AI founders no longer need a Silicon Valley address

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September 9, 2026, 9:07 AM

• •The author says AI tools and automation let small teams build and scale companies with fewer people than in earlier software eras.
• •The piece cites Lovable in Stockholm and ElevenLabs in London as examples of European AI companies reaching major scale and valuation.
• •London, Paris, Berlin and Munich are highlighted as strong European hubs for AI engineers, researchers and product leaders.
• •The article argues that large US AI companies in Europe compete for the same talent pool that startups need.
• •The author describes a company program offering employees of five years a $250,000 pitch-backed path to start their own company.
• •The piece compares Europe’s potential founder networks to the PayPal and Skype alumni ecosystems that produced multiple later companies.

The article argues that AI has changed startup economics enough that founders no longer need to relocate to Silicon Valley to build major companies. It points to European AI firms such as Lovable and ElevenLabs as evidence that globally significant businesses can be built from cities like Stockholm and London. The author says Europe’s main challenge is no longer talent or capital, but converting experienced AI operators into founders. He argues that companies should actively back employees who want to start businesses, creating a self-reinforcing founder ecosystem across Europe.

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