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As the EU reevaluates its growth strategies, 🇸🇪 Sweden seems to have cracked the code. With more tech unicorns per capita than any European country except Estonia, the Scandinavian country's tech sector is leading the way. The secret? Early investment in personal computers and broadband, fostering an engineering generation, along with strong research and development supported by both public and private funds. Could Sweden’s approach be the blueprint Europe needs? 🤔 For startups, Europe’s main challenge isn't overregulation but fragmentation. As highlighted by the eu/acc initiative that we shared before, the real issue is the lack of standardization and strong social programs. 🇪🇺 🗞️ Dive into the full article to explore how Sweden might just be showing Europe the way forward! https://lnkd.in/dZ-7-Ti3

It’s happening 🙌 Romania is the startup ecosystem growing bottom up, built by the startups and the startup players. The blood, sweat and tears are paying off. The number of startups solving critical problems the world has and the size of investments are growing rapidly, YoY 📈 The bold vision of ROStartup, to position Romania on the global startup map, is taking shape - program by program, startup by startup, investment by investment 🚀☀️ #EcosystemWork #StartupCommunity #WeAreInThisTogether

✍ How to apply for the EU Business Hub - Japan and the Republic of Korea business missions? EU SMEs and startups can already apply for our first business missions by following a three step process: 1️⃣ Register on our website, select a business mission and submit the Expression of Interest form by the set deadline. 2️⃣ If your company is considered eligible you will receive an email inviting you to apply for the business mission. Complete and submit the Application form by the set deadline! 3️⃣ The 50 companies that show the highest potential for establishing business collaboration in the target market will be selected for the business mission! 🔝 EU companies and startups can participate in up to 3 business missions distributed between both target countries, with the opportunity to engage in a maximum of two missions in the same country. Learn more and apply for our first business missions: https://lnkd.in/dUNtCJWi

Why Romania is worth paying attention to. Part 4. A VC perspective from Karolina Mrozkova, General Partner at Credo Ventures. 1/ CEE is a cluster of smaller ecosystems & Romania is part of it. Compared to other countries in the region, Romania is quite ahead. Sitting together with developed ecosystems like Poland or the Czech Republic. 2/ Beyond technical talent, you need vision. Romania has it. It takes a strong vision, and this doesn't come out of nowhere. Vision is inspired by people who have been there and done the work. 3/ The country attracts big tech. You have a great ecosystem of big tech companies like Poland and the Czech Republic. Romania has been home to offices of companies like Google, Microsoft, Cisco & more. They bring international talent and hire strong tech talent. What are your thoughts? Do you have Romania as your target for upcoming investments? Looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments section. #venturecapital #angelinvesting #startupfunding #europe

People ask what why I keep coming back to Ukraine 🇺🇦 Apart from a bit of activism for Ukraine, a nation fighting to retain freedom and to protect their loved ones - thanks Ryan Grant Little for taking the lead 🙏, there is also a pragmatic reason why it makes sense for Tilia Impact Ventures to be coming over: Ukraine is emerging as one of the most startup friendly hubs in CEE! Let me share a great example: Ukraine's Diia City legal framework, designed to support 🇺🇦 tech companies. Here's why it stands out: 💰 Favorable Taxation: With 5% personal income tax for employees and a 9% tax on distributed profits, tech companies can keep more capital for growth and reward the team. ⚖️ Flexible Labor Relations: Special Gig Contracts make it easier for startups to hire talent with fewer constraints, while still offering reasonable protection for employees. 🌐 Strong IP Protection: Diia City’s alignment with international standards ensures the innovations are safeguarded, giving confidence to both founders and investors. 📈 Investment Magnet: The legal framework promotes modern investment tools like stock options, convertible loans, and favorable tax incentives, making it easier to raise funds and attract foreign capital. Compared to most CEE countries such as Czechia 🇨🇿, Ukraine is proving that driving innovations and modern economy is about creating conditions for tech to thrive! #DiiaCity #UkraineStartups #StartupEcosystem #Innovation #CEEstartup #TaxIncentives #VentureCapital

