra outlined how unclear compliance requirements drain time from early-stage teams. Additionally, panellists discussed how a future 28th regime could simplify market access for small innovators, and member company Circe took home the win at the Startup Guide pitch competition with their powerful platform connecting women to mental-health support groups.


Then, at the U.S. Embassy in Portugal, a phone-free conversation created space for founders and partners to examine the realities of building a small tech business in Europe, with networking that sparked some of the week’s strongest startup community connections. At Web Summit, the energy was high as members shared their work and dug into the practical realities of how the AI Act, DMA, and GDPR directly shape their ability to grow.

 

 

 

Whether it was founders swapping insights with fellow builders or policymakers finally seeing the lived realities behind Europe’s regulatory hurdles, the week showed the power of bringing everyone into the same room. When that happens, we leave with smarter policy, stronger alignment, and a regulatory landscape that works for the startups building Europe’s future.

 

Looking Ahead

Across Brussels and Lisbon, it became evident that Europe’s policy agenda is most effective when informed by direct, sustained dialogue between founders and policymakers. Our role is to convene these voices, translate lived challenges into actionable policy recommendations, and keep Europe’s decision-makers closely connected to the companies building its digital future. We are grateful to Startup Guide, Danish Entrepreneurs, Allied for Startups, Startup Portugal, S9+, the U.S. Embassy in Portugal, and all our members and panellists for making these conversations possible. Your perspectives will guide the work ahead.

 

We’re excited to keep these conversations going. If you’d like to connect, share your experience, or explore future collaboration, drop a note to Brad Simonich ([email protected]). We’d love to set up a time to talk.