One in three European start-ups move abroad, mainly to the United States, in order to have a chance to grow.

Omissions

• The '1 in 3' figure corresponds to a survey finding that ~29% of European founders said they would consider/were prepared to move their business to the US — a stated willingness, not companies that actually relocated.
• Actual relocation rates from official studies are much lower: ~10% of EU scale-ups (EIB, Feb 2025), 3.3%-4.3% of VC-backed start-ups (European Commission study, Jan 2026), ~6% of start-ups (Research Policy, 2024).
• The directional claim 'mainly to America' is accurate: EIB data indicate ~85% of relocating EU scale-ups choose the United States.
• Sources found were published between 2024 and January 2026, i.e., before the 2026-07-09 session, so the MEP could have known them.

Sources

• PrimaryEuropean Investment Bank — Drivers of relocation by innovative EU startups and scaleupsEIB analysis on 'Drivers of relocation by innovative EU startups and scaleups': 'This analysis uncovers the real drivers behind relocation, from market access and funding gaps to regulatory hurdles and talent shortages.' Summarised by citing outlets as finding that approximately 10% of EU scaleups have relocated abroad, ~85% of them to the United States.
• PrimaryEuropean Commission — Research and Innovation news: Why innovative startups and scaleups relocate from the EUA new study analyses the drivers of relocation of innovative startups and scaleups from the EU.
• AcademicResearch Policy (ScienceDirect) — Venture capital and the international relocation of startupsInternational startup relocation is relatively common: about 6% of startups move across borders, representing 17% of the total startup value created.
• SecondaryINSME — Relocation trends of EU Startups and Scaleups (EIB study summary)According to the study, approximately 10% of EU scaleups have relocated abroad, with 85% of them choosing the United States.
• SecondarySwiss Core — Why European Startups are scaling abroadWith 10% of EU scaleups relocating abroad, and of those, around 85% moving to the United States, the EU continues to lose high-growth firms.
• SecondaryScience|Business — Only 3-4% of European VC-backed start-ups relocate abroad, study showsBetween 3.3% and 4.3% of European start-ups backed by venture capital firms (VCs) relocate abroad, according to new data from the European Commission-backed study.
• SecondaryIT Brief UK — Europe startups still rely on US cloud & AI giantsNearly one in three European founders, or 29%, said they would consider relocating their headquarters to the US — a stated intention, not an actual move.