Perspective US vs Europe
A LinkedIn post by Leon Sandner
After 4 months in Silicon Valley, I realized something:
We’re taking Europe for granted.
Everyone’s talking about Europe’s decline.
But I’ve noticed a pattern talking to European founders in SF: most of them see the US as a chapter, not the whole story. They want to “make it” there, learn from the best, but ultimately return to Europe.
And it makes sense.
In Europe:
our cities are built for humans, not just cars. Getting around on foot or by bike is the norm, not an act of rebellion.
the buildings here don’t feel like they were assembled with popsicle sticks. (Sleeping without 3 hoodies, thanks to proper insulation, is nice too.)
you can actually trust the quality of your food. And real bread! Not that spongy white stuff pretending to be bread.
the stark contrast between extreme wealth and poverty isn’t burning your eyes at every corner. You know you have a social system that catches you when you fall.
there’s a different rhythm to relationships: less about where the connection might lead, more about enjoying where it is right now. People connect over shared moments and genuine conversations, not just potential opportunities and status.
public discourse still has a foundation of shared reality. News isn’t entertainment, “facts” aren’t tribal identities, and most people still live in the same world – even if they see it differently.
You can’t sustainably build the future while sacrificing many things that make life worth living.
Yes, Europe isn’t perfect. We have our issues.
We’re often too risk-averse, too comfortable, too stuck in our ways.
But we already have the foundation most places dream of:
- Exceptional quality of life
- Robust infrastructure
- Strong social fabric
- Cultural depth
Now imagine combining this with:
a bolder mindset
We need to dream bigger and build with more conviction. It’s time to shed our risk-averse culture and embrace ambitious moonshots.concentrated innovation hubs
Stop spreading resources thin across countless “innovation centers.” We need 3-4 dense, powerful ecosystems where talent, capital, and ambition collide – not 100 mediocre ones.streamlined governance
Not just less bureaucracy, but smarter less fragmented regulation that enables innovation while preserving what makes Europe great.
We don’t need to abandon Europe to build great things.
We need to build great things to make Europe even greater.