TNW Backstage returns this week to explore one of tech’s most fascinating frontiers: brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). The capabilities of these neural devices are rapidly expanding. They’ve been implanted in skulls and worn as headbands. They’ve measured focus, treated Parkinson’s disease, and enabled paralysed people to control computers with their minds. A range of research labs and tech firms are developing BCIs. Yet the spotlight has been dominated by one company: Elon Musk’s Neuralink. The startup has put brain implants in monkeys so they can play Pong with their minds. Musk also has big plans for humans, from giving us “superpowers” to downloading our memories. But shockingly, not everyone is keen on the idea of Elon controlling their brains. Thankfully, there are other options. One of them comes from Dutch healthtech company MindAffect. The company uses BCIs primarily for hearing and visual tests. Worn as headbands, the devices analyse the brain’s responses to stimulation, which reveals what the user saw or heard. It’s completely non-invasive, affordable, and requires little staff support. MindAffect’s CEO, Jennifer Goodall, discusses the system on this week’s episode of TNW Backstage. We revisit her session from TNW Conference 2024 and discuss the healthtech trends shaping this year’s event. You can listen to the show on Spotify, at our dedicated website, or via the media player at the bottom of this article. Once you’re done, check out our previous episodes of the podcast, which goes behind the scenes of TNW Conference and the tech shaping our world. In our debut show, we explored the data security landscape — and Meta’s controversial “pay or consent” model — with Ron de Jesus, the world’s first Field Chief Privacy Officer. In our second episode, comedy content creator Derek Mitchell and TNW co-founder Boris discussed the value of humour in tech businesses. To celebrate the podcast’s launch, we’re also offering an exclusive discount on tickets for TNW Conference, which takes place in Amsterdam on June 19 and 20. You’ll find the offer hidden in each episode of TNW Backstage. Thanks for reading — and now, for listening too. Story by Thomas Macaulay Managing editor Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he e (show all) Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse). Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

Paris-based AI startup Veesion has secured €38mn to fuel expansion to the US — where it looks to help cure the country’s shoplifting “epidemic.” Veesion’s AI-based computer vision software is trained to spot gestures in security camera feeds, such as a shopper putting an item in their pocket. If it sees something suspicious, the AI pings the store owner or security guard via an app, where it displays a recording of the activity. The user then makes the final judgment on whether the situation qualifies as theft.  The software comes in a small box that plugs into a shop’s existing CCTV system. To protect privacy, the system only registers human movements, not identifying information like a person’s face or clothing, the company said.  Security cameras are common in most retail outlets. However, Veesion’s CEO and co-founder Thibault David said he thinks they are “completely useless.” Grab that deal “Cameras in shops are rarely used, because they require a human to keep watch on them,” he told TNW. Founded in 2018, Veesion’s AI shoplifter-spotter is already installed in over 6,000 stores in 25 countries, including France, the UK, Brazil and the US, where it is now looking to expand.   In 2022, US retailers reported inventory losses amounting to $112bn (€100bn), $40.3bn (€36bn) of which was attributed to shoplifting. Meanwhile, the UK, with a population around a quarter of the US, is also experiencing a rise in incidents of shoplifting. The country suffered losses of £2.2bn (€2.5bn) in 2023, according to a recent survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC).  “Shoplifting is a huge pain point for retail stores, especially in the US, which is suffering from a theft epidemic,” said David. However, spotting the crime is just one part of the puzzle — confronting shoplifters is another. According to the same BRC survey, violence and abuse against UK shop workers rose by 50% in 2023, with more than 2,000 such incidents recorded on average per day. In both the UK and the US, enforcement against shoplifters is free-falling.   As retailers struggle to keep pace with rising theft, some are turning to technology for support. While Veesion’s AI doesn’t promise to solve shoplifting outright, it might give store owners better tools to detect it and decide how to respond.  As part of its US expansion plans, Veesion will open an office in Florida that aims to employ about 50 people. One of its co-founders, Benoît Koenig, is also moving across the Atlantic permanently as part of the company’s expanded presence in the country.  Looking ahead, Vession hopes to use its computer vision technology to spot other issues in retail stores, such as falling or slipping risks. It’s also considering expanding to other sectors like manufacturing and healthcare.  AI’s evolution will be a hot topic at TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Tickets for the event are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30% off. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

