What are European governments (not) doing to help startups get through the COVID-19 crisis?

What are European governments (not) doing to help startups get through the COVID-19 crisis?

United Tech of Europe, which is basically a coalition of national, EU-based startup lobbying organisations, including those of France and Germany, have today launched a handy policy map that shows which governments have taken which action to support startups and scale-ups in the middle of the global COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

The goal is not only to map what is being done across the bloc, but also to highlight the huge differences in what is being done, and how quickly EU governments are responding with which specific measures. It will be updated as new measures are introduced or changed.

The organisation hopes the crowdsourcing effort leads to increased sharing of knowledge and best practices, and ultimately to a more coordinated response and 'a continental recovery plan' that takes into account the critical role startups will play in the aftermath of the crisis.

From the press release:

"Startups and growth stage companies are especially vulnerable to the knock-on effects of the coronavirus crisis. Many startups are not yet generating revenue and therefore do not profit from fiscal support measures, leaving them dependent on upcoming funding rounds which are likely to be postponed.

To help them stay afloat in this period of pressing uncertainty, states and regulators are being made accountable for putting the necessary measures in place. Such measures include facilitating short-term refinancing, the early return of some tax credits, certain guarantees for lost cash flow or short-term employment schemes."

You can download the full comparative table here (just enter your email address). You can also consult United Tech of Europe's own suggestions for an EU-wide recovery plan, which makes for interesting reading.

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