Technology and humanity are growing increasingly symbiotic. Today, technology is critical to companies and countries alike, able to transform industries and galvanise economies.
But the global tech landscape is changing. China and the US are home to the tech giants, with the five biggest all headquartered outside Europe. Does this mean Europe’s influence in the global tech space waning, along with its market share?
Europe faces an uphill battle against strict regulation and a market that is politically and culturally fragmented. But it can’t afford to be a bystander. Can it find its pioneering spirit and make the most of the growing demand for digital transformation and innovation?
We believe that by working together, by sharing the latest insights and ideas, we can help shape the future of the European tech sector. It’s why we’re uniting tech experts and business leaders to spur innovation across the continent. Welcome to the Technoverse.
Over the coming years, a growing number of economic, technological and socio-political developments will provide both significant opportunities and demanding obstacles for European tech firms.
Should they prioritise the development of certain technologies? Is more capital really the answer to achieving scale? And what does the future of the European tech sector really look like?
It’s impossible to know what the future holds. But through a combination of trend mapping, in-depth interviews with industry experts, and hours of tech workshops, we’ve brought four possible futures to life, showing how the European tech sector might look in 2030. Each one is fictional, but each one is possible.
Significant opportunities and demanding obstacles for European tech firms
The cowardly cash cow
European companies have deployed technology effectively, enabling transformation, which has yielded greater cash flows. But Europe still lacks any global tech giants of its own.
A tech wasteland
Europe’s economy has faltered as a result of the widespread failure to develop a tech sector at scale. Regulations have discouraged inward investment and encouraged European tech entrepreneurs to leave.
Greatness divided
A minority of European countries are now home to significant technology companies, and their economies are thriving. The remainder, and also the majority of countries however have failed to reap the tech dividend.
Our in-depth research has identified the key developments and trends shaping the future of the European tech sector.
Tens of thousands of news articles and blogs about the future of the European tech sector were analyzed by Deep View, our AI tool. These include deep dives into the US-CN relationship, ecosystem and funding, and cross-industry applications.
Interviews were conducted with subject-matter experts from Deloitte, technology businesses, investors and industry bodies, covering the most crucial economic, political, socio-technological and environmental developments surrounding the European Tech Sector.
We combined two critical uncertainties - “Attractiveness of Europe for tech companies” and “Europe's technological primacy”. This resulted in four distinct futures, which were further developed considering the driving forces with low uncertainty and high impact, so called trends.
Underpinning each scenario are seven core drivers and enablers:
Each scenario is a fictionalised view of the future, featuring made-up companies, but with each narrative extrapolated from real trends, events and technologies. Whilst each outcome is possible, with some more likely than others, Deloitte has created these scenarios to foment discussion on which outcome is desirable, and what needs to happen to get there.
Deloitte’s 12th annual Tech Trends report identifies nine trends that are likely to transform businesses in the next 18 to 24 months, with insights around strategy, risk, and finance implications that can empower technology leaders, business leaders, and board members.
This year's predictions focus on a range of relevant topics, including the start of the 8K wave, 5G and health, Enterprise and education VR goggles surge into reality, and more.
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