"The EU supports European Entrepreneurship and Start-Ups. The role of VET schools in promoting students' Entrepreneurship skills"

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In January 2025, thePresident of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen presented the "Compass for Competitiveness" in Brussels, a strategic plan aimed at repositioning the European Union (EU) vis-à-vis the United States of America and China. It recognised the end of the era of dependence on cheap Chinese labour and low-cost Russian energy, proposing a fundamental transformation of the European business model.

The strategy includes administrative simplification measures, with a 25 per cent reduction in regulatory obligations for companies in general, and 35 per cent for small businesses. Although the EU remains committed to the objectives of the Green Deal, urgent action is needed to reverse its economic lag behind other world powers.

The plan foresees an annual investment of 800 billion euros, equivalent to 4% of the EU's GDP (Gross Domestic Product) to fill industrial, technological and defence gaps. It is organised along 4 axes:

Administrative simplification.
Financing and investment.
Energy and sustainability.
Policy coordination.

More recently, in May, the Commission launched the EU strategy for start-ups and scale-ups, ‘Choose Europe to Start and Scale’, to make Europe a favoured location for the launch and expansion of global technology-driven companies. The strategy is in line with the wider ‘Choose Europe’ initiative. It recognises that Startups and Scaleups are essential to Europe's future, driving innovation and sustainable growth, creating high-quality jobs, attracting investment and reducing strategic dependencies.

Yet, despite strong foundations, too many still struggle to take the step forward – going from one university, school or friends’ idea to an actual company, or even to develop it at scale within the EU. The strategy addresses these challenges by supporting them throughout their lifecycle, from starting up to scaling up, to maturing and succeeding here in the EU. It identifies the key needs of startups and scaleups and is putting forward a set of actions in five main areas:

Fostering innovation-friendly environment: As outlined in the Single Market Strategy, startups and scaleups need less fragmentation, fewer administrative burdens, as well as rules that are simpler and more supportive across the Single Market. The Commission will propose a European regime to simplify rules and reduce the cost of failure by addressing critical aspects in areas like insolvency, labour and tax law. The European Business Wallet will enable digital interactions with public administrations across the Union through a unified digital identity for all economic operators. The forthcoming European Innovation Act will further support innovation by promoting regulatory sandboxes.
Driving better financing: Startups and scaleups need better funding, a larger and more integrated EU venture capital (VC) market and greater involvement of European institutional investors. The Savings and Investments Union initiative will be key to unlocking more financing and investment opportunities in the EU. To complement this initiative, the strategy aims to expand and simplify the European Innovation Council, deploy a Scaleup Europe Fund to help bridge the financing gap of deep tech scale-up companies, and develop a voluntary European Innovation Investment Pact to mobilise large institutional investors to invest in EU funds, venture capital funds and unlisted scaleups.
Supporting market uptake and expansion: Startups and scaleups need a quicker journey from idea to market. The Strategy introduces a Lab to Unicorn initiative, which includes the European Startup and Scaleup Hubs to help connect university ecosystems across the EU. This includes a blueprint for licensing, royalty and revenue-sharing and equity participation for academic institutions and their inventors when commercialising intellectual property (IP) and creating spinoffs, along with guidance on State aid IP-related rules.
Attracting and retaining top talent: To keep and attract top talent, startups and scaleups need better access to highly skilled individuals. The Strategy introduces the Blue Carpet initiative, notably focusing on entrepreneurial education, tax-related aspects of employee stock options and cross-border employment. The Commission will also promote the Blue Card Directive and encourage Member States to put in place a fast-track schemes for non-EU founders.
Facilitating access to infrastructure, networks and service: Startups and scaleups need a shorter time-to-market and quicker commercialisation. The Strategy proposes to simplify and harmonise diverging access and contractual conditions for startups and scaleups to technology and research infrastructures through a Charter of Access for industrial users.

Areas 3) and 4) are not only connected to Higher Education institutions, but to VET schools as well - the essence of Jean Monnet EURO4VET project. Its core is to prepare students to enter the labour market, and some do it by creating their own micro-company, that may grow to SME. In some countries, the Entrepreneurship skills are well developed within the VET curricula, but the mentality to pursue it still needs to be changed - the fear of failure is still well embedded in students’ minds, unfortunately.

Hence, the main challenge for VET schools is not only to continue on the Entrepreneurship training path, but to implement in their students the willingness to try and to get up again, if failed.

Consequently, besides the “hard skills”, the technical part on how to start and manage a company (which are already taught), VET schools should consider focusing on helping students developing their soft skills, including Entrepreneurship, like attitude, resilience and self-confidence.