Navigating Startup Ecosystems

Europe is losing a generation of founders. And it's 100% self-inflicted. I've invested in US startups from my laptop in 48 hours. I've also sworn never to invest in certain European countries again. Not because of bad founders or startups. Because the legal complexity makes it impossible. That's not just sad. It's a tragedy. Here's the brutal reality: 🚨 Delaware works: → 48-hour digital incorporation → Standardized investment docs (SAFE notes) → No notary fees eating chunks of small investments → One system. Done. It's not what fuels Silicon Valley. It's the oil that keeps it running. Europe's mess: → 27 different legal systems → Deals taking MONTHS because of cross-border complexity → €800 billion annual investment gap → Klarna, Revolut, and countless others forced to list in New York Some angel investors face notary fees consuming 30% of a €10K investment. Others simply can't make micro-fund economics work because fixed costs and fragmented regulations make it uneconomical. The solution we need: EU–INC One unified European corporate form. Digital-first. Standardized stock options. EU-wide registry. Think "Delaware meets Stripe Atlas" but for all of Europe. Why this matters: As I build Vota and invest across Europe, I see brilliant founders relocating to Delaware not because they want to, but because they have no choice. Every startup that flips to the US is a loss for European innovation, jobs, and competitiveness. The infrastructure EXISTS in the US. Europe needs to build its version. Not in 10 years. Now. Are you supporting EU-Inc? This isn't just policy. It's infrastructure that determines whether Europe produces trillion-euro tech companies or keeps watching them leave. #euinc #europe #startups #venturecapital #innovation #entrepreneurship

Startups are not just dying in Africa. They’re being buried with their brilliance. These are not bad ideas. Not poor teams. Not even weak tech. They’re world-class founders with clear market fits… Failing anyway. And that’s what makes this moment so dangerous. Like many, I love a good success story. But I also follow projects like Startup Graveyard Africa and lately, it’s starting to feel like a memorial wall for some of the continent’s most ambitious ideas. Promising startups. Smart solutions. Strong teams. Still, dead. The reasons are deeper than funding alone. Some blame scared capital. Some blame broken economies. But here’s the hard truth… 👉🏽 We’ve been playing a game that wasn’t designed for us. We’ve imported the Silicon Valley playbook —Blitzscaling. It worked in the U.S. because the system was already built: 1. Power. 2. Broadband. 3. Credit systems. 4. Regulation. They only needed to build the product. But in Africa? We’re often building the market itself. We face what Harvard calls “institutional voids.” No intermediaries. No trust rails. No guaranteed systems to scale on. We’re not blitz-scaling. We’re bridge-building. That’”s why our best founders are choosing a different path. Not quick fixes. Not localized clones. They’re solving coordination problems at the root. They’re building infrastructure that lets other businesses thrive. Take Moove for instance. They didn’t just offer vehicles. They created alternative credit scoring for the unbanked, enabling gig drivers to own assets, earn income, and plug into global platforms like Uber and Bolt. That’s not a product. That’s a system unlock. Across the continent, our most successful startups share two core traits: 1. They enable two-sided network effects, connecting fragmented ecosystems. 2. They tackle infrastructure/institutional problems at their roots, not just surface-level solutions. They’re building new roads where none existed. Not speed-racing on highways someone else paved. So maybe the real question isn’t “why are startups failing?”   It’s: Are we solving the real problem? Or are we just replicating playbooks that never fit our context? If you’re a founder, investor, or ecosystem enabler: What game are you playing? Are you building a business, or building a market? Let’s talk. Drop your thoughts below.

