The Minister of Economy announced the roadmap “From Seed to Scale” for the development of the startup ecosystem in Luxembourg at VivaTech in Paris, demonstrating the government’s dedication to fostering a thriving and visible startup ecosystem in the country.
Luxembourg has implemented a roadmap “From Seed to Scale” to support the growth of its startup ecosystem. The government aims to position the country as an attractive environment for innovative projects, entrepreneurs, and investors.
With over 500 active startups in priority sectors and the presence of 15 incubators, Luxembourg’s startup community is expanding. The involvement of business angels, venture capitalists, corporations, and advisors further accelerates the development of innovative companies.
The Ministry of Economy collaborated with Startup Genome to study the Luxembourg startup ecosystem. Findings led to three key focus areas: strengthening the startup community, improving talent access, and supporting scale-up development. Workshops gathered input to shape the roadmap, which aims to mobilize stakeholders around five axes: startup support, ecosystem enhancement, talent access, scale-up growth, and EU integration.
“This roadmap is the result of a year of reflection and workshops with key players in the ecosystem,” explains Michele Gallo, Director of Digital Technologies and Start-ups at the Luxembourg’s Ministry of the Economy, during VivaTech.
“We’re dedicated to fostering a thriving startup ecosystem in Luxembourg and positioning it as a prominent hub within the EU.”
Franz Fayot, Luxembourg’s economy minister
Here is an overview of the key ideas shared in this roadmap.
Continuing to support startups from their inception
The Luxembourg government aims to continue supporting startups from their early stages by implementing various initiatives. These include the Fit 4 Start acceleration program, seed funding through the Digital Tech Fund, favorable tax measures, and the development of sector-specific infrastructure. Support for spin-off creation from research institutions is emphasized, with collaboration with Technoport and co-funding of the JUMP program.
The government is also exploring opportunities for startups to access public procurement markets and collaborate on digitalizing public services through initiatives like GovTech Lab.
A more connected, stronger, and more visible national ecosystem
Enhancing the startup ecosystem by fostering connectivity, sharing best practices, and improving the visibility of initiatives are also part of Luxembourg’s vision.
The government announced it will strengthen the Startup Luxembourg platform, connect startups with the national economy, and facilitate collaboration. Among them it wishes to establish “Keystone Teams” for interconnectivity, launch an “Entrepreneurs in Residence” program, digitize administrative procedures, promote sustainability and inclusivity, and engage in regular dialogue with startup representatives.
Creating an environment conducive to the growth of scale-ups
Luxembourg aims to foster the transition of startups into scale-ups by enriching support programs, improving access to funding, and enhancing international visibility. They emphasize open innovation by facilitating connections between large corporations and startups. Dedicated programs will be developed for scale-ups, focusing on internationalization and strategic partnerships.
The government also plans to attract financial decision-makers to facilitate venture capital funding. Efforts to promote Luxembourg as a startup hub and increase its visibility will continue, supported by the Startup Luxembourg platform. Economic missions and strategic partnerships with other countries will amplify the visibility of Luxembourgish startups and attract foreign scale-ups.
“We want our startups to have an international presence, to be able to compare ourselves to and be compared with other ecosystems.”
Sasha Baillie, CEO of Luxinnovation
A startup ecosystem anchored at the heart of the European Union
Startups and scale-ups are crucial for the future of Europe, its economy, and society. They contribute significantly to energizing productive sectors, turning innovation opportunities into socio-economic benefits, and driving the green and digital transitions.
Luxembourg aims to create an equal European startup ecosystem and actively supports initiatives that strengthen resilience against global competition. It seeks to facilitate financing, attract talent, and develop a competitive and sustainable data economy aligned with the European green and digital transformations.
“This roadmap is a journey in which we want to involve all stakeholders, starting with entrepreneurs,” conclude Luxinnovation’s CEO Sasha Baillie. The detailed roadmap is available on the website of the Ministry of Economy.
