Re: UKNM: State of the Nation

[Nabil Shabka]

It's not actually just State of the Nation, it's State of the EU. 

There's appears to very little appetite in the UK and Europe for

anything new, experimental or risky. Until it's not new somewhere else

anyway - the US usually.  Has anyone been following the exodus from

Europe to the US of entrepreneurs who can't get VC(venture capital)

financing in Europe.  People such as Keith Teare, founder of the Real

Name System(ex Easynet and Cyberia).  Why is so much technology invented

here and then exported in order to be exploited?  Why are companies so

slow to adapt to new methods?


While there are plenty of entrepreneurs and innovators in Europe, the

culture doesn't support them.


The EU mentality reminds me of scientists who do not wish to make leaps

of faith but rather prefer to plod along.  All the ground breaking

scientists were initially scorned by their peers.  Scientists typically

set out to disprove new ideas until eventually every avenue has been

tried and thus the hypothesis must be accepted (European view). 

Innovators accept the new ideas and set out to prove them right (US

view).


The "mustn't grumble" attitude isn't exactly a trailblazing sentiment. 

Companies can't see the point in implementing new ideas so the

implimentors (us) have a more difficult sale.  You've got to convince

potential customers of the merits of the product in general before you

get an opportunity to even make a pitch.  But hey, it's fun and

exciting.


Nabil