Allied For Startups & S9+ Coalition - Brussels Policy Summit
🚀 Stay or Go? Europe, this is your startup reality check!
Europe talks a lot about being startup-friendly.
But if you’re a founder making real decisions — would you build here, scale here, stay here… or leave?
This event doesn’t do traditional Brussels-panel bingo.
It puts Europe’s startup framework on an actual live trial + you get to experience the exhibition "Artcade" at Plein Publiek - all for free!
🎤 Big speakers, no fluff
We kick off with a fireside chat with Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation. One year into her mandate:
What’s actually changing? What’s still broken?
We continue with a live, interactive startup simulation - part mock trial, part policy showdown, tracking one fictional but realistic European startup through all stages, from idea to exit.
Key speakers in this session include MEP Arba Kokalari (EPP), MEP Damian Boeselager (the Greens/EFA), and Anna Krzyzanowska (Adviser for Startups & Scaleups, European Commission).
🍟 Come for the serious policy, stay for the fries and belgian beer.
Provisional Programme
15:45 – Registration
16:15 – Welcome
Opening remarks by Serena Borbotti-Frison, Director-General of Allied For Startups
16:30–17:00 – Fireside chat with Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva
17:00–18:00 – “Stay or Go: The Startup Journey Live” A live startup journey simulation
Participants follow one fictional but realistic European startup through five stages of the startup journey, from idea to exit. At each stage:
a short founder dilemma is presented,
ecosystem voices explain why Europe supports staying or why founders feel pushed to leave,
policymakers react to the specific obstacles raised,
the audience votes from the founder’s perspective: Stay or Go.
From 18:00 – Networking and exhibition
Free access to the exhibition “Artcade”.