EU study flags scale-up challenge in strategic digital technologies
A European Commission study says the EU had 20,720 advanced digital technology start-ups in 2025, while commercialising research and scaling it internationally remain difficult.
Event / data period: 2026-09-29
Published: · Updated:
The study was published to help shape priorities for critical digital technologies in the EU’s 2028–2034 research and innovation programme. The Commission reports more than 60,000 EU technology companies developing critical digital technologies and 20,720 advanced digital technology start-ups in 2025.
It says Europe retains scientific strengths but is losing ground in research excellence and patenting across many digital fields, and struggles to turn results into commercial products at scale. About €13 billion was committed to digital technologies through Horizon Europe work programmes in 2021–2025; the report recommends continued support for industry links, infrastructure access and scale-up.
Data
Advanced digital technology start-ups in the EU
2025 count of advanced digital technology start-ups in the EU reported by the Commission study.
- Advanced digital technology start-ups
- 20,720 start-ups
- 2025 · Observed
Methodology
Figure for 2025 reported in the study; the company category follows the study’s advanced digital technology definition.
Updated:
Subjects and places
Subject proposals
- Science and technologySuggested
- Subject suggested from the title or summary: technology, digitaldigital-strategy.ec.europa.eu ↗