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Navigating change in the European landscape – tech sector trends revealed 

In the rapidly advancing world of technology, the 2023 Tyto Tech 500 report unveils intriguing insights into the influencers and sectors shaping the European tech landscape.

Compiling the top influencers from five European countries – the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Sweden –  the report reflects an interesting dynamic of influence across tech sectors. While four major tech sectors continue to dominate, the rankings show notable changes, emphasising the agility and responsiveness of the European tech ecosystem towards global issues, opportunities and challenges.

The most dominant tech sectors

Similar to last year, General Tech, EnterpriseTech, Fintech and ConsumerTech represent more than half (53%) of all influencers in the Tyto Tech 500 rankings showing year-on-year dominance. However, beyond this foundation, shifts in influence across tech sectors reveal the responsive nature of the European tech scene to contemporary challenges.

Rising sectors: ConsumerTech, GeneralTech and AI & Data Science

ConsumerTech, General Tech and AI & Data Science emerge as the fastest-growing sectors rising in relevance this year in the overall Tech 500, marking a significant shift compared to last. The surge in ConsumerTech can be attributed to its continuous adaption to global trends such as remote work, learning and entertainment during the pandemic and more recently its ability to be at the forefront accessible and affordable AI and smart home solutions.

GeneralTech’s rising prominence reflects those influencers who are adapting to evolving digital landscapes and emerging technologies. The accelerated adoption of AI and data science solutions has undoubtedly contributed to its increased influence as a sector as individuals turn to experts for support and guidance. 

Declining sectors: HealthTech, MarTech and BioTech 

In contrast, HealthTech, MarTech and BioTech have shown a decline in their presence in the overall Tyto Tech 500, compared to last year. This underscores a changing focus and shift in priorities across Europe, reflecting a decrease in importance of these sectors compared to the previous year.   

Pan-European landscape: shifting tides 

Analysing the pan-European Tech 500, the ranking of the 500 most influential figures from across the five countries analysed in the report, reveals nuanced changes in influence. 

The Cybersecurity sector shows an increase in influence by 1.8 percentage points. The surge can be attributed to recent evolving cyber threats, increased digital transformation, and growing awareness of AI security concerns and regulatory pressures. Its rise demonstrates the pivotal role that the Cybersecurity sector plays in safeguarding technological advancements.    

ConsumerTech and FinTech and GeneralTech also display a boost in influence across the pan-European Tech 500. In contrast, sectors such as FoodTech & AgriTech, MarTech and Travel & TransporTech witness a decrease in influence, signalling a shift in priorities within the pan-European tech landscape.   

SpaceTech’s ascension  

SpaceTech has risen substantially in relevance in both the overall Tech 500 and the ranking of the 500 most influential pan-European influencers . This surge in relevance suggests a growing acknowledgement of the importance of space exploration, satellite technology, and related innovations in the European tech sphere.

Only two other sectors out of 17 analysed have expanded their presence in both the overall Tech 500 and in the pan-European top 500. These are ConsumerTech and General Tech showing their significant and widespread influence in the last year as they maintain a majority position of influence over other sectors.   

Five other sectors have declined in relevance throughout 2023 in both the rankings, compared to the previous year. These are HealthTech, MarTech, Travel & TransporTech, Quantum Technology and EdTech. 

Navigating turbulent times with tech innovation 

In an era marked by volatility and uncertainty, the European influencer landscape mirrors the challenges and opportunities of our times. As we navigate geopolitical tensions, war, cyber threats and economic challenges, technology stands as a critical tool for enabling agility and resilience as we respond to survive and thrive.  

For a comprehensive understanding of the ever-evolving European tech landscape and in-depth insights into the Tyto Tech 500 influencers, download the full report. Discover emerging trends across influencer categories and tech sectors that are shaping the dynamic tech landscape of our future. 

Tech sectors Tech 500

 

Featured photo by Google DeepMind

Are the most influential women in tech narrowing the gender gap?

The technology industry is rapidly growing, and its influence is increasingly transforming the way we live and work. Despite its potential, the technology sphere has long been marked by gender disparity, but an encouraging shift is underway as the European tech influencer community strives to close the gender gap. 

Women’s representation among tech influencer elite grows in 2023

The latest edition of the Tyto Tech 500, in its seventh year, reveals a noteworthy 23% increase in the presence of women among the most influential tech personalities in Europe in just two years.  

The annual Tech 500 researches and ranks the most influential individuals in technology in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Sweden and the Netherlands. The data reflects a positive trend in the right direction with women now representing 27% of the top 500 most influential individuals in the pan-European ranking. This marks a substantial increase from 25% in the previous year and 22% in 2021. Whilst it may take many more years for the gender gap to truly narrow, it is encouraging to see an increasing number of women rise to the forefront as some of the most influential individuals shaping the technology industry. 

Journalists and business leaders, the primary roles of women in tech 

The importance of women in technology roles cannot be understated. A gender diverse team fosters divergent ways of thinking, essential for supporting innovation and growth. Within the pan-European top 500, the majority of the most influential women in the technology sphere are business leaders and journalists. In fact, almost eight out of ten women belong to either of these two professions. This highlights the valuable contribution women make in shaping technology and sharing trusted industry news and information.  

When scrutinising the overall Tech 500 – the combined country lists with a total of 2,093 influencers – the data reveals that one in four influencers are female. Moreover, 53% of these influential women fall within the business leader category. The second-largest contingent (23%) of female influencers is comprised of journalists. In summary, three-quarters (76%) of women within the overall Tech 500 are affiliated with these two influential categories, underscoring their essential roles in shaping the technology narrative across all of the five countries. 

