Various methods for laser-assisted activation of dielectric layers for selective electroless copper plating are investigated. The direct writing of palladium feature by the Ar+ laser-induced pyrolytic decomposition of an organometallic palladium resin on polyimide and Si3N4 leads to active Pd sites which are selectively copper plated. Other laser-induced processes for selective palladium seeding are studied. It is also shown that those are efficient seeding processes for the electroless plating of copper.