Linda Capusa, ESNA's Operations Director in an interview with Brutkasten Austria
Linda Capusa, ESNA's Operations Director and Board Member, spoke to Brutkasten about the latest Startup Nations Standards Report 2025, prepared by ESNA, and the results achieved in Austria.
Austria performs particularly well in attracting talent, through accelerated visa procedures for founders and skilled professionals.
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“We do not compete within Europe, but as a continent” – New ESNA Report Published
Austria's startup policy is catching up, but in the new Startup Nations Standard Report it still remains slightly below the European average. Brutkasten spoke with ESNA Operations Director Linda Capusa about the report's key findings.
To strengthen Europe in global competition, the Europe Startup Nations Alliance (ESNA) was founded in 2021 and now brings together 28 signatory countries. Its goal is to harmonize national framework conditions for startups through eight predefined Standards, such as “Access to Finance”, “Social Inclusion, Diversity and Protecting Democratic Values”, and “Attracting and Retaining Talent”.
The annual Startup Nations Standard Report does not serve as a traditional ranking but rather as a benchmarking tool. “We work closely with all countries, verify data, and conduct extensive research,” Linda Capusa, Operations Director at ESNA, explains in an interview with Brutkasten, describing the collaborative process behind the report.
Austria's Trump Card: Attracting Talent
With an overall score of 67 percent, Austria is close to the European average. The country performs particularly well in attracting talent: with a score of 88 percent, Austria ranks clearly above the EU average. Linda Capusa highlights the accelerated visa procedures for founders and skilled professionals, which should ideally take less than one month.
“A founder may have the best idea, but without the right talent it is difficult to scale the company and turn that idea into reality,” she emphasizes in the interview.
According to Capusa, initiatives aimed at bringing talent back to Austria, as well as progress in employee equity participation (stock options), also contributed positively to the country's assessment.
Challenges in Bureaucracy and Early-Stage Funding
Nevertheless, there is still considerable room for improvement, particularly in startup regulation and the digitalization of public services. Capusa points to access to capital as one of the weakness. In the interview, she emphasizes that Austria currently does not offer tax incentives for business angels, which she sees as an essential lever for early-stage financing.
Europe on the Path to a Single Market
Looking across the continent, a positive macro trend emerges: the average implementation rate of recommended measures increased significantly from 61 to 70 percent. According to Capusa, key drivers across Europe include fast, low-cost digital company incorporation and the expansion of public funding.
“Governments are becoming increasingly aware that startups require different policy frameworks than traditional companies and of the positive economic impact they generate,” Capusa explains. Countries continue to face the greatest challenges when it comes to regulatory innovation, although improvements are becoming evident in this area as well.
“EU Inc” Proposal as a Tool to Overcome Market Fragmentation
To finally overcome the fragmentation of national markets, Capusa places great hope in the European initiative EU Inc. The proposal for a unified European corporate framework is fully supported by the Alliance.
“It would eliminate fragmentation, accelerate market entry, and make scaling easier,” the Operations Director emphasizes. “We do not compete within Europe, but as a continent,” she concludes.