Few transatlantic entrepreneurs know both the European and American start-up scene as intimately as Seesmic and Le Web founder Loic Le Meur. So the first question I asked Loic when he came into the San Francisco TechcrunchTV studio last week was what American start-up entrepreneurs can learn from their European counterparts.
Nothing, Loic told me. Except, perhaps, the ability to invite each other out for lunch.
Europeans, on the other hand, have much to learn from American entrepreneurs. Most of all, Loic insists, European start-up entrepreneurs need to think globally and to stop copying American innovation. “DO NOT COPY”, Loic advises the Europeans – although this doesn’t stretch to intellectual property where he sees European media executives locked in the archaic business model of protecting traditional content.
This is the first part of a two part interview with Le Meur. Check back tomorrow to hear Loic defend his record as Seesmic CEO.
Loic to Europe: “Do Not Copy”
Why Le Web is a global, rather than European, event
Why Europe must wake up and protect the future