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The Tech Times, They Are A Changin'

CMS Digitalbytes

28 September 2018

Come gather 'round Europe people, wherever you roam for European Tech is developing at a pace never seen before.

New global success stories are emerging that have a genuine claim to stand alongside the industry's global elite. That's a cause for celebration for European economies but it is worth pausing on why the changes are happening now and what challenges remain. For certain the arrival of new venture capital firms, such as Atomico, with it's 'moon-shot' ethos are an essential part of the change but it isn't just a question of deeper, less conservative pools of capital becoming available.

The maturity and vibrancy of the European Tech market has come about through a change of attitude from root to branch. In those roots we are seeing newly energised entrepreneurs with grand visions to change the world and the ideas and ability to deliver that change. There is a confidence and belief amongst this new tribe of entrepreneurs that they can and will change the world. That confidence is fuelled in part by the ability for European entrepreneurs to listen and learn from founders who have built successful businesses right here in Europe.

The success of European Tech is, however, by no means assured. The continent continues to be net exporter of talent and ideas. Success at scale is still rare enough to draw comment. The market is still young and vunerable and it is not always easy to see how Europe will maintain a voice in this next phase of industrial revolution, seemingly to be dominated by the US and China. So let's allow our entrepreneurs to continue to hear from more inspirational founders like Niklas Zennström, showing them the way.

Their success will be all our success in the future. As Bob might have said, we'd all better start swimmin', or we'll sink like a stone, for the European tech times they are a-changin'.

What we’ve seen over the last few years is more and more founders who are building companies to address world problems, whether that is sustainability problems, trying to fix education, trying to fix healthcare, using AI to massively improve the detection of diseases, or treating mental illness, fixing transportation, fixing the food chain that is broken. If we can support those entrepreneurs who are going after these big opportunities, bigger problems, and if some of those companies can be successful, that can be a positive impact on some pretty urgent challenges we have in this world.

The content above was originally posted on CMS Digitalbytes - CMS lawyers sharing comment and commentary on all things tech.

Authors

Portrait ofAnthony Waller
Anthony Waller
Partner
London