Report highlights continuing challenges for EU in preventing start-ups and scale-ups moving to the US

Around 10% of EU scaleups relocate abroad, with 85% of them moving to the US. These are the main findings of a report entitled "Drivers of Relocation by Innovative EU Start-ups and Scale-ups", commissioned by the European Investment Bank (EIB).

The report, released on 12/01/2026, confirms a recognised trend that, while EU innovators are good at developing new ideas, the EU struggles to keep them at home as they scale up their activities.

Start-ups and scale-ups are described in the report as "vital engines of innovation" that drive progress in critical sectors like artificial intelligence, biotechnology and clean technologies. However, as these companies mature, many feel forced to shift their structural headquarters outside the European Union to survive and compete globally, the report says.

The report identifies a consistent set of drivers behind these decisions, regardless of the sector. The primary motivations include:
• Access to capital: The US offers larger funding "ticket sizes" and a venture capital culture that is perceived as less risk-averse and more willing to back…