In 1913, a tiny American state made a calculated bet that would reshape the global economy.

When New Jersey suddenly came down hard on business, neighbouring Delaware decided to rewrite its rulebook to scoop up companies fleeing the state. It created a simple registration system, stripped away corporate bureaucracy, and invited the nation’s companies to call it home. Hoping to attract steam engines and gunpowder manufacturers, Delaware’s leaders could scarcely have imagined that, a century later, the ‘Delaware Inc’ model would serve as the foundation for smartphones, search engines and electric cars. In other words, it would become the corporate vehicle that underpinned the world’s most valuable and transformative businesses.

Europe needs its own Delaware. While the continent has shown i

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