𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬

I am sure we could draw a similar chart for tomorrow’s industries, where China is now the clear leader (solar panels, electric vehicles, batteries, robotics, etc). So, where does this leave Europe in a world where "might is right" once more?

In short, sovereignty has to become a European imperative. This means that deeptech (= science-based, with lots of IP and know-how) is becoming key to the future of our societies:

🔹 Since the European venture ecosystem is still under-developed, public sector still has a key role to play, hence the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA)

‍🔹 Regulations have to change drastically (at no cost to the taxpayer):

▪️ 28th regime is a must

▪️ Change to pension funds’ and insurance companies’ capital requirements and tax incentives for retail investors can bring a tsunami of money — well beyond what national governments or the EU can afford.

Behind these changes, we can see not only a fight for relevance through innovation, but also a way for Europe to wave the flag for a society half-way between the US and China, based on democratic principles and a humanistic set of values.

Interestingly, we are seeing a whole new crop of European companies which are taking up the gauntlet. As an illustration (among the ones I am on the Board of):

🔹 SiPearl (France/Spain) – a provider of high-end CPU chip developed in Europe; one of the key applications is of course data sovereignty.

🔹 Hybrid Air Vehicles - HAV (UK/US) – a decarbonized aircraft for 10-200t payloads, dual-use. In particular, it solves the key missing European defence capability in heavy air cargo transport.

📎 Sources:

https://eic.ec.europa.eu/news/commission-doubles-down-startups-new-strategy-and-eic-expansion-2025-05-28-0_en

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/28th_regime

https://dealroom.co/reports/the-rise-of-cambridge-tech-and-its-role-in-the-future-of-innovation

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