Could Europe’s innovation landscape be on the brink of a revolutionary shift? France and the Netherlands are seriously considering adopting their own versions of Germany’s groundbreaking Sprind innovation agency, a move that could redefine how public funding fuels technological breakthroughs. But here’s where it gets intriguing: Sprind’s founder, Rafael Laguna de la Vera, is personally consulting with both nations to explore whether they can replicate the German model—a model that promises to deliver funding faster than traditional methods. And this is the part most people miss: while Sprind is only six years old and hasn’t yet produced a BioNTech-level success, its approach is already sparking a continent-wide conversation about how innovation should be funded and managed.
Sprind’s unique selling point? It’s all about speed. The agency aims to get money into the hands of successful applicants within just 14 days of a challenge closing. Compare that to conventional research funding, which can take months or even years. As de la Vera puts it, ‘The most driven innovators won’t wait that long. Speed is essential.’ But here’s the controversial part: can this model truly be replicated in countries with different bureaucratic structures and political landscapes? France, for instance, has already seconded an employee to Sprind for two years to study its operations, and a joint task force led by de la Vera and Bpifrance CEO Nicolas Dufourcq is set to officially begin work next week. Yet, it’s still unclear whether France will establish a brand-new agency or simply integrate Sprind’s ideas into existing institutions like Bpifrance.
The Netherlands, meanwhile, is taking a slightly different approach. Inspired by Sprind, the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency, and the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Dutch are considering launching the Netherlands Agency for Disruptive Innovation (NADI). NADI would focus on challenge-based programs, bringing together temporary teams of top experts with clear goals, tight deadlines, and room to experiment. But with a new government yet to be formed after the recent general election, the fate of NADI remains uncertain. Is this a missed opportunity, or a necessary pause for reflection?
What’s undeniable is that Sprind’s influence is growing. Former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi praised the agency in his report diagnosing the EU’s economic challenges, calling for more ‘disruptive innovation’ and greater use of innovation challenges. Even the European Innovation Council (EIC) is piloting its own challenges next year, drawing inspiration from Sprind’s model. But here’s the kicker: while Sprind has backed ambitious projects like the world’s tallest wind turbine and supported 28 companies to Series A or B funding, it hasn’t yet produced a game-changing technology. De la Vera admits, ‘We want the next BioNTech, but that takes 10, 15 years. We’re only here for six.’
Beyond funding, Sprind has also become a think tank of sorts, advising the German government on streamlining innovation processes. For example, it’s funding a project to create European digital wallets, aiming to cut the red tape that forces entrepreneurs to spend months navigating government offices just to get a tax number. But is this enough to address Europe’s deeper innovation challenges? De la Vera argues that while Europe excels in patents per capita, it lags behind the US in producing unicorns—startups valued at over $1 billion. ‘What we really need,’ he says, ‘is a better functioning capital market for new companies.’
So, here’s the question for you: Is Europe’s focus on replicating Sprind’s model a step in the right direction, or should it prioritize fixing its capital markets first? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—this debate is far from over.
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