Teo Firpo
@teofirpo.bsky.social
Itinerant. Working in innovation policy, PhDing in Econ with a focus on Science of Science. Previously randomizer of things at Nesta. Often confused. Views my own.
Reposted by Teo Firpo
I'm seeing a lot of gung-ho enthusiasm for this move by the Dutch government, but what's the strategy here? Force China out whilst elsewhere the COM proposes trying to get Chinese firms to do tech transfer on EVs and batteries? I hope there's some serious cross European thinking behind this...
A quiet bombshell in Europe’s tech world
The Dutch government seems to have effectively frozen operations of Nexperia, the Chinese-owned chipmaker, citing national security, according to corporate filing today - via @zichenwanghere
The Dutch government seems to have effectively frozen operations of Nexperia, the Chinese-owned chipmaker, citing national security, according to corporate filing today - via @zichenwanghere
Dutch govt accused of freezing operations of Chinese semiconductor giant's chipmaker Nexperia
Wingtech, the Shanghai-listed parent, denounces what it essentially calls a boardroom coup involving the Dutch government and local executives
open.substack.com
October 14, 2025 at 6:37 PM
I'm seeing a lot of gung-ho enthusiasm for this move by the Dutch government, but what's the strategy here? Force China out whilst elsewhere the COM proposes trying to get Chinese firms to do tech transfer on EVs and batteries? I hope there's some serious cross European thinking behind this...
I'm seeing a lot of gung-ho enthusiasm for this move by the Dutch government, but what's the strategy here? Force China out whilst elsewhere the COM proposes trying to get Chinese firms to do tech transfer on EVs and batteries? I hope there's some serious cross European thinking behind this...
A quiet bombshell in Europe’s tech world
The Dutch government seems to have effectively frozen operations of Nexperia, the Chinese-owned chipmaker, citing national security, according to corporate filing today - via @zichenwanghere
The Dutch government seems to have effectively frozen operations of Nexperia, the Chinese-owned chipmaker, citing national security, according to corporate filing today - via @zichenwanghere
Dutch govt accused of freezing operations of Chinese semiconductor giant's chipmaker Nexperia
Wingtech, the Shanghai-listed parent, denounces what it essentially calls a boardroom coup involving the Dutch government and local executives
open.substack.com
October 14, 2025 at 6:37 PM
I'm seeing a lot of gung-ho enthusiasm for this move by the Dutch government, but what's the strategy here? Force China out whilst elsewhere the COM proposes trying to get Chinese firms to do tech transfer on EVs and batteries? I hope there's some serious cross European thinking behind this...
Reposted by Teo Firpo
My new piece in @the-independent.com on the UK's tech prosperity deal:
The deal does not only leave the UK even more dependent on US tech companies, it also once again shows how out of step the country is with tech sovereignty debates in the rest of Europe.
www.independent.co.uk/voices/starm...
The deal does not only leave the UK even more dependent on US tech companies, it also once again shows how out of step the country is with tech sovereignty debates in the rest of Europe.
www.independent.co.uk/voices/starm...
Starmer’s tech deal is a national security gamble – and ties us too closely to Trump
The rest of Europe is working hard to move away from dependence on US technology – particularly when it comes to AI, writes Katja Bego. But the UK is moving the other way for quick cash and false prom...
www.independent.co.uk
September 21, 2025 at 10:39 AM
My new piece in @the-independent.com on the UK's tech prosperity deal:
The deal does not only leave the UK even more dependent on US tech companies, it also once again shows how out of step the country is with tech sovereignty debates in the rest of Europe.
www.independent.co.uk/voices/starm...
The deal does not only leave the UK even more dependent on US tech companies, it also once again shows how out of step the country is with tech sovereignty debates in the rest of Europe.
www.independent.co.uk/voices/starm...
Great 🧵 on (one) DE view on industrial policy
The German scientific advisory board for economics published its take on EU industrial policy.
Unfortunately, its conclusions are off the mark on three important issues: the appropriate role of the EU-level, the self-sufficiency of ETS, and declaring sectors as 'strategic'.