Many organisations are attracting more women to the tech sector. Despite progress, there is still work to be done. While some tech sectors have a higher representation of the female influencers, others lag behind. 32% of women in the overall Tech 500 belong to the General Tech category, FinTech has 8%, EnterpriseTech and HealthTech both stand at 7%, and AI & Data Science at 6%. It is promising, however, to see successful role models in these sectors, inspiring future generations of women to pursue tech roles.   

The balance of gender diversity across the European tech landscape  

The top female influencers in the technology sector span 133 individuals across the UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, and Sweden in our list of the top 500 most influential figures. Notably, the majority of these women (58%) are from the UK, positioning it as a trailblazer for gender diversity in the technology industry. Germany follows with 23%, and France with 12%.   

The most influential woman in the Tyto Tech 500 is Annalena Baerbock, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs for the German government. Next on the list are Helen Dickinson,CEO of British Retail Consortium and Sarah Butler, Retail Correspondent at The Guardian and The Observer.

Tech’s diversity challenges are well-documented and are certainly far from addressed. Yet, it is reassuring to witness year-on-year progress towards narrowing the gender gap. Real action, both from organisations and society, such as fostering female talent, hiring more women in tech roles and implementing flexible working policies is key to see further change. If this momentum persists, there is hope for a more inclusive and diverse future in the technology sector.

Will the positive trend continue in 2024? 

The incremental progress shown in the Tyto Tech 500 shows a positive trajectory and indicates a transformative shift in the European tech influencer landscape. The increasing representation of women in influential positions not only reflects progress but also underscored the industry’s recognition of the importance of gender diversity. As we celebrate these advancements, it is crucial to acknowledge that sustained efforts are necessary to ensure a more inclusive future for women in technology. 

Want to discover more about the changing influence across the tech industry? The full Tyto Tech 500 report reveals the most influential personalities across countries, sectors and professions. Published once a year, it highlights the evolving trends shaping the technology landscape. Get your copy now! 

Featured photo by Christina Morillo. 

Shaping the narrative: Journalists dominate the European tech influence landscape

“Independent journalism is the exact tonic the world needs most at a moment in which polarization and misinformation are shaking the foundations of liberal democracies and undermining society’s ability to meet the existential challenges of the era, from inequality to political dysfunction to the accelerating toll of climate change.” A.G. Sulzberger, publisher of The New York Times

In the ever-evolving landscape of European technology influence, our Tyto Tech 500 report shows a transformation happening among the very elite influencers. When we consider just the top 500 highest ranking influencers across Europe – in our research, that is the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Sweden and the Netherlands – it is journalists that have risen to the top.

Within our pan-European top 500 list, 40% of them are journalists. This marks a significant departure from the influencer hierarchy seen in the overall Tech 500 (the combined country rankings), as analysed in this blog. In the Tyto Tech 500 as a whole, the influencer group with the largest presence is business leaders (57% of all influencers in the combined ranking of the five countries) and journalists are in second position with 21% of the total number of influencers. These positions are reversed in the ranking of the 500 most influential people, where business leaders have the second highest presence with 37% of the people in the ranking.

The transformation among these top-level influencers is underscored by a notable surge in the number of journalists within the pan-European ranking. In 2021, 143 journalists held positions in the ranking. By 2022, this number increased to 147, and in 2023, it witnessed remarkable growth of 35%, totalling an impressive 198 journalists. This represents an impressive 38% increase from 2021 to 2023, confirming the dynamic evolution of the tech journalist landscape.

The prominence of journalists within these top 500 influential people reflects the enduring importance and trust that the public places in credible news sources, as highlighted in the New York Times quote at the beginning of this blog. Amidst the pervasive issue of disinformation and the relentless spread of fake news, it is evident that people are increasingly looking to reputable news media. This is particularly telling among the current climate of economic and political uncertainty we’re experiencing. Journalists serve as beacons of objectivity within a swiftly evolving technology sector, providing a critical and trusted link to accurate and dependable information.

As I have previously mentioned, in a significant paradigm shift, business leaders have relinquished their undisputed grip on the top spot, now occupying the second position with a 37% share of the most influential tech figures at the pan-European level, after journalists. The decline in representation of business leaders is noteworthy, amounting to a significant 16% reduction. The number of business leaders has decreased from 221 in the previous year to 186 in 2023.

At the forefront of the journalist category stands the French journalist François Sorel, renowned as the Host of Tech&Co on BFM Business. Also commanding a prominent position in the journalist rankings is Sarah Butler, a distinguished figure at The Guardian in the UK. We also identified Jonathan Amos from the BBC as one of the top journalists in the ranking, who has served as a science correspondent since 1994.

Journalists now assume the mantle of leadership in the pan-European ranking. This upward trend can be attributed to the dynamic nature of the technology industry, where constant innovation and change are the norm. The European population displays a strong interest in staying current with the latest technological advancements and trends. Tech journalists, with their specialised expertise and unwavering focus on this evolving field, are uniquely equipped to meet this widespread interest.

This shows us how, in the face of technological innovation, economic uncertainty, and the proliferation of disinformation, journalists are looked to as the guardians of truth, providing the public with a vital link to accurate and reliable information. The transformative shift outlined in our Tyto Tech 500 research signifies a new era where those at the forefront of technology influence are those who can navigate the ever-changing landscape with precision and credibility.