Europe’s not lacking talent — it’s lacking confidence. That’s the verdict from Meta’s chief AI scientist Yann LeCun, who says an “inferiority complex” among European media and investors is holding back the continent’s tech industry. “The main reason why the European tech industry is small is a mistaken assumption of technological inferiority on the part of the European media,” wrote LeCun in an X post.  “Perhaps more importantly, there was a similar inferiority complex on the part of investors, which made them less willing to take risks when the mere possibility of an American competitor would rear its head. That has been changing over the last few years.” This reluctance to make bold bets is illustrated in the funding gap across the Atlantic. Despite having more than twice the population, European tech firms struggle to attract the investments going to their American counterparts. In 2024, US startups raised $178bn, more than triple the $51bn figure for Europeancompanies, according to CrunchbaseThe 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now! LeCun’s comments came in response to an X post by Arnaud Bertrand, the French founder of rental marketplace HouseTrip, who has had his own struggles building a startup in Europe. Bertrand founded HouseTrip in 2009, a year before the launch of a similar startup: Airbnb. HouseTrip also planned to make booking an apartment as simple as booking a hotel, but couldn’t compete with its American rival. Airbnb, which is now valued at over $80bn, grew into one of the world’s greatest tech successes.   Housetrip struggled to compete with the cash-flushed unicorn. Two years after Airbnb entered the European market in 2012, Bertrand stepped down as CEO. In 2016, TripAdvisor acquired the company for an undisclosed sum, before incorporating it into the travel site Holiday Lettings. Bertrand took to social media today to push back against a recent Wall Street Journal article that scrutinised Europe’s tech sector. Published Monday, the piece blamed the region’s sluggish performance on overregulation, fragmented markets, limited access to capital, and a risk-averse business culture. Bertrand agreed with some of the criticisms, but added that they “are all secondary.” “Based on my experience, the key problem faced by European startups can be summarised in one word: patriotism,” he said.” “There is virtually [no patriotism] in Europe, and more than anything that’s what’s killing EU startups, or preventing them from developing,” he continued.  According to Bertrand, one of the reasons his startup failed to beat Airbnb was a lack of patriotism among investors and media in Europe — a determination to back their own startups. LeCun, however, has a different view on the causes. “Not sure I would call this a lack of patriotism,” he said. “More like a lack of self-confidence.” Europe’s tech competitiveness will be a hot topic at TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Tickets for the event are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30% off. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

Our latest and most advanced technologies — from AI to Industrial IoT, advanced robotics, and self-driving cars — share serious problems: massive energy consumption, limited on-edge capabilities, system hallucinations, and serious accuracy gaps.  One possible solution is emerging in the Netherlands. The country is developing a promising ecosystem for neuromorphic computing, which draws on neuroscience to boost IT efficiencies and performance. Billions of euros are being invested in this new form of computing worldwide. The Netherlands aims to become a leader in the market by bringing together startups, established companies, government organisations, and academics in a neuromorphic computing ecosystem. A Dutch mission to the UK In March, a Dutch delegation landed in the UK to host an “Innovation Mission” with local tech and government representatives. Top Sector ICT, a Dutch government–supported organisation, led the mission, which sought to strengthen and discuss the future of neuromorphic computing in Europe and the Netherlands.  We contacted Top Sector ICT, who connected us with one of their collaborators: Dr Johan H. Mentink, an expert in computational physics at Radboud University in the Netherlands. Dr Mentink spoke about how neuromorphic computing can solve the energy, accuracy, and efficiency challenges of our current computing architectures.  Grab that deal “Current digital computers use power-hungry processes to handle data,” Dr Mentink said.  “The result is that some modern data centres use so much energy that they even need their own power plant.”  Computing today stores data in one place (memory) and processes it in another place (processors). This means that a lot of energy is spent on transporting data, Dr Mentink explained.  In contrast, neuromorphic computing architectures are different at the hardware and software levels. For example, instead of using processors and memories, neuromorphic systems leverage new hardware components such as memristors. These act as both memory and processors.  By processing and saving data on the same hardware component, neuromorphic computing removes the energy-intensive and error-prone task of transporting data. Additionally, because data is stored on these components, it can be processed more immediately, resulting in faster decision-making, reduced hallucinations, improved accuracy, and better performance. This concept is being applied to edge computing, Industrial IoT, and robotics to drive faster real-time decision-making.  “Just like our brains process and store information in the same place, we can make computers that would combine data storage and processing in one place,” Dr Mentink explained.   Early use cases for neuromorphic computing Neuromorphic computing is far from just experimental. A great number of new and established technology companies are heavily invested in developing new hardware, edge devices, software, and neuromorphic computing applications. Big tech brands such as IBM, NVIDIA, and Intel, with its Loihi chips, are all involved in neuromorphic computing, while companies in the Netherlands, aligned with a 2024 national white paper, are taking a leading regional role.  For example, the Dutch company Innatera — a leader in ultra-low power neuromorphic processors — recently secured €15 million in Series-A funding from Invest-NL Deep Tech Fund, the EIC Fund, MIG Capital, Matterwave Ventures, and Delft Enterprises.  Innatera is just the tip of the iceberg, as the Netherlands continues to support the new industry through funds, grants, and other incentives. Immediate use cases for neuromorphic computing include event-based sensing technologies integrated into smart sensors such as cameras or audio. These neuromorphic devices only process change, which can dramatically reduce power and data load, said Sylvester Kaczmarek, the CEO of OrbiSky Systems, a company providing AI integration for space technology.   Neuromorphic hardware and software have the potential to transfer AI running on the edge, especially for low-power devices such as mobile, wearables, or IoT.  Pattern recognition, keyword spotting, and simple diagnostics — such as real-time signal processing of complex sensor data streams for biomedical uses, robotics, or industrial monitoring — are some of the leading use cases, Dr Kaczmarek explained.  When applied to pattern recognition and classification or anomaly detection, neuromorphic computing can make decisions very quickly and efficiently,  Professor Dr Hans Hilgenkamp, Scientific Director of the MESA+ Institute at the University of Twente, agreed that pattern recognition is one of the fields where neuromorphic computing excels.  “One may also think about [for example] failure prediction in industrial or automotive applications,” he said.    The gaps creating neuromorphic opportunities Despite the recent progress, the road to establishing robust neuromorphic computing ecosystems in the Netherlands is challenging. Globalised tech supply chains and the standardisation of new technologies leave little room for hardware-level innovation.  For example, optical networks and optical chips have proven to outperform traditional systems in use today, but the tech has not been deployed globally. Deploying new hardware involves strategic coordination between the public and private sectors. The global rollout of 5G technology provides a good example of the challenges. It required telcos and governments around the world to deploy not only new antennas, but also smartphones, laptops, and a lot of hardware that could support the new standard.  On the software side, meanwhile, 5G systems had a pressing need for global standards to ensure integration, interoperability, and smooth deployment. Additionally, established telcos had to move from pure competition to strategic collaboration— an unfamiliar shift for an industry long built on siloed operations. Neuromorphic computing ecosystems face similar obstacles. The Netherlands recognises that the entire industry’s success depends on innovation in materials, devices, circuit designs, hardware architecture, algorithms, and applications.  These challenges and gaps are driving new opportunities for tech companies, startups, vendors, and partners.  Dr Kaczmarek told us that neuromorphic computing requires full-stack integration. This involves expertise that can connect novel materials and devices through circuit design and architectures to algorithms and applications. “Bringing these layers together is crucial but challenging,” he said.  