Startups in Europe are different than the ones in the U.S. Their founders, too! They have certain needs and “wants”. Here are just a few things they need for 2013…feel free to add your own thoughts!
What do startups in Europe need?
1. Local capital
No serious business “activist” in Europe wants to build the next Silicon Valley. However, Europeans with wealth need a proper wake-up call in order to see the opportunities coming with the rapidly developing startup scene!
2. Local heroes
For a vast number of young European entrepreneurs (and wannabe entrepreneurs) “silicon valley” examples seem like a fairy tale. Fund raising, meeting angel investors and making business with them is often something very distant and difficult to achieve. What young people in Europe need is to talk with other local entrepreneurs who managed to walk to the “bright side of the moon”…who actually did the job…and who care to share knowledge, experience and expertise on everything that can make a startup owner realize that nothing is impossible.
3. Exit examples and “buying” mentality
Exit markets in Europe are…eh…not doing very well with startups. It is important that investing companies and startup owners understand the need to start knocking on each other’s door and talk about IPOs. Young entrepreneurs will be much more competitive if they know that an industry giant might be interested in buying their company. Of course, this can be a great opportunity for giants to make extra money!
4. Startup “business education” with easy access and effective knowledge sharing
Yes, there is a huge number of startup events and conferences taking place in the last couple of years in Europe. The problem is that some of them are expensive to attend or they might use some strange admission code.
Also, startup conferences have become a business on their own. Plenty of people are offering mentoring, advice and expertise to young entrepreneurs. The problem is that a lot of them do not have the actual experience to do so and use the conferences or seminars just to make extra money.
