Driven in large part by the rapid growth of the tech sector, the US economy has diverged from other advanced economies. Despite significant strengths in research, much of Europe has been unable to translate this into the type of large digital firms which have become so important to the modern economy.
What are the barriers to developing a thriving tech sector outside of the US? Can European states compete in the tech sector and should they try? What is the future of these advanced economies, if they cannot compete in the industries of the future?
Meet our speakers and chair
Stan Boland is a British entrepreneur in the information technology sector.
Robyn Klingler-Vidra is Reader in Political Economy & Entrepreneurship at King’s Business School. She is the author of Startup Capitalism: New Approaches to Innovation Strategies in East Asia (Cornell University Press, 2025, with Ramon Pacheco Pardo) and The Venture Capital State: The Silicon Valley Model in East Asia (Cornell University Press, 2018). Robyn’s research focuses on entrepreneurship, innovation, and venture capital. She has led cross-country studies for Innovate UK, UNDP, and the Asian Productivity Organisation.
Kanishka Narayan is the Labour MP for Vale of Glamorgan, having been elected in July 2024.
Neil Lee is Professor of Economic Geography in the Department of Geography and Environment at LSE. His research considers economic development, innovation, and public policy. Recent studies have included work on institutions and economic development in Africa and China, regional inequality and political polarisation in Europe and the United States, and innovation policy in Kuwait. He is working on a major ESRC funded project constructing new measures of regional inequality. His book on innovation and inclusive growth is published by University of California Press.
More about this event
This event is part of the LSE Festival: Visions for the Future running from Monday 16 to Saturday 21 June 2025, with a series of events exploring the threats and opportunities of the near and distant future, and what a better world could look like. Booking for all Festival events will open on Monday 19 May.
The Department of Geography and Environment is a centre of international academic excellence in economic, urban and development geography, environmental social science and climate change.
Hashtag for this event: #LSEFestival
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