On the algorithms and software side of things, developing new paradigms of programming, learning rules (beyond standard deep learning backpropagation), and software tools native to neuromorphic hardware are also priorities.  “It is crucial to make the hardware usable and efficient — co-designing hardware and algorithms because they are intimately coupled in neuromorphic systems,” said Dr Kaczmarek.  Other industries which have developed or are considering research on neuromorphic computing include healthcare (brain-computer interfaces and prosthetics), agri-food, and sustainable energy.  Neuromorphic computing modules or components can also be integrated with conventional CMOS, photonics, AI, and even quantum technologies.  Long-term opportunities in the Netherlands We asked Dr Hilgenkamp what expertise or innovations are most needed and offer the greatest opportunities for contribution and growth within this emerging ecosystem. “The long-term developments involve new materials and a lot of research, which is already taking place on an academic level,” Dr Hilgenkamp said.  He added that the idea of “materials that can learn” brings up completely new concepts in materials science that are exciting for researchers.  On the other hand, Dr Mentink pointed to the opportunity to transform our economies, which rely on processing massive amounts of data.  “Even replacing a small part of that with neuromorphic computing will lead to massive energy savings,” he said.  “Moreover, with neuromorphic computing, much more processing can be done close to where the data is produced. This is good news for situations in which data contains privacy-sensitive information.”  Concrete examples, according to Dr Mentink, also include fraud detection for credit card transactions, image analysis by robots and drones, anomaly detection of heartbeats, and processing of telecom data. “The most promising use cases are those involving huge data flows, strong demands for very fast response times, and small energy budgets,” said Dr Mentink.  As the use cases for neuromorphic computing increase, Dr Mentink expects the development of software toolchains that enable quick adoption of new neuromorphic platforms to see growth. This new sector would include services to streamline deployment. “Longer-term sustainable growth requires a concerted interdisciplinary effort across the whole computing stack to enable seamless integration of foundational discoveries to applications in new neuromorphic computing systems,” Dr Mentink said.  The bottom line The potential of neuromorphic computing has translated into billions of dollars in investment in the Netherlands and Europe, as well as in Asia and the rest of the world.  Businesses that can innovate, develop, and integrate hardware and software-level neuromorphic technologies stand to gain the most.   The potential of neuromorphic computing for greater energy efficiency and performance could ripple across industries. Energy, healthcare, robotics, AI, industrial IoT, and quantum tech all stand to benefit if they integrate the technology. And if the Dutch ecosystem takes off, the Netherlands will be in a position to lead the way. Supporting Dutch tech is a key mission of TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Tickets are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30% off. Story by Ray Fernandez Ray Fernandez is a journalist with over a decade of experience reporting on technology, finance, science, and natural resources. His work ha (show all) Ray Fernandez is a journalist with over a decade of experience reporting on technology, finance, science, and natural resources. His work has been published in Bloomberg, TechRepublic, The Sunday Mail, eSecurityPlanet, and many others. He is a contributing writer for Espacio Media Incubator, which has reporters across the US, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

The Dutch startup ecosystem has slipped to 10th place globally and sixth in Europe, according to the newly released Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2025.  The annual report, compiled by research platform StartupBlink, benchmarks the startup strength of over 1,400 cities and 110 countries worldwide.  The US took the top spot globally, with the UK coming in second. Among the European nations, Britain was followed by Sweden (sixth), Germany (seventh), and France (eighth). Switzerland claimed ninth place, pushing the Netherlands down one spot.   However, it’s not all bad news for the Dutch startup ecosystem, which saw an above-average growth rate of over 26% this year.  The country’s top-performing sector was ecommerce and retail, where it ranks fifth globally and first in the EU. Prominent companies in this space include grocery delivery unicorn Picnic, designer brand marketplace Otrium, and fresh food platform Crisp. Grab that deal However, the Netherlands’ overall growth was outpaced in Europe by France, Sweden, and Switzerland — all of which grew by over 30% this year.  