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I lived in Paris for a year, and I'm now working for a big tech company in the US. I can't speak from the VC side of the table, but France has incredibly techn
by Fede_V 8y ago
I lived in Paris for a year, and I'm now working for a big tech company in the US. I can't speak from the VC side of the table, but France has incredibly technically strong graduates (people with technical degrees from the top universities there are all very good) and young people have a very global outlook. Further, there are more and more programs that provide start up funding/locations/tax breaks.
What is missing is an ecosystem to sustain and nurture these companies. The capital in Europe is incredibly conservative and very old fashioned.
- godzillabrennus 8y agoSounds a lot like Chicago 10 years ago. It takes a generation of entrepreneurs to start and have a success or two despite the conditions. Then unless they pull a lightbank they will reinvest in the next generation of entrepreneurs.
- eloisant 8y agoYes, that's happening already. The founder of the company I work for (Rachel Delacour) got a good exit by selling to Zendesk and now she's a business angel.
- 1stcity3rdcoast 8y agoCan you expand on pulling a Lightbank? Full disclosure, I’ve worked for two Lightbank-funded companies in Chicago but am just curious what you meant there.