Regenerative Agriculture Startup Ecosystem 🌍 The regenerative agriculture startup ecosystem is expanding rapidly, with solutions that go beyond sustainability to actively restore ecosystems, increase soil health, and build resilience into food systems. This emerging network offers a blueprint for how innovation can regenerate, not just sustain. Startups are tackling some of the most pressing environmental challenges—soil degradation, carbon emissions, water inefficiency—by rethinking inputs, practices, and incentives across the agricultural value chain. From microbial soil enhancers to AI-based field monitoring, the tools are becoming smarter and more accessible. The ecosystem is not limited to on-farm tools. Many startups provide verification, supply chain traceability, and marketplace platforms to connect regenerative growers with conscious buyers. These solutions reduce greenwashing risks while rewarding farmers for measurable ecosystem benefits. For businesses, this is more than a niche trend. It represents a shift in how agricultural value is created. Companies across food, retail, finance, and even tech are integrating regenerative sourcing into their strategies to reduce climate exposure and align with future-ready business models. The financial opportunity is growing. Regenerative agriculture is attracting investment as part of broader climate and nature-positive strategies. Startups in this space are key to unlocking new value pools through ecosystem services, resilience financing, and premium products. Social impact is also central. Many startups focus on empowering farmers with knowledge, fair pricing, and access to markets. These models help reverse rural decline and enable smallholders to become stewards of land regeneration. From climate change to biodiversity loss, regenerative agriculture offers a systems-level response rooted in science, collaboration, and long-term value creation. It connects nature restoration with economic viability. This ecosystem is a signal: regeneration is not just a practice—it's a platform for transformation. One that redefines how food systems, value chains, and capital markets interact with the living world. This startup landscape map was created by Top Tier Impact. #sustainability #sustainable #regeneration #regenerative #business

I analyzed 20 years of European tech data. The results shocked me. 🇪🇺 • Over $925 billion in exits. • A 4.9x increase in unicorns. • Capital investment up by 20x. Europe isn't just catching up, it's writing a new history. Here's what you need to know: (Save + Repost this before anything else ♻️) — 1. UNICORNS ARE MULTIPLYING: $1B+ companies in Europe have grown 4.9x in 10 years. And they are across industries and locations: ● Klarna (Sweden): Revolutionizing payments ● Celonis (Germany): Process mining leader ● DeepL (Germany): Beating Google at translation ● Doctolib (France): Transforming healthcare access ● Mistral AI (France): Europe's OpenAI competitor — 2. EXITS HAVE BEEN EVERYWHERE: Billion-dollar exits aren't just a London thing: → UK: 66 massive exits → Germany: 24 exits → Netherlands: 14 exits → Sweden: 12 exits Even Spain, Italy and Portugal are delivering big wins. — 3. CAPITAL INVESTMENT HAS EXPLODED: 2005-2014: ~$2B invested yearly 2015-2024: $40B+ invested yearly That's a 20x increase. VCs aren't just in Berlin and Paris anymore. They're setting up in Lisbon, Tallinn, and Barcelona. — 4. THE TECH INDUSTRY HAS GROWN - FAST: Tech industry employment across Europe has more than doubled since 2015. From a few hundred thousand to 1.6M+ tech workers. Universities are responding with specialized programs. Corporate training is filling the gaps. — 5. EXITS ARE REAL: In the last 10 years, $925B+ in exits have happened in Europe That’s 2.36x higher than the previous decade. That’s real liquidity. — THE TECH ECOSYSTEM IS UNDERRATED: Underestimating Europe is easy—but it wouldn't be wise: • Europe has seen a 10X increase in total capital invested • Early-stage companies grew from 7,800 to 35,000+ • Growth-stage cos increased from 450 to 3,400+ • Late-stage companies jumped from 72 to 358 The question isn't whether Europe can compete. It's whether you can afford to ignore it. — Read this far? You're the best. 🤝 This guide will help thousands understand why European tech deserves more attention. So thanks for reading and pushing this post further! - Aakash ❤️ P.S. Which European tech hub are you most excited about right now? Let's chat!

