“Meta invests $72 billion, where are the European tech giants?

[techtonicshift@techtonicshift.vivaldi.net]

“Meta invests $72 billion, where are the European tech giants? Bureaucrats can’t match Elon Musk. Europe has no unicorns, no AI centers, no talent cult. Maybe we’re just not made for this.”

I recently heard this reaction to my European Digital Autonomy Initiative (EDAI). It’s not ill-willed — it’s a brutally honest summary of the skepticism many feel. And you know what? I get it. That’s exactly my starting point.

My EDAI doesn’t pretend that Europe is leading the digital race today. We’re not. But accepting this reality isn’t the same as surrendering to it.

Europe doesn’t need to copy Silicon Valley. We don’t need to outspend Meta or worship “techbro” hustle culture. What we do need is to recognize that this is not just a technological game — it’s a cultural and political one too.

Our digital ecosystem should reflect who we are: privacy-conscious, democratic, multilingual, inclusive. It’s not naïve to build on those values — it’s strategic. Long-term trust and legitimacy matter.

Yes, we lack the capital of the Big Five. But we have regulation, infrastructure, community, and a vision of the public good. That’s a different kind of power.

So no, we’re not going to give up. And no, I’m not walking away.
I’m building — slowly, collaboratively, and with purpose. Join me.

Explore the full strategy and share your thoughts: European Digital Autonomy Initiative

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TechTonicShift (@TechTonicShift@vivaldi.net) – Vivaldi Social
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https://techtonicshift.vivaldi.net/2025/05/08/why-even-try-a-european-answer-to-digital-pessimism/

#BuyEuropean #DigitalAutonomy #DigitalSovereignty #EDAI #EuropeanAlternatives #EuropeanValues #OpenSource #TechForEurope #TechTonicShift