Amsterdam holds steady On the city scale, Amsterdam remains the undisputed engine of the Dutch tech scene. The capital rose two global spots to 26th and held firm at fifth in Europe — trailing only London, Paris, Berlin, and Stockholm. It performed best in fintech, where it now ranks 15th worldwide and third in the EU, with scaleups like neobank Bunq and payments platform Mollie playing a central role.  “A key trend we observe in the Netherlands is Amsterdam’s rapid growth, with its startup ecosystem expanding by over 30% in 2025,” Eli David Rokah, CEO at StartupBlink, told TNW. “While the city remains fifth in Europe and fourth in the EU, this strong momentum is helping it close the gap with top-tier European ecosystems like Stockholm and Berlin.”  Outside the capital, the national picture is more mixed.  While Amsterdam remains the standout Dutch ecosystem globally, four more cities in the Netherlands entered the top 1000 this year (up from 20 the previous year ). That’s the highest-ever city count in this index. Rotterdam is the big riser, overtaking Utrecht to claim the number four spot among Dutch cities. It also scored the highest growth rate in the country (over 50%) and climbed 30 positions globally in just two years.  Eindhoven, meanwhile, slipped two spots to 106th globally but posted a standout result in sustainability, ranking 10th worldwide. Supporting Dutch tech is a key mission of TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Tickets are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30% off. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

Europe has been turning uranium into energy for over half a century. In the process, the continent has amassed vast stockpiles of nuclear waste. This radioactive material can take millions of years to become safe, and no one really knows what to do with it. Thorizon, a Franco-Dutch startup, has an idea: reuse the nuclear waste to generate new energy. The company is developing a small modular molten salt reactor (MSR) that runs on a mix of spent nuclear fuel and thorium, a radioactive metal with untapped potential.  Thorizon aims to begin construction of its first reactor, Thorizon One, within five years. Once complete, the plant is expected to produce 100 megawatts of electricity — enough to power around 100,000 homes or a major data centre. “We’re not just building a new type of reactor — we’re rethinking how we use the fuel we already have,” Thorizon’s CEO Kiki Leuwers told TNW. “Europe is sitting on a stockpile of valuable nuclear material. With the right technology, that waste becomes a resource.”  A 3D render of Thorizon’s nuclear reactor: Credit: Thorizon Register now When the radioactive uranium is used as fuel in a nuclear reactor, its atoms undergo fission, releasing heat. This heat is then used to produce steam, which spins a turbine to generate electricity. The radioactive waste produced in this process still retains around 90% of the uranium’s original energy. Lauwers estimates that Europe’s stockpiles of nuclear waste could power the entire region for 40 years. In the US, scientists believe it could power their country for around 100 years. Why aren’t we reusing nuclear waste? Countries including the US, France, and Japan have long understood the potential of reusing spent nuclear fuel. In the 1960s and ‘70s many so-called fast reactors were built — advanced designs capable of extracting more energy from nuclear fuel and even “breeding” new fuel from waste. But in the decades that followed, most were phased out. There were two key reasons: politics and economics. Fast reactors produce significant quantities of plutonium, the building block of atomic bombs. At the height of the Cold War, fears of nuclear proliferation prompted many countries, especially the US, to abandon efforts to recycle nuclear waste. At the same time, global uranium supplies turned out to be far more abundant than expected. Discoveries of deposits in Australia, Canada, and Africa drove prices down, making it cheaper to mine fresh uranium than to invest in recycling infrastructure. Combined, these factors put radioactive recycling on ice.   While France and Japan still reprocess some of their used fuel, most of the world’s nuclear waste today ends up in massive steel cylinders called dry casks — a temporary solution to a very, very long-term problem. Efforts to bury it deep underground for eternity — like Finland’s 500-metre-deep Onkalo repository — are making progress, but remain contentious and expensive. Meanwhile, expanding nuclear power in Europe continues to be a thorny issue, but the tide may be turning. Faced with the twin crises of climate change and energy insecurity, countries including the UK and France are pushing to expand nuclear power capacity, especially in small modular reactors (SMRs).  