The European Commission introduced a five-point business angel action plan on November 11. The plan was presented during the Research and Innovation Days conference in Brussels. It aims to connect individual investors with EU-backed innovation projects and support cross-border co-investment.
What the plan includes
The measures include access to investment-ready projects through the EU Innovation Platform. The Commission will also map national co-investment schemes with the InvestEU Advisory Hub. It plans to extend the European Innovation Council Trusted Investor Network to business angels.
Industry response
EBAN welcomed the proposals and asked for a streamlined European co-investment scheme. It also supports a common accreditation framework recognized across borders. The group wants measures to build on existing national and regional networks.
Accreditation and crowdfunding
The Commission will work toward an EU-wide accreditation system for verifying angels. Crowdfunding platforms are not widely used by angels to find equity deals. In Belgium, most crowdfunding platforms are loan-based rather than equity-focused.
The Commission will consider capacity-building support for cross-border co-investment schemes. It has not detailed implementation timelines or funding levels. The plan builds on a 2025 pledge in the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy.