Good article about French and Finnish startups in the latest edition of Futures magazine and some of the latest start-ups featured on Startupzone from Europe. The Irish invaded Silicon Valley last week too, as part of our work with Enterprise Ireland - read more here . This week sees the much-anticipated...

Here I am in sunny Frisco and attempting to adapt to PST. My feet barely touched the ground in the UK after my time in Eastern Europe, before I boarded a plane bound for the West Coast. Yet again I am surviving on a few hours sleep and cramming in as much time with friends & colleagues and experiencing...

EBAN threw a great conference in Madrid: BizSpark went down well with the Business Angel networks (helping save their portfolio companies money in the early years always popular) and the networking was very worthwhile. I met some great people and we heard some fantastic stories about angel investing...

I am engrossed in The White Tiger at the moment. Awesome read. The BRIC countries are so vast and so diverse, still growing at quite a pace: India forecasting around 5.5% growth. In London last Wednesday the theme was India: the opportunity for UK companies in India and Indian innovation that can...

My good friend Mike Sigal from Guidewire Group will host a networking session (he calls it "Cocktails") for investors, entrepreneurs and other worthy people in London 5th Feb together with NESTA and partners. Worth going along if you are in town. Good way to connect to folks back in the Valley: February...

I will be speaking about BizSpark at an event in Dublin held by Microsoft Ireland if you happen to be in the area.... Ireland were one of the first countries to launch the new program on 6 November and have seen incredible demand so far. Great coverage on TV & Radio and some good articles in the...

Fancy finding an excuse to visit LA in a few weeks? Register for our PDC event . There is even a letter to convince your boss to let you go! Details of pre-sessions also posted on our start-up zone site .

At Microsoft we are supporting this year's European Venture Contest - with semi finals in Eindhoven, Prague, Copenhagen and Pamplona, along with a summit in Dusseldorf and finals in Barcelona in December. If you are a start-up seeking funding, you should consider applying. For info on events take...

After our Brussels summit it was time to get a bit closer to home for the BBAA conference in Brands Hatch (via Barcelona). The sun was still shining at that point. At the awards dinner the night before, I bumped into the very charismatic Richard Farleigh . Back in London, I caught up with Ian Robertson...

Last week we held our European Investor Summit in Brussels attended by 170+ VC and Angel investors and top tech start-ups from over 20 countries, as well as Microsoft execs. We saw the launch of our IP Ventures company Zignals, and 45+ exhibiting companies connect with potential investors. Feedback from...

It's been a while since I had time to reflect and update my blog. Where did May go? After my US trip in April, things have been a little hectic. I spent the first week of May in SA meeting Partners, Govt officials, seeing our facilities and programs and discussing our plans with the local Microsoft...

          Entrepreneurship is alive and well in Europe. I've spent the last few days in Brussels attending the Benelux Venture Forum . There is certainly no shortage of great technology start-ups and venture capital in the region from what I witnessed. Investors were various...

Bill was in London yesterday - his last visit to the UK while he is still full-time at Microsoft. This comes at the end of a ten-day tour through the Middle East and Europe, where Bill keynoted at the Government Leader's Forum in Berlin and at the WEF in Davos ; in Abu Dhabi, he witnessed the signing...

On Tuesday entrepreneurs and policymakers from over 30 countries convened in Portman Square to plan for a worldwide enterprise week this time next year, designed to promote entrepreneurship and enterprise among young people around the globe. It is based on Enterprise Week - taking place this week across...

In case you haven't seen these - the East of England development agency (EEDA) - in conjunction with Library house - are hosting their Destination Growth event tomorrow with some great keynotes. Then Advantage West Midlands are holding their annual ICT conference on 22nd November. You'll find representation...

Worth signing up for the Library House event in London on 20th November. Here's the agenda . Their blog is great too. Lots happening the week before for Enterprise Week . Check out all the events going on here .

Getting into London on Monday morning to attend The Online Opportunity event which featured our own Steve Ballmer was challenging: I had a flat tyre on my car, got a late train, and Victoria was closed due to a security alert. And it was raining. But it was worth it when I did get there... Brent Hoberman...

"Someone needs what you know. Someone knows what you need." This is the rather clever motto of Horsesmouth - a recently launched e-mentoring solution where people volunteer their expertise and experience to someone else's benefit. The reception at 10 Downing Street on 24th July was part of the Prime...

Last week saw 400+ UK Microsoft Partners and 8,000+ from around the globe descend on humid Denver, Colorado, for our Worldwide Partner Conference. WPC is a great forum to celebrate success as our fiscal year closes and we look ahead to the coming fiscal year. There seemed to a be a great buzz about...

On Monday, fresh from a relaxing weekend in St Andrew's (where it rained a lot), I participated in a panel discussion along with Margaret Hodge, Minister of State for Industry and the Regions, at the launch of the Women's Enterprise Ambassador's Network . The recruitment of 1,000+ to this network...

Back from my travels and straight back into it. Last Thursday at the British Library, Microsoft launched Developing the Future 2007 - a report on the socio-economic impact of the UK software industry. Worth a read. Some great pieces in there from key commentators (and friends). Keynotes on the day from...

PRESS RELEASE Microsoft Initiative Helping Facilitate Greater Alliances Between UK and Vietnam Software Economies Highlighted by the participation of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, a delegation of UK companies hears about Microsoft Corporation’s commitment to facilitating high-value cross...

Last night I met up some folks at an Internet People dinner at Adam St club. I've heard good things . I felt like an imposter (and said as much) as I can't claim to know a fraction of what's going on 'on the scene' as the Web 2.0 entrepreneurs and the VC's out there in the thick of it. Or even our very...

The highlight of the week for me has got to be the annual Sir Digby Jones Business Breakfast with Harvey Nash. Possibly the most inspiring talk of the year thus far. And Microsoft got a mention. Wow, was I proud (OK, OK I can hear the groans....but it is pleasing to know he is excited about the things...

Happy Friday. Gosh....what a week. Looking forward to chilling out over the long weekend. Got back from Seattle on Wednesday straight into a meeting with SEEDA about (primarily) women's enterprise and what we can together in the South East. Last night I attended the Thames Valley Economic Partnership...