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Portugal’s Entrepreneurial Revolution: Why Startups and Innovation Thrive (And What Needs to Change)

Monday, 03 March 2025 by
A Country Built on Bold Exploration and Innovation Portugal’s legacy as a global pioneer began long before the word “startup” existed. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Lisbon was the Silicon Valley of its time, launching a wave of global exploration that transformed commerce, navigation, and trade. With figures like Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand
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Why Doesn’t Europe Have a Silicon Valley

Friday, 07 February 2025 by
Europe is home to some of the world’s most brilliant minds, world-class universities, and a rich history of scientific and technological breakthroughs. The birthplace of modern banking in Italy, the World Wide Web at CERN, and some of the most advanced engineering institutions globally, Europe should—by all logical measures—be a dominant force in the startup
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Zagreb plus Istria: The Economic Development Plan for Croatia’s Future as a Global Hub of Innovation

Thursday, 09 January 2025 by
As I walked the streets of Zagreb, Croatia, not long ago, I couldn’t help but remark that I had a feeling that I was experiencing, Austin, TX, years ago. From my time in Michigan, Phoenix, Silicon Valley, and now Austin, my community knows well that the work I do is designing startup ecosystems; working with
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Regional Startup Ecosystems Must Embrace Distinction

Saturday, 04 January 2025 by
What we can learn from asking of South and Central America You’re failing. Let me cut to that chase. After more nearly two decades in Austin, Texas, and working with cities and regions throughout the world, what holds YOU and your economy back is that you won’t communicate clearly, distinguish your strengths, and acknowledge your
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Silicon Valley’s Culture of Creative Destruction

Friday, 03 January 2025 by
Silicon Valley’s legendary status as the birthplace of innovation isn’t merely a product of geography or luck — it is rooted in a culture of creative destruction, a term popularized by Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter, author of Theory of Economic Development. Creative destruction is the process by which innovation disrupts existing industries, rendering outdated systems
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From Socialist Roots to a Free-Market Startup Renaissance: Estonia

Friday, 03 January 2025 by
Estonia has long been hailed as the digital darling of Europe, a small Baltic nation that defied its post-Soviet limitations to emerge as a tech powerhouse. Yet, for all its acclaim, Estonia’s journey has been shaped by a tension between its socialist roots and a growing desire for economic liberalism. Today, with sweeping governmental reforms
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Argentina Unleashed: How Reforms Under President Milei Spark Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Monday, 25 November 2024 by
Argentina’s history is one of extremes — a nation that has swung from prosperity to crisis and back again yet always demonstrated an uncanny ability to rebuild and reinvent itself. In the early 20th century, Argentina was among the top 10 wealthiest nations globally, thanks to its fertile agricultural sector, booming trade, and a forward-thinking,
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