A new Risk Capital Action Plan 2020 was unveiled at this year’s EVCA Venture Capital Forum in Berlin. Throughout the day panelists and speakers alike agreed that Europe needs more investment and less regulation if it wants to remain viable over the next few challenging years.
If EVCA is successful, the new plan will see the European Union increase its investment program in venture. EVCA hopes that through the creation of a new pan-European fund-of-funds that will resemble the UK Innovation fund, European companies will have the incentive to stay in Europe. Anything from infrastructure, turnarounds, public to privates or cleantech will be included in the plan, however, EVCA are calling on the EU to match the venture allocation.
EVCA General Secretary Javier Echarri was quick to point out that now is the optimum time to be making a case for venture to the EU. There is a new commission that wants to focus on technology, a new parliament and the EU is making decisions on what it is going to do over the next few years.
But, being on the ground at this conference it is easy to see that many venture capitalists have their doubts about EVCA’s plan.
