“ They’ re building the future Europe needs, proving that technology and social purpose work together, not in opposition.”
For Sasha, these companies represent a preview of what becomes possible when organisations stop treating AI as an experiment and start treating it as a core strategic capability.
Barriers to scale Realising that potential at scale requires removing the barriers that are currently holding European businesses back.
Sasha identifies three in particular: regulatory complexity, a widening AI skills gap and chronic underinvestment.
When it comes to regulation, the numbers are striking. Startups seeking to scale across Europe must navigate 27 different national regulatory frameworks, while 41 % of businesses cite regulatory fragmentation within the EU as a key barrier to growth.
Meanwhile, 43 % lack a dedicated AI budget, limiting their capacity to invest even when the will is there.
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April 2026