Video interview: fostering the entrepreneurial spirit in Europe
15 October 2010
In our second video from this year's Microsoft BizSpark European Summit series, we hear from some of the region’s most promising start-ups.
Every year, this event connects the best early stage technology companies in Europe to influential investors looking for opportunities. The event always has an incredible energy about it.
Fostering the entrepreneurial spirit in Europe
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We caught up with five CEOs who share their views on how we can improve the competitive landscape for tech entrepreneurship in Europe. Some of the usual suspects are in there: like EU regulatory obstacles, language barriers, and access to finance. As they say here, the entrepreneurial community itself is doing a lot to address these issues.
For instance,
Moneydashboard CEO Gavin Littlejohn says that knowing how to communicate better with investors and learning how to “sell” the business idea can make a lot of difference (so within the
BizSpark programme, we work with key industry groups and organisations that provide platforms for startups to pitch their ideas, receive coaching and find funding).
Gavin hits the nail on the head when he says that seasoned entrepreneurs, who have previously grown successful companies, can make a valuable contribution if they stay actively involved with the start-up scene and become mentors to support the next generation. It is a virtuous circle.
The ‘entrepreneurial spirit’ also burns brightly within Stephanie Pelaprat, founder and CEO of online restaurant service
Restopolitan who says that sometimes it’s just a question of knowing when to go for it. After all, a lot of the best entrepreneurs are there because they have superlative instincts - in the right place, at the right time.
Entrepreneurial initiatives are important for the European economies as they foster innovation and drive growth. Now more than ever before. The ecosystem that has grown up around BizSpark is so diverse and rich, we see great examples of partnership every day.
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