From static report to living experience

Positioning SoET as Europe’s tech voice

 

For years, Atomico’s State of European Tech was the definitive source of insight into Europe’s technology ecosystem. But as the industry matured, expectations evolved. Publishing data was no longer enough. The report needed to shape perception, drive conversation, and claim cultural relevance.

Despite its authority, the brand behind SoET lacked cohesion. The experience felt static and fragmented. Its identity no longer reflected the ambition, pace, or innovation of the community it aimed to represent.

To lead the conversation rather than simply report on it, Atomico needed to elevate SoET into a living brand system, one that could connect founders, investors, and policymakers through insight, interaction, and momentum.

The State of European Tech had the content and credibility, but lacked a system to connect it all. Each edition felt like a one-off: disconnected in design, tone and experience. What was missing wasn’t more data, but a shared narrative that could grow stronger year after year.

Together with Atomico, we defined a unifying brand story. One that positioned SoET not just as a report, but as a cultural touchstone for European tech. Clarity, curiosity, and credibility became its core values. The result: a living identity and narrative system that replaced fragmentation with focus and turned SoET into a space for ongoing dialogue, not just annual delivery.

That brand system found its first and fullest expression in the book. We approached the State of European Tech report as the primary expression of the brand: a flagship publication designed to embody Atomico’s authority, clarity and ambition in one cohesive editorial object.

To achieve that, we transformed a dense, data-heavy report into an editorial experience people could navigate, understand and return to. Structure became a key part. Clear chapter divisions, index-inspired navigation cues, reading-time markers, introductions and summaries brought shape, pace and direction to the content. 

Typography, pacing, composition and the evolving “data blobs” gave the report a distinctive rhythm and recognizable presence. By treating the report as the core brand asset, we created a foundation that could carry the weight of the insights while turning the report itself into something people would want to explore, keep and come back to.

From that foundation, the wider ecosystem scaled with consistency. The website didn’t invent a separate experience, it translated the logic of the report into digital form. Reimagined as more than a report, it became a platform for discovery, dialogue and action.

Rooted in the belief that insights should drive engagement, the experience combines data authority with editorial accessibility. Structured like a book but built for the web, it transforms 400+ pages of content into clear chapters, curated reading tracks and a digital journey that feels both intuitive and expansive.

WebGL-powered “data blobs” evolve as users explore, visualizing Europe’s tech momentum and reinforcing the sense that innovation is always in motion. Built on React and Prismic CMS, the platform was designed to scale year after year, while smart production flows and Word-to-InDesign integration reduced complexity behind the scenes. Algolia search and real-time analytics gave Atomico greater visibility into audience behavior, turning the platform into a data-led engine for publishing, engagement and iteration.

From fragmented formats to a unified identity, the State of European Tech now lives as a system-led experience that is designed for engagement, built for scale, and fueled by purpose.

In close collaboration with Atomico, we transformed a static report into a dynamic platform that connects data, design, and community across web, print, and live events. What began as a dense PDF now operates as Europe’s tech heartbeat: measurable, modular, and made to evolve.