🇪🇺 eu/acc AMA: How can we save Europe?
👋 Hi Product Hunters!
I'm here today not to launch a product, but in a way for something much more interesting: to talk about eu/acc 😊
For the last decade, I was digital nomading and living in different places all around the world. While the places where I lived abroad, like Asia and America, were getting more ambitious and modern every time I visited them, Europe, and especially Western Europe, started to feel stagnant to me.
Of course, that was one of the reasons why I left Europe in the first place. When I said I wanted to be an entrepreneur after graduating university, I was laughed at even by my university classmates who studied business! It was "safer" to get a job for a big corporation and get experience first. Then you could start a business later.
And when I finally had my own internet business that was making thousands per month, I remember telling people in Amsterdam, and they'd ask me "when are you going to get a real job?".
This was a stark difference from when I was abroad and told people what I did. People were excited, supportive and wanted to learn to do the same thing.
Every year that I came back to Europe the culture felt more stagnant, more pessimistic, and more normie.
Of course there was great things about Europe for me pulling me back: my parents and brothers live here, and when I ended up in Portugal during COVID, I loved the nature, the clean air and the laid-back coastal surf village life and ended up moving here.
And that brought me to an interesting point: seeing where the rest of the world was going, as a European, while seeing Europe slowly getting worse. It became harder and harder to build a startup here. And we started seeing this in losing any lead we had in technology in the last decade. The big tech and AI companies are now all in the US and China, there's very few left in Europe:
The insane regulation that the EU brought upon everyone I think directly caused this:
VATMOSS
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Digital Services Act (DSA)
Digital Markets Act (DMA)
ePrivacy Regulation
The AI Act
...and many more
Which all had good intentions, but made it very difficult to comply as a small or medium business owner. Sure if you're a billion dollar corporation, you can hire bookkeepers and lawyers to comply. But if you're a one-man or small startup?
Last year around April, the data finally started showing what I felt for over decade, Europe was in fact struggling and for the reasons that I felt in my gut:
https://x.com/levelsio/status/1784943280171467260
I felt we had to at least try do something to change the mindset in Europe. I started eu/acc, European Accelerationsim as an offshoot of e/acc, Effective Accelerationsim, a similar movement by Beff Jezos in the United States. Out with the pessimism about the future, and in with optimism about technology and the future. And in particular in eu/acc's case: draw attention to the problems of Europe and propose practical ways to fix them.
eu/acc is a movement to deregulate and save Europe
Thousands of people have now crowdsourced tens of thousands of ideas of which the most important ones have now become part of the official eu/acc manifesto on euacc.com
And it hasn't just stopped there: eu/acc's ideas are part of Mario Draghi's European Competitiveness report which was presented to the European Commission in September 2024 and implemented in January 2025 by Ursula von der Leyen as the European Competitiveness Compass.
Of course that's just reports. We need actual action and laws changed to make Europe a great place for people and business again. And to guarantee its economic future.
One of the most important components is not regulation, but deregulation: remove regulation that makes it impossible for tech entrepreneurs, startups and companies in Europe to do business and compete with the rest of the world.
Because Europeans are highly skilled, highly educated, they have great ideas, and many are actually ambitious. They're just stifled by regulation and as a consequence a culture that has slowly become so risk-averse that it's been starting to self-sabotage its future.
Europe can be great, so let's make it that again! 😊
Today I'd love to answer your questions, and I'd even more love to hear YOUR ideas on how to save Europe!
-A proud 🇪🇺 European
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Replies
I've been following you from back in the days you were blogging. You've consistently had an unconventional take that was rooted in your sincere and idiosyncratic observations. I aspire to call it all out as honestly as you do. EuAcc is only the latest example.
But please, as a Dutch citizen and major critic of the EU system, please don't use the EU logo to rally the troops. I am 100% on board with you philosophically and energetically, but using the EU logo is like pooping in the party punch. The EU doesn't include Switzerland (where I live) or the UK (which are certainly Europe too) and it represents a certain (failed imo) philosophical approach to European coherence — to which you're proposing an alternative.
