Europe will need between 670 and 780 billion USD worth of investments into its digital infrastructure if it hopes to keep pace with the United States and China. The region needs to develop fibre-optic networks and high-speed 5G wireless applications and networks in order to stay competitive in the global tech arena.
According to Guenther Oettinger, the European Union’s digital commissioner, the lack of investments means that “we will lose, because important technological applications will not be possible any longer in our industry”. Oettinger highlighted Switzerland, Ukraine and the western Balkans as being particularly in need of technology investment.
Chinese organisations and individuals are playing an increasingly important role in supporting the European tech sector through sizeable investments. In 2015, Chinese entities made 23 billion USD worth of investments into Europe – a significant 44 percent increase over 2014. The majority of this capital was split between four sectors, including technology.
Many Chinese investors are being drawn to European tech opportunities by the region’s talent pool of highly skilled programmers and developers, as well as a comparatively high number of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) graduates. Earlier this year, Chinese technology investment group Cocoon Networks launched a 721 million USD venture capital fund to invest in European tech startups. Chinese technology firm Beijing Kunlun invested 32 million USD into UK-based peer-to-peer mortgage lender Lendinvest.
Chinese investors are increasingly choosing to source overseas investment opportunities through international business facilitators.
On December 7th, 2016, in Shanghai, Naseba will be organising the Tech Investors Meeting to introduce pre-screened Chinese investors to pre-qualified European tech investment opportunities.
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To learn more, contact:
Alex Baine
Project Lead
Naseba investor introduction
alexbnaseba.com
+971 4 455 7954
