Why Wales needs more tech entrepreneurs

Can European Startups Thrive with a Silicon Valley Mindset? Hoxton Ventures' Hussein Kanji recently gave an interview to the FFNews about how adopting Silicon Valley's ethos could elevate European innovation. As more UK/European tech stocks look towards future US listings, this advice may be very timely. The essence of Silicon Valley’s success Silicon Valley is synonymous with bold ideas, disruption, and rapid growth. Hussein Kanji, co-founder of Hoxton Ventures, argues that its success stems from a unique mindset: entrepreneurs pursue ambitious goals, embrace failure as a learning tool, and scale rapidly with the support of risk-tolerant investors. In a recent FF Virtual Arena discussion, Kanji emphasised that Silicon Valley’s advantage is cultural—it thrives on daring ideas and an interconnected ecosystem that encourages rapid iteration and global impact. Europe’s strengths and gaps Europe boasts exceptional talent, growing markets, and increasing venture capital. However, Kanji pointed out that European startups often lack the aggressive growth mentality seen in Silicon Valley. Cultural factors and a focus on steady, local success can limit European ventures. While stability creates strong businesses, it may hinder rapid scaling or the global influence needed to produce category-defining leaders. How Europe can adopt a winning mindset Kanji believes a Silicon Valley approach could unlock Europe’s potential: ·       Think Global: Entrepreneurs must aim beyond regional success to create worldwide solutions. ·       Embrace Failure: Failure should be viewed as a necessary part of growth, not a stigma. ·       Partner with Bold Investors: Seek visionary VCs who encourage risk-taking and scaling fast. ·       Build Collaborative Ecosystems: Foster interconnected networks for mentorship and knowledge-sharing. The future of European startups Kanji sees a promising future for Europe’s startup ecosystem. With increasing success stories and capital availability, transformation is possible—but it requires a mindset shift. Entrepreneurs must think bigger, act faster, and aim for global impact. “Europe has the talent and resources; now it’s about fostering the mindset,” Kanji concludes. By adopting these principles, European startups can redefine the next era of innovation.

Our raison d’être is connecting people with brilliant ideas to people who can make them happen! ⭐ Here are the accelerators and incubators you can expect to see in the Startupfest Village ready to help you grow your business: » Centre for Women in Business — CWB is dedicated to helping women and gender-diverse business owners and entrepreneurs across Canada succeed. » Creative Destruction Lab — CDL ofers an objectives-based program designed for massively scalable, seed-stage, science- and technology-based companies. » Groupe 3737 — Canada's leader in creating wealth with impact, by and for ethnocultural diversity. » MT Lab — The first incubator-accelerator dedicated to open innovation in the tourism, culture and entertainment industries in North America. » ACET — A technology incubator-accelerator that helps entrepreneurs build tomorrow's world by propelling innovative technologies with a positive societal impact. » Next AI — A world-class 6-month founder and venture development acceleration network for AI-enabled startups. Pitch to the Next AI team for your chance to win an exclusive venture spot in the 2025 cohort! » LE CAMP — Focused on accelerating the growth of innovative technology companies, their support programs can be short, medium or long-term. » Zú — Supports and propels entrepreneurs who use technology to develop solutions that revolutionize the creative industries. » District 3 Innovation — Whether you're an individual with an idea, or a startup in the transition phase to an SME, D3 Hub can help. » IDEA Mississauga powered by Invest Mississauga — A distinctive community that supports and connects local and globally minded entrepreneurs and businesses, generating international recognition. » Catalyseur en technologie de la santé | CTS — The growth catalyst dedicated to healthcare technologies. » Centech Mtl — Propels high-potential technological innovation projects stemming from science and engineering, providing entrepreneurs with an ecosystem of resources, tools and contacts. » YSpace, York University — York University’s pan-university entrepreneurship and innovation hub supporting startups and entrepreneurs from a variety of sectors and communities. » La base entrepreneuriale HEC Montréal — A university innovation hub that fosters the next generation of technology and impact entrepreneurs through entrepreneurial coaching programs. » Google for Startups — Whether you’re starting out, building your startup, or scaling up to meet the needs of consumers, business, and society, Google for Startups connects you with the right people, products, and best practices to help you thrive and grow. 🎟️ Register now to experience the #Startupfest Village's unbeatable networking and opportunities: https://bit.ly/3uWksug

