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Again, as with many start-ups, the first Dream. Personally, I believe ambition is we’ve seen in Europe in recent years re-
years were very tricky, and SpaceX’s early good (and very different from greed). In the emerging with newer and bigger plans. This
launches did not go to plan. ‘While our first European technology sector there have been cycle is infectious, often with several
three test flights did not reach orbit, it would hundreds of valuable IPOs and trade sales companies being spawned from one
be inaccurate to call them successful management team,
failures, as each one taught us a and the cult of entrepreneurship
lot about the design of the in Europe is growing rapidly as a
rocket. So even though we had
‘Personally, I believe ambition is good
consequence. We are always on
only one success out of four
(and very different from greed)’
the lookout for such people and
flights, that doesn’t mean our enjoy working with them and
success rate is 25 per cent. In fostering that next level of
principle, all our future flights ambition, as much as we enjoy
should work if we build them the same way.’ in the past five years, and some very recently helping first-time entrepreneurs succeed.
Fortunately, the fifth launch was a complete by companies that are true world leaders in To infinity and beyond! ■
success, and the company has recently landed their fields. While the serial entrepreneur is
a £1 billion contract with NASA. often cited as a US phenomenon, there are
Simon Cook is the CEO of venture capital
plenty of serial entrepreneurs emerging in firm DFJ Esprit and has been a key player
PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES Europe. The UK’s own archetype, Richard
in the UK venture capital industry since
1995. He has been involved with a number
Sometimes it feels in Europe that we may be Branson, is planning to take on space and
of Europe’s most successful technology
a little too embarrassed to express our goals electric cars, like Elon Musk. The next start-ups. His past successes include Cambridge Silicon
and dreams to each other, and often we feel decade will be truly exciting as a result.
Radio, Virata, nCipher and KVS. Previously, Simon was a
partner with Elderstreet Investments and a director at
that our brothers in the US are a little brash It is hugely encouraging to witness many
3i in Cambridge.
in their outright pursuit of the American of the people behind the successful exits
BUSINESS XL 37
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