As professionals of communications ourselves, we believe this shift not only reflects the changing dynamics of the tech industry but also underscores the crucial role journalists play in shaping the narrative and guiding the public through the complex world of technology. Want to know more about the changing face of tech influence in Europe? Access the report and gain valuable insights into the emerging trends shaping the future of technology, influence and media. Stay informed, stay connected, and join us in unravelling the fascinating tapestry of European tech influence, as we do every year.

The private sector drives influence in European tech

The pulse of progress beats strongest in the private sector, and this holds true across the European tech influencer community. Our recent 2023 Tyto Tech 500 research, which compiles the top influencers from five European countries – the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Sweden, reveals an interesting dynamic in the realm of tech influence.

Understanding the power shifts: 2023, the year of the private sector

Business leaders play a significant role in shaping the European tech landscape, comprising 57% of the individuals in the overall Tech 500 (the combination of all country lists). Entrepreneurs also have a notable presence, accounting for 7% of the influential figures identified in our Tyto Tech 500 this year. These two categories, business leaders and entrepreneurs, occupy the top and third positions, respectively, in the overall Tech 500.

This year, the increased prominence of business leaders and entrepreneurs in the European tech influencer landscape can be attributed to various factors. Primarily, the ongoing growth and innovation within the private sector thrust business leaders into the spotlight. Frequently at the vanguard of groundbreaking technological advancements and essential digital transformations, these individuals hold particularly influential insights and actions, especially in times of crisis, global political unrest and the imperative for innovation —both in tech and across all facets of societal life.

Additionally, the growth of the Entrepreneur category can be attributed to an enhanced recognition and acknowledgment of their pivotal role in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. Entrepreneurs have become more crucial as a response to the high demand for novel ideas and innovative approaches, as highlighted above. Despite a decline in startup creation, Europe continues to be a fertile ground for tech innovation. Consequently, it’s only natural that business leaders and entrepreneurs have taken centre stage in our tech research this year, underscoring the growing influence of their innovative ideas in shaping the technological landscape.

However, it’s also worth noting that there has been a slight reduction in the prominence of these categories compared to the previous year. Business leaders have seen a decrease of 1.5 percentage points, while entrepreneurs have experienced a decline of 1.1 percentage points in the overall Tech 500.

Journalists, the second most prominent group among the influential figures identified in our research, make up 21% of the overall Tech 500. This group has shown the most significant growth over the past year, with an increase of 2.2 percentage points. This data underscores the vital role played by journalists in shaping and reflecting the technology narrative in Europe, across all sectors of influence analysed.

The foremost influencer in the business leader category is Richard Branson, the British entrepreneur behind the Virgin Group. Other notable figures in this category include Daniel Ek, the co-founder and CEO of Spotify. The top entrepreneurs in the Tyto Tech 500 encompass individuals like Carl Pei, founder of Nothing; Daniel Korski, CEO of PUBLIC, and Verena Pausder, founder of venture capital firm Pausder Ventures.

Regional Tyto Tech 500 trends: What’s happening in each country?

The influence landscape varies by country, with some compelling patterns emerging. In the UK, France, Germany, and Sweden, private enterprise individuals occupy the top positions of influence. Business leaders take the lead in these four countries, closely followed by other professionals from the world of tech media – a consistent pattern that emphasises the overarching role of the private sector.

France stands out as the country with the highest percentage of business leaders within its Tech 500 country ranking, representing a remarkable 70%. Germany (64%), Sweden (62%), and the UK (51%) also see business leaders constituting more than half of the total influencers in their respective country rankings.

However, the Netherlands deviates from this prevailing pattern among the five countries. Here, journalists take the lead, constituting 42% of the total influencers in the ranking, while the business leader category finds itself in second position, but nevertheless representing one in four of the country’s influencers. This first-place distinct deviation highlights the unique dynamics in the Dutch tech influencer community, included for the first time in our Tyto Tech 500 in 2023, and shows that tech journalists hold significant sway in shaping the technology discourse in the Netherlands.

In the European tech influencer landscape, the private sector, particularly business leaders and entrepreneurs, continue to dominate. Nevertheless, as we have highlighted, in some countries journalists are gaining prominence, emphasising their equal importance in shaping the tech narrative.

The overwhelming influence of private sector personalities in the tech industry at European level is just one of the findings of this year’s Tyto Tech 500. If you want to explore the rest of the highlights of the report, you can read this summary blog and in the coming weeks we will continue to delve into the main findings in other blogs. If you’re curious to know more, download the full Tyto Tech 500 report.

2023 Tyto Tech 500: Journalists overtake business leaders for tech industry influence for the first time

In 2017, we launched the Tyto Tech 500 to identify the most influential figures within the UK technology sector and understand what truly creates influence. We included Germany in our analysis in 2019 and added France the year after, to give us greater insight into Europe’s three largest economies. 

As Tyto’s grown as a business, the Tech 500 has too. This year, we’re adding objective, data-driven insights from the Netherlands and Sweden to provide a pan-European view of changes in the technology landscape. So, what does the seventh Tyto Tech 500 report reveal?  

