Shape VC

is more like…ly increasing and even smaller towns are seeing early-stage activity pick up. It’s fair to say that the next great European company can come from anywhere, and is more likely than ever to not come from one of the more established hubs. VCs need to adapt to this new reality.

Google was a driving force in the technology industry ever since its disruptive entry in 1998. But in a world where people despised ads, Google’s business model was not innovation-friendly, and they missed several opportunities to pivot, ultimately rendering their numerous grand and ambitious projects unsustainable. Innovation costs mo…

Alexa — the assistant that lived inside the Echo — on the other hand, was quickly integrated into several products and services, and its monetization model was clear, viable, and most importantly future-friendly. The Echo made it easy to order products through Amazon, and every time someone used an Echo to pur…