New logo please!
@jessems That's the flag of Europe. It way predates the EU. From wikipedia:
The flag of Europe or European flag[note 1] consists of twelve golden stars forming a circle on a blue field. It is the official flag of the European Union. It was designed and adopted in 1955 by the Council of Europe (CoE) as a symbol for the whole of Europe.
It will take generations to heal the damage inflicted upon the souls of what once were free men that are now serfs. Animals born in captivity can't be released in the wilderness.
Europe is so far gone we need enlightenment, not just a bit of deregulation. The prevalent mentality in Europe is state-centric. The state will take care of everything and I as individual can't really fuck up too much because my nanny is always there to catch me.
Generations upon generations born into serfdom, indoctrinated with endless rules and taxes can't think their way out of it. Even the people who are slowly starting to see things are rotten from the core are too pacified and too fearful of being on their own, too afraid to not have the state there to hold their hands to dream of a world where they are free. Free to say what they want (you'll go to jail or be fined in at least half of the european countries if you say something they dont like), free to pursue what you want without needing to ask permission, free to dream of a life not in servitude of the state.
We also need complete deregulation, abolishment of EC and everything else you have planned under eu/acc, but the problem is deeper. I think the soul has been broken, the average european has given up on things ever changing. The governments are all corrupt in one way or the other. The agendas across EU are insane. Abandoning energy independence, importing people who will never integrate in the society, censoring and punishing free speech, killing the dreams of any entrepreneur and imposing harsher and harsher restrictions on people. And yet the people are pacified into obedience. Maybe they complain in private, they bitch about taxes over a glass of wine with friends. But then they will also report their neighbour to the police because he had 3 people over during covid.
We are nations traumatized by past wars, warring political factions and leaving under iron fist of one of the other empire for 100s of years.
Just having a few more startups won't heal this place. The incentives for politicians and governments to lessen their grip don't exist. Apathy is everywhere. People just get by. "Ohh things suck, but I might cheat a bit on taxes so I can take my girlfriend to a vacation over the weekend and its all good". We have been pacified. Made obedient.
We need to bring people back into the light. Show to them that production wins over plunder. That regulation only protects the current system. That taxes are immoral, not something that just belongs to the country as it always did. We need to become free men again, taking ownership of our lives back into our hands. Remove all the shackels imposed by the tyrants in disguises. We need to educate people. But not in indoctrination camps called state schools. We need to bring people in the public square and talk to them. Lift the blinders from their eyes. And let people who want to live better live better.
eu/acc: European Accelerationism
@aaaljaz I do not disagree with you.
But I'd like to remind you from history we've had countries and regions re-invent themselves many times before.
But it takes a belief that it's possible to change that.
You do not have that belief which is ironic because that's exactly what you've accurately observed of Europeans.
@levelsio My problem is not the lack of belief but more core belief that nation states are not the most productive way to organize humanity, and more importantly that we have lost the basic freedoms given to us by nature. So what I question is the basic premise that someone should govern me, not the how.
Of course directionally any change towards less control by means of plunder and bureaucracy is welcome as every step in that direction enables humanity to flourish a bit more, to take a breath that is a bit more free. But I deeply believe that the measures possible under anything resembling the current system are nowhere near enough. Commerce should be unrestricted as is as basic to human existence as free thought and free speech, both of which are getting attacked severely in EU.
So yes, you are both right and wrong, I do not believe that EU can be redeemed and I also don't really believe most people want a big change. But I believe with all my heart that humans should be left alone to decide what they want to do with their lives, how they want to cooperate, organize and trade between themselves. I believe humanity's progress is being slowed down by the way we live, that plunder has become the natural state of things and that people would rather jail and shame those who dream of living free(er) than look into the mirror and see what is broken inside.
I think that the whole business sphere online is a bit too American-centered. Does Europe need reforms? Of course, it is a natural cause of things. Does it need saving? It depends on how we define from what.
