One of the most persistent myths about Europe is that it is finally shrinking. Outdated metrics, misleading headlines and often questionable internal confidence undermine this view. However, the three new top European models speak for themselves.
Real-time Internet communication: We forget that Skype started it all
The early technologies that laid the foundation for Skype and Zoom have strong European roots, especially with the development of peer-to-peer (P2P) communication and audio compression technology. Skype was founded in 2003 by a group consisting of a Swedish entrepreneur, Unicnnström, and a Danish entrepreneur, Janus Fris. However, most of the core technical work is done by a group of Estonian developers. Estonia began to position itself as a place for digital innovation in the early 2000s, investing in a tech-savvy workforce and pioneering efforts in e-government and Internet infrastructure.
Although Skype was acquired by eBay in 2005 and by Microsoft in 2011, and continues to be developed in the United States, the original platform and character traits come directly from the renewal of European technology. In May 2025, Microsoft announced the to close skypewhich was replaced by Microsoft teams. Zoom, while an up-to-date and US-based platform, builds on many principles and technological breakthroughs that were pioneered and tested in applications such as Skype.
Airbus: a symbol of European unity and industrial ambition
The global competition between Boeing and Airbus is heating up. The jet airliner business is particularly challenging because product development times are measured in decades rather than years. It remains to be seen how the trade wars will affect the competitive duo. To plan successfully, large airlines need a strong political and regulatory environment.
Headquartered in Leiden, Netherlands and Blagnac, France, with operations spread across several European countries, Airbus has long been at the forefront of aviation and industrial cooperation. Founded in 1970 as a Consortium of European Aerospace companies, Airbus has become a symbol of European unity and industrial ambition, challenging the dominance of American architecture.
Innovation has always been Airbus’ room for growth and success. One of its most notable achievements came with the launch of the A320 in the late 1980s, the first commercial airliner to feature a fully digital control system. Airbus then pushed the boundaries of commercial aviation with the A380, the world’s largest passenger plane, designed to carry more than 800 people in all-economy configuration. Despite the challenges of the A380 faced with equal market costs and operational costs, its development was a monumel Engineering feat, demonstrating the ability of Airbus to carry out complex, high-end projects. Looking ahead, Airbus is committed to building zero-emission aircraft by the 2030s. Beyond commercial aircraft, it plays a major role in the defense and space sectors and is a leader in AeroSpace Innovation, committed to advancing technology.
Meanwhile, Boeing – its American rival – has been more than its share of problemsmany of them had done. The pandemic itself had backfired, destroying air traffic around the world and forcing Boeing to slash production rates, lay off thousands of workers and delay development times across the board. Underlying many of Boeing’s problems has been a high level of culture and opportunity management. The increasing emphasis on financial performance, share price and cost cutting is believed to be contributing to the weakening of Boeing’s traditional engineering ethos.
BionTech and the covion vaccine
In the early days of the Covil-19 pandemic, the European Union moved quickly to support scientific and medical efforts to combat the problem. Among the important efforts of the EU was the financing of Biontech, a biotechnology company founded in 2008 in Mainz, Germany, based on research by Uğur şahin and Özlem Türeci.
Through the European Investment Bank, The The EU gave bioontech a € 100 million ($115.8 million) Loan guarantee to accelerate the development of the MRNA foundation. This early funding helped BionTech scale up its research and manufacturing capabilities at a critical time. Apart from direct financial support, the EU also supports international cooperation through the launch Data sharing platforms and digital tools to enable real-time collaboration between investigators. Cross-Border innovation efforts were quickly developed, creating an organized space for European research aimed at tackling the virus.
In December 2020, PFizer-Biontech’s vaccine Comirnatine received full approval from the EU for people 16 and older. In 2021 alone, PFizer around the world delivered three billion doses to 180 countries. A significant part was sent to low- and middle-income countries, mainly through government channels, organizations such as Covax and humanitarian donations.
OTHER WRITINGS
The new European hiring model prioritizes long-term sustainability over short-term disruption and is especially strong in areas where technology meets social need. Social demand is more relevant than ever before in 2025, as inequality, economic insecurity and social isolation are established societies around the world. Addressing these needs is essential to restore trust, equality and sustainable development.
Comparing productivity, GDP growth, labor force participation, health care outcomes and quality of life reveals that Europe has not held its ground but often surpasses the US and China in human development and economic performance. In addition, the Trump Administration’s hostility to Clean Energy has created a range of strategic opportunities (although not without their risks) for European leadership. While the US and China may hold the lead in certain areas of industrial innovation such as AI, the EU is more competitive in the public sector’s use of technology. For example, Estonia has become a global leader in digital governance and mobility.
The EU direct investment (FDI) regulation serves as a framework for Assessing Foreign Investments that would threaten public safety or order. While it does not involve decision-making at the EU level, it establishes a formal communication mechanism that allows the European Commission and EU member states to share information and express concerns about proposed foreign investments. The final decision, however, always rests with the state of the member where the money is made.
The regulation actively encourages member states to establish inspection regimes. It aims to invest in critical sectors focused on the economic promotion of Europe, national security, and semiconductors, semiconducting, telecommion services, services), Cloud Services, energy and biotech.
Innovation is the heartbeat of any 21st century power, and Europe has been unfairly accused of lacking it. The money paid, the deep technical expertise and the rigor to control Europe’s skills in mathematics, renewable energy, materials science and quantum computing. Europe may not produce as many “Unicorn” startup figures as the US, but it’s a global creative process with a great personality, great impact. Time to change the record.
SuperEurope: The unlikely hero of the 21st century around Arturo Bris is here now.