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Skyping the EU

Skype is undeniably the biggest high-tech success to emerge from Europe in quite a while. Their success, despite the lack of support from the industry, institutions, and the European VC community is truly fascinating – and goes to Niklas Zennstroem’s and Janus Friis’ credit. It should also be a cause for concern for policymakers.

Niklas addressed European risk-averseness with EU business and government leaders. Cultural change is a long shot – just looking at the mob of deluded demonstrators who flocked the streets of France today gives a good sense of the distance yet to cover.

Nonetheless, policymakers can foster change with substantially friendlier policies for innovators and start-ups, especially in labor law, tax law, and education. To up it a notch and address European investment’s risk averseness, government-sponsored VCs a la In-Q-Tel/ Red Planet Capital would go a long way. The EU needs more from this Spring Summit than Byzantine policy statements, Colbertism and window dressing. Those won’t suffice to not only get back on track with the Lisbon agenda, but also to respond to China’s and India’s innovation race to the top.