Part 8 of The European Scale-Up Question: can Europe's best companies scale globally and keep their strategic centre in Europe? A five-test scorecard.

Europe has world-class startup hubs. Zurich and Upper Bavaria are in the EU's top 5 of 241 regions. But on joint patents, Europe's hub network scores 0.40 against America's 0.68.

HappyRobot announced a $1.2B post-money valuation in August 2026. TUM calls it unicorn #23. It is a Delaware corporation headquartered in San Francisco. Inside the four-address gap between where a company is formed and who ends up owning it.

DACH startup ecosystems are not leaderless networks. They're organized around key connector nodes — people, organizations, and institutions that bridge different parts of the ecosystem and facilitate information flow, introductions, and partnerships. Understanding these connector roles and building relationships with key connectors is fundamental to market entry success. A company that maps the connector landscape and builds relationships with 5-10 key connectors generates de