Vienna, early October.
The message was «Creating together an European entrepreneurial ecosystem», in practice it was «Connecting the dots». Small but important detail, it is the vision of young people, starting with a crazy idea. Maybe the most interesting part on the so called social media revolution is not the technology behind it, but the fact that people started talking to each other, building up real relationships and doing things together…not on the screen but in real life, creating real. Romantic idealists like me believe that communication is the mother of collaboration, done right place, right time with right people. Lucky us, that there are more action driven visionaries in this world than we might believe at times.
Putting Athens on the map.
The reason why I believe that not only Athens but Greece could be a hub for entrepreneurial activity is the potential the country has from ancient times. Bureaucracy might not be the most appealing factor, but sun, lifestyle and culture is. The so-called crisis got the country stuck. So what?
During a session on Entrepreneurial cities at Startup Week, I made a statement that might not sound smoothly to some ears:
«It is upon entrepreneurs to set up a healthy and strong ecosystem. States are responsible for the frame of education, health system, tax system, bureaucracy, etc, not making the entrepreneurs being entrepreneurs. Facilitating with public policy yes, setting up a better conditions for young entrepreneurs yes, helping them starting yes, funding companies all the time no. Honestly, what could you expect for from a state that is called bankrupt day by day? If it is Greece than it is Europe as well. This crisis is the chance to build it up from scratch. It is upon us how.»