The United Kingdom could rejoin a major European Union investment initiative for startups worth €4 billion ($4.65 billion) as early as this year, signaling a possible thaw in post-Brexit
cooperation on innovation and research.
Speaking to the Financial Times, EU Commissioner for Startups Ekaterina Zaharieva said discussions were underway about Britain participating in the bloc’s equity investment fund designed to support high-growth European technology companies.
Zaharieva described potential UK involvement as being in the “mutual interest” of both sides, though she noted that Britain’s return would require legal adjustments after London previously chose to opt out of the program following Brexit.
The move would mark another step toward rebuilding ties between Brussels and London in areas linked to innovation, education, and scientific research. In recent months, both sides have increased cooperation through programs supporting university partnerships, student exchanges, and joint research initiatives.
The UK already rejoined the EU’s Horizon Europe research program in 2023, reopening access for British universities, researchers, and technology firms to billions of euros in collaborative funding. Education leaders on both sides have also called for expanded academic mobility schemes and deeper cooperation in digital skills, artificial intelligence, and startup development.
Analysts say renewed collaboration could strengthen Europe’s competitiveness in emerging technologies at a time when both the EU and the UK are seeking to accelerate investment in innovation and reduce dependence on US and Asian tech markets.
If approved, UK participation in the startup fund could provide British companies and investors with greater access to European capital networks while allowing EU-backed startups to benefit from London’s financial and venture capital ecosystem. Photo by Sébastien Bertrand, Wikimedia commons.
