Skype cofounder: Brexit won't ruin Europe's chances of becoming a major tech hub
Brian Ach / Getty
Brexit has created a great deal of economic uncertainty across many sectors in Europe, including tech. The fact that London - one of the biggest tech centres on the continent - will potentially be shutting its doors to overseas workers and removing itself from a market of over 500 million people could have a huge impact on the continent's wider tech scene.
Speaking at a Wall Street Journal conference on Wednesday, the Swedish entrepreneur who once bought file-sharing site Kazaa is reported to have said that "Brexit won't have an impact on Europe becoming a tech hub."
Zennström, reported to have a net worth of $1.3 billion (£890 million), said: "Entrepreneurs don't think I shouldn't start a company because of Brexit. But [we] need [that] free flow of talent."
During his panel, Zennström highlighted that there are more software developers across Europe than there are in the US. However, allowing them to move freely from country to country is key to the overall success of the continent's tech scene, he believes.
When Rolfe Winkler, a technology journalist at The Wall Street Journal, asked him what's wrong with Europe, Zennström replied "What's wrong with your question? We have many billion dollar opportunities." He went on to explain that it's a younger ecosystem in Europe, before adding that it'll have a Google-sized company within the next 10 years.
Brexit won't have an impact on Europe becoming a tech hub, says Niklas Zennstrom, Atomico's founding partner #WSJDLive pic.twitter.com/d8o4rzTVwx
- WSJD (@WSJD) October 25, 2016
Zennström's comments aren't all that surprising given that his VC firm is investing predominantly in European startups in the hope that they'll grow in a multibillion dollar business. He also sits on the board of European companies like Rovio, the creator of the "Angry Birds" game, and fresh food provider Farmdrop.
- I spent 2 weeks in India. A highlight was visiting a small mountain town so beautiful it didn't seem real.
- I quit McKinsey after 1.5 years. I was making over $200k but my mental health was shattered.
- Some Tesla factory workers realized they were laid off when security scanned their badges and sent them back on shuttles, sources say
- Stock markets stage strong rebound after 4 days of slump; Sensex rallies 599 pts
- Sustainable Transportation Alternatives
- 10 Foods you should avoid eating when in stress
- 8 Lesser-known places to visit near Nainital
- World Liver Day 2024: 10 Foods that are necessary for a healthy liver