Close Menu
  • English
  • Featured
    • AI & Robotics
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Leisure
    • Science
    • Security
    • Sustainable Development
    • Tech
    • Transport
  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us

Subscribe to News

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to receive the very best articles of the moment, handpicked and delivered straight to your inbox.

Illustration of the Three Gorges Dam in China and its potential impact on Earth's rotation (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.
“China Disrupts Earth’s Rotation”: NASA Confirms Planet-Slowing Project With Shocking Global Effects Already Underway
Illustration of tattooed tardigrades demonstrating living electronics (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.
“They Tattooed Tiny Creatures—and Unlocked Nature’s Cheat Code”: What Scientists Just Did Has the Whole World Freaking Out
Illustration of Mark Zuckerberg's luxury superyachts journey to Norway's fjords for a heliskiing adventure (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.
“Even the U.S. Is Shocked”: Zuckerberg’s 5,300-Mile Yacht Voyage and Helicopter Ski Drop Redefine Billionaire Excess
Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn RSS
Rude Baguette
Facebook X (Twitter) RSS
Newsletter
  • Featured
  • AI
    Illustration of humanoid robots competing in sports events in Beijing (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    Beijing Launches World’s First Humanoid Robot Sports Games as Machines Compete for Glory in Jaw-Dropping Showdown

    May 13, 2025 at 9:02 AM
    Illustration of the Amphibious Robotic Dog inspired by natural dog movements (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “This Robot Dog Swims and Sprints”: Nature-Inspired Machine Conquers Land and Water With Jaw-Dropping Agility

    May 13, 2025 at 8:05 AM
    Illustration of BabyBot mimicking infant feeding behaviors (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “This Robot Feeds Like a Baby”: Meet BabyBot, the Soft Marvel Revolutionizing Infant Feeding Research with Astonishing Precision and Unmatched Expertise

    May 11, 2025 at 3:51 PM
    Illustration of a tiny, shape-shifting microrobot navigating complex terrains (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “China’s Flying Lego Bot Is Real”: Miniature Microrobot Now Soars and Drives to Conquer Earth’s Harshest Terrain

    May 11, 2025 at 5:57 AM
    Illustration of artificial intelligence's learning process as a pattern recognizer and its challenges with bias and hallucinations (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “AI Doesn’t Think—It Mimics”: This Learning Method Reveals a Flawed Intelligence Model That Could Threaten Decision-Making Worldwide

    May 9, 2025 at 3:59 PM
  • Energy
    Illustration of the Three Gorges Dam in China and its potential impact on Earth's rotation (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “China Disrupts Earth’s Rotation”: NASA Confirms Planet-Slowing Project With Shocking Global Effects Already Underway

    May 13, 2025 at 3:51 PM
    Illustration of Alpha Ring's Fusion AI Data Centre connecting global fusion research labs (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Fusion Labs Now Linked”: US Builds Super Device to Unite Global Reactor Tests and Accelerate Nuclear Breakthroughs

    May 11, 2025 at 7:08 AM
    Illustration of the breakthrough in fusion energy development, highlighting the resolution of magnetic containment flaws (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Scientists Finally Break the Fusion Barrier”: US Team Fixes 70-Year Energy Flaw in Stunning Scientific Breakthrough

    May 8, 2025 at 4:58 PM
    Illustration of researchers observing restricted heat flow in high-energy-density plasma using lasers (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    This Super-Hot Plasma Test Just Changed Everything: US Fires Up 180,000°F Fusion Blast in Monumental Scientific Milestone

    May 7, 2025 at 4:58 PM
    Illustration of bacteria generating electricity as a symbol of biobattery (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    “These Bacteria Spit Electricity”: A Groundbreaking Discovery Set to Ignite a Massive Green Energy Revolution across the United States

    May 5, 2025 at 4:03 PM
  • Finance
    Illustration of Visa's integration of AI systems into digital payments (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    Visa’s AI Is Now Shopping for You: This Robot May Soon Swipe Your Card Automatically—and Mess With Your Mind

    May 4, 2025 at 8:07 AM
    Microsoft Strikes Unprecedented Deal: World's Largest CO2 Removal at 7.44 Million Tons, Setting New Environmental Milestone

    “Microsoft Strikes Historic Climate Deal”: World’s Largest CO2 Removal Pact Targets 6.75 Million Tons in Unmatched Green Push

