Bridging Worlds: Reflections from TNW 2024
June 2024 marked a pivotal moment for European tech policy discussions, bringing together diverse voices to shape the future. Here’s what I learned from the frontlines of the startup-policy interface at The Next Web.
When Innovators Meet Policy: My TNW Journey
“What a week!” That sentiment still perfectly captures how I feel reflecting on my time at The Next Web (TNW) Conference in Amsterdam last June. As Europe’s leading tech event, TNW drew over 10,000 industry leaders, entrepreneurs, developers, and policy experts, all converging around the central question of how technology will shape our collective future.
The absolute highlight for me was the panel I had eagerly anticipated: “Startup Founders and Policy: Bridging the Gap Between Technology and Government.” This was far more than just a theoretical discussion; it was a genuine, vibrant intersection of innovative minds grappling with the critical need to ensure Europe’s regulatory landscape fosters its burgeoning startup ecosystem rather than hindering it.
Why This Conversation Matters Now More Than Ever
For the past decade, global technology regulation has been on a clear trajectory of intensification, a trend that shows no sign of slowing for the next ten years. However, there’s a critical and often-discussed imbalance: policymakers frequently focus their attention and regulations on major tech firms, inadvertently overlooking or underestimating the significant impact on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and startups. My own company has certainly felt these ripple effects firsthand.
That’s precisely why I was particularly grateful to ACT | The App Association and Bradley Simonich for the invitation to attend TNW and this specific panel. ACT provides an absolutely vital platform, ensuring that the voices of smaller innovators are heard and not left behind when crucial decisions affecting our digital future are being made.
A brief aside pertinent to vaic.at BRICS
During the event, I had the opportunity to meet Gaetan Spielmann Moura, the Brazilian diplomat to the Netherlands, and to witness the innovative concepts and visions presented by Brazilian tech entrepreneurs. I engaged in a meaningful conversation with them, learning about their ambitious plans for the future of Brazilian global technology innovation. I intend to share this experience in a blog post on vaicat.com.br.
Additionally, I was pleased to present our own projects and vision for the future of vaic.at Software in Brazil and globally through the use of Vision Pro.
The Visionaries Leading the Conversation
The panel itself was a testament to the diverse perspectives required to navigate the complexities of Europe’s innovation landscape. It brought together four remarkable individuals:
Carlo Ferretti Founder of 3DXR and researcher at Metalab Harvard, Carlo offered unique and crucial insights rooted in Italy’s creative sector. His extensive work digitizing creative SME businesses has given him a firsthand understanding of just how much regional differences matter in policy creation and impact. As he powerfully stated, “Our unique needs as SMEs must be recognized by policymakers to foster innovation and growth.” Carlo vividly emphasized how organizations in Southern Italy and across Europe “daily propose other perspectives” and actively create local value that can often be overlooked by broad, one-size-fits-all regulatory approaches. His passion for territorial development clearly demonstrated the necessity for policy to consider the unique relationships SMEs have with their communities and local economies.
Erika Maslauskaite As CEO and co-founder of deverium, an ambassador at WomenGoTech, a member of the European Women Payments Network, and a board member at Fintech Association Lithuania, Erika brought critical perspectives on fintech innovation and the cultivation of inclusive tech ecosystems. Her experience as a founding member of AmberTech Cluster further highlighted the immense power of community-building in effective policy engagement. Erika compellingly shared how “participating in policy conversations helps SMEs learn about other businesses facing similar issues and gives them a bigger voice with policymakers.” Her insights on the impending impact of digital identity regulation on the fintech sector were particularly valuable for those of us actively navigating this rapidly evolving space.
Donny Wals A renowned iOS developer, prolific author of several books on iOS development, and sought-after speaker, Donny offered practical wisdom gleaned from years of building technology under constantly changing regulatory frameworks. Having delivered dozens of talks and workshops, his assessment of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) was particularly eye-opening, pointing out the significant “grey areas” within the regulation that create both distinct challenges and potential opportunities for smaller players. Donny’s warning against “regulations that slow down growth and innovation” resonated deeply with me, especially as he contrasted this potential stagnation with the relative ease and speed with which one can start a tech company today.
Key Takeaways for European Innovators
The discussion yielded several actionable insights crucial for startups and SMEs navigating Europe’s increasingly complex regulatory landscape:
- Regional Perspectives are Paramount: Carlo’s point was clear – policies cannot afford to be one-size-fits-all. The distinct needs of SMEs in Southern Italy, for example, differ significantly from those in Amsterdam or Helsinki. Effective policy must recognize and accommodate these territorial distinctions, connecting industries with appropriate funding models that don’t solely cater to large corporations.
- Community Engagement Amplifies Impact: Erika powerfully demonstrated how actively participating in industry associations and policy discussions grants smaller players a collective influence far exceeding what they could ever achieve individually. It fosters learning and provides a stronger, unified voice.
- Implementation is Ripe for Opportunity: Donny highlighted that even with major regulations like the DMA enacted, there is still significant scope for SMEs to influence how these frameworks are implemented. Engaging in this process can potentially transform perceived obstacles into competitive advantages.
- Digital Identity Will Reshape Markets: The panel underscored the impending arrival of new digital identity regulations. These will have a profound impact on fintech and numerous other sectors, necessitating proactive and forward-thinking engagement from startups.
- Startup-Policy Dialogue Must Be Continuous: The “precious weaving approach” that ACT facilitates, bridging innovative SMEs, evolving European policies, and emerging technological needs, creates vital and necessary pathways for ongoing collaboration and mutual understanding.
The Side Events: Where Connections Deepen
Beyond the formal panel, the Founders Networking event, thoughtfully organized by ACT members, provided an incredible opportunity to connect with other entrepreneurs facing similar challenges and opportunities. The stimulating discussions with “people with big ideas, cool startups, and awesome apps” continued well beyond the structured sessions. As Maria Goikoetxea Gomez de Segura, EU Policy Manager at ACT, noted in her reflections, the side event “provided an incredible opportunity to meet and connect with talented developers and innovators from all over Europe.” These informal connections and shared experiences may ultimately prove just as valuable as the insights gained from the main panel.
Moving Forward: Our Collective Responsibility
What truly stays with me, even months later, is the powerful sense of shared purpose that permeated both the panel and the subsequent networking. As European innovation continues its rapid evolution alongside increasingly complex regulatory frameworks, our active participation in shaping policy is not merely optional—it is absolutely essential.
For startups and SMEs that feel distant from these crucial policy conversations, my strongest recommendation is simple and direct: get involved. Join associations like ACT that are dedicated to amplifying your voice. Attend events like TNW that actively bridge different worlds and perspectives. Engage directly with policymakers whenever and however possible.
The future of European innovation hinges not just on our ability to build groundbreaking technologies, but equally on our willingness to help shape the very environment in which they will operate and thrive. As Carlo, Erika, Donny, and Chelsea so clearly demonstrated, some of the most powerful and necessary innovations right now might ultimately be in how we approach governance and collaboration itself.
I left Amsterdam feeling inspired, deeply connected, and more convinced than ever that the gap between technology and government can indeed be effectively bridged—but only if we are all willing to pick up a tool and help build that bridge together.
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