Key trends for tech influence in 2023 

  1. Journalists reign among the elite of European tech influence: Nearly 40% of the most influential personalities in the pan-European Tech 500 are journalists, knocking business leaders out of the top spot for industry influence for the first time. Journalists featured in the list of the top 20 most influential individuals include François Sorel, Broadcaster for BFM Business; Sarah Butler, Retail Correspondent at The Guardian; and Jonathan Amos, Science Correspondent at the BBC. The number of journalists placed in the pan-European Tech 500 ranking has risen by 38% since 2021 and now makes up 198 of the 500 most influential individuals in the list.  
  2. Influence in the European tech industry is heavily weighted towards the private sector:  37% of the most influential figures in the pan-European tech industry are business leaders although the group has relinquished its longstanding grip on first place to journalists. At a country level, business leaders make up 51% of the most influential in the UK, 70% in France, 64% in Germany, 62% in Sweden and 25% in the Netherlands. For the second consecutive year, Richard Branson, British business magnate, investor and founder of the Virgin Group is identified as the most influential person in the European technology sector.  
  3. The gender gap narrows as the number of women in tech continues to grow: Female representation in the pan-European Tech 500 has increased from 22% in 2021 to 27% in 2023. Most female influencers belong to the business leader and journalist categories, accounting for 78% of women in the pan-European top 500. The UK leads the way for female representation as 30% of the country’s top tech influencers are female, closely followed by Germany (28%), France (23%), Sweden (21%) and the Netherlands (15%). Individuals featured in the pan-European top 50 include Annalena Baerbock, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany; Helen Dickinson, CEO of the British Retail Consortium; Sarah Butler, Retail Correspondent at The Guardian, Caroline Lucas, Member of Parliament, UK, and Parmy Olson, Technology Columnist at Bloomberg LP. 
  4. Changes in tech sector rankings highlight the dynamic nature of the European tech landscape: The Tyto Tech 500 reveals that influential figures predominantly come from four major tech sectors: General Tech, EnterpriseTech, FinTech, and ConsumerTech. This collectively constitutes over half (53%) of the total influencers ranked in the Tyto Tech 500 and mirrors the previous year, where these sectors similarly commanded the top positions, accounting for 51% of all influencers in the ranking. The fastest-growing sectors this year were ConsumerTech, General Tech and –unsurprisingly- AI & Data Science. In parallel, HealthTech, MarTech and BioTech have seen notable decreases. 
  5. EnterpriseTech is a focus for new markets analysed in the report: B2B technology is a huge focus in the Netherlands and Sweden where over 11% of the most influential figures in each country belong to the EnterpriseTech sector, being a tech sector in the top 3 position in each of this country rankings. EnterpriseTech is the Netherlands’ third most influential sector, compared to its sixth position in the pan-European ranking. Börje Ekholm, CEO of Ericsson is a top name in Sweden while Job van der Voort, CEO of Remote, is the highest ranked EnterpriseTech influencer in the Netherlands.  
  6. SpaceTech and Cybersecurity gain prominence on the European stage: The SpaceTech and Cybersecurity sectors have demonstrated remarkable growth in influence in recent years. In two years, the number of influencers in the pan-European Tech 500 related to SpaceTech has risen by 350% and Cybersecurity by 43%. The huge growth rates reflect ongoing investments in space exploration and the protection of digital systems. 

These are the most influential individuals in European tech  

Holding his number one spot from last year, Richard Branson is the top technology influencer across Europe and the UK. French BFM Business anchor, François Sorel, keeps his place as France’s most influential tech personality and comes second in the pan-European rankings. George Freeman, the UK’s Minister for Science, Research, Technology and Innovation, is second in the UK and third across Europe.  

Focus on the Netherlands and Sweden 

New to the Tyto Tech 500, Pieter Zwart CEO of Coolblue is the Netherlands’ top influencer, while politician Micky Adriaansens comes second and Takeaway.com CEO Jitse Groen ranks third. In Sweden, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek is number one, with Nothing CEO Carl Pei in second place and journalist Henrik Ek at third. Congratulations to Europe’s most relevant tech personalities featured in our Tech 500! 

The Tyto Tech 500 was created by assessing an individual’s traditional earned media and online influence. To read about these trends in more detail, download the full report here. In the report, you can also find lists of the top 100 tech influencers in the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Sweden and the ranking of the top 100 most influential individuals across all five countries.  

The evolving European cybersecurity landscape: What the Tyto Tech 500 report tells us

The role of cybersecurity in the modern world is no longer just a topic for IT departments – it’s a concern that resonates at the level of individual households, multinational corporations, and even governments. In the following article, I want to delve into the rapid transformations happening in the European cybersecurity landscape, fueled by findings from our latest Tyto Tech 500 report. The report uncovers some compelling insights, shedding light on the growing prominence of cybersecurity influencers, the sectors that are gaining and losing traction, and the impact of current global events on cybersecurity relevance.  

The growing importance of cybersecurity 

There is a seismic shift in how both the general public and experts view cybersecurity. Instances of cyberattacks are becoming increasingly frequent and sophisticated, while global trends like IoT, remote work, and BYOD are expanding the potential attack surface. These shifts are not happening in isolation, they are influenced by a broader backdrop of geopolitical tensions and a pandemic-induced new normal. 

 Key insights from the Tyto Tech 500 

  • Cybersecurity shows prominent growth 

According to our Tyto Tech 500 report, the Cybersecurity category witnessed the largest absolute growth of all tech sectors analysed, with the number of influencers going from 52 to 79 — a shocking increase of 52%.  While Quantum Technology led in percentage increase (a whopping +114% rise), Cybersecurity followed closely behind, confirming that the field is now more significant than ever. This growth is fueled by an ongoing climate of insecurity and uncertainty, exacerbated by geopolitical events like the war in Ukraine. 

