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repeatedly threatened to pull ChatGPT from Europe , and until recently Claude was inaccessible in the EU . In 2023 , Italy became the first country in the world to temporarily ban OpenAI , as the company could not prove that it had trained its software on data obtained with user consent . The ban has since been lifted , but struggles remain , as OpenAI faces significant delays launching new features in Europe , such as the new video generation tool Sora .
Yet , these hurdles are doing little to discourage Europe ’ s start-up proponents . Events are cropping up across the continent , uniting the industry and lobbying for a healthier ecosystem . Slush is a sure indicator of the value of European start-ups , attracting $ 3 trillion in venture capital each year to meet with Europe ’ s brightest founders . In 2018 , open source cloud data platform Aiven landed an € 8m investment following a meeting at Slush . Now , the company is valued at over € 3bn , with employees across the world .
One recent event in the UK has been
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attracting significant attention . On 11 December , entrepreneurs and thinkers came together in London for the Looking for Growth event . Organiser Dr Lawrence Newport was instrumental in getting the XL Bully banned in the UK in 2023 . Now , he has turned his attention to Britain ’ s stagnating economic growth . Speakers included Faculty CEO Marc Warner and former chief advisor to the UK Conservative government Dominic Cummings ( who has shown interest in launching a new start-up-based political party ). At the event , Newport announced that he would be presenting a new ‘ Infrastructure Bill ’ to Parliament in the hopes of clearing some of the barriers that builders face in the UK . The Looking for Growth event is set to tour the country , with dates locked in for Exeter , Bristol and Manchester .
One of the main issues that proponents of tech-led growth face is the lack of media attention . The potential of AI companies and start-ups to jumpstart European economies is still too niche a subject . It is for this reason that
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Above : Slush 2024 opening ceremony |
tech-centric events are so crucial . Entrepreneurs and investors need to spread the word , both to influential policymakers and to the wider public . Slush serves as a platform where founders can find investment . Conferences like Looking for Growth , UK AI Safety Summit ( led by Matt Clifford and attended by Elon Musk ), AE Global Summit on Open Problems for AI and European AI Conference serve to turn more eyes towards this potentially transformative sector of the economy .
As this branch of the events space grows to accommodate the expanding tech sector , Europe has the opportunity to use events to promote dialogue between founders and policymakers . The tech sector , in particular AI , will completely change the global market . According to Matt Clifford , in the future there will be two types of companies : AI “ takers ” and AI “ makers ”. The UK and the EU are in the coveted position of being able to join the second category , and events have the potential to be a major vehicle in getting there . n
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