There is growing interest worldwide in actions to promote the creation and expansion of start-ups. Until a few years ago, startups were associated almost exclusively with Silicon Valley, but today they are much broader in scope and can be found outside the United States. Start-ups provide innovative solutions, create new markets and reinvigorate the business community. The emergence of start-ups depends not only on entrepreneurial spirit, but also on an environment (services, infrastructure, financing and regulatory framework) that is conducive to their emergence and expansion. National and local governments, in conjunction with the private sector, actively promote start-ups and seek to create incentives for their development. This chapter summarises definitions of start-ups and presents the rationale behind state intervention in this area and the matrix of instruments used to promote start-ups. The chapter concludes by identifying the lessons learned from other countries in designing and managing pro-startup policies.