  • Global and regional trends 

Our report also provides a fascinating regional breakdown of cybersecurity’s rising influence. In the UK, the number of influential figures in the field went from 16 to 36. Germany saw a rise from 19 to 22, and France, starting from zero influencers in 2020, skyrocketed to 21 this past year. These statistics reveal a pan-European focus on the subject, signaling the international weight that cybersecurity now carries. 

  • A different pan-European picture 

Interestingly, Cybersecurity and HealthTech both showed the largest absolute increase in the number of influencers, but the story is different when focusing solely on the top 500 pan-European influencers. In this more elite group, Cybersecurity saw a moderate increase of just 4%, suggesting perhaps that while the field is growing, the top influencers in this area remain consistent.  

  • Who’s who in cybersecurity and what do they have to tell? 

Here’s the top 10 breakdown of influencers in the Cybersecurity space. There are key influencers in the European digital government sector such as John Edwards, the UK’s Information Commissioner; Matt Warman, Minister of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in the UK; and Markus Richter, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community in Germany. The ranking also includes relevant business and media figures. 

 Top 10 personalities in the Tyto Tech 500 Cybersecurity space 

“Cyber attacks are a global concern and businesses around the world need to take steps to guard against complacency” – John Edwards, Information Commissioner, UK 

In an article for UK outlet the Independent, John Edwards stated that the biggest cyber risk businesses face is from complacency, not hackers. He said many businesses were still not taking cybersecurity seriously enough. For example, the Interserve Group received a fine of £4.4 million for failing to keep the personal information of staff secure, which was treated as a breach of the data protection law. The ICO found that the company had failed to put appropriate security measures in place to prevent a cyber attack, which enabled hackers to access the personal data of up to 113,000 employees through a phishing email. Edwards warns companies to expect a similar fine from his office if they are found to have failed to put protections in place. We are curious to see if this warning will have an impact on reducing future breaches in the UK. 

To complement the statement from Edwards, Dr. Markus Richter, Federal Government Commissioner for Information Technology – the so-called CIO of the Federal Government in Germany, adds in an interview that the BSI (Federal Office for Information Security) launched an “Alliance for Cyber Security” back in 2012, which many companies have already joined. The aim of the alliance is to enable those involved to talk openly about their experiences and knowledge in dealing with cybercrime. Such formats are indispensable, especially in the event of an emergency. Richter hopes to encourage more companies to join and network, whether through them or among themselves.  

Anticipating tomorrow: The evolution of cybersecurity
 

The Tyto Tech 500 report makes it clear that the climate of insecurity — be it related to geopolitical tensions or increasing cyber attacks on private institutions and governments — has made cybersecurity a household term. The field isn’t just growing in terms of experts or influencers; it’s becoming part of a global dialogue about safety, privacy, and international relations. 

Given the rapid technological advancements, it’s likely that the cybersecurity landscape will continue to evolve. Areas like AI-based threat detection, zero-trust architecture, and even quantum encryption are the frontiers to watch. The field is attracting substantial investment and talent, as confirmed by its rising influence in reports like the Tyto Tech 500. 

The Tyto Tech 500 corroborates what many in the tech industry have long suspected: cybersecurity is not a fringe topic but a core concern that intersects with various aspects of society and governance. The surge in influencers in this field is not just a statistic; it’s an indicator of a paradigm shift in how we perceive digital security. As this field intersects with other rapidly evolving technologies like Quantum Technology and SpaceTech, a multi-disciplinary approach may become more crucial in addressing complex cybersecurity challenges. And as cyber threats continue to evolve, so too will our approaches to countering them. Now more than ever, staying updated and engaged in the field of cybersecurity is not just advisable — it’s essential. 

Keep your eyes peeled: the new Tyto Tech 500 for 2023 is coming soon! 

Decoding the DNA of tech influencers: What sets them apart?

“Gen Z wants to ditch the corporate job to become an influencer,” said a range of news outlets last year in response to research done on the career aspirations of young people. Well, if our inbox is anything to go by, there are a surprising number of corporate execs who feel the same.

Here at Tyto, we’ve already started compiling the Tyto Tech 500 – our annual list of the top technology influencers in the UK, France and Germany. This year it is an extremely competitive list to break into, as technology topics increasingly dominate the media agenda.

Technology influence in 2023 means leading some of the most important debates defining our times – from the impact of AI to social media, climate change and health innovation – there are few major global themes that aren’t now touched in some way by technology. To be a technology influencer means trying to solve some of the thorniest problems facing the world. 

So how do aspiring technology influencers make our annual list? Sadly, the answer isn’t as easy as a few LinkedIn posts. Influence is a deeply complex and evolving concept that is not determined by a single aspect. Our methodology has been honed over the past six years to employ numerous factors with different weights to come up with a number that accurately reflects a level of influence. 

To make the list, an individual must have influence across a range of platforms – social media, online and media. The baseline is having a solid and repeatable presence in the press – this generally results from being a leader of a business, initiative or group, or it comes from providing analysis and commentary on a highly relevant topic within the technology sector.

We also take into account the prospective influencer’s record of publishing or disseminating work that leads or changes conversations – that could be a particularly well-respected blog or podcast, or by publishing books/papers on technology.

