(Cities with high economic activity, strong R&D investment, and international appeal but lacking local job-market integration for graduates.)
Local and Regional Policies
High-Growth Sector Integration: Strengthen connections between universities and high-tech sectors (AI, fintech, biotech).
Talent Retention Incentives: Offer cash bonuses or subsidized housing for graduates launching businesses in the city.
Regulatory Sandbox for Startups: Allow experimental business models to operate under relaxed regulations (e.g., AI-driven finance, shared mobility).
Post-Accelerator Scale-Up Fund: A fund for startups transitioning from incubators to full-scale operations, providing expansion capital.
Corporate Partnerships for Scaling: Offer tax breaks & subsidies for large firms partnering with student startups on joint ventures and pilot projects.
University Policies
University Venture Fund (Seed + Scale-Up Stages): Provide funding for R&D-based student startups.
Interdisciplinary Startup Teams: Facilitate cross-disciplinary startup teams, matching business students with engineers, designers, and social scientists.
“From Lab to Market” Program: Extend support for R&D startups beyond prototyping into early commercialization and mass production.
International Entrepreneur Residency Program: Offer long-term work permits & residency visas for foreign graduates building businesses in the region.
Deferred Office Space Costs: Allow startups in university-linked incubators to pay rent based on revenue rather than fixed costs.
Concrete Incentives
Scale-Up Tax Relief: Reduce corporate taxes for startups surpassing €1 million revenue within 5 years.
Public Procurement for Startups: Reserve 5% of municipal contracts for innovative startup solutions.
Municipal Customer Vouchers: Offer city-sponsored vouchers (e.g., €5,000) for residents & businesses to purchase services from local student startups.
