Once I based Scalable Capital in London again in 2014, the town felt electrical. There was a strong sense of inevitability.
In case you had daring ambitions and grit, London was the place to construct. Buyers believed it. Policymakers believed it. Founders believed it.
2014 was the yr of the primary London Tech Week, the likes of Monzo and Starling Financial institution had been being born and funding capital was flowing. Instantly, London was the tech capital of the world.
Quick-forward to 2025, and that electrical energy has been changed by one thing else fully: doubt.
We’ve gone from being the undisputed fintech capital to questioning whether or not we are able to even compete in AI. Conversations revolve round slumping funding, sluggish exits, and perceived authorities indifference. In the meantime, Paris celebrates Mistral, Stockholm champions Lovable, and we’re left questioning the place our AI rocketships are….
