Observed Signal · Apr 6, 2026 · Policy Update · Source: t3n · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Regulation as Opportunity: Break Monopolies, Not Innovation
Bernd Korz, founder and CEO of alugha, argues in a t3n opinion piece that European digital sovereignty requires regulation that breaks platform monopolies rather than being seen as an innovation brake. Citing the AI Act as the right direction, Korz says 86% of global platform market capitalization is concentrated in the U.S. while Europe accounts for 2.2%. He gives examples of functioning European alternatives (alugha, Ecosia, OVH, Hetzner) and calls for three concrete steps: enforce open standards to dismantle monopolies, make European alternatives visible by government adoption, and accelerate public investment and procurement to serve as anchor customers. Korz criticizes political and corporate complacency and urges immediate action to enable competition and innovation.
Policy advocacy about breaking platform monopolies and encouraging public procurement/investment affects market structure, European digital sovereignty and competition with hyperscalers—relevant to infrastructure, cloud, identity and platform strategy in AdTech/MarTech.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Author Bernd Korz is founder and CEO of alugha and a member of the Expertenkommission KI und Wertschöpfung 4.0 of the Wirtschaftsrats Deutschland.
- The article cites that 86% of worldwide platform market capitalization is in the USA while Europe accounts for 2.2%.
- Examples of European alternatives mentioned: alugha, Ecosia, OVH and Hetzner.
- The author recommends three policy steps: break monopolies via open standards, make European alternatives visible through government adoption, and increase public investment and procurement as anchor customers.
- The piece endorses the EU AI Act as a correct step toward digital sovereignty.
Connected Companies & Entities
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