A grassroots movement is gaining momentum in the European startup community, calling for a unified corporate status for innovative companies across the continent. Dubbed "EU Inc," the initiative aims to create a single, EU-wide corporate structure, similar to the Delaware C-Corp model in the US.

The movement, backed by entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and startup founders, including Niklas Zennström and Patrick Collison, seeks to simplify the process of expanding across Europe. Currently, startups face significant hurdles when operating across multiple countries, with differing regulations and requirements in each member state.

The EU Inc petition, launched on October 14, has already garnered over 11,000 signatures, with supporters arguing that a unified corporate status would facilitate cross-border investments and foster the growth of pan-European tech champions.

The movement has gained tacit support from within the European Commission, with reports from Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi, as well as President Ursula Von der Leyen, calling for a 28th regime. France Digitale, a French startup and VC lobby organization, has also thrown its weight behind the initiative, penning a working document that outlines the need for a "regulation" rather than a directive to avoid unwanted differences in national transpositions.

While some observers have expressed concerns about the potential for red tape and bureaucratic hurdles, supporters remain optimistic that the EU Inc movement can drive meaningful change. As deep tech investor Michael Jackson notes, "Europe is in a much more competitive landscape than it was 30, 40, years ago... Europe can't be on the sidelines."

With the EU Inc movement gaining momentum, the startup community is watching closely to see if this grassroots initiative can drive real reform and create a more favorable environment for innovation and growth in Europe.