The last word: ‘Stay, build, and let the world come to you’

The world doesn’t need another start-up from Silicon Valley—it needs your start-up right here, in emerging Europe.

“It’s always very rewarding to receive [enthusiastic] feedback from founders I’ve been able to help, even with a simple piece of advice. I’m happy to see that one finally moved to San Franciso from Georgia (the country, not the US state) and it seems that it works well for them,” an Eastern European founder wrote on Linkedin earlier this week. 

This reminded me of the question my mentee, a recent medicine graduate from Sierra Leone, asked me a couple of months ago, about whether he should stay in his country and make a massive impact for his community, or simply focus on his career and pursue better opportunities.  

• Once considered peripheral, CEE has become integral to the EU’s economic wellbeing
• Romania is about to get its first regional tech accelerator
• From Poland, game-changing in-orbit refuelling tech

I said, “Of course, you can always go abroad but didn’t you complain about the lack of opportunities in Sierra Leone. If you and a group of your colleagues pursue opportunities elsewhere, who will create opportunities in your country?” 

The same applies to the young and creative talent from emerging Europe. 

In a world where innovation knows no borders, the temptation to pack up and move to Silicon Valley can be strong for emerging Europe start-up founders. The allure of tech giants, vast networks, and seemingly endless streams of capital beckon from across the Atlantic. But before you book that one-way ticket, consider this: the future isn’t only in California. It’s right here, in the cities and towns of emerging Europe, where something extraordinary is happening.  

There’s a new narrative unfolding in the region, and you are at the heart of it. Emerging Europe has moved far beyond its past struggles, emerging as a vibrant hub of innovation, creativity, and resilience. 

The people here are hungry for change, eager to solve problems, and ready to make a mark on the world. By staying and building your start-up here, you’re not just following a dream; you’re leading a movement.  

And the streets of Warsaw, Bucharest, Prague, Kyiv, Tallinn, and beyond are teeming with talent. From world-class engineers and developers to visionary designers and marketers, the region is home to some of the brightest minds in tech, and a lot of them are behind the successes of start-ups in the United States. These are people who understand what it means to work hard, think creatively, and overcome challenges.  

A call to action

Building a start-up in emerging Europe doesn’t mean limiting your ambition. On the contrary, some of the most successful global companies started right here. Think of UiPath from Romania, which is now a leader in robotic process automation, or Estonia’s Bolt, challenging giants in the ride-sharing industry. With the right vision, strategy, and determination, your start-up can go global from right where you are. 

Now, it’s true—Silicon Valley is home to unparalleled access to capital and global networks. The funding ecosystem in emerging Europe is still growing, and many investors are more cautious, more conservative. But this is not a disadvantage; it’s an opportunity. It’s a call to action for us, as entrepreneurs, to rise to the challenge and shape the future of our region. 

So, before you consider leaving, take a moment to look around. See the potential, feel the energy, and recognise that this is where you can make the biggest impact, here’s where you can create opportunities for others, for those who will come after you. 

The world doesn’t need another start-up from Silicon Valley—it needs your start-up right here, in emerging Europe. Stay, build, and let the world come to you. 

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