We could take a bit different look at the US's state of things with:
raging monopolies,
scale of insider trading, and lobbying in a form that should be defined as corruption, which is easier due to raging monopolies,
social inequalities at a level similar to what historically cause violent revolutions in several countries,
overinflated values of businesses, based on market speculations, vibes, and not real value they provide, looking in many cases like a venture capital pyramid scheme,
generating value for shareholders has a legal priority, disregarding other stakeholders, which leads to the mentioned overvaluation and lack of protection.
It is also interesting, that many companies are very vocal against the public sector and regulations, at the same time profiting tremendously from government contracts and subsidies.
Of course those problems spread globally, as the US economic model is presented as a global standard. Because of that, the economy is in such state, that for many people entrepreneurship is becoming the only way to have a chance for a decent living. Do we really need to replicate that, or rather should find a new model?
As for general deregulation, we should be very careful, as it can be used by mentioned monopolies to block new competitors, by getting even more leverage. We have to create conditions for new businesses to thrive, which means curbing monopolies. We could also implement programs that will help new businesses with compliance, and make it easier for them.
We also should be careful using only GDP as an indicator of the health of the economy as it can grow from the wrong reasons, and the market value of companies is rather just a vanity metric.
Hey there! This is such a fascinating perspective, and I can definitely relate to a lot of what you're saying.
It's wild how different the entrepreneurial mindsets can be across regions. In Europe, that whole "play it safe, get a corporate job first" mentality is deeply ingrained, and it really does feel like it's holding back a lot of potential. When I was exploring startup ideas a while back, I faced a similar kind of pushback from family and friends. It's like there's this fear of failure that overshadows the excitement of taking risks and innovating.
But it's not all doom and gloom for Europe. Even though the big tech and AI powerhouses are mostly in the US and China right now, there's still so much untapped potential here. Portugal, where you've settled, has a ton of hidden gems. The fact that you love the nature, air, and the laid - back lifestyle there is a huge plus. And those elements can actually be a great draw for building a unique kind of startup. For example, with the rise of remote work, Portugal could become a hub for eco - friendly or lifestyle - focused startups that combine work with a great quality of life.
We also have to consider the unique strengths Europe has. There's a rich history of craftsmanship, design, and research. Maybe instead of trying to compete head - on with the US and China in the same tech arenas, European startups could focus on niches that leverage these existing strengths. Think about luxury tech products with a European design aesthetic, or AI - powered solutions for industries like heritage preservation.
I'm curious, have you seen any signs of a shift in this entrepreneurial mindset in Europe lately? Or are there any specific areas you think European startups could really thrive in, given the current landscape? Let's start a conversation and figure out how we can make Europe a more vibrant startup ecosystem again!
Q1. Generally messaging is a lot about deregulation. Is there anything that you think actually needs increased regulation in order to stimulate growth?
Q2. I understand the desire to reform the EU. If the EU moves too slowly or proves to be too resistent to change, would you wish for member countries (especially Portugal where you now have a home, or the Netherlands perhaps) to consider leaving the EU altogether?
Follow your work on X, your websites are good inspiration for people like me trying to create their own products without going through the VC path. I have a question (not EU related, sorry) and a separate suggestion regarding EU.
Question: As I am newbie indie dev - can you explain the best way to pick an ideal niche/product that has the best chances of being economically viable and ultimately a success - because with the advent of gen AI, I have so many ideas that seem viable but not sure how focus or select on one niche. I have many ideas related to building AI tools in various niches (e.g. tool to help ebook readers, AI agent to optimize credit card points/airline bookings, e-commerce related AI tools, etc.). Should I (similar to your initial approach - 12 startups in 12 months) build the most barebones version of each idea quickly (e.g. 1 month per idea) and see if it gets traction/paying customers?
How did you ultimately narrow down on building PhotoAI/InteriorAI vs the many other AI types of tools you could have built?
