What a long winded article. I learned about how their office looks like, and how inspiring it is, in the age of remote. I learned about the genders of his team that makes investments. I heard about Klarna and Lilium... I'm going to go ahead and call this a marketing piece for his fund, not any prognosis for how things actually go.
As a former CTO for a European startup that started in Eastern Europe, moved to Western Europe and then across the seas to the USA, I think we have a long way to go before we can beat Silicon Valley at its own game, European style. It was only three years ago that European investors had us create a new company in the US so that we can get funded; in Europe, by European investors. It was only three years ago that we scheduled a meeting with a potential big customer and we had to schedule it 3 - 6 months in advance; compared to a quick call to a Fortune500 CEO in the US.
So I'm sorry my Swedish friend, you might have running money over there, but it's not just about being socially equitable and having an inspiring office, it's also about what kind of innovation that money funds, the landscape where companies are working in (how many languages and laws do we have across the board?) and the access to customers that we might have. Good luck selling disruptive tech to 60yr old managers in Berlin.
The best of both worlds is to have us funding and east european r&d. Considering how low taxes are for SE in many countries in the region pay can be high and talent can be attracted. The EU guarantees freedom of movement and as such workers can freely move west to east. The higher take home pay will be very attractive.
Can't speak for other eastern europen countries, but I'd not move back to the one I come from even for a bigger salary. I might have more money but I'd still have to live in worse conditions (infrastuture, public services, interactions with the state, etc...).
East EU countries are doing rather well. Lack of infrastructure is good for investment. A bit like gentrifying neighbourhoods where over time things improve and your investments grow with them.
As a former CTO for a European startup that started in Eastern Europe, moved to Western Europe and then across the seas to the USA, I think we have a long way to go before we can beat Silicon Valley at its own game, European style. It was only three years ago that European investors had us create a new company in the US so that we can get funded; in Europe, by European investors. It was only three years ago that we scheduled a meeting with a potential big customer and we had to schedule it 3 - 6 months in advance; compared to a quick call to a Fortune500 CEO in the US.
So I'm sorry my Swedish friend, you might have running money over there, but it's not just about being socially equitable and having an inspiring office, it's also about what kind of innovation that money funds, the landscape where companies are working in (how many languages and laws do we have across the board?) and the access to customers that we might have. Good luck selling disruptive tech to 60yr old managers in Berlin.