Skype co-founder to head new EU technology lobby group

This week saw the launch of the European Tech Alliance, which aims to represent Europe’s technology ‘scale-ups’ and influence policymaking in governments and EU institutions, by sharing experiences of building companies in Europe and contributing to the Commission’s Digital Single Market strategy.

The Alliance, headed by Skype and Kazaa founder Niklas Zennström, now the founder and chief executive of London-based venture capital firm Atomico, counts some of Europe’s most successful tech companies as members. These include Spotify, Rovio, BlaBlaCar, King, AVG, Made.com, Supercell, SwiftKey, Klarna and the Allegro Group.

“We know that the EU has a lot to boast about in the tech world and a lot to be proud of – so we have come together to demonstrate this,” the group says on its website.

Speaking at the launch of the Alliance in Strasbourg on Monday, Andrus Ansip, European Commission Vice-President and head of the Digital Single Market, said, “My door is open. Tell us what is needed and if our direction is the right one.”

“We have formed an alliance to share our collective experience with policymakers and challenge mindsets about Europe, technology, and the Internet,” Zennström said. “There are so many European tech company success stories. We think we will be able to help European leaders understand that Europe is good at tech and show how policymakers can clear the way for the tech industry to grow further.”