Europe's startup ecosystem is one of the largest and most diverse in the world, with major hubs in London, Berlin, Paris, and Amsterdam. As of 2023, Europe is home to over 150,000 startups. Governments across the continent support entrepreneurship through various initiatives that provide funding, resources, and mentorship for startups. In 2022, European startups collectively raised approximately €100 billion in venture capital.
The European startup ecosystem is expansive, with over 150,000 startups as of 2023. In 2022, these startups raised approximately €100 billion in venture capital, reflecting robust investor interest. This substantial funding pool supports startups at various stages, from early seed rounds to late-stage investments, facilitating growth and innovation across diverse sectors.
Europe's strengths include a highly educated workforce, a strong tradition of innovation, and a strategic location with access to a large and diverse market. Major cities like London, Berlin, Paris, and Amsterdam have vibrant tech scenes, attracting significant investments and producing notable startups like Revolut, N26, and Adyen. The presence of world-class universities and research institutions fosters a collaborative environment for startups.
London, Berlin, Paris, and Amsterdam are Europe's primary startup hubs. These cities are known for their dynamic tech ecosystems and have produced significant startups, such as Revolut in London, N26 in Berlin, and Adyen in Amsterdam. These hubs benefit from robust infrastructure, access to capital, and a high concentration of skilled talent.
Emerging hubs in Europe include cities like Barcelona, Lisbon, and Stockholm. These cities are gaining traction due to their favorable business climates, increasing investment activity, and vibrant entrepreneurial communities. They offer growing opportunities for startups and investors looking to explore new markets.
The European startup ecosystem benefits from a strong network of incubators, accelerators, and co-working spaces. Initiatives like the European Innovation Council (EIC) and Horizon Europe provide mentorship, resources, and international exposure. These support systems are crucial for nurturing early-stage startups and helping them scale effectively.
Challenges in the European startup ecosystem include regulatory complexities, economic disparities between regions, and limited access to late-stage funding in some areas. Navigating the diverse regulatory environments across different countries can be daunting for startups looking to scale internationally. Addressing these challenges is crucial for fostering a more cohesive and supportive ecosystem.
Despite challenges, Europe is making significant strides in innovation and entrepreneurship. Continuous investment and technological advancement drive substantial growth opportunities. Europe's strategic location and extensive trade relationships provide startups with opportunities for international expansion, positioning the continent as a key player in the global innovation landscape.
Europe's startup ecosystem has shown remarkable resilience and adaptability. The strong emphasis on sustainability and green technology drives innovation in sectors such as renewable energy and environmental technologies. As Europe continues to invest in its startup ecosystem, it is poised for further growth and development, contributing significantly to the global innovation landscape.
Palo Alto - San Francisco Bay Area, U.S.A. - U.K. - South Korea - Japan
PropTech • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • Retail (& E-Commerce) • Sales (& Marketing) • Cosmetics (& Fashion) • IoT (& Wearables) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Developer tools • Medical Devices (& Hospital Services) • Real Estate (& Construction) • Healthcare (& Wellness) • Consumer
CEO and Founding Partner at 500 Startups
Berlin, Germany
Sales (& Marketing) • A.I. (& Big Data) • Gaming (& eSports) • Mobile Apps • Consumer
Serial Entrepreneur in Esports since 1997
Jens Hilgers is a Co-Owner of G2 Esports. He is also a Co-Founder of Dojo Madness and served as its Chief Executive Officer. Prior to this, he Owned and Co-Founded Turtle Entertainment and served as its Chairman. Jens Hilgers served as the Chief Executive Officer of Geewa. He also served as Chief Executive Officer at GIGA Digital Television. He holds a degree from Bildungszentrum fuer Informationsverarbeitende Berufe.
San Clemente - San Francisco Bay Area - California, U.S.A. - U.K.
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • Sales (& Marketing) • Autonomous vehicles (& Cars)
Investor
CEO & Co-Founder @ DealerSocket
Jonathan Ord is a Co-Founder & serves as Board Member at DealerSocket, as well as a Board Member at Model Match. Previously, he served as its Chief Executive Officer. As CEO, Jonathan Ord sets vision and drives overall strategy for DealerSocket. Jonathan co-founded DealerSocket in 2001 to create a revolutionary model for industry niche CRM applications. Both DealerSocket and Jonathan have received many accolades including being named Best Overall Company globally in the 2008 Stevie International Business Awards, Best Management Team in the 2009 American Business Awards, and one of the Red Herring North American 100 in 2009. Additionally, Jonathan has been honored as one of the most successful young Entrepreneurs and Executives in Southern California, being honored with the 2010 Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award from the Orange County Business Journal. In 2014, Jonathan won Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Orange County.