Suggestion regarding EU: I feel the biggest change for the EU will happen when the populace elects younger people to political power. Ideally people under 35-40 that actually understand tech and were born during the internet age. I was impressed by that young politician, I think from Cyprus? I believe his name is Fidias, who brought so much transparency as to how the EU works just through his TikTok videos.
Thank you for doing the AMA!
2 questiones:
What do you think of the EU and its structure?
How can you build a thriving internal consumer market?
chatWise
@levelsio great post man. I have a few questions for you though.
I totally agree, that Europe has not been growing as US/Asia the last decade or so. This has been mainly due to the fact that when in 2008 they printed 6 trillion after the mortgage crash, US/Asia invested in things (mainly assets), Europe didnt. That is the main reason.
So my question is....when you say remove regulation or make it easier for tech entrepreneurs to kick things off what do u mean exactly?
Are you referring to the fact that integrate Stripe payments you need to set up an entity?
Are you referring to funding?
I build products myself, Im a blockchain and AI solopreneur, this is the main reason why I am asking. For me the main problem is the need for incorporation, tax filing that increases the costs of running the business that annoy me a lot. And i usually turn to crypto. But crypto here is hunted like a serial killer.
Are those the things you are referring to? Or do you have other ideas of things that need to be deregulated?
Thanks
Cheers from Spain & Greece.
The problem is multifaceted. It is cultural first and foremost. Europeans like collectivism much more than the Americans. The Americans fucked off over it and then fought a war over it and it is deeply engrained in them to say: Fuck you! When somebody steps or treads on them. In Europe, people want to be governed harder. They want more rules and they want more regulation. Covid was a excellent example. While Miami was long open for business, Germany was still covering behind segregation rules.
I'm talking about averages here of course and I am grossly oversimplifying. But that culture you can see in many many many parts of life. In the US, business is easy regulation is low and socialism does not really exist outside of their central bank. In Europe, business is harder because regulation is insane and socialism and collectivism are everywhere.
People feel entitled to the income of others. See tax rates as an example. That is why in Europe socialist government win elections all the time and that is why you have more socialist policies there. And that is also why you have socialist outcomes like you are describing. Not much of a surprise that the US outperformed massively just based on tax rates alone without all the other overhead that Europe levies.
To fix all this would require massive reform of the socialist welfare state and tax apparatus which will not be palpable to the masses. Thus, it is hard to see a fix come to pass without a major bankruptcy and debt restructuring of the nation state.
To me, it looks like the ship needs to hit rock bottom like it has an Argentina before common sense deregulation can appear on the scene like it has down there with Javier Milei. But maybe I am too cynical. I hope I am and I hope I am wrong and I hope you can fix this! I wish you all the best.
@jogicodes The US is a much lower trust society than Europe's. This is what you saw in their managing (mismanagement) of Covid. I was in Germany during Covid and I found that they managed it OK. They could have stopped restrictions earlier but in light of everyone including those making the rules being slightly traumatised I will give them a pass on that. I would rather we collectively work together to save the more vulnerable than to have a hyper-individualist approach like the USA. Same way I wouldn't be happy to be in super strict lockdown in hypercollectivist China (in fact I was in Singapore when news broke of the first Singaporean infection and I had my families flights to Germany booked within 15 minutes of finding out).
Europe sits between east and west and can balance these approaches. We need to enable the individual so that the collective can thrive. This is what EU Inc is about for me. You can't sustain a social safety net if you don't have the GDP for it.
I agree that many adjustments need to be made. High tax rates sustaining inefficient clown show bureaucracy for the purpose of making unemployment figures look good is a major issue. This whole left right false dichotomy really bothers me though. I fully believe that is the language of 20th century politics and it is possible to be both pro business and retain the desirable aspect of social policies.
Completely agree on the need for de-regulation. Europe has become too tight, too comfortable (for now), and too fear-based in its thinking - in my opinion.
I know quite a bunch of very bright entrepreneurs who went elsewhere to start shop and flourish, which I find very unfortunate.