Does Sweden's success offer a glimpse into Europe's future for competitiveness? This New York Times article dives into the question, highlighting Sweden's strong track record of producing widely successful international business like Skype, Spotify and Klarna. It has produced more tech unicorns per capita than any other country in Europe (except Estonia). And it ranks fourth overall on the continent, with the Top 3 all countries that are 6-9 times as large. The question comes at a time when the EU is trying to find solutions for its "competitiveness crisis" in comparison to the fast pace of growth and innovation in the U.S. and China. One of the main reasons for Sweden's success is a commitment in the 1990s to put computers and broadband in the hands of the public when most people were still dialing up. That's less repeatable in an age where many kids are growing up with smartphones in their pocket, but three other reasons are more relevant: 1️⃣ Strong public and private investment in R&D (Sweden has one of the highest rates in Europe), which has encouraged taking small ideas forward rather than sitting on the sideline. 2️⃣ A reliance on internationalization as a means for growth, since the population at home is small. This has also required an increased level of competitiveness to survive. 3️⃣ Strong social safety net structures have allowed entrepreneurs to take chances, knowing that failure won't end in ruin. More people starting up means more chances for an idea to go big. I'm not sure this answers the original question with a clear model, but interesting nonetheless as Europe tries to close the gap with other regional economies worldwide.

There's still time to register for the Tech Mission to Hong Kong 2024! Follow the link in the below post to find out more about this incredible event and to register your interest in attending⬇ #TechMission #HongKong #AsiaPacific #TechFounders #TechBusiness

The Baltic tech scene is heating up! 🔥 Over the past two years, Lithuania has surged ahead as the fastest-growing economy in the region, bypassing economic downturns that hit Estonia and Latvia. Lithuanian IT companies, once looking up to Estonia, are now catching up rapidly. 📈📊 Lithuania's fintech and service exports are booming, and its startup ecosystem is now the fastest-growing in Central and Eastern Europe. But while Lithuania thrives in IT services, Estonia remains a powerhouse in software development. Here is why: 🔷 In Estonia, software development revenue grew by 18% (inflation-adjusted), but IT services revenue decreased by 2%. 🔷 In Lithuania, revenues of software development companies barely changed, increasing by just 0.4%, but web administration, data centers, and IT support services grew by 111% (inflation-adjusted). 🔷 In Latvia, the IT services sector grew by 3% annually, while the software development sector decreased by 2%. Is Estonia’s status as the IT leader fading? Or is Vilnius the new tech capital of the Baltics? 👀 Our Chief Analyst Vaidotas Sumskis has identified the emerging trends and shifts in the Baltic IT landscape. Find out more on our website. Leaving the links in the comments! 🔍 #FinoraBank #Baltics #ITLeadership #TechInnovation

Sierra Leone, a tropical country along Africa's western coast, is positioning itself as the continent's answer to Estonia's tech success. President Julius Maada Bio, along with his administration, has laid down a strategic blueprint to nurture the nation into a formidable tech talent exporter, reminiscent of Estonia's global tech stature.  Led by the newly established Ministry of Communication, Technology, and Innovation, the country is not just aiming for technological evolution but is ready to infuse the African tech ecosystem with innovation and skilled professionals.  With plans to inaugurate a National Tech and Innovation Summit and the development of a specialized tech and innovation city, Sierra Leone is on a path to not only meet but exceed its vision of creating half a million jobs by 2028. Through fostering regional collaborations and embracing lessons from across the globe, Sierra Leone’s journey towards becoming the "Estonia of Africa" is a testament to its commitment to leapfrog into the digital future. #SierraLeoneTech #AfricaDigitalFuture #EstoniaOfAfrica #TechTalentExport #InnovationInAfrica #TechAndInnovationCity  Read More: https://lnkd.in/d7ftZVXh