London, you inspired us!

15 Oct 2026•2 min read

London, you inspired us!
Europe's tech ecosystem is evolving faster than ever, with ambitious founders, incredible talent, and a growing drive to build globally competitive companies. This week gave us a firsthand look at just how much is happening, seen through a UK lens.

We brought CDTM students to London to peek behind closed doors at more than 20 investors & startups. We talked with first-time founders in their early 20s and with AI research giants who have decades of experience. We went deep on topics from AI infrastructure to the future of biology and music, among so many other areas. And we only scratched the surface.

The trip challenged a lot of our existing opinions on the future of tech and startups, and it led to some very heated discussions on the way back. We were inspired by the global ambition we found across the city, and by how much research labs like Google DeepMind shape the overall trajectory of the hub.

We visited scale-ups like ElevenLabs, Ramp and Cognition, and investors like Lightspeed, ICONIQ, Accel and General Catalyst. Each visit was different, but the mindset was similar. Founders were open about what worked and what didn’t, and they made time for our questions even in the middle of busy days. A strong ecosystem grows when people share what they learn.

That openness is what makes London work. Talent moves, knowledge travels quickly, and people give back early. Trust is not a side effect here, it is part of the infrastructure, and it is what keeps the ecosystem producing.

It is our responsibility to connect ecosystems and help Europe’s talent compound. What a trip, and we can’t wait to see where it leads 🇩🇪 🤝 🇬🇧

Special shoutout to the CDTM organizing team (Paulina Moehrle, Noah Grohganz & Benedikt Albertsen) and our hosts in the comments who made this trip unforgettable 💥