Today marks an important milestone for vaic.at and the European startup ecosystem. Our founder has officially signed the EU-Inc petition, joining an impressive coalition of tech leaders including Arthur Mensch (Mistral AI), Moritz Adler (Head of App Store at Apple), and hundreds of other founders, investors, and ecosystem builders who believe in Europe’s potential to become a global innovation powerhouse.
The Challenge: Europe’s Fragmentation Problem
While Europe has the talent, ambition, and ecosystems to create innovative companies, less than 18% of first-round investments are pan-European. The complexity of navigating multiple legal systems creates a significant barrier that keeps founders stuck in national silos, limiting opportunities, slowing funding, and hindering innovation.
As European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently stated: “A startup from California can expand and raise money all across the United States. But our companies still face way too many national barriers that make it hard to work Europa-wide, and way too much regulatory burden.”
The Solution: One Europe, One Standard
The EU-Inc proposal represents a game-changing solution for European startups. At its core, EU-Inc would create a single pan-European legal entity that is digital-first and easy to incorporate, with one central EU-level registry, standardized investment documents, EU-wide stock options (EU-ESOP), while maintaining local taxes and employment laws.
This isn’t just another bureaucratic initiative. The proposal has been developed in collaboration with the best startup legal teams, funds, and founders across Europe, ensuring it addresses real challenges faced by companies like ours.
Why This Matters for vaicat and Europe
By supporting EU-Inc, we’re advocating for:
Simplified Cross-Border Operations: No more navigating 27 different legal systems when expanding across Europe. One standard, one process.
Faster Investment Processes: Harmonized investment documentation (EU-FAST) will standardize investment processes, making it easier for startups to raise capital from investors across the continent.
Talent Mobility: A real, effective EU-wide stock options framework (EU-ESOP) will help founders incentivize top talent and enable that talent to move freely across Europe without incurring unexpected taxation events.
Global Competitiveness: Europe can finally compete on equal footing with Silicon Valley, offering founders the scale and simplicity they need to build world-changing companies.
The Political Momentum is Building
The timing couldn’t be more critical. President von der Leyen has set up a dedicated working group in the Commission, and both the European Council and Parliament have signaled interest in what Brussels calls the “28th regime” (representing a 28th virtual state).
The European Commission is currently running a public consultation on the implementation of the ’28th regime’, and the legislative proposal for a pan-European legal entity is set to be released in Q1 2026, with final implementation targeted for 2027.
Joining the Movement
vaicat stands alongside industry giants and innovative startups in this crucial initiative. Notable signatories include leaders from Apple, Stripe, Wise, Revolut, Mistral AI, DeepL, Synthesia, Atomico, Index Ventures, Sequoia Capital, and hundreds more from across the European ecosystem.
This is about more than just making business easier—it’s about ensuring Europe doesn’t miss out on the next wave of technological innovation. Europe can become the best place for innovators, and creating a shared startup standard is the first step.
Looking Forward
As a company committed to innovation and growth in Europe, vaicat believes that EU-Inc represents our best chance to unlock the continent’s full potential. If the community acts now and mobilizes effectively, EU-Inc could become reality in the next 2-5 years, not 20-50.
We’re proud to stand with the European tech community in this historic initiative. Together, we can build a Europe where the next generation of global tech leaders doesn’t have to choose between staying local or moving to Silicon Valley—they can build world-class companies right here in Europe.
The future of European tech is in our hands. Let’s make it count.
For more information about the EU-Inc proposal, visit eu-inc.org.
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