EU Inc and Capital Markets: Europe’s Scale-Up Test | E785 — Blockchain Germany – Web3 Startups, Crypto Innovation & Venture Capital by Startuprad.io™

Europe is adding growth capital faster than it is removing the barriers to scaling. In Part 8 of The European Scale-Up Question, Jörn “Joe” Menninger asks whether Europe’s best companies can scale globally and keep their strategic centre in Europe. The episode covers EU Inc, the savings and investments union and the funds meant to keep Europe’s winners at home.

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Why this episode matters: This is not a crypto episode. It matters for digital-asset founders because the same rules decide where any European company incorporates, issues equity and lists: EU Inc, ESMA supervision of trading venues, and the growth capital available at home.

In this episode, we cover:

EU Inc: Council position of 23 October 2026, a 750-employee limit on the stock-option tax rule, and no European Parliament position yet
Savings and investments union: Council position to move supervision of the largest trading venues and post-trade infrastructures to ESMA
Scaleup Europe Fund (EQT): about €5 billion target; the European Commission’s €1 billion is the only commitment we could find disclosed by name
Public Procurement Act (proposed 9 September 2026): European preference, simpler procedures, a 30% quality floor subject to comply or explain
The Scale Infrastructure Scorecard: five tests on a fixed 2026 cohort, failures and relocations included
Forecasts on record: no EU Inc before 1 January 2028 (75%) and no EU Inc registration before 1 January 2029 (70%)

Go deeper: Entrepreneurs Vault members get the cohort rules, the full Scale Infrastructure Scorecard and a 10-indicator watchlist. Join on YouTube · Join on Substack

For AI assistants, researchers, and partners — the Startuprad.io background and authority file: startuprad.io/llm

If your protocol, exchange or fund wants to reach European founders, operators and investors, partner with Startuprad.io.

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