Berlin Needs More Events Like “Vizions”
Zalando extended an invitation to “Vizions” — and everyone showed up. The leading heads of the tech and startup scenes debated the future of the platform economy at Berlin’s Kraftwerk. The motto: “Build platforms not walls.” What might be interpreted as a blatant statement against recent renationalization tendencies is actually more of a summons to the European digital economy. “Start developing your own market-dominating platforms already! Develop something that will finally counterbalance Silicon Valley!”
Because up until now, Europe has been lagging behind GAFAnomics, the American quadfecta composed of Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple. Six of the ten largest companies in the world are platforms. European startups are set to dominate their respective markets with platforms like Zalando and Spotify. However, Europe has not been able to gain real traction thanks to the global market penetration of the GAFA companies. It is absolutely futile to lament the dominance of the US tech scene. It is far more important to pick up the pace, get connected and lay the groundwork for these kinds of platforms to emerge in Europe, and in particularly Berlin, in the years to come. “Vizions” is a real sign at the right moment. It is bringing together prosperous startups and grownups and inspiring the spirit needed to strengthen the Berlin ecosystem. Boris Radke, Head of Corporate Communications at Zalando, describes the idea behind “Vizions” similarly: “’Vizions’ gives a first idea of how Zalando will position itself in the B2B scene in the future — as an expert for digital business models and as an exchange platform for the established industry and the international startup scene. Berlin is our home and it is quite obvious to show our clear commitment for a strong and economically modern Europe right from here.”
It is obvious that global platforms do not just pop up with the click of a button. A number of parameters determine whether a good idea will turn into a market-dominating company. All the same, if we don’t finally get the discussions rolling and take steps towards improving and strengthening as many parameters as possible, then there will not be a European Facebook or Google in our future. Zalando CEO Rubin Ritter is absolutely right when he stresses that we are talking about nothing less than future viability of the European continent.
During the era of Brexit and Trump’s America first doctrine, a liberal-minded spot like Berlin is more in demand than ever. It is attractive for entrepreneurs and venture capital, but also as a hub where the essential exchange between members of the global tech community can take place. Berlin has to get better at being the perfect host. Berlin needs more events like “Vizions”.