Stay Hungry. Keep Getting Better. At the McKinney Economic Development Corporation, this philosophy drives everything we do - especially when it comes to supporting startups through our Innovation Fund. For the past five years, this fund has provided $50,000 grants to 45 tech startups that choose to call McKinney home, resulting in almost 1,000 projected new and local jobs. We think we're just getting started. Building on the early success of the Innovation Fund, we’ve significantly raised the funding cap - startups can now be awarded $50,000 up to $200,000 in non-dilutive capital. This increase is one of many steps we’re taking to establish McKinney as the AI Hub of Texas. None of this would be possible without our incredible partners at Plug and Play Enterprise & AI and Plug and Play Fintech. Their support in connecting our portfolio companies to corporate networks, market opportunities, and capital is truly invaluable. In addition, we launched our City Pilot Initiative this year, making it easier for local government to adopt the groundbreaking technologies developed by our portfolio startups. Stay tuned and get engaged - McKinney is shaping to be the best place for a startup to grow and scale, as the AI Hub of Texas! https://lnkd.in/gGthBUAw Michael Talley Michael Kowski Luke Gajary Omar Rodriguez Melanie Williamson Anas Abdelrahim Francis Garner, MBA Kevin Parakkattu Sherif Saadawi Brandon Nguyen Logan Moore #Innovation #StartupEcosystem #TechHub #AI #Growth #EconomicDevelopment #McKinneyTX #PlugAndPlay #Entrepreneurship #StartupFunding

📊 EdTech Investor Landscape 2024: A Guide for Founders 🚀 Attention EdTech entrepreneurs! Here's a comprehensive overview of active investors in the EdTech space, courtesy of Startup Fountain: By the way-> Startups can sign up for free and get intro's to over 700 investors in Europe :) 🔹 Early-Stage Gems (€25K - €500K): APX (Europe) ASIF Ventures (Amsterdam Metropolitan area) Multiple Anonymous Angels across Europe Daniel Gebler (Europe) 🔸 Mid-Range Powerhouses (€500K - €2M): 4impact.vc (Europe) Arches Capital (Netherlands, Belgium, Germany) Creative Capital Studio (Europe, focus on Benelux) DN Capital (Europe + N. America) 🔹 Growth-Stage Backers (€2M+): Fortino Capital (Europe, up to €5M) Holland Capital (Benelux, Germany, up to €3M) Mediahuis Ventures (Europe, up to €20M) Peak (Benelux, DACH, Nordics, up to €4M) 🌍 Geographic Diversity: From Netherlands-focused firms like LIOF to global players like NCA, there's support for EdTech innovation worldwide. 💡 Unique Players: InnovationQuarter - IOCapital: Focusing on greater Rotterdam-The Hague area Rubio Impact Ventures: Combining impact with investments (€500K - €4M) Whether you're seeking €25K to kickstart your idea or €20M to scale globally, this landscape has options for every stage of your EdTech journey. Which of these investors aligns best with your EdTech vision? Edward van der Hout Diederik Stolk Marcel van der Heijden Mathijs de Wit Sven Meyer Edward de Jager Bas Langelaar Claire Tange Alex Menn Denisa Kasa Martin Schreurs Thomas Batsleer Stefan Bary Thorsten Wittmuetz Koen Christiaens Daan Sanders François-Xavier Fanard Suzanne Kroeze Rune Theill Andy Lurling Federico Pisano Max Schalow 👨🚀  Chingiskhan Kazakhstan 🤠 #EdTechInvestors #StartupFunding #EducationInnovation #TechStartups

