I went along to Tech.eu's annual summit in London last week to get a sense of the topics at the top of the agenda for startups, VCs, and enterprise tech execs across Europe.
Having dodged sufficient networking attempts from needy consultants who couldn't explain what they do for a living, and mentally filtered through the overuse of jargonisms like "moat building" and "growth loops", I noted a persistent, interesting theme.
It was a patriotic call for European tech to stay European – and not get hoovered up by US M&As and IPOs.
The call was repeated this week by Sweden’s prime minister, who said the EU needed to create a single capital markets union to halt the exodus and that other European nations needed to encourage their citizens to invest more in stocks to make the continent a more attractive market for IPOs.
Sweden is the closest the EU has to an IPO success case, having secured more listings in Stockholm than Spain, Germany, France, and the Netherlands combined.
Though, it’s clearly not enough for the PM, who cited the completed and impending New York listings of its homegrown tech winners Spotify and Klarna.
There was optimism at the summit that growing distaste for Trump and a drive for economic independence in Europe would support progress on this issue. And some founders and VCs spoke of a growing trend of European startups expanding into the US via satellite BD and marketing teams while keeping their operations at home.
One speaker even said they’d come across their first example of a US tech company relocating to Europe.
There have been some reports of this happening, and tentative suggestions that liberal US tech workers are eyeing a move here.
Could we see the dial start to shift? Ultimately, availability of funding will decide.
Yahoo Finance: Europe must keep tech firms better.
Sweden's PM, Ulf Kristersson, says stronger capital markets can prevent EU tech firms from moving to the US. Read here.
The Codest: Why US startups are moving to Europe.
From accessing fresh talent to capitalising on regulatory advantages, here's why US startups are moving to Europe. Read here.
LinkedIn: The perks of working in Europe tech.
US tech workers are considering a move to Europe amid political uncertainty and the appeal of a more balance lifestyle. Read here.
Tech.eu: The Tech.eu summit: Day One.
On Day One, key voices converged to discuss Europe's latest progress concerning AI, fintech, and sustainability. Read here.
Tech.eu: The Tech.eu summit: Day Two.
On Day Two, industry leaders debated the challenges of scaling AI, securing funding, and positioning startups competitively. Read here.
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