Towards Cooperation between European Start-Ups : The Position of the French, Dutch and German Entrepreneurial and Innovative Engineer

A model of entrepreneurial and innovative European engineers and their interaction with the environment through networks and cooperation is developed using examples from France, the Netherlands, and Germany. Among the literature, it has been found that French engineers were more interested in pure science than in solving difficult technical problems with less concern about immediate marketability. The Dutch were found to build their businesses around a "consensus" principle—i.e., everyone should have input and everyone must reach a consensus on an agreeable solution. German engineers were found to build their business practices around a "competence first" principle. Findings indicate that cooperation between startups in Europe is not a question only of national culture. A perfect innovation culture seems to merge not only at the national level, but also should match perfectly the professional culture of the European engineers and the corporate culture of their firms. Entrepreneurial and innovative engineers also need a strong interaction with their environment, be it within the firms they wish to leave or, once started, in the search of partners and a market for their innovative ideas. However, the natural and cultural diversity brought in by managers and engineers from different European countries in start-up cooperation may help in overcoming potential challenges. (JSD)