New strategic partnership to strengthen the European startup ecosystem
The Europe Startup Nations Alliance (ESNA) has announced a strategic partnership with FH Joanneum (FachHochschule Joanneum), one of Austria’s largest applied sciences universities, based in Graz. This partnership aims to boost the European startup ecosystem by fostering innovation, research and collaboration between academia and industry experts.
Lisbon, 23 October 2025 – The collaboration focuses on FH Joanneum’s Masters in Digital Entrepreneurship and Innovation, providing an academic perspective on entrepreneurship and innovation to complement the insights ESNA gathers from its existing stakeholders, including national Focal Points and its Advisory Board.
This partnership is part of ESNA’s ongoing commitment to strengthen Europe’s Startup ecosystem through collaboration, research and evidence based policymaking. It reflects a shared ambition to connect academic research with practical insights, to foster a thriving European space for digital innovation and entrepreneurship.
Through this partnership, ESNA aims to support:
Policy and research outputs: integrating academic perspectives into publications and analyses.
Ecosystem engagement: strengthening connections between universities, startups, and policymakers.
Information and source guidance: identifying relevant data, case studies, and best practices to support EU startup policy.
On the occasion of the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding, Arthur Jordão, ESNA’s Executive Director stated: “This partnership represents a major step forward in our mission to strengthen the European startup ecosystem. With this collaboration we aim to leverage FH Joanneum’s expertise and research capabilities to drive impactful innovation and entrepreneurship.”
Corinna Engelhardt-Nowitzki, Scientific Managing Director at FH Joanneum added: “We are excited to partner with ESNA to contribute to the growth of startups and innovation in Europe. This partnership aligns perfectly with our commitment to fostering digital entrepreneurship and supporting the next generation of innovators."