Today, we bring you our perspective on Ireland. Despite being a small island with just 5 million people, Ireland has had an outsized impact on the global startup landscape. Over the past decade, Ireland has emerged as a burgeoning hub for tech entrepreneurship, driven by a favorable business climate, strong governmental support, and an influx of foreign direct investment. Key examples include Stripe, founded by Irish brothers Patrick Collison and John Collison, which has revolutionized online payments and now boasts a valuation exceeding $50 billion. Another notable success is Intercom, a customer messaging platform co-founded by Irish entrepreneurs Eoghan McCabe, Des Traynor, David Barrett, and Ciaran Lee, which has raised over $240 million. Several smaller Irish startups have also made significant strides in the US market over the past seven years. Nuritas, founded by Dr. Nora K., uses AI and genomics to discover bioactive peptides, securing partnerships with BASF and Nestlé. Fenergo, a fintech firm specializing in client lifecycle management, has raised over $80 million from investors including Insight Partners. NewsWhip, providing real-time media monitoring and analytics, is used by major US media organizations. Voysis, a voice AI platform founded by Peter Cahill, was acquired by Apple in 2020. UrbanVolt, offering energy-saving solutions, has expanded its operations to the US, partnering with companies to reduce energy consumption. Capella, an innovative workplace management software, is seeing strong enterprise interest from Fortune 500 companies, after building an impressive customer footprint across major organizations in Ireland. Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin are central to Ireland's tech entrepreneurship ecosystem. We are big fans of Trinity's Provost Linda Doyle. TCD's Tangent @ Portal, an innovation hub, and UCD's NovaUCD, an incubator, have supported numerous startups. Notably, TCD's graduates include Stripe's Collison brothers. UCD's innovation programs have produced over 360 startups, contributing to €760 million in equity funding. These institutions provide skilled talent, research support, and industry partnerships, significantly influencing the success of Irish tech companies in the US and globally. Additionally, The IDA Ireland has been instrumental in attracting over 1,500 multinational companies, including major tech firms, to set up operations in Ireland, contributing significantly to the tech ecosystem. Enterprise Ireland, supporting over 5,000 startups, provided €188 million in funding in 2020 alone, fostering innovation and international expansion. We have the privilege of strong ties to Ireland, and continue to expand on them thanks to amazing efforts and opportunities from leaders like Martha O'Byrne-O'Reilly Gary Dempsey Ciara Mullarkey Gary Hanley Ivan Houlihan

Ever feel like the funding game is rigged for male-founded startups? 🕵️♀️ 2024 is handing out a lot of money in the startup world. Let's look at where this cash is heading and how female founders can tap in! 1️⃣ The EU Funding Portal's 2024 calls are massive for energy, AI, health, and sustainability. 💡 - Energy-intensive industries. - Early-stage AI innovations. - Health solutions from Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe. - Market penetration programs for automotive, energy, and supply chain sectors. Why aren't more of us jumping into these spaces? Is it about time we break into these “male-dominated” sectors? Source: EU Funding Portal 2️⃣ The European Innovation Council has opened funding worth over €1.6 billion. 💶 This is divided into EIC Pathfinder, EIC Transition, EIC Accelerator, and EIC Prizes. They focus on scaling breakthrough tech and creating new markets. Imagine what we could do with this kind of support. Do you have a game-changing innovation just waiting? Details at European Innovation Council 3️⃣ Balderton Capital raised a whopping $1.3 billion for European tech startups. 💰 Their investments in Revolut made it Europe's most valuable startup. $615 million is for early-stage, and $685 million focuses on growth. Can you believe this? Feels like a massive opportunity gap! Source: PYMNTS 4️⃣ The European Investment Fund (EIF) turns its attention to Norwegian tech startups, investing in SINTEF’s seed fund. 🇳🇴 Half a billion Norwegian kroner aims to create 10-15 new companies. More support for tech ventures in Norway. Will this trend catch on in the rest of Europe? Read more at European Investment Fund 5️⃣ TechUkraine's "Seeds of Bravery Grant" offers $25,000 – $50,000 USD for early-stage projects. 🇺🇦 It’s a call for innovative and impactful projects. Our Eastern European sisters are stepping up! The deadline is September 25, 2024. Source: TechUkraine So, will you pivot your startup to snag some of this funding? 🚀 Your thoughts? Share below! 👇 🫡 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐧𝐨𝐰: https://femaleswitch.app 🔈🔈🔈 🫵 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬, 𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖 #startups #femalentrepreneur #zerocode #ai

🌍 Madrid's Tech Ecosystem on the Rise! We are excited to share the article "𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐝’𝐬 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐠𝐞", featuring a contribution from Claudio Feijoo. The piece explores how, despite the global economic challenges of recent years, Madrid’s tech scene has emerged stronger. With government support, a robust talent pool, and increasing venture capital, the city is becoming a top destination for entrepreneurs and innovators, especially from Latin America. Read more about how Madrid's tech ecosystem is transforming into a global hub, driving innovation and opportunity. 📖 Check out the article in the August/September 2024 issue of fDi Intelligence or online in here: https://lnkd.in/eqyqJisT #article #TechEcosystem #Startups #Innovation #DigitalTransformation #VentureCapital #Entrepreneurship #Madrid #TechGrowth #GlobalInnovation