Ultimately it comes down to relevance. Those leading the conversation on the most relevant and important current topics will find themselves high on our rankings. Unsurprisingly, in our 2021 ranking, a year dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic, the volume of BioTech influencers increased by 69% and the number of HealthTech influencers grew by 35%. More recently, we highlighted how invention and innovation drive economies and can help us out of a downturn, as our analysis clearly showed Entrepreneurs and Venture Capitalists gaining influence in our 2022 report.

Last year, against a backdrop of global economic uncertainty, an energy crisis, geopolitical tensions and conflict in Ukraine and ongoing disruptions to the supply chain, we also saw Academic and Government influencers continue to grow in our rankings, as people sought objective information, support, and reassurance on the impact of these events.

We also saw a significant rise in cybersecurity influencers as infosec became a growing concern, especially for businesses and governments.  

Unveiling the key tech topics of 2023

For insight into what issues will likely dominate our 2023 report, look no further than the Tyto Relevance Index™ – our data-powered insights service that enables us to understand the most hotly debated global themes and trends impacting the European tech influencer community. 

With new data released monthly, the Tyto Relevance Index™ gives aspiring influencers hugely valuable early insight into the trends and themes that will dominate our 2023 rankings.

And as for what’s been dominating so far this year, no prizes for guessing that AI and machine learning will likely take top spot. AI & ML’s dominance of the online conversation is so great that it has a higher share of conversation than the next three topics in the tech ranking combined: Data economy, Cybersecurity and Virtualisation.

But it’s not just AI leading conversations. In the UK, GreenTech has seen significant growth in social posts. In Germany, DLT & Blockchain has perhaps surprisingly gained prominence over the quarter. And in France, topics around Data economy gained relevance this year. There’s a wealth of data and insight in the monthly reports and quarterly insights  – sign up here to receive them in your inbox.  

 

2023 Tyto Tech 500 opens for submissions 

As ever, we want to hear from the technology community as we continue compiling our long list of technology influencers.

Who should be in the Tyto Tech 500 in 2023? Who has set the agenda in the technology sector in the UK, Germany and France? Who is leading technological breakthroughs or being a source of inspiration on social media? 

To nominate a person, simply fill out this online form before June 15. We will then evaluate their influence using our proprietary methodology to determine whether they are worthy of being part of the top 500 most influential people in the technology sector in the UK, Germany, and France.  

Stay tuned as we will publish the 2023 Tyto Tech 500 in November.

For now, you can view the 2022 Tyto Tech 500 for the UK, France, and Germany and download the full report to gain a better understanding of the technology influencer landscape in Europe and the key trends that dominated last year. 

Breaking down barriers: The rise of women in European Tech

The lack of women in technology is not an easy problem to solve. Despite recent research from the Tech Talent Charter indicating that women and gender minorities now make up a larger proportion of the UK’s tech workforce than ever before, this figure is still just 28%, and moving slowly, albeit in the right direction. Greater gender diversity matters for many reasons – firstly, to address a shortage of tech talent employers must hire from a more diverse candidate pool, but ultimately women are needed to help ensure that technological innovation accounts for everyone and that technology isn’t biased towards men 

Research has found that women are more likely to be attracted to tech roles if they have strong role models and can see women represented at senior levels within the organisations they work for. So, it is encouraging to see the presence of women increasing in the Tyto Tech 500 report, our proprietary research and data-driven ranking of the most influential individuals in technology in the UK, Germany and France.  

Here, women are still in the minority, however, the number of women among the Tyto Tech 500 influencers at a pan-European level has increased and progress looks promising. The report, which we launched last November shows that in 2021 women made up for just over one in five tech influencers (22%), while in 2022 one in every four influencers are women (25%). There are 126 women among the top 500 tech influencers across the UK, Germany and France. 

Diversity Tech 500

If we look at each of these countries individually, we see that the UK leads the way in gender diversity with 26% of influencers on its country list identifying as women (132 out of 500). Germany comes in a close second with 25% of women in its country list (127 women in the German ranking). France comes last: only 20% of its influencers are women, with a total of 98 women among the top 500 tech personalities in France.  

After analysing this year’s Tyto Tech 500 data, it feels important to mention that the relevance of women in top positions in tech has increased in all countries, leading to a more diverse representation in the tech sector. 24% of French influencers in the pan-European top 500 –the 500 most influential personalities in tech across the three countries combined- are women (last year it was only 11.1%). Germany has risen from 19% to 23% women in the pan-European top 500. The UK remains the country with the most women (74), it also has the highest percentage of women versus men among the total number of influencers in the pan-European top 500 across the three countries: 27% compared to 24% last year. 

Leading the way forward: Women influencers in Business and Government  

In the 2022 Tyto Tech 500 report, the majority of the most influential women in tech are business leaders (43%) or journalists (33%). However, at the top of the ranking are top-level government figures. 50% of the top 10 women in technology are from the Government category, and there are 11 in total working in governmental roles, representing 9% of the women in the top 500. The Academic group ties with Government in third place by type of influencers in our ranking, also with 9% of all women in the top 500. Nonetheless, there is a significant difference among the countries: in France the share of academic influencers rises to almost one in four women (24%), in Germany it is way above the pan-European average (14%), but the UK has just 3% of all the women in the pan-European top 500 from the academic sector.   

The technology sectors with the highest presence of women in the pan-European top 500 among the 17 sectors analysed are FinTech and RetailTech (each with 7% of all women in this ranking), only behind General tech (41%).  