Sacramento, Israel
Sales (& Marketing) • A.I. (& Big Data) • Advertising • Analytics • Autonomous vehicles (& Cars) • Online Social • Consumer
Board member, Early stage investor
Director, Early stage investor
Mr. Yigal Jacoby is a Co-Founder and serves as Chairman of Allot Communications and also serves as its Board Member. He also serves as an Advisor at theDOCK and as Chairman at Manto AI. He serves as Chairman at DriveU.auto. He serves as Board Member at Nimble Beauty.
London, U.K. - France
Businesses Solutions • Sales (& Marketing) • Mobile Apps
CEO and Co-founder at BlaBlaCar
Co-Founder & CEO
Nicolas Brusson is a Co-Founder of BlaBlaCar and serves as its Chief Executive Officer. He leads the company's global operations and international growth. He drives BlaBlaCar's corporate development and has successfully led the company's various rounds of financing and acquisitions. He is a strong supporter of autonomous local teams and acqui-hire, a strategy he implemented to expand BlaBlaCar's footprint to a global scale. Prior to joining BlaBlaCar, he worked for several startups in Silicon Valley during the 2000 boom, before moving on to executive and investor roles, including that of being a Venture Capitalist in London. He holds an MBA in Finance & Entrepreneurship from INSEAD, a Masters in Optics from Ecole Superieure d'Optique and a Masters in Applied Physics from Paris XI University. He also holds a Ph.D. in Optoelectronics from the Universite Paris Sud. He is also an active angel investor. He also serves as Board Member at SIDE Capital.
San Francisco Bay Area - Mountain View - LatAm (Latin ) - New York City - California, U.S.A. - Canada
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • Education • Businesses Solutions • FinTech (& Financials services) • Sales (& Marketing) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Future Of Work • Consumer • Woman Focused
Managing Partner at Precursor Ventures
Managing Partner and Founder, Precursor Ventures
Most Interested In
Consumer subscription businesses, consumer-focused digital health, clean consumer products that sell directly to the consumer, applied computer vision.
Not Interested In
Advertising technology (adtech), marketing technology (martech), and sales enablement technology. We have good coverage in all those areas already.
Charles Hudson is the Founder and serves as Managing Partner at Precursor Ventures. He also serves as a Board Member & Advisor at Tulip Retail. He also serves as Venture Partner at Uncork Capital. He serves as the Interim Chief Executive Officer & Board Member at Kahuna. He also serves as Venture Advisor at 500 startups. He was the co-founder and CEO of Bionic Panda Games, a mobile games startup based in San Francisco, CA. Prior to joining SoftTech VC and co-founding Bionic Panda Games, he was the vice president of business development for Serious Business until the company was acquired by Zynga in February 2010. Prior to Serious Business, he was the senior director for business development at Gaia Interactive, an online hangout and virtual world for teens. Prior to Gaia, he worked in New Business Development at Google and focused on new partnership opportunities for early-stage products in the advertising, mobile and e-commerce markets. He also serves as a board member at Lightside Games and Special Guest App. He holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a B.A. in Economics and Spanish from Stanford University. He Founded and served as Managing Partner at 3rd Power. He also served as Consultant at WebMediaBrands.
Malta, Malta - Europe: Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Portugal, Sweden, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Slovakia, Norway, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Iceland, Monaco
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • Education • AgroTech • Sales (& Marketing) • CleanTech • A.I. (& Big Data) • Gaming (& eSports) • Advertising • Logistics (& Distribution) • Messaging • Mobility
Co-Founder & CMO at Mox
Most Interested In
Digital marketing and mobility/transportation companies based in Spain.
Not Interested In
Companies not based in Spain, Singapore, Portugal or Malta.
Paris France, France
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • IT (& TMT) • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • Retail (& E-Commerce) • Sales (& Marketing) • A.I. (& Big Data) • Blockchain (& Cryptos) • Web Security (& Privacy) • Analytics • Cloud Services (& Infrastructure) • Real Estate (& Construction) • SaaS • Consumer • Restaurants
Precogn
Sebastien Lucas is a Co-Founder and serves as General Manager of Oxalide. He is also an Angel Investor. He conducts continuous improvement processes whose objective is ultimately to offer all the conditions favorable to value creation. The responsible autonomy of employees and the development of creativity contribute to the delivery of a service whose added value is measured in terms of the IT growth of Oxalide's customers. He also serves as Partner at 50 Partners.
, Netherlands
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • Education • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • Retail (& E-Commerce) • Sales (& Marketing) • Entertainment (& Sports) • A.I. (& Big Data) • Autonomous vehicles (& Cars) • Mobile Apps • SaaS • Consumer
Creator & Founder @ Lyre's Non-Alcoholic Spirits Co. | Founder & NED @ BrandLink Group | Angel & Advisor | FMCG\CPG Nerd
Creator & Founder @ Lyre's Non-Alcoholic Spirits Co. | Founder & NED @ BrandLink Group | Angel & Advisor | FMCG\CPG Nerd