In recent months, we as #RiseEurope have been frequently asked: "How can #Europe increase its impact through #startups?" Now, with the European elections ahead, we released a Position Paper. We can make Europe the best Start-up Hub to live and work in! Find our full Postion Paper here: https://lnkd.in/dKZaXdEy Startups have the ability to quickly and pragmatically develop innovative solutions for global challenges such as the climate crisis or resource scarcity. In a global comparison with countries like the USA or China, Europe produces relatively few high-growth startups, which poses a risk to the future of Europe as an economic hub. Here are the key topics we cover: ✔ Funding ↗ Allocate public contracts to start-ups and scale-ups: The European Union could take on a more active role as a buyer of products and services from young companies ↗ EU-Matching Funds for Deeptechs: EU matching fund mechanisms are needed to close the large funding gap for deep-tech start-ups ↗ Simplifying debt financing for start-ups: The expansion of EIB activities can lead to better financing for start-ups ↗ Match support EU acquisitions: The European Union could bolster acquisitions by matching support through regulatory incentives and funding schemes tailored to encourage cross-border investments and innovation ↗ Mobilise more risk and growth capital Existing institutional capital should be invested more in venture capital through foundations, pension funds and insurance companies, similar to the US and Canada ✔ Regulation ↗ Venture Rights: At the moment, start-ups are being held back by overloaded bureaucracy and regulations ↗ Attracting and welcoming foreign talent: The scarcity of skilled labor poses challenges for start-ups and scale-ups alike ↗ Enabling technological fields of experimentation: We aim to enable technological experimentation through the establishment of “sandboxes,” facilitating rapid testing of new technologies such as AI and innovative energy sources like fusion ✔ Common Market ↗ Online Registration for EU Entity: By implementing a simplified and user-centric online registration process for EU entities, finely tailored to the specific needs and challenges faced by start-ups, we have the unparalleled opportunity to unleash the boundless potential of entrepreneurship and innovation within the EU landscape, all achievable in under 20 minutes #innovation #riseeurope #utum #tum UnternehmerTUM

🇪🇺 Stimulating Venture Capital in Europe 🇪🇺 Over the past few days, I had the pleasure of meeting with EU representatives in Berlin and Brussels to discuss Venture Capital and concrete ways to accelerate its development across Europe. I am returning with a renewed sense of optimism — our Venture Capital priorities, challenges & opportunities are clearly being heard and understood at the EU level. 👉🏼 Key takeaways: 1. Startups are Europe’s economic and innovation engine, accounting for nearly 50% of new job creation. Yet Venture Capital remains significantly underdeveloped across all growth phases. A striking example: OpenAI’s USD 40bn funding round in Q1 2024 alone nearly equals the entire European VC market in the same year. 2. While overall funding levels must rise substantially, the most urgent gap lies in the scale-up phase. The EU has taken first steps — such as the European Scale-Up Strategy (see link below) — but much more is needed to support high-growth companies in Europe. 3. Mobilizing private capital is essential. Unlocking larger investor commitments through substantial private funds and fund-of-funds structures will be key to building depth and resilience in the European VC landscape. 4. Creating a robust exit environment — through IPOs, M&A, and secondaries — is a strategic priority. Strengthening Europe’s capital markets will be critical to ensuring that value creation stays within the region. Europe is at a pivotal inflection point. With strong political momentum, committed stakeholders, and the right regulatory conditions, we now have a unique opportunity to build a globally competitive Venture Capital ecosystem — and with it, a growing economy for the future with sovereignty through digital leadership. 💪🏼 Very exciting teaming & partnering up on this journey with you, Joerg Maria Luís Albuquerque Invest Europe Eric de Montgolfier BVK Bundesverband Beteiligungskapital Ulrike Hinrichs Katharina Paust-Bokrezion Līga Semane #europe #eu #venturecapital

I wanted to shine a light on a very interesting project launched today, Project Europe #ProjectEurope is a €10 million fund that aims to reverse the brain drain of young talent from Europe by investing in founders as young as 18, and most importantly to revert the odd rhetoric of a doom loop for European companies and startup. With backing from leading venture firms 20VC, Point Nine , and Adjacent, alongside more than 125 top tech founders, the initiative is designed to fuel the next generation of European innovation. Among the high-profile supporters are Tobias Lütke of Shopify, Sebastian Siemiatkowski of Klarna, Niklas Östberg of Delivery Hero, and Thomas Dohmke of GitHub. These industry leaders are not only investing but also offering mentorship to young entrepreneurs navigating the complexities of building tech startups in Europe. Other backers include key figures from Mistral, Hugging Face, and Synthesia, signaling strong support from Europe’s growing AI ecosystem. Harry Stebbings, one of the main promoter of this initiative along many other well known names in this market, whose venture firm 20VC raised a $400 million fund last year, believes Europe is at risk of losing its competitive edge due to regulatory challenges and a talent exodus to the U.S. Project Europe is a direct response to this, providing €200,000 per startup while taking a 6.66% equity stake—differentiating itself from grant-based initiatives like Peter Thiel’s Fellowship in the U.S. This initiative comes at a crucial time when European startups are facing increasing pressure from U.S. and Chinese tech dominance, particularly in artificial intelligence. By offering funding, mentorship, and infrastructure, Project Europe is taking a hands-on approach to fostering a new wave of European founders, challenging the narrative that innovation is only thriving outside the continent. The article on the Financial Times in the first comment.