There are several well-known women in the public sphere of the tech industry identified in our pan-European top 500. Among them are Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, former leader of The Green Party and influential in the GreenTech sector; Sarah Butler, The Guardian journalist, covering retail companies and retail technology, consumer goods and workers’ rights; Helen Dickinson, current Chief Executive Officer of the British Retail Consortium; Annalena Baerbock, also an influencer of the GreenTech category, a German politician of the Alliance 90/The Greens party serving as Germany’s minister for foreign affairs since 2021; and Solveig Rathenow, a journalist that heads the German Business Insider’s business department.   

While the representation of women in tech has been moving in the right direction, progress has been slow and needs much improvement. We have been working with the Tech Talent Charter (TTC) a non-profit that seeks to drive inclusion and diversity in the UK technology sector, as a pro bono client since 2019. They provide concrete measurement and insights into diversity in the tech ecosystem and actionable ways forward by gathering, curating, and distributing innovative practices, techniques, and ideas.

Their latest Diversity in Tech report, indicates that gender minorities occupy 22% of senior tech positions, which is 6% less than the percentage of gender minorities in tech roles in general. The Charter also highlights the significant decrease in ethnic diversity in senior roles, with the percentage dropping from 25% to 13%.

I am proud to have been able to participate in TTC’s in:tech podcast series as a host, with high-profile guests who are leaders in the DE&I and tech space, and to have listened to their practical insights and takeaways that can help any business move the dial towards DE&I efforts. And I hope that by recognising the inspiring and influential women in tech across Europe in the Tyto Tech 500 we can help to increase awareness of these role models and inspire even more women to achieve great things in tech.

If you want to keep track of these and other advances made by women in the technology sector and get to know the biggest tech influencers in the UK, Germany and France, download the full 2022 Tyto Tech 500 report here. 

 

Featured image by Alexander Suhorucov

Tech 500: Cybersecurity gains prominence in 2022, ConsumerTech and EdTech lose it

The current climate of insecurity and uncertainty, including the war in Ukraine has heightened the importance of cybersecurity at both business and government level. Unsurprisingly, this has contributed to an increase in the number of relevant public experts in these fields. In parallel, the growth of global cyber-attacks on both private institutions and governments is making the public increasingly aware of issues ranging from data privacy to asset protection.

In line with this reasoning, the sixth edition of our Tyto Tech 500 report, our proprietary research and ranking of the most influential individuals in technology in the UK, Germany and France, shows how the Cybersecurity category has had the largest absolute growth of influencers (+27) and the second largest percentage growth, going from 52 to 79 influencers (+52%). Our most recent research proves how the number of influential individuals in the Cybersecurity sector has increased in all three countries. In the United Kingdom, the number has risen from 15 in 2020 to 16 in 2021 and finally 36 this year (+140% in two years). In Germany, Cybersecurity influencers have gone from 13 in 2020 to 19 in 2021, reaching 22 this year (a spectacular +69% growth in two years). In France, the growth has been dramatic: the country did not have one single identified Cybersecurity influencer in 2020, but we singled out 17 in 2021, and the figure reached 21 influencers in 2022.

Here are some of the top personalities in Cybersecurity we have identified. These include John Edwards (85th in the pan-European ranking), the UK’s Information Commissioner, an independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest. We also singled out Jeremy Fleming (95th), Director of GCHQ, the UK’s Intelligence, Cyber and Security Agency, and Germany’s Markus Richter, the Federal Government Commissioner for Information Technology (number 104). France’s representative in this top 500 list is Pascal Gauthier (145th), currently CEO of Ledger, a company that develops security and infrastructure solutions for cryptocurrencies as well as blockchain applications for individuals and organisations.

Our research has proven that the events from the last few years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, have led to not only a rise in the number of Cybersecurity influencers, but also an increase in the number of relevant people from the Health Technology sector, as we highlighted in 2021. This year, perhaps unsurprisingly following the aftermath of a global pandemic, the number of HealthTech influencers continues to increase (+27%) after that significant rise in 2021, from 66 to 84. Both Cybersecurity and HealthTech have had the largest increase in the number of influencers in absolute terms and the second and third place in relative terms.

A shift in focus: the categories that lose influence

While the general public and its stakeholders are concentrating on the issues that are most relevant to the current affairs, we have seen there are sectors that are clearly losing influence. Across the three Tech 500 lists, the categories with reduced influence this year include General tech (35 influencers less than in 2021), ConsumerTech (-9) and FinTech (-8), although in relative terms, the greatest decrease in the number of influencers has been in the Logistics & Manufacturing and FoodTech & AgriTech categories, both with a decrease of 20%.

When it comes to sectors losing rank, there are three that have seen a significant decrease both in the pan-European top 500 and across the global Tyto Tech 500 (the three country lists combined). EdTech takes first place in terms of loss of influence, with nine influencers fewer in the pan-European ranking compared with 2021, a 50% reduction and a drop of four places in the ranking by tech sector, currently occupying the penultimate position (11th place last year). At a global level, EdTech has also lost presence: seven influencers less but a relatively lower decrease (-14%). General tech and ConsumerTech, respectively, are the 2nd and 3rd biggest losers with eight fewer influencers each in the pan-European top 500, which represents a decrease of 5% in the General tech sector and 20% in ConsumerTech.

