How Europe’s tech sector is quietly gaining ground
Europe is often portrayed as a tech underdog, lacking a single giant firm of the calibre found in Silicon Valley. In February, during an AI summit in Paris, US vice-president JD Vance poured scorn on Europe’s regulatory regime, arguing that it stifles progress.
But all that is to miss the bigger picture: there are companies across the continent proving their competitiveness; you just need to know where to look. In northern Italy, Ephos is developing energy-efficient photonic chips that use light instead of electricity for data processing. Unlike traditional chipmakers, it focuses on glass-based technology, which is touted as being more energy-efficient than silicon chips, especially in the resource-intensive demands of AI and quantum computing.
The company recently secured $8.5m (€8m) in funding and opened the first glass-based quantum photonic circuit facility in Milan’s Innovation District. In a recent edition of The Entrepreneurs on Monocle Radio, CEO Andrea Rocchetto admits that Europe has been a bit slow out of the blocks.
“We need a shake-up, no doubt, but negativity isn’t helpful,” he says. “Change will come from working with the US and embracing a more global outlook.” Ephos has a broad range of investors, with major support from the US and partnerships with organisations such as Nato; it is proof that Europe remains a strong and innovative player. “Barriers to collaboration are rising but we can’t compete with the US and China in isolation,” says Rocchetto. Indeed, as Silicon Valley increasingly throws its lot in with the Trump administration, a backlash to these tech giants is growing. In this more uncertain world, Europe has an opportunity to strengthen its own ecosystem and become more competitive if it’s willing to seize the day.
For more visionary ideas, listen to ‘The Entrepreneurs’ on Monocle Radio, or download the show as a podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your audio.
