At WebSummit 2025, CNBC's Arjun Kharpal posed a painful question for European founders: why is the global tech race always framed as US vs China, with Europe barely getting a mention?
For Archie Hollingsworth, co-founder of Fyxer, the answer isn't about accepting Europe's position on the sidelines. It's about recognizing where the strengths lie and building on them relentlessly.
Speaking on Centre Stage alongside Ling Ge, Chief Investment & Strategy Officer for EMEA at Tencent, Archie made the case that Europe isn't just catching up. It's carving its own path to building globally defining companies.
Watch the full conversation
Europe's secret weapon: talent and focus
When asked what Europe brings to the global tech table, Archie didn't sugarcoat the reality: "Europe is behind, but where it's insanely strong is talent." He pointed to top universities like Oxford and Cambridge, and London's startup community, where ambition is no longer the exception. It's the standard.
Ling backed this up from an investor's perspective, highlighting Europe's "deep technical strength and creativity" and unique pockets of excellence. Finland has game design prowess with Supercell, the Nordics bring user-focused product thinking behind Spotify, and Germany leads in deep tech and automation. Tencent's own investment team is based in London precisely because it's one of the best places to find AI talent.
