We co-produce startup ecosystems
SCALE (the Startup Cities Alliance) is a collaborative force of European cities (SCALE.CITIES), represented by their public ecosystem builders, who work together to facilitate, strengthen and connect the European startup ecosystem for entrepreneurs. By sharing their networks (‘peers’) and learnings (‘experiences, insights and best practices’) and providing trustworthy and unbiased content, the SCALE platform gives you access to a hub of up to date information and opportunities in acceleration, incubation, soft landing programs and funding calls, in order to help you discover new markets.
These public ecosystem builders are a mix of civil servants and public officials that are:
a) directly responsible for startup and tech related topics
b) or having a specific role in strengthening the local ecosystem
c) or working for a private/public startup organization that has a strong link to the local government.
The ultimate goal is to provide local startup ecosystems (startups, tech teams, and facility providers) a City-as-a-Service, with better access to Talent, Capital, Launching customers, and Content in an entrepreneurial environment.
Why we started SCALE.CITIES?
In cities all over the world, local governments are playing a profound role in strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems by trying to create an environment in which businesses, knowledge institutions, and capital providers can find each other. These actions are beneficial not only for startups themselves but also for prosperity and wellbeing of greater cities’ecosystems.
Nowadays, crucial for any city’s economic and social development can be maintained through the established innovation and tech environment mostly reliant on the existence of vivid entrepreneurship and startup ecosystem. However, it is challenging to build a solid foundation for startup entrepreneurship on a short notice. First of all, most cities lack access to talent, capital, networks and launching customers. Furthermore, emerging tech cross-overs (e.g. AI, blockchain and Robotics) raise new questions to flourishing tech hubs every day; how can your city stay relevant in those areas and how can it manage the negative effects of tech such as raising in-equality, in-affordability and ethical repercussions?
In order to provide solutions [be on top] to such emergent challenges, it is necessary for local governments among other stakeholders to secure their role as enablers, neutral brokers, ecosystem builders and marketers. Local governments must play a crucial role in strengthening their cities’ tech and startup ecosystem, enabling new effective and efficient collaborations and strengthening their global community.
We started the SCALE.CITIES project with the mission to support city representatives, civil servants and public officials in their endeavour to connect and fortify local startup and tech ecosystems.
SCALE.CITIES is based on the idea that the best results are achieved collaboratively – both nationally and internationally. In the startup world, it is all about sharing knowledge, in order to grow faster. By generating engagement, building knowledge and sharing expertise on an international level we can create a community, which strategically helps our cities grow, strengthen, and innovate.