How can Europe build technology companies that scale fast enough to compete in an AI-driven world? In this episode, Phill Robinson, co-founder of Boardwave, shares why he helped create a pan-European community for founders, CEOs, and Chairs - designed to strengthen the leadership foundations behind Europe's software and AI ecosystem.
What began as a simple idea sketched at a kitchen table has grown into a mission-led network of more than 2,500 members across the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Nordics, and the Netherlands. Phill explains why Boardwave is deliberately not a conference business and not a commercial platform. Instead, free membership, a high bar for entry, and a social enterprise model have been central to fostering genuine peer support - helping leaders find their "tribe" and share hard-won insight across borders.
Phill reflects on the structural reasons European tech companies have historically scaled more slowly, and why the gap between AI-first and non-AI businesses is widening. He argues that the next decade will demand adaptive leadership - where learning speed, collaboration, and the ability to pivot matter more than experience alone. He also shares the personal motivation behind Boardwave's mission: donating all surplus to Parkinson's research, linking Europe's tech future to a deeper commitment to impact beyond business.
Listen to the full episode here: https://www.menkus.com/podcast/2026/02/26/phill-robinson