Since we began this project in 2015, our ambition has been to build a rich and nuanced narrative of European technology and how it is evolving. A multi-layered story, not just a moment in time.

At Atomico, we believe it is only possible to do this based on a number of data sources and different factors. Which is why we've worked with an incredible set of data partners, surveyed thousands of people within Europe's tech ecosystem, and spoken with those at the heart of it all - to develop meaningful, localised data insights that tell the real story about what's happening on the ground.

This year’s findings reveal the state of European tech in 2017 is the strongest it has ever been. Europe is building a tech ecosystem in its own image, defined by deep tech expertise, incredible geographic diversification, and a uniquely collaborative approach with traditional industry. The solid foundations that have been laid - a huge and deep talent pool, founders with global ambition levels, and a large, growing and increasingly sophisticated investor base - means that Europe marches to its own beat. The question of whether Europe can produce world-class innovation has been put to bed. The question of whether it can produce a $100Bn company has been put to bed. And the probability that the next industry-defining company could come from Europe - and become one of the world’s most valuable companies - has never been higher.

We hope you enjoy diving into this year’s report, which we believe is the single, most comprehensive data-driven story of European technology today.

Tom Wehmeier

Partner and Head of Research, Atomico