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What We Have Learned from Atomico’s State Of European Tech Survey — Founder Interview

Updated: Apr 30

Picture via iStock.com/RomoloTavani

What Is This About?

Atomico's State of European Tech report is the definitive annual snapshot of the continent's startup ecosystem. This episode breaks down the key findings — record funding, emerging hubs, talent migration patterns, and the data behind Europe's growing competitiveness versus the US and Asia.

  • This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.

  • This is the first joint radio program and podcast of IBGR and the Startuprad.

  • Today we bring you insights from Atomico’s State of European Tech 2021 — an annual survey of startups all over Europe taking place annually since 2015.

  • This is just a starting point for you to discover the whole report on your own.

  • https://www.


New Blog

What We Have Learned from Atomico’s State Of European Tech Survey — Founder Interview Startuprad.io brings you independent coverage of the key developments shaping the startup and venture capital landscape across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

This blog post first appeared first on old medium publication (https://medium.com/startuprad-io), and was moved to this blog with the relaunch of our website in summer 2024.


A Joint Audio-Only Podcast

This is the first joint radio program and podcast of IBGR and the Startuprad.io podcast with its radio program Startup.Radio. You may know that IBGR and Startup.Radio are syndication partners, almost from the start of Startup.Radio. I, therefore, welcome William Eastman, founder of the IBGR Network, everybody calls Bill.


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What we have learned

Today we bring you insights from Atomico’s State of European Tech 2021 — an annual survey of startups all over Europe taking place annually since 2015. This survey may be the most comprehensive, repeated overview of the European startup and tech scene. This survey is a joint endeavor by Atomico, a London-based VC and PE fund, as well as the annual Slush tech festival in Helsinki, Finland. And, guys, you know a tech festival has to be good, if it can lure people to the freezing cold Helsinki in December. They also add data from providers like S&P and Dealroom in the mix. Startuprad.io had Dealrooms Founder in an interview btw.


The Audio Podcast

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This is just a start

This is just a starting point for you to discover the whole report on your own. It spans more than 350 pages, so we can not give you all the information here. The bottom line is … I would say: The whole continental ecosystem all over Europe has been lacking behind the US and China for quite some time. It looks like they have started to catch up in a big way, despite corona. We see this in increases in the number of investors, startups, fundings (number and size), and the increase in the uni/decacorn herds. The authors see a potential for the whole ecosystem that is now worth 3 Trillion US$ to be worth 24 Trillion US$ in 2030.


Highlights / Talking Points Joe


Highlights for Bill

  • In the past, high regulatory bars have been an obstacle but that mindset is changing

  • EU is a single regulatory environment and with Basel IV protocols in place by 2023

  • The upcoming battle between private and government money — fintech is both investing and transactional

  • $4 bn fintech investments in Africa (100% increase) — 4 Countries:

  • $9 bn fintech investment in India (350% increase)

  • The total number is important, the growth number is critical (i.e. 350% increase)

  • Increase in funding = lack of available talent?

  • Brussell’s see this as a counter against slowing global growth

  • Where is the Great Reset and WEF on this?

  • Deep Tech investments — $60bn USD — 250% growth

  • Who else will benefit from the fintech investments? Thinking other IPO’s

  • Lessons learned from EU Unicorns?


Further Readings


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What Does the Atomico State of European Tech 2021 Show?

The Atomico State of European Tech 2021 is a 350+ page annual survey covering startup activity across Europe. In this first joint IBGR and Startuprad.io podcast, hosts Joe and Bill discuss key highlights. Bill notes that the EU's historically high regulatory bars are becoming an asset rather than an obstacle, with the single regulatory environment being a competitive advantage. Joe additionally references the European Investment Fund (EIF) Venture Capital Survey for complementary data.

Introduction

This episode marks the inaugural joint radio program between IBGR and Startuprad.io's Startup.Radio. The hosts — Joe (Startuprad.io) and Bill (IBGR) — tackle the Atomico State of European Tech 2021, a comprehensive 350+ page annual survey of European startup ecosystems. Rather than covering every data point, Joe and Bill split the highlights between them, with Bill focusing on regulatory shifts and Joe providing additional context from the European Investment Fund's VC Survey. The episode serves as a curated starting point for listeners to explore the full report.

