4 ms·

English is the business language of the world. I highly doubt there's some tech epicenter near Brussels that would rival Silicon Valley (or even New York City,

English is the business language of the world. I highly doubt there's some tech epicenter near Brussels that would rival Silicon Valley (or even New York City, Seattle, or Austin) if only those companies spoke English. And sure being a Unicorn is everything, but it sure as hell isn't nothing. I have no doubt there there is a company in Europe doing something amazing, but Europe doesn't have a culture that continues to churn these companies out and I can't help but believe that their approach to regulation and taxation is apart of the problem. They get so giddy about regulation that it's kinda baffling. Regulation should be thought of an unnecessary evil - not some exciting project.

dtf 8y ago
It’s the second biggest economy in the world. They’re not that backward.
mattmanser 8y ago
I remember some tech crunch reporter claiming they'd never heard of a nine figure tech sale in Europe, the same day as a local business in my home city (Nottingham) was sold for over £100 million. It's not that we don't have a tech industry in Europe, it's just that US tech reporters are often insular, ignorant and lazy.
- tomcam 8y ago
  > US tech reporters are often insular, ignorant and lazy. And then there are the bad ones…
w1nst0nsm1th 8y ago
Sure. Let's oil tankers spil remaining oil in the ocean as it pleases them. And let's facebook print partisan ads and fake news paid by Russia in local election.
ck425 8y ago
That regulation (and the attitude to business and its place in society) is the reason every employee is entitled to 29 days annual leave min, I can't get sacked at any time for any reason and I don't have to pay medical insurance (hell I didn't know what it was till my mid twenties) cause the NHS. Sure it discourages business in ways, but in many ways it creates a better society. Business isn't fundamentally good and regulation isn't fundamentally bad either. Remember that it's regulations that banned slavery and child labor.
simonh 8y ago
'A company in Europe'. You're blinded by your bias that tech companies have to be big to be beautiful. Read the comment again. The poster is saying Europe has dozens of languages and national cultures. Several dozen local ecologies of companies serving local needs, in aggregate, can be just as valuable as one giant, or several giants.

dtf 8y ago

It’s the second biggest economy in the world. They’re not that backward.

mattmanser 8y ago

I remember some tech crunch reporter claiming they'd never heard of a nine figure tech sale in Europe, the same day as a local business in my home city (Nottingham) was sold for over £100 million. It's not that we don't have a tech industry in Europe, it's just that US tech reporters are often insular, ignorant and lazy.

tomcam 8y ago
> US tech reporters are often insular, ignorant and lazy. And then there are the bad ones…

w1nst0nsm1th 8y ago

Sure. Let's oil tankers spil remaining oil in the ocean as it pleases them. And let's facebook print partisan ads and fake news paid by Russia in local election.

ck425 8y ago

That regulation (and the attitude to business and its place in society) is the reason every employee is entitled to 29 days annual leave min, I can't get sacked at any time for any reason and I don't have to pay medical insurance (hell I didn't know what it was till my mid twenties) cause the NHS. Sure it discourages business in ways, but in many ways it creates a better society. Business isn't fundamentally good and regulation isn't fundamentally bad either. Remember that it's regulations that banned slavery and child labor.

simonh 8y ago

'A company in Europe'. You're blinded by your bias that tech companies have to be big to be beautiful. Read the comment again. The poster is saying Europe has dozens of languages and national cultures. Several dozen local ecologies of companies serving local needs, in aggregate, can be just as valuable as one giant, or several giants.