Navigating Growth: The Greek Startup Ecosystem 🚀 Greece's startup scene has transformed impressively in the last six years, with VC funding soaring from €50 million in 2018 to €670 million in 2021. Despite a dip in funding to €485 million in 2023, confidence in Greek startups remains strong, with sustained investor support for Series A (€157.4 million) and Series B (€258.7 million) rounds. The Greek government has spurred growth through tax incentives and supportive policies, attracting both local and international investors. While challenges like bureaucracy and a lack of gender diversity persist, Greece's tech sector is resilient and set for continued growth, backed by the tech visa initiative and strategic capital deployment. Don't miss the Tech Tour South East 2024 (Oct 23) and the Scaling100 Forum (Oct 21-22) in Athens, where startups and investors will connect and shape the future of Greek innovation. Tech Tour South East 2024 (Oct 23) https://lnkd.in/dz7pV9xj Scaling100 Forum (Oct 21-22) https://lnkd.in/d-7VGFJH Dive into the full article to discover how Greece is evolving into a leading player in Southeast European tech, and join us at the events to be part of this dynamic transformation! https://lnkd.in/d-7VGFJH #greekstartups #TechTour2024 #entrepreneurs #entrepreneurship #founder #startup #scaleup #greece #investor #investment #funding #venturecapital #vc #cvc #venturefunding #europe #tech #techstartup #athens

Techstars State of Innovation Survey We’ve publishing the Techstars State of Innovation survey 2024 – our annual deep dive into how our global network of entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs and VCs view innovation and the startup life in their sector, startup community, and around the world. 1,550 people took part. Here’s a flavor of what they told us: IPOs ARE OUT (FOR NOW): Entrepreneurs are no less ambitious, but those ambitions are less likely to include an IPO. With fewer startups going public overall, just 15% of the founders we surveyed say their primary long-term goal for their startup is to go public. 34% say their goal is to be acquired, while 30% would opt to remain private. 60% OF FOUNDERS SAY “ACCESS TO CAPITAL” IS THEIR BIGGEST HEADACHE: When asked for the most important issues affecting their company today, 60% of entrepreneurs cite “access to capital” (respondents could select up to three options). The difficulty entrepreneurs have fundraising correlates with the ‘optimism gap’ we found between founders and VCs. Only 50% of VCs are “somewhat optimistic” (44%) or “extremely optimistic” (6%) for their firm this year, compared with 76% of entrepreneurs.  STARTUP CULTURE = LONG HOURS + LITTLE DOWNTIME: In a tight fundraising market, nothing less than utter conviction and a flat-out approach are required to beat the odds. This is reflected in the hours entrepreneurs work, with nearly one-third (31%) working at least 60 hours per week, and almost one in five (17%) working 70 hours or more. THE FOUNDER FLYWHEEL: A pattern of entrepreneurs going on to found other startups continues, showing how momentum within an ecosystem becomes self-sustaining. 79% of current entrepreneurs have worked for other startups, while 44% say that at least some coworkers have gone on to establish other startups. IT TAKES A COMMUNITY: When asked for the biggest innovation driver in their sector, answers are spread evenly between “VC/Angel investors” (22%), “Accelerator Programs” (19%), and “Community/Proximity” to Other Startups (18%). This dovetails with the Techstars’ approach where the accelerator itself is just one driver, and it is only when all those elements come together that the sparks of innovation fly. NEARLY HALF OF FOUNDERS HAVE EXPERIENCED ANXIETY IN THE PAST YEAR: How well can startups truly serve their customers if founders are suffering poor mental health? Long hours and an always-on mindset are clearly taking a toll throughout the industry. With respondents (entrepreneurs and VCs) able to check as many boxes as apply to them, 45% say they have experienced “Anxiety” in the past year, with 23% experiencing “Depression”. Download our full report for much more. https://lnkd.in/gFC47aHw #startups #VC #fundraising #VentureCapital #growth #founders #Entrepreneurs #preseed #seed #innovation

Check out our Techstars State of Innovation report for 2024