This article was taken from the April 2015 issue of WIRED magazine. Be the first to read WIRED's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
Neelie Kroes is the Dutch politician who fought to eliminate your roaming charges. Now a special envoy for Dutch startups, she wants to boost the Netherlands' tech scene. "We need to take advantage of our single market and the talent among entrepreneurs in Europe," Kroes tells WIRED after attending the D5 government meeting, hosted by Francis Maude, the UK's minister for the Cabinet Office. During her four years as European commissioner for digital agenda, Kroes, 73, lobbied for more open data, cut the cost of laying broadband networks and founded Startup Europe. She tells WIRED what's next -- and why Uber can't be blocked.
**WIRED: What does the new job entail?**Neelie Kroes: It is an initiative of the Dutch government to give opportunities to startups. There will be a team of ten people located in Amsterdam in the former Navy embarkments, and we will be stimulating and connecting all the parties that are involved with startups. And not only Dutch ones -- we want to attract international startups from the European Union or even from the Far East, like China, and from the US.
**What can the Netherlands offer?**We want to create a climate that pampers new initiatives. We will help start conversations with business angels and venture capitalists across Europe, and connect startups with research institutions and other innovative parties. [In December] the Netherlands launched a new visa system for startups so it's very easy for them to go there. Office space is a lot cheaper than in the UK, so I think as a creative environment it's the right one to stimulate growth.
**How did you get interested in startups in the first place?**During my time as European commissioner for digital agenda, there were a couple of areas where I had special interest and one of them was startups. I was really impressed by those who are taking an entrepreneurial approach to creating more jobs in Europe, more economic growth. My portfolio was completely horizontal -- it had links with energy, the economy, education, health, you name it. And the European app economy across these verticals already showed revenues of €17.5 billion (£13.6bn) in 2013, so we can create enormous growth in jobs just around these apps.
**What's holding Europe back, in terms of digital innovation?**I think it's investment into internet infrastructure. We need high-speed broadband, and we also need more research in this area. Perhaps it is not sexy enough to spend government money on high-speed broadband, because you can't see or touch it, but [governments] need to be aware that those investments are badly needed. Every European should be digital wherever they are living, whether it's in the countryside outside London or in the mountains. If you don't have that type of service, then you are blocked in your opportunities. Of course you can't guarantee everybody the same speed, but every outlet must have high-speed connections.
**How can government help to nurture startups?**Cities should be working with startups to implement new services. All relevant government-owned data needs to be more transparent and open. Only then can startups develop new business models, where they offer a product that citizens are interested in. The government can't act as if it's an owner protecting his monopoly.
**Do you think Europe's cities are dealing with new digital services such as Uber in the right way?**Cities need to take into account that systems have to be changed, and give guidance to these services. But just saying "We don't want you" is narrow minded. As a cab driver, you have to pay a lot of money for your licence -- so it becoming obsolete is not reasonable. There should be a sincere approach to how laws can give them more security, but saying "no" to these new businesses means that you are negatively impacting your citizens. That is not how you deal with new technology.
**Is there any unfinished business in the EC that you wish you could have completed?**Well, I was replaced by three men. I know they are doing their utmost to get the blessing of Parliament and of the Council to get rid of roaming charges. This will give rise to new business opportunities for the incumbents, but also to new companies. If I had two months more, then I would have done it myself, but my successors are doing the job.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
