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.
San Francisco California - Los Angeles California - Venice Italy, United States
IT (& TMT) • Media • Entertainment (& Sports) • Real Estate (& Construction) • Investment Management • Mobile • Restaurants
ex-Entrepreneur and Seed-Stage investor in LA
ex-Entrepreneur and Seed-Stage investor in LA
Brian Garrett is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Crosscut. Brian is very active in the Los Angeles start-up community and currently works actively with the following companies: GumGum, Verve Mobile, Reaction Commerce, Jyve, Sales Pro Quo, The BlackTux, Narvar, Omaze, Robin Care, Foray, Fuzzy, Umbra Lab, Fastdata.io and Saber es Poder. With over 20 years of both investing and operating/entrepreneurial experience, Brian tries to bring humility and empathy to the lonely plight of starting and scaling start-up companies and works tirelessly to help his entrepreneurs succeed. Prior to co-founding Crosscut, Brian was a Partner at Palomar Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm based in Santa Monica, California. Mr. Garrett joined Palomar in 2001 and played an active role in managing and investing two funds over 6 years totaling more than $400 million. While at Palomar, he was the sponsor of and/or an active board member in nine Palomar portfolio companies, including successes such as Entone (a video on demand company that sold to Harmonic), Lombardi (business process management software that sold to IBM) and Datallegro (data warehouse appliance company sold to Microsoft in 2008). Prior to Palomar, Brian was the Director of Business Development at Niku Corporation. Prior to Niku, Brian worked at a boutique strategy consulting firm called R.B. Webber & Company. Brian worked with numerous early-stage technology companies including CommerceOne, Inktomi, Sagent, Aurum and Broadbase. Brian received his MBA from Stanford's Graduate School of Business and he graduated from Stanford University with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering. Specialties: Entrepreneurial focus: Fashion/Tech/Media/Commerce. Investing Focus: Crosscut focuses primarily on seed-stage opportunities in consumer/digital media across Southern California.
Paris, France
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • IT (& TMT) • Media • FinTech (& Financials services) • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • Insurance (& InsurTech) • Logistics (& Distribution)
Partner @Serena and Founder @Talentletter
Partner @Serena and Founder @Talentletter
Stockholm, Sweden
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • Other • IT (& TMT) • Businesses Solutions • FinTech (& Financials services) • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • Entertainment (& Sports) • Logistics (& Distribution) • Productivity
Investment Manager at Northzone
Investment Manager at Northzone
Southampton - London, U.K.
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • IT (& TMT) • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • A.I. (& Big Data) • Gaming (& eSports) • Analytics • AR/VR • Developer tools • SaaS • Consumer
Craig Fletcher is the Founder and also serves as the Chief Executive Officer at Multiplay.
Clermont-Ferrand, France
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • IT (& TMT) • Businesses Solutions • FinTech (& Financials services) • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • Entertainment (& Sports) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Food & Beverage • Logistics (& Distribution) • Material Science
Executive Director, Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at ESSEC Business School
Executive Director, Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at ESSEC Business School
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • IT (& TMT) • Media • A.I. (& Big Data) • Autonomous vehicles (& Cars)
Investor in tech growth companies; senior tech M&A advisor & trusted board member of several companies
Investor in tech growth companies; senior tech M&A advisor & trusted board member of several companies
Cambridge, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • IT (& TMT) • Media • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • Gaming (& eSports) • Material Science • Robotics • Real Estate (& Construction) • Investment Management
Founding Partner, IQ Capital.vc
Founding Partner, IQ Capital.vc
California - Leicester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • IT (& TMT) • Gaming (& eSports) • Insurance (& InsurTech) • Logistics (& Distribution) • Robotics • Investment Management • Mobile • Oncology
🎮 💸 Building @Midnite
🎮 💸 Building @Midnite
Zürich - Kasnacht Switzerland - Vaduz Switzerland, Switzerland
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • IT (& TMT) • FinTech (& Financials services) • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • Insurance (& InsurTech) • Mobile
Owner, ARMADA Investment AG
Daniel Aegerter is the Founder and serves as Partner at Adurion. He established the company after the successful merger of his enterprise software company Tradex Technologies to Ariba for $5.6 billion dollars in March of 2000. Daniel's first business venture was Dynabit, which was founded in 1988 as an importer and distributor for high-end digital publishing peripherals. He had led the company through 12 years of steady growth and consistent profitability, growing its revenue from 0 to 30 million dollars. Tradex was spun off from DYNABIT in 1996, after Dynabit created its own digital market and decided to sell its software to other market makers. Daniel is credited as a visionary behind digital marketplaces, having recognized early on that the most powerful model to structure B2B Commerce over the internet is through digital marketplaces. He started his career at Swiss Bank Corporation as a management trainee and was involved in both commercial and investment banking. He serves on the Advisory Board of several private companies.
Washington District of Columbia - Alexandria Virginia - Virginia, Luxembourg
IT (& TMT) • FinTech (& Financials services) • Insurance (& InsurTech)
Managing Partner, MiddleGame Ventures
Pascal Bouvier serves as Venture Partner at Santander InnoVentures. He also serves as a General Partner at Route 66 Ventures. He is also an angel investor.
Paris France, France
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • IT (& TMT) • Media • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • Retail (& E-Commerce) • A.I. (& Big Data) • Blockchain (& Cryptos) • Insurance (& InsurTech)
Founder and Partner at CapHorn (VC)
Guillaume Dupont is Partner and co-founder of CapHorn Invest
Guillaume (X, Stanford) began his career in the venture capital team of Crédit Agricole Private Equity before joining Schneider Electric Ventures as investment director in 2007.
He has gained extensive experience in the analysis, financing and monitoring of innovative young companies working with some such as Novaled, Supersonic Imagine, Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics, Temis, Metabolic Explorer, Open Wide, Tiempo or Jet Metal Technologies.