    April 19, 2025 at 9:55 AM
    RLWRLD Stuns Tech World With $15.6 Million Fundraise to Revolutionize Robotics: Unleashing Unprecedented Innovations That Will Shock the Industry

    “Robots Just Got Smarter”: RLWRLD Raises $14.8 Million to Build Groundbreaking Foundational AI Model for the Future of Robotics

    April 17, 2025 at 6:47 AM
    Marshmallow's Meteoric Rise: British Migrant Insurance Startup Secures $90 Million, Surges Past $2 Billion Valuation in Unprecedented Move

    “Built for Outsiders, Backed by Billions”: UK’s Marshmallow Raises $90 Million as Migrant-Focused Insurtech Soars Past $2 Billion Valuation

    April 17, 2025 at 6:02 AM
    Why the tech industry needs a labor/union movement

    Why the tech industry needs a labor/union movement

    October 2, 2022 at 3:39 PM
  • Leisure
    Illustration of Mark Zuckerberg's luxury superyachts journey to Norway's fjords for a heliskiing adventure (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Even the U.S. Is Shocked”: Zuckerberg’s 5,300-Mile Yacht Voyage and Helicopter Ski Drop Redefine Billionaire Excess

    May 13, 2025 at 9:49 AM
    Illustration of the delayed release announcement for Grand Theft Auto VI by Rockstar Games (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    Total Shock for Gamers Worldwide: GTA VI Now Postponed to 2026 After Rockstar Vows to Redefine the Entire Franchise

    May 7, 2025 at 5:49 AM
    Illustration of the delayed release of GTA VI and its implications for the gaming industry (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Red Dead Proves the Wait Is Worth It”: Rockstar’s Masterpiece Shows Why GTA 6 Delay Could Deliver Gaming’s Next Big Legend

    May 6, 2025 at 4:47 PM
    Illustration of HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us exploring character depth and emotional storytelling (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    The Last of Us Reinvented: Season 2 Takes Bold Step Beyond the Game’s Limits in Stunning, Unforgettable Storytelling Move

    May 6, 2025 at 12:14 PM
    Illustration of the highly anticipated PlayStation 6 console with advanced features and technologies (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “PlayStation 6 Is Coming Fast”: Sony’s Next Console May Launch Much Sooner Than Anyone Predicted, Shocking the Gaming World

    May 6, 2025 at 10:03 AM
  • Science
    Illustration of tattooed tardigrades demonstrating living electronics (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “They Tattooed Tiny Creatures—and Unlocked Nature’s Cheat Code”: What Scientists Just Did Has the Whole World Freaking Out

    May 13, 2025 at 11:56 AM
    Illustration of the European Space Agency's ACES mission with the PHARAO atomic clock aboard the ISS (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “They’re Sending a Fridge-Sized Clock to Space”: This French Atomic Time Machine Could Change Everything About Navigation

    May 12, 2025 at 3:56 PM
    Illustration of the Black Beauty meteorite revealing evidence of ancient hot water on Mars (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Martian Hot Springs Found!”: Astounding 2011 Meteorite Purchase in Morocco Reveals Earth-Shattering Proof of Water on Mars, Valued at Over $10,000

    May 10, 2025 at 9:00 AM
    Illustration of Ray Kurzweil envisioning human immortality by 2030 through technological advancements (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Immortality Within Reach in Just 5 Years”: This Famed Futurologist Who Predicted the Internet and iPhone Reveals Astonishing Vision

    May 10, 2025 at 7:03 AM
    Illustration of a quantum communications network utilizing photons for secure data transfer between campuses (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    US Reveals Stunning Leap: This Groundbreaking Chip-Based Photon Network Set to Revolutionize Secure Quantum Data Transfers Across America

    May 10, 2025 at 5:46 AM
  • Security
    Illustration of the BlueWhale System, an advanced autonomous underwater vehicle designed for naval warfare, equipped with sophisticated sensors (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Unstoppable Sea Phantom”: This 40-Foot Drone Submarine Dominates Ocean Warfare, Packed with Massive Combat-Ready Payloads for Ultimate Naval Supremacy

    May 11, 2025 at 5:04 PM
    Illustration of the FP-1 long-range drone being unveiled during Ukraine's Infantry Day celebrations (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    Ukraine Unleashes Game-Changing 1,000-Mile Drone: This Aerial Beast Hauls 265-Pound Explosive Payload, Shattering Boundaries of Modern Warfare

