Francois Barrault - Chairman, Digiworld Institute

Francois Barrault, Chairman of DigiWorld Institute, discusses the differences between Europe's tech sector and Silicon Valley, highlighting Europe's risk-averse nature and regulatory focus. He notes that Europe's fragmented structure, with 27 countries, poses challenges for tech growth. In contrast, the US integrates academia and business, fostering innovation. Sam Gyimah emphasizes the need for Europe to retain talent and scale businesses locally. They both agree that Europe should focus on long-term missions and fundamental research to ignite its tech sector. Francois suggests that Silicon Valley could learn from Europe's nuanced lifestyle and balance between profit and quality of life.