We see this notable decrease in categories such as ConsumerTech and EdTech as a result of the recent shift in public priorities. By turning to virtuality during the pandemic, those tools that enabled the development of education in a remote fashion and that allowed users to be engaged in entertainment multiplied, and this was reflected in our past edition. The use of programs or applications that helped users to solve problems or have better experiences in their online day-to-day lives also grew in the past. As a result of these trends, we saw how the number of influencers in these categories increased, yet we now have detected how interest has waned in 2022.

Want to know who are the biggest tech influencers in the UK, Germany and France? Download the full 2022 Tyto Tech 500 report here.

Moving the industry forward: the role of technology innovators 

“Necessity is the mother of invention and going on the findings of our sixth Tyto Tech 500, there is a genuine need for technology to help people and businesses cope with the challenges of today. Entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, both of which play key roles in creating companies and bringing new ideas to life, feature in much larger numbers in our pan-European Tyto Tech 500 this year, the ranking of the 500 most influential individuals in tech across Europe’s three biggest economies: United Kingdom, Germany, and France.   

Innovating the way out of a downturn 

The challenges of the last couple of years have seen the importance of technology come to light. The pandemic, which forced everyday life, including work, school, healthcare, fitness, banking and entertainment, to go almost entirely online, saw a huge rise in digital applications and new technologies that enabled us to try and carry on as normal. More recently, the cost-of-living crisis, geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty are giving rise to the need for cost saving technologies to keep track of spending and secure technology, including cybersecurity to protect digital assets from cybercrime. Invention and innovation drive economies and we believe this is why entrepreneurs and venture capitalists are gaining influence on the technology scene. 

Entrepreneurs: huge growth at the top 

Entrepreneurs and VCs have grown significantly this year in the Tyto Tech 500. There are 16 more entrepreneurs (+146% vs 2021) and seven more venture capitalists (+88% vs 2021) in the pan-European Tyto Tech 500, making these the two categories with the largest increase in number of influencers in this selection of top 500 individuals across all countries.    

If we look at the 1,500 individuals featured in the three top 500 lists, that is across the UK, Germany and France, we can see that entrepreneurs have grown among the most influential and are now the third biggest influencer type with 122 influencers (8% of all the 2022 Tyto Tech 500 influencers). Entrepreneurs come in third place after Business Leaders (877 or 58% of the total) and journalists (288 or 19% of all the 2022 Tech 500 influencers).  

If we continue to look specifically at those 1,500 individuals featured in the three top 500 lists , we can see that entrepreneurs have slightly less influence this year (from 127 to 122, a modest decrease of 4%). But while there are fewer entrepreneurs in absolute numbers in our rankings, the number of entrepreneurs at the top of our pan European rankings have seen impressive growth. 

 

VCs rise in influence across tech sectors  

If we look at the technology sectors in which these professional categories predominate, the largest presence of venture capitalists is in the General tech sector (20 of the total number of influencers are included in this tech sector). This is mainly due to most venture capitalists being influential in more than one specific area of technology. The rest of the tech sectors have a much smaller presence of venture capitalists. As for entrepreneurs, the presence in tech sectors is a little more equal. Entrepreneurs are drawn from the EnterpriseTech category (with 24 influencers in total), with FinTech (13) and ConsumerTech (12) not far behind.  

We predict that as we seek to tackle the compounded issues affecting the world right now, from economic uncertainty, the conflict in Ukraine, cybersecurity and climate change, entrepreneurs and VCs will continue to rise in influence on technology and wider business issues. And hopefully investment in technology will not only improve lives and make economies stronger but help us recover from the spate of worldwide troubles that we are currently facing.  

 

Top Entrepreneurs and VCs in the Tyto Tech 500   

Top personalities in these categories in the Tech 500 include venture capitalist Carsten Maschmeyer (4th in the pan-European ranking and 1st in Germany), founder and owner of the Maschmeyer Group; venture capitalist and finance specialist Max Keiser 69th in the pan-European ranking); French entrepreneur and politician Mounir Mahjoubi (79th); entrepreneur and founder of Delivery Hero Niklas Östberg (81st); and UK venture capitalist and ex-WPP founder Martin Sorrell (99th). 

Top 10 Entrepreneurs 

  1. Mounir Mahjoubi (FR)
  2. Niklas Östberg – Delivery Hero (DE) 
  3. Gunter Dueck – Omnisophie (DE)
  4. Nicolas Meunier – talent.io (FR)
  5. Pascal Gauthier – Ledger (FR) 
  6. Guillaume Lacroix – Brut. (FR) 
  7. Jonathan Cherki – Contentsquare (FR) 
  8. Daniel Seidel – LiveEO (DE)
  9. Benoît Fabre – papernest (FR)
  10. Lucie Basch – Too Good To Go (FR) 

Top 10 VCs 

  1. Carsten Maschmeyer – Maschmeyer Group (DE) 
  2. Max Keiser – Heisenberg Capital (UK) 
  3. Martin Sorrell – S4 Capital (UK) 
  4. Florian Heinemann – Project A Ventures (DE) 
  5. Faisal Butt – Pi Labs (UK) 
  6. Mike Lynch – Invoke Capital (UK) 
  7. Christian Miele – German Startups Association (DE) 
  8. Brent Hoberman – Founders Forum (UK) 
  9. Azeem Azhar – Exponential View (UK) 
  10. Mark Schmitz – Equaition (DE)

Want to know who are the biggest tech influencers in the UK, Germany and France? Download the full 2022 Tyto Tech 500 report here.