📢 As a Digital EU Ambassador and someone who has launched 26 startups across the globe, I’ve faced my fair share of regulatory hurdles, fragmented funding channels, and administrative headaches, especially in Europe. That’s why I welcome with real enthusiasm the latest initiatives from the European Commission to strengthen the startup environment across the continent. Europe is making a clear statement: we want to be a startup continent. With efforts focused on cutting red tape, simplifying regulatory frameworks, boosting cross-border access to funding, and nurturing deep tech, this is more than policy, it’s a call to action. 💥 I remember building Diabilive in France, while simultaneously scaling Affinity Initiative in the UK. The contrast in regulatory fluidity was significant. Initiatives like this can eliminate that friction, giving startups in Europe the clarity and tools they need to scale, without compromising innovation or values. I’m particularly pleased to see a focus on digital and green innovation. These are no longer nice-to-haves, they’re core to competitiveness. And with Europe’s new approach, startups can embed these principles from day one. 🚀 Let’s keep pushing for a unified, entrepreneur-friendly Europe. I’ll certainly continue to do my part, and I invite you to engage, contribute, and most importantly, build. https://lnkd.in/e9E_D3YT

"This strategy seeks to shift the European economy towards a more entrepreneurial, innovative model." A small sentence that gives me a lot of hope. After years and years of trying to convince political decision-makers that we need to reinvent our economic model to survive in a tech-driven world, today's Startup & Scaleup strategy feels like a breakthrough. For the first time, Brussels frames a vibrant startup scene not as a “nice to have,” but as the key to our future prosperity. Making Europe "the best place in the world to launch and grow global technology-driven companies" may sound audacious, yet there is no viable alternative The strategy includes major milestone projects like the EU Inc, a European KYC identity or a pact to mobilise institutional capital - but also some quick wins like correcting the "undertaking in difficulties" regulation, which has recently become a big headache for several startups in Austria. It is by no means perfect, but it is a very good start. Now comes the hard part: execution. The energy in the Startup & Scale-up Forum with Commissioner Zaharieva during these past two months was inspiring - let’s keep that pace once member states weigh in (👀 Bundeskanzleramt Österreich). America’s current rumblings are Europe’s window of opportunity — blink and we miss it.

Europe is no longer just a follower in the global tech race—it’s emerging as an AI testbed. Q2 2025 data shows $16.1bn in European venture deal value, its strongest quarter since 2022 and nearly one-fifth of global VC flows . That shift matters because capital rarely moves without reason. Europe’s AI story is different. It isn’t consumer apps and social platforms—it’s industrial AI. Predictive maintenance in German factories. AI-driven diagnostics in Scandinavian healthcare. Machine learning to optimise Europe’s pressured energy grids. These are hard problems, with strict regulation and long procurement cycles. But solutions proven here gain global credibility. Here’s the friction. Europe is a laboratory—but can it scale? Late-stage capital is still thin. Many successful startups migrate to the U.S. or Asia to list. Fragmentation across markets and regulation makes pan-European scaling tough. Without deeper IPO and exit infrastructure, Europe risks remaining a nursery for ideas rather than a factory for global champions. Portfolio implications: • Specialist AI funds in Europe are raising smaller pools but hitting targets—92% success rate in H1 2025 vs 73% in 2023. • Valuations remain cheaper than U.S. tech, but the gap could close fast if flows accelerate. • Allocators must choose: back applied innovation early, or wait until firms migrate and risk missing the alpha. Bottom line: Europe is moving from footnote to chapter in the AI story. The narrative may not be permanent, but capital is voting with conviction. The question is whether allocators lean in now—or wait until the best opportunities are already gone. Would you take Europe exposure as diversification—or as alpha? Do you trust its AI ecosystem to scale—or just to test? How much weight do you give to valuations vs exit risk? Is Europe’s regulatory edge a strength—or a handicap? For more see our Nomura CIO Corner: https://lnkd.in/e4TCax_g #AI #VentureCapital #Europe #PrivateMarkets #Innovation #Nomura #CIO #Macro