The Atomico State of European Tech 2021 provides the most comprehensive data on European startup ecosystems. This joint IBGR-Startuprad.io production distills key insights from the 350+ page report. A major theme is the shifting regulatory perception: EU regulation, once seen as an obstacle, is increasingly viewed as a competitive advantage. The EU's single regulatory environment creates efficiency for startups scaling across member states. Joe supplements the Atomico data with findings from the European Investment Fund's own VC Survey, providing a multi-source perspective on European tech.

  • The Atomico State of European Tech 2021 spans 350+ pages — this episode provides a curated entry point to the key findings.

  • EU regulatory barriers are shifting from obstacle to advantage — the single regulatory environment is now seen as a competitive benefit for scaling startups.

  • This is the first joint radio program between IBGR and Startuprad.io's Startup.Radio.

  • Joe references the European Investment Fund (EIF) Venture Capital Survey as complementary data to the Atomico report.

  • Hosts Joe and Bill split the highlights, providing a transatlantic perspective on European tech.

Entities Referenced in This Episode

People

  • Jörn "Joe" Menninger — Startuprad.io host, covers Joe's highlights

  • Bill — IBGR host, covers regulatory insights and EU single market analysis

Organizations & Reports

  • Atomico — VC firm, publishes State of European Tech annual report

  • IBGR — International Business Growth Radio, joint program partner

  • European Investment Fund (EIF) — Published complementary VC Survey referenced by Joe

  • Startup.Radio — Startuprad.io's internet radio station hosting the joint program

Topics

  • European tech ecosystem 2021, EU regulation as advantage, single regulatory environment, VC survey data, transatlantic tech perspective, annual startup survey

Relationship Map

  • IBGR + Startuprad.io → first joint program → analyzing Atomico report

  • Atomico → published → State of European Tech 2021 (350+ pages)

  • European Investment Fund → published → complementary VC Survey

  • EU single regulatory environment → increasingly seen as → competitive advantage for startups

Quote Highlights

  • Atomico's State of European Tech is a 350+ page annual survey covering startup activity across Europe, published annually since 2015.

  • The whole continental ecosystem all over Europe has been lacking behind the US and China for quite some time, but is now clearly catching up.

  • The EU's single regulatory environment means that once a startup complies in one member state, it can scale across all EU countries.

  • The European Investment Fund supports European SMEs and startups through venture capital and other financing instruments.

Related Episodes on Startuprad.io

Partner with Startuprad.io

Startuprad.io is the leading independent media platform covering startups, venture capital, and innovation across the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and Europe. We offer B2B partnership opportunities for companies looking to reach startup decision-makers, founders, and investors.

Subscribe to the Podcast

What is the Atomico State of European Tech?

The Atomico State of European Tech is an annual 350+ page report published by VC firm Atomico that provides the most comprehensive data-driven analysis of the European technology and startup ecosystem. It covers funding trends, talent flows, sector breakdowns, and ecosystem maturation across the continent.

Why is EU regulation becoming an advantage for startups?

While EU regulation was historically seen as a barrier, the mindset is changing. The EU's single regulatory environment means that once a startup complies with regulations in one member state, it can scale across all EU countries — creating efficiency that fragmented markets like the US at state level sometimes lack.

What is the European Investment Fund?

The European Investment Fund (EIF) is an EU institution that supports European SMEs and startups through venture capital and other financing instruments. Their VC Survey, referenced in this episode alongside the Atomico report, provides additional data on European venture capital trends.

About the Host

Joern "Joe" Menninger is the host of the Startuprad.io podcast and covers founders, investors, and policy developments across the DACH startup ecosystem. Through more than 1,300 interviews and nearly a decade of reporting, he documents the evolution of the European startup landscape. Follow Joern on LinkedIn.

Support Startuprad.io

Startuprad.io partners with selected companies that want to shape the conversation around venture capital, innovation, and ecosystem development in Europe. If that is relevant for your team, you can learn more here: Partner with Startuprad.io

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