    May 11, 2025 at 11:47 AM
    Illustration of Recce360 Deep Inspection Camera operating in a high-security, nuclear environment (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Indestructible Spy Bot Deployed”: US Unveils First-Ever Nuke-Proof Robot to Guard Missile Silos With Unstoppable Surveillance

    May 11, 2025 at 8:07 AM
    Illustration of the "White Emperor" fighter mockup showcased at the 2024 Zhuhai Airshow (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “China’s White Emperor Breaks the Rules”: Stunning New Fighter Jet Could Redefine Air Superiority and Shock Global Militaries

    May 10, 2025 at 3:56 PM
    Illustration of Latvia's autonomous kamikaze drone, BLAZE, engaging enemy UAVs (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    This Latvian Drone Has Russia Stunned: Under-60-Second Strikes Ignite Panic in Kremlin Defense Circles

    May 9, 2025 at 4:46 PM
  • Impact
    Illustration of Iceland's successful implementation of a four-day workweek and its impact on productivity and well-being (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Gen Z Was Right All Along”: Iceland’s 4-Day Workweek Proves a Massive Success Five Years After Bold National Shift

    May 12, 2025 at 7:54 AM
    Illustration of the majestic Jeddah Tower under construction, symbolizing architectural innovation and cultural preservation (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Saudi Arabia Unleashes Construction Fury”: This Mind-Blowing 3,280-Foot Jeddah Tower Set to Shatter Global Records and Redefine Skyscraper History

    May 6, 2025 at 3:59 PM
    Illustration of the ambitious Neom project and The Line skyscrapers amidst the Saudi Arabian desert (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Unprecedented Crisis Looms”: This Massive $500 Billion Construction Site Faces Catastrophic Delays as 10,000 Workers Sound the Alarm

    May 6, 2025 at 7:08 AM
    Illustration of revolutionary nickel extraction using hydrogen plasma to reduce emissions (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Green Battery Revolution Begins”: New Nickel Extraction Cuts Emissions by 84% and Could Transform the Entire EV Industry

    May 4, 2025 at 6:53 AM
    Illustration of global freshwater distribution and geopolitical challenges (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    This Map of Earth’s Remaining Freshwater Reserves Exposes the Alarming Truth Behind the Coming Global Water Crisis

    April 29, 2025 at 4:53 PM
  • Tech
    Illustration of a person sporting a Continuous Glucose Monitor to detect early diabetes signs (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “This Wearable Sees Diabetes Coming”: New CGM Tech Detects Early Warning Signs With Unmatched Accuracy, Study Confirms

    May 13, 2025 at 7:07 AM
    Illustration of the Millennium M2000 Supercomputer revolutionizing AI-driven industries (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “This $2M Beast Obliterates Slow Science”: Millennium M2000 Supercomputer Is Smashing Research Speeds Worldwide

    May 13, 2025 at 6:13 AM
    Illustration of Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, leading the list of intellectually astute American CEOs based on linguistic analysis (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Elon Musk Made the List”: Linguistic Analysis Reveals the Smartest U.S. CEOs—and Some Names Will Truly Shock You

    May 12, 2025 at 12:13 PM
    Illustration of global leaders in research and development intensity with Israel at the forefront (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    Not China, Not the U.S.: This Unexpected Country Now Leads the World in Research and Development Spending

    May 12, 2025 at 10:02 AM
    Illustration of a programmer discovering fraudulent USB drives purchased from Amazon and developing a tool for data protection (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “All 12 Were Fakes”: After Buying Dozens of Fraudulent USB Drives on Amazon, This Man Released a Free Detection Tool

    May 12, 2025 at 9:10 AM
  • Transport
    Illustration of Airbus's innovative foldable wing technology for enhanced aviation efficiency (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    Airbus Shocks the Aviation World With a Jet Whose Folding Wings Dramatically Cut Fuel Burn and Boost Efficiency

    May 12, 2025 at 5:11 PM
    Illustration of a Tesla Cybertruck sitting idle in a parking lot (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Rotting on a Lot for Months”: This Shocking Tesla Discovery Left a U.S. Buyer Completely Stunned at Delivery

    May 12, 2025 at 6:58 AM
    Illustration of the Bugatti Bolide hypercar showcasing its extraordinary speed and performance on the Nürburgring track (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    Bugatti’s New Monster Hits 186 MPH and Leaves McLaren and Porsche in the Dust With Record-Shattering Acceleration

    May 11, 2025 at 10:14 AM
    Illustration of the Astute-class submarine showcasing its advanced stealth features and propulsion system (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    This Submarine Moves Like a Dolphin: Astute-Class Redefines Stealth Warfare With Silent Navigation and Lethal Efficiency

    May 10, 2025 at 5:14 PM
    Illustration of the Tu-160M supersonic bomber during a flight mission (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.

