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Fortune

Adam Gale

Europe's giants still rule as startups struggle to crack the Fortune 500 Europe

Europe Banco Santander the Second World War

(Credit: coldsnowstorm via Getty)

Startups may cast incumbents as hapless Goliaths, but in ranking Europe’s biggest companies, David is nowhere to be seen.

Minus a merger here and an acquisition there, Europe’s business giants remain largely unchanged from two—or even 20—years ago. Every company in the Fortune 500 Europe top 10 has roots from before the Second World War. The oldest, Banco Santander, was founded in 1857.

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