Unify or Lose: Michael Jackson's take on Europe's tech ecosystem

“Europe will not have a vibrant ecosystem unless the markets are unified.”

In the latest episode of Venturing Abroad, we sat down with Michael Jackson, an American entrepreneur and investor based in France, who is one of the most outspoken voices in European tech. With decades of experience investing across Europe and the US, he doesn’t sugarcoat his convictions throughout this conversation: Europe produces exceptional founders and world-class science, but systematically fails to turn that into globally dominant companies.

In this candid and contrarian conversation, Michael argues why Europe continues to underperform on the global tech stage and what steps Europe should take as a collective to change this.

Five of Michael’s key arguments from the conversation:

1. Unify capital markets across Europe or accept being a follower

Europe cannot build global tech leaders without unified, deep capital markets. Fragmentation caps ambition before companies even reach scale.

2. Stop confusing science volume with commercial success

Europe has incredible IP. However, commercialization, not research output, determines outcomes. Talent alone is not enough.

3. Be global from day one

Building for a single European market is a dead end. The most successful European tech stories were never country-specific. They were global by design.

4. Europe is sitting on a goldmine of university IP and failing to commercialize it

Less than a fraction of European university research ever becomes a real business. Fixing university tech transfer is one fast way European tech champions can emerge.

5. Let private markets do their job

Venture capital cannot thrive as a subsidized economic development tool. Without real exits, DPI, and competitive pressure, the ecosystem stagnates.

Michael’s transatlantic observations are thought-provoking and underscore ideas that could accelerate and strengthen Europe’s position in the global tech ecosystem. 

We share Michael’s conviction that Europe’s university researchers need stronger support in building the right foundations for company creation, commercializing IP, and the know-how of raising capital. This belief sits at the heart of daphni’s Blue Fellowship, where we work with researchers to help turn breakthrough science into globally ambitious companies.

Thank you for joining us, Michael!