Founders of Revolut, Mistral, and Wayve support Balderton’s initiative for ‘Built in Europe.’

      European tech faces a confidence issue that isn't directly tied to its performance. The presence of companies and successful exits is evident, yet the prevailing narrative has often been about trying to catch up with Silicon Valley. Balderton Capital aims to change this narrative. On Monday, it introduced the “Built in Europe” campaign, supported by over 100 founders. This initiative serves more as a statement than an argument: Europe is already capable of producing world-class companies, so there's no need for apologies.

      The campaign will be visible in London, Paris, Stockholm, Berlin, and Munich through billboards, city banners, and digital advertising vans strategically placed in the tech hubs of each city. In London, the campaign will utilize the Old Street roundabout screen, a key location within the city’s startup community; in Paris, it will feature on the facade of Station F; and in Stockholm, it will appear on the Stureplan billboard. The timing is intentional, aligning with events such as London Tech Week, Founders Forum, and the lead-up to VivaTech in Paris.

      The founders involved represent a wide array of the ecosystem. Participants include AI companies like Mistral, ElevenLabs, Lovable, and Synthesia; deep-tech and infrastructure firms such as Wayve, Quantum Systems, Proxima Fusion, and The Exploration Company; as well as consumer brands including Revolut, Voi, and Alan. Balderton, the largest venture capital firm focused exclusively on European founders, has supported many of these companies, with a track record that includes Revolut, Wayve, and previous names like Darktrace, Depop, and MySQL.

      Beyond the advertisements lies a more sustainable component. BuiltInEurope.com features a jobs platform that consolidates openings from what Balderton identifies as Europe’s top 1,000 tech startups, developed in-house using direct data feeds and API integrations, and aimed at becoming the continent’s largest startup talent hub. While advertisements might fade after a campaign, a functioning jobs board could endure if the listings remain current.

      The messaging from the participating founders is consistently aligned intentionally. Suranga Chandratillake, a general partner at Balderton, stated that the campaign seeks to “shift the conversation from potential to proof.” Alex Kendall from Wayve described building a startup in Europe as “the most adventurous, exciting thing you could do,” while Anton Osika from Lovable asserted that there has “never been a better time to build from Europe.” The collective sentiment emphasizes that the talent, capital, and ambition are all present.

      Clearly, this is a marketing campaign from a firm with a vested interest in encouraging more European startups, and its optimism serves as the focal point rather than a neutral evaluation. However, it is part of a broader movement. Initiatives like Project Europe, which brought together various founders to support entrepreneurs under 25, echo the same concerns regarding talent migrating to the U.S. and the desire to keep it within Europe.

      Recently concluding a $1.3 billion fundraising effort, Balderton is betting that building confidence is partly about the narrative the sector creates about itself, and it believes it’s time for European tech to tell a more assertive story.