Edward Elgar Publishing Internet Entrepreneurship in Europe: Venture Failure and the Timing of Telecommunications Reform

From its launch in 1997, the Frankfurt technology stock exchange developed spectacularly as did other European technology exchanges. Many Europeans thought that a new age of entrepreneurship had dawned. Following the downturn, however, the search for blame began. Much of this blame was undifferentiated and subjective. Public policy lessons were not drawn. Written by a well-known commentator of the European venture capital community, this book analyses the rise and decline of European internet entrepreneurship. The effects of both the public promotion of venture capital investments as well as the timing of telecommunications reform are examined in detail in various European countries, in particular in Germany and Sweden. The book contains a wealth of unique data on the failure of European internet ventures and draws several technology and telecommunications policy conclusions.