Thread 🧵 (1/n)
Unfortunately, its conclusions are off the mark on three important issues: the appropriate role of the EU-level, the self-sufficiency of ETS, and declaring sectors as 'strategic'.
Thread 🧵 (1/n)
September 1, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Great 🧵 on (one) DE view on industrial policy
What a sorry sign for European strategic automomy. Can it be that we cannot arrange for a European buyer to take over what's left of Northvolt? www.ft.com/content/10c5...
US battery start-up Lyten buys Northvolt out of bankruptcy
Californian company aims to make batteries for broader range of industries than just EVs
www.ft.com
August 8, 2025 at 9:29 AM
What a sorry sign for European strategic automomy. Can it be that we cannot arrange for a European buyer to take over what's left of Northvolt? www.ft.com/content/10c5...
Go no farther than today's FT opinion piece by Oren Cass to see this in action. According to Cass, Europe equals Germany, which must choose between bowing to the US or China.
April 12, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Go no farther than today's FT opinion piece by Oren Cass to see this in action. According to Cass, Europe equals Germany, which must choose between bowing to the US or China.
Always amazed at Americans' ability to talk policy without it occurring to them to check if there are lessons from overseas. In this case to support the anti-abundance argument (see Starmer's popularity) or against it (has anyone bothered to check how eminent domain is doing in... Spain? France?)
“Very few voters are actually going to notice the changes that Klein and Thompson suggest in their book.” www.liberalcurrents.com/abundance-do...
"Abundance" Does Not Offer a Viable Electoral Strategy
Whatever its policy merits, Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson are mistaken to offer Abundance as an answer to Democrats' political woes.
www.liberalcurrents.com
April 8, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Always amazed at Americans' ability to talk policy without it occurring to them to check if there are lessons from overseas. In this case to support the anti-abundance argument (see Starmer's popularity) or against it (has anyone bothered to check how eminent domain is doing in... Spain? France?)
This is incredibly disturbing
About time for German media outlets to get to the bottom of this story.
theintercept.com/2025/03/31/g...
theintercept.com/2025/03/31/g...
Germany Turns to U.S. Playbook: Deportations Target Gaza War Protesters
Four Gaza protesters in Germany are set for deportations despite objections from an immigration official that none were convicted of crimes.
theintercept.com
April 1, 2025 at 8:19 PM
This is incredibly disturbing
Reposted by Teo Firpo
Wonderful rundown of problems with means testing from Amartya Sen
1) Information Distortion
Any policing system to find welfare "cheaters" will result in some needy people missing out on benefits. This is a consequence of asymmetric information, it can't be fully eliminated
1) Information Distortion
Any policing system to find welfare "cheaters" will result in some needy people missing out on benefits. This is a consequence of asymmetric information, it can't be fully eliminated
March 13, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Wonderful rundown of problems with means testing from Amartya Sen
1) Information Distortion
Any policing system to find welfare "cheaters" will result in some needy people missing out on benefits. This is a consequence of asymmetric information, it can't be fully eliminated
1) Information Distortion
Any policing system to find welfare "cheaters" will result in some needy people missing out on benefits. This is a consequence of asymmetric information, it can't be fully eliminated
Reposted by Teo Firpo
This was a lot of fun!
"Russia's pushing of the envelope when it comes to these hybrid attacks means that the Kremlin is playing with fire."
Senior Research Fellow @katjabego.bsky.social joins the @wsj.com to discuss the allegations of sabotage in the Baltic Sea and Moscow’s hybrid war with NATO.
Senior Research Fellow @katjabego.bsky.social joins the @wsj.com to discuss the allegations of sabotage in the Baltic Sea and Moscow’s hybrid war with NATO.
Europe’s Undersea Cable-Cutting Mystery, Explained
WSJ unpacks the allegations of sabotage that have turned the Baltic Sea into the focal point of Moscow’s hybrid war with NATO.
www.wsj.com
February 26, 2025 at 1:27 PM
This was a lot of fun!