EU versus the US and China
- Emin Askerov
- Oct 22
- 1 min read
The first session at VDS 2025 opened with a topic that’s been on everyone’s mind: how Europe can stay competitive against the U.S. and China when it comes to investment.
Three points stood out for me:
Chris Broad stressed the value of international teams — and therefore, the importance of easy cross-border movement.
Álvaro-Miguel Cabrera argued for EU-wide startup rules — common frameworks for funding, stock options, and governance.
Andrés Ubierna noted that raising capital in Europe remains harder than in the U.S. or China.
I agree with the first two, but not entirely with the last one. Having just moved to Paris, I know first-hand how difficult it is to move professionally between EU countries — and that’s exactly what Europe should fix first. Mobility fuels innovation.
A European legal framework for startups would indeed be transformative, but I doubt it can happen without deeper political integration.
As for funding — yes, it’s tougher here. But maybe that’s not entirely bad. Less money wasted means more capital available for good projects.
Europe’s edge has always been collaboration. Out of the three takeaways, the only one we can realistically act on in the short term is professional mobility.
What do you think Europe could achieve in the next year or two to strengthen its competitiveness?