    This Russian Bomber Has U.S. Eyes Locked In: Pentagon Closely Tracks Tu-160M as Supersonic Show of Force Escalates

    May 10, 2025 at 12:08 PM
  • English
Rude Baguette

Today I’m pitching the European Commission for 80 Billion Euros for my startup, Europe.

Eirwen WilliamsBy Eirwen WilliamsFebruary 5, 2013 at 4:45 AM06 Mins Read
Share Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Follow Us
Google News
Share
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Copy Link

europe-money_1This afternoon I’m making my way north from Paris to Brussels, the capital of the European Union and home of the European Commission. There I’ll be giving a workshop to Neelie Kroes, the very outspoken Vice President of the European Commission who has spoken about Europe’s need to build startups that stay in Europe. “Start in Europe. Stay in Europe,” she says, and for the past few months, they’ve been working to make sure that can happen. Part of the Horizon 2020 project – the EC’s Research and Innovation initiative aimed at transforming Europe – has involved inviting members of the European startup ecosystem to submit what amounted to over 100 responses filling a 250 page word document, with opinions on how Europe can better support startups. Rule out the responses that asked for personal funding, or the ones that said “Europe’s dead. Give up” and you have about 150 pages of solid feedback from journalists, CEOs of major (seriously major) startups in Europe, researchers, accelerators, incubators, journalists, and even a chime in the folks at GA. I know all this because I spent the last two months combing through that information (thanks to a recommendation from some of the guys at TheNextWeb who also worked on parts of the project) and I’m going to be presenting my results today.

I’ve never really done government work, so I had to learn a few things along the way. I thought I’d share that quickly before I share what i’ll be pitching:

  1. Money First. Legislation Later: the first draft of my report was filled with legislative changes that the EC could recommend to Member States (that’s what they call European countries, I also learned). Most of it was about aligning best practices around hiring/firing, company creation, banking regulation – you name it, I told ’em to change it – and that’s when I learned the harsh truth. In order for the EC to recommend legislative changes or even that Member States invest in certain initiatives, they have to first run a pilot program in a few markets around Europe and show the increased results – this is why they’ve set aside 80 Billion euros from 2014 to 2020 for grants to startups. That is, if “we need it,” which leads me to point #2
  2. “If you don’t want it, that’s cool” – this 80 Billion euros could just as easily go to R&D, or other industries. It depends on what startups say they need. There were responses saying “let the private sector do its job” not realizing that, well, that’s what’s happening now, and the EC can easily not give money. This doesn’t mean the money goes back to the Member States, it just means some other industry gets the money. If you ask me, if it’s between me or some other shmuck, I say give it to us.
  3. The European Commission doesn’t WANT to become a VC fund: Despite popular belief that the European Commission will start investing left & right and “picking winners,” they have very little urge to do that, or anything else that will distract from the growth of the private sector. They just want to pilot projects to test under which conditions startups can flourish most in Europe, and what Member States need to do to create a Europe where startups want to be.

So, with all that in mind, I’ve got the task of convincing the European Commission that the European tech startup ecosystem could make use of the money – I don’t know why someone who’s only been in Europe for 2 1/2 years got this job, but whatever. I also wasn’t a journalist 18 months ago.

Here’s what I’ll be telling the European Commission they should do with their 80 Billion Euros:

