The EU is getting its first ever commissioner for startups

Ekaterina Zaharieva has been nominated as the EU’s first ever commissioner for startups, the bloc’s chief Ursula von der Leyen announced today.

Zaharieva served as Bulgaria’s deputy prime minister for judicial reform and foreign affairs between 2017 and 2021. She’s currently a member of the Bulgarian Parliament.

Von der Leyen has now proposed Zaharieva as the designated commissioner for startups, research, and innovation.

“We must put research and innovation, science and technology at the centre of our economy,” Von der Leyen said.

“[Zaharieva] will help ensure that we invest more and focus our spending on strategic priorities and on groundbreaking innovation.”

Zaharieva’s mission

Zaharieva’s to-do list begins with developing a strategy for EU startups and scaleups to improve framework conditions.

In addition to that, the commissioner will work on a European Innovation Act that aims to streamline regulation and facilitate access to venture capital. She will also help in creating a network of deep tech investors.

Another part of her role will be to expand the European Innovation Council (EIC), the European Research Council (ERC), and the University Alliances initiative. She will also propose a European Research Area Act to enable the free movement of research, scientific knowledge, and technology.

Sector-wise, von der Leyen has asked Zaharieva to focus on technologies that can promote the green and digital transitions as well as biotech, the life sciences, and advanced materials.

Two more commissioners to shape EU’s tech policies

Von der Leyen nominated former Finnish minister of education Henna Virkkunen as the executive vice president for tech sovereignty, security, and democracy.

Virkkunen will be responsible for internal and external security, the bloc’s digitalisation strategy, and “frontier technologies,” ranging from AI to semiconductors and quantum computing.

She will also take over the implementation of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA) — the landmark tech laws introduced by the bloc’s outgoing competition head Margrethe Vestager.

Stéphane Séjourné, former French minister of Europe and foreign affairs, will complete the policy trio.

In an unexpected replacement of Thierry Breton, Séjourné is the prospective executive vice-president for prosperity and industrial strategy, responsible for the industry, SMEs, and the single market portfolio.

“He will guide the work to put in place the conditions for our companies to thrive — from investment and innovation to economic stability and trade and economic security,” said von der Leyen.

All nominees for the new Commission will participate in hearings at the European Parliament, which will determine their official appointment.