UK startup gets $1B funding for self-driving car tech
1–10 of 20 posts
Re: UK startup gets $1B funding for self-driving car tech
#2UK has a great example for two things:
1.) What is possible with a working financial market when we compare to start up funding in the EU
2.) Big start up funding does not lead to wealth to the whole country. For a non - former - communist country UK is poor.
Re: UK startup gets $1B funding for self-driving car tech
#3Ah, of course. I guessed it before even opening the article. They are using "AI". No one needs specifics, it's just all magic.
Re: UK startup gets $1B funding for self-driving car tech
#4UK has a great example for two things: 1.) What is possible with a working financial market when we compare to start up funding in the EU 2.) Big start up funding does not lead to wealth to the whole country. For a non - former - communist country UK is poor.
What difference does a "working financial market" make?
What would be different if the company was based in mainland Europe? Wouldn't Microsoft and Nvidia still be able to invest?
Re: UK startup gets $1B funding for self-driving car tech
#5Ah, of course. I guessed it before even opening the article. They are using "AI". No one needs specifics, it's just all magic.
Typical Masayoshi Son investment.
Re: UK startup gets $1B funding for self-driving car tech
#6Unlike the pessimists on here, I hope Wayve AI does well.
We need more Autonomous Mobility startups, especially because most foundational model players are increasingly being acquired.
Having a couple dedicated foundational model firms can allow additional players in the automotive space to form.
Also, Wayve AI seems to be split between London, MTV, and Vancouver.
Re: UK startup gets $1B funding for self-driving car tech
#7UK has a great example for two things: 1.) What is possible with a working financial market when we compare to start up funding in the EU 2.) Big start up funding does not lead to wealth to the whole country. For a non - former - communist country UK is poor.
What difference does a "working financial market" make? What would be different if the company was based in mainland Europe? Wouldn't Microsoft and Nvidia still be able to invest?
To reach the "Microsoft or Nvidia" lead round phase, you need an ecosystem of angel, seed, and early stage investors. This doesn't exist in much of mainland Europe, as that entire ecosystem has been in London for decades, and the entrepreneurship space is fundamentally power law driven.
Re: UK startup gets $1B funding for self-driving car tech
#8Earlier quoted context omitted.
What difference does a "working financial market" make? What would be different if the company was based in mainland Europe? Wouldn't Microsoft and Nvidia still be able to invest?
To reach the "Microsoft or Nvidia" lead round phase, you need an ecosystem of angel, seed, and early stage investors. This doesn't exist in much of mainland Europe, as that entire ecosystem has been in London for decades, and the entrepreneurship space is fundamentally power law driven.
What exactly is causing the fiction? Is it that there are some laws that make cross-border funding a challenge?
Or is it simply that it is hard to network and gain the confidence of VCs if you don't live close to where they operate from?
Re: UK startup gets $1B funding for self-driving car tech
#9Earlier quoted context omitted.
To reach the "Microsoft or Nvidia" lead round phase, you need an ecosystem of angel, seed, and early stage investors. This doesn't exist in much of mainland Europe, as that entire ecosystem has been in London for decades, and the entrepreneurship space is fundamentally power law driven.
What exactly is causing the fiction? Is it that there are some laws that make cross-border funding a challenge? Or is it simply that it is hard to network and gain the confidence of VCs if you don't live close to where they operate from?
> What exactly is causing the fiction
It's truth, not fiction.
Here are dealflow statistics by country [0]
There isn't enough dealflow in much of the EU, leading to a major issues as a founder where you don't have access to operators to give funding, advice, and open doors. This means you have to move, but this also means local champions don't develop who will fund local entrepreneurs.
It's a chicken and egg situation, as there aren't that many unicorns within mainland Europe (CH and DK for biotech, and SW excluded) meaning there isn't as much capital flowing around or experienced people who can found companies.
Edit: realized you meant friction
> is it simply that it is hard to network and gain the confidence of VCs if you don't live close to where they operate from
Pretty much this.
Re: UK startup gets $1B funding for self-driving car tech
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
To reach the "Microsoft or Nvidia" lead round phase, you need an ecosystem of angel, seed, and early stage investors. This doesn't exist in much of mainland Europe, as that entire ecosystem has been in London for decades, and the entrepreneurship space is fundamentally power law driven.
What exactly is causing the fiction? Is it that there are some laws that make cross-border funding a challenge? Or is it simply that it is hard to network and gain the confidence of VCs if you don't live close to where they operate from?
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