  1. Crowd-funding: Specifically, “providing grants to crowd-funding platforms in order to build a pan-European crowd-funding platform.” This includes incentivizing Kickstarter’s expansion across Europe, or expanding local projects like Seedrs and KissKissBankBank.
  2. Dispel Fear of Failure: Funding a marketing campaign which will encourage current employees and students to start their own business: “Bring the American Dream back to where it originated: Europe.”
  3. Web Entrepreneurship in Education: Providing grants to universities which offer courses teaching about web entrepreneurship.
  4. European Tech Tours: Funding initiatives to bring European tech startups to the Silicon Valley to meet potential clients, investors, and partners.
  5. Events Highlighting European Tech Startups: Funding initiatives which attract global web entrepreneurs, investors, executives and journalists to European hubs, such as incubators or accelerators in major European cities, to provide European tech startups with global visibility.
  6. Provide European Tech Startups access to existing Events: Funding tech startups to attend private/top-level networking events, in order to get exposure in front of high-level decision makers in the tech industry.
  7. Increasing value in existing local events: Identifying local events which attract tech startups, such as pitch camps, and provide prizes to competitions, such as tickets to bigger European events, to encourage local events to bring out the best tech startups.
  8. Increase cohesion between researchers & potential web entrepreneurial students: Funding universities which create joint-curriculum courses to allow marketing students to work with research students in order to turn research into a product and take it to market.
  9. Enable Local Accelerators/Incubators: Providing supporting grants which allow accelerators to invest more in each tech startup, as well as potentially to provide follow-on rounds to tech startups, should they go on to raise additional rounds of funding.
  10. Grants for Venture Capital Funds: Providing Grants to Venture Capital Funds to complement their investments, in order to allow them to provide more funding to European tech startups.
  11. Turn Local Leaders into Global Leaders: Providing competitive calls for companies to launch pilot projects to take their business to new markets outside of Europe.
  12. Online Platforms: Funding the creation, expansion, or availability of online platforms both for connecting the tech startup ecosystem as well as technical platforms designed to help tech startups scale up their technical infrastructure.

Government generally sucks at helping startups – just ask Techstars’ David Cohen what he thinks about government & startups – but I think the European Commission has a real unique opportunity to test new waters in how government and startups cooperate. Startups will continue to flourish in Europe no matter what governments do, so it’s not as if the European Commission will do anything to hurt the ecosystem. However, if they discover that not taxing companies in a high-growth phase increases their chance of becoming a global leader, then European countries may be interested in replicating that, in order to create more local companies that are global leaders.

So, as far as the propositions above are concerned – take ’em or leave ’em. Frankly, I’m not big on every single one of ’em, but plenty of people are, and if those people benefit from them, and go on to produce more European startups or keep cogs turning in the ecosystem, then I say power to ’em. Anything I left off the list? Feel free to share below.

Did you like it? 4.5/5 (23)

Subscribe to News

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to receive the very best articles of the moment, handpicked and delivered straight to your inbox.

European Commission Neelie Kroes
Follow on Google News Follow on X (Twitter)
Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Previous ArticleDelayed Renault Zoe to launch in Spring without universal electric car charger
Next Article Leeaarn hosts master class featuring Gilles Babinet…chance to win a free slot!
Related Posts
Illustration of Visa's integration of AI systems into digital payments (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

Visa’s AI Is Now Shopping for You: This Robot May Soon Swipe Your Card Automatically—and Mess With Your Mind

Microsoft Strikes Unprecedented Deal: World's Largest CO2 Removal at 7.44 Million Tons, Setting New Environmental Milestone

“Microsoft Strikes Historic Climate Deal”: World’s Largest CO2 Removal Pact Targets 6.75 Million Tons in Unmatched Green Push

RLWRLD Stuns Tech World With $15.6 Million Fundraise to Revolutionize Robotics: Unleashing Unprecedented Innovations That Will Shock the Industry

“Robots Just Got Smarter”: RLWRLD Raises $14.8 Million to Build Groundbreaking Foundational AI Model for the Future of Robotics

Add A Comment
Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Subscribe to News

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to receive the very best articles of the moment, handpicked and delivered straight to your inbox.

Illustration of the Three Gorges Dam in China and its potential impact on Earth's rotation (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.
“China Disrupts Earth’s Rotation”: NASA Confirms Planet-Slowing Project With Shocking Global Effects Already Underway
Illustration of tattooed tardigrades demonstrating living electronics (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.
“They Tattooed Tiny Creatures—and Unlocked Nature’s Cheat Code”: What Scientists Just Did Has the Whole World Freaking Out
Illustration of Mark Zuckerberg's luxury superyachts journey to Norway's fjords for a heliskiing adventure (AI-generated, unrealistic). Credit: Ideogram.
“Even the U.S. Is Shocked”: Zuckerberg’s 5,300-Mile Yacht Voyage and Helicopter Ski Drop Redefine Billionaire Excess
News by category
  • English
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leisure
  • Transport
  • Science
  • Security
  • AI & Robotics
  • Energy
  • Sustainable Development
Information
  • Meet the Team
  • Legal notice
  • Privacy policy
  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us

Subscribe to News

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to receive the very best articles of the moment, handpicked and delivered straight to your inbox.

Facebook X (Twitter) RSS
© RudeBaguette.com. All rights reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.