Innovate!Europe
The other conference in Europe I should have attended is Innovate!Europe. Chris Shipley has brought together a great group to talk about the challenges for innovation in Europe, and rightly framed the issue as a commercialization gap, not technology. Europe has a risk averse culture reflected by it's institutions. Entrepreneurs lack supportive networks and have to rail against structures meant to protect old wealth.
The marketing function we call Silicon Valley has never been replicated, despite attempts to slap Silicon on every conceivable geographic feature or incubate beyond the hatchery. Europe needs it's own evolutionary approach for reform to support revolutionaries.
The event comes at an interesting time where global competitiveness and institutions are being questioned. Follow along with blog posts and the wiki.
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