By clicking “Accept,” you agree to the storage of cookies on your device to improve website navigation, analyze site usage, and support our marketing efforts. For more information, please see our privacy policy.
_web.png)
All Insights
Usman Javaid, Chief Product and Marketing Officer at Orange Business, opened the session with a look back. Europe, he said, had shaped the digital world: mobile standards, the World Wide Web, SMS, 3G and 4G. Innovation, in his view, was part of Europe’s DNA.
Yet the pressure has grown. Around eighty percent of key digital technologies are sourced from a handful of non-European providers. Energy costs in Europe are significantly higher than in the US or China. And while trillion-dollar tech giants have emerged elsewhere, Europe has produced none of comparable scale. “The question is not whether Europe can innovate,” Javed said. “The question is whether Europe can scale its innovation.”
Focusing only on US companies, the speakers argued, obscures Europe’s real role in AI. Every modern AI chip begins its journey in Europe: with ASML in the Netherlands, optics from Zeiss, lasers from Trumpf, robotics from ABB and precision components from Switzerland. Much of the industrial software underpinning the global AI supply chain is European.
New AI players have also emerged. Start-ups such as Mistral and Aleph Alpha demonstrate that Europe can compete technologically. What remains elusive, however, is large-scale success.
Javaid identified three main obstacles. First, Europe lacks a true single market. Twenty-seven national markets make scaling slow and lead to duplication. Second, Europe has little control over its data. Most of it is hosted by US hyperscalers, and value creation follows the data. Third, the financial and tech ecosystems remain poorly connected. Capital exists, but rarely flows into European technology. The consequences are visible. Around thirty percent of European tech unicorns have moved their headquarters abroad.
For Paul-Arthur Jonville, co-founder and CEO of Mindflow, AI marked a turning point. Jobs are expected to disappear, while productivity is set to rise sharply. The decisive issue, he argued, is ownership. “If we only consumed AI, we would lose value creation. If we produce it, we gain the future,” Jonville said.
AI follows an exponential logic. Automation creates room for further automation. Companies could increase productivity by thirty to forty percent – provided they were willing to experiment and accept risk.
Sean Kask, Head of AI Strategy at SAP, confirmed Europe’s scientific strength. Europe produces a large share of AI research and holds many patents. The problem lies in execution. “Innovation means turning ideas into products,” Kask said. “That is where Europe loses time.”
Fragmented markets, slow access to funding and complex regulation slow progress. Large language models are extremely expensive and quickly become outdated. SAP therefore focuses on specialised models and industrial applications rather than prestige projects.
One message emerged clearly from the discussion: digital sovereignty does not mean total independence. Europe has to accept certain dependencies where no alternatives exist. At the same time, it needs to actively support European solutions where they are viable.
Sylvain Quartier, Chief Strategy Officer at Ekinops put it bluntly: “If we don’t trust European solutions, they will never grow.” He called for greater visibility for mid-sized European companies and more courage from both public and private buyers.
Another central issue was brain drain. Many of Europe’s brightest minds have moved to the US. The reasons are familiar: faster access to funding, a higher tolerance for risk and more flexible labour markets. “In the US, failure is seen as experience,” Sean Kask said. “In Europe, it’s often a stigma.” As long as this mindset persists, Europe continues to lose talent – despite excellent universities and research institutions.
In closing, Usman Javaid drew a historical parallel. In the 1970s, Europe had faced Boeing’s dominance. The response had been Airbus – a joint effort supported by multiple countries, industries and political decisions. “Europe needs an Airbus moment for AI,” Javaid said. Not a single champion, but a coordinated ecosystem. Shared markets, aligned investments and clear priorities.
all Insights
Usman Javaid, Chief Product and Marketing Officer at Orange Business, opened the session with a look back. Europe, he said, had shaped the digital world: mobile standards, the World Wide Web, SMS, 3G and 4G. Innovation, in his view, was part of Europe’s DNA.
Yet the pressure has grown. Around eighty percent of key digital technologies are sourced from a handful of non-European providers. Energy costs in Europe are significantly higher than in the US or China. And while trillion-dollar tech giants have emerged elsewhere, Europe has produced none of comparable scale. “The question is not whether Europe can innovate,” Javed said. “The question is whether Europe can scale its innovation.”
Focusing only on US companies, the speakers argued, obscures Europe’s real role in AI. Every modern AI chip begins its journey in Europe: with ASML in the Netherlands, optics from Zeiss, lasers from Trumpf, robotics from ABB and precision components from Switzerland. Much of the industrial software underpinning the global AI supply chain is European.
New AI players have also emerged. Start-ups such as Mistral and Aleph Alpha demonstrate that Europe can compete technologically. What remains elusive, however, is large-scale success.
Javaid identified three main obstacles. First, Europe lacks a true single market. Twenty-seven national markets make scaling slow and lead to duplication. Second, Europe has little control over its data. Most of it is hosted by US hyperscalers, and value creation follows the data. Third, the financial and tech ecosystems remain poorly connected. Capital exists, but rarely flows into European technology. The consequences are visible. Around thirty percent of European tech unicorns have moved their headquarters abroad.
For Paul-Arthur Jonville, co-founder and CEO of Mindflow, AI marked a turning point. Jobs are expected to disappear, while productivity is set to rise sharply. The decisive issue, he argued, is ownership. “If we only consumed AI, we would lose value creation. If we produce it, we gain the future,” Jonville said.
AI follows an exponential logic. Automation creates room for further automation. Companies could increase productivity by thirty to forty percent – provided they were willing to experiment and accept risk.
Sean Kask, Head of AI Strategy at SAP, confirmed Europe’s scientific strength. Europe produces a large share of AI research and holds many patents. The problem lies in execution. “Innovation means turning ideas into products,” Kask said. “That is where Europe loses time.”
Fragmented markets, slow access to funding and complex regulation slow progress. Large language models are extremely expensive and quickly become outdated. SAP therefore focuses on specialised models and industrial applications rather than prestige projects.
One message emerged clearly from the discussion: digital sovereignty does not mean total independence. Europe has to accept certain dependencies where no alternatives exist. At the same time, it needs to actively support European solutions where they are viable.
Sylvain Quartier, Chief Strategy Officer at Ekinops put it bluntly: “If we don’t trust European solutions, they will never grow.” He called for greater visibility for mid-sized European companies and more courage from both public and private buyers.
Another central issue was brain drain. Many of Europe’s brightest minds have moved to the US. The reasons are familiar: faster access to funding, a higher tolerance for risk and more flexible labour markets. “In the US, failure is seen as experience,” Sean Kask said. “In Europe, it’s often a stigma.” As long as this mindset persists, Europe continues to lose talent – despite excellent universities and research institutions.
In closing, Usman Javaid drew a historical parallel. In the 1970s, Europe had faced Boeing’s dominance. The response had been Airbus – a joint effort supported by multiple countries, industries and political decisions. “Europe needs an Airbus moment for AI,” Javaid said. Not a single champion, but a coordinated ecosystem. Shared markets, aligned investments and clear priorities.
You will find more information about our upcoming activities in our newsletter.
Register here for our newsletter!