Whether nuclear energy gets its moment back in the sun or not, Europe still has a massive nuclear waste problem. One that Thorizon hopes to clean up.   How will Thorizon’s plant work? Thorizon’s MSR operates at high temperatures but low pressure, making it safer and more efficient. If something goes wrong, the salt solidifies and contains the radioactive material, limiting the risk of leaks or explosions.  MSRs were first developed in the 1960s at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the US and showed great promise. But they never reached commercial viability, largely because housing the corrosive salts safely proved technically challenging and expensive.   To counter this, Thorizon’s design uses a system of cartridges. Each massive steel cylinder is filled with molten salt and a mix of spent fuel from traditional reactors and fresh thorium — a radioactive material much more abundant than uranium and safer to handle. The idea is that these cylinders can simply be replaced once the radioactive part of the fuel has largely been depleted. “The cartridge approach lets us isolate the most extreme conditions inside the reactor,” said Lauwers. “It’s modular, replaceable, and gives us a safe way to deal with radioactive materials.” Thorizon spun out from the Netherlands’ nuclear research institute NRG in 2018. It now employs around 50 engineers split between Amsterdam and Lyon. The company says it has completed its conceptual design and is engaged in regulatory talks with Dutch, French, and Belgian authorities.  Three pre-feasibility studies are underway for potential launch sites in France, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Industry partners, including Dutch manufacturing giant VDL, are helping prototype core components.   By blending spent uranium fuel with thorium in a molten salt reactor, Thorizon aims to create a cleaner, more sustainable source of nuclear energy. It could turn a huge nuclear waste problem into a solution for Europe’s clean energy future. But the benefits won’t come cheap.     Funding a nuclear waste renaissance  So far, Thorizon has raised €42.5mn, including funding from the French government and Dutch bodies such as Invest-NL and the Brabant Startup Fonds. However, that’s just a fraction of the €750mn it says it needs to begin building its prototype reactor.  The long timelines, strict regulations, and high upfront costs of nuclear startups typically make them a hard sell. “To bring the technology to life, public-private partnerships are crucial,” said Lauwers. “Some of the money being spent on burying nuclear waste could be instead diverted to reusing it.”  Government backing will be crucial, she said, as will venture capital. However, the CEO said that being based in Europe may put the company at a disadvantage from a funding perspective.  “In the US, relatively small teams have been able to scale much faster, obtain more private funding, and obtain their licenses,” she said. “Here in Europe, that can take longer.”  TerraPower and X-Power are two examples. Each SMR startup has raised over $1bn to commercialise its technology. In Europe, by contrast, no tech companies have attracted a fraction of that funding. However, if Thorizon manages to overcome the hurdles, it could hit three birds with one stone: cleaning up nuclear waste, reducing Europe’s reliance on fossil fuels, and supplying stable baseload power to homes and industries.   Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

Ali Niknam has built Dutch fintech Bunq into one of Europe’s biggest neobanks. But he fears the Netherlands is now driving entrepreneurs away. The Bunq founder and CEO is alarmed by the country’s business mindset. He believes risk-aversion, growing insularity, and hostility to ambition are pushing talent overseas. “Many of the best entrepreneurs I know have either left or are considering leaving,” Niknam tells TNW. Surveys back him up. A poll last year found that almost one in five Dutch entrepreneurs were considering relocating — up from nearly one in eight in 2023. The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!Another study found that 24% of large companies were contemplating moves abroad — nearly double the share from the year before.  Tech scaleups are also mulling exits. One of the country’s biggest — software unicorn Bird — recently announced plans to shift operations out of the country. The company’s CEO blamed “over-regulation” and a bad climate for tech businesses. Niknam — who’s set to speak at TNW Conference on June 20 in Amsterdam — has his own critiques of the Dutch business landscape. He calls its support for entrepreneurship “among the worst” he’s seen. Yet he still has deep faith in the country’s talent pool.  “There are very few countries I know that have such amazing, creative, smart people as the Dutch,” he says.  Those people have been integral to Bunq’s rapid growth. Building bridges at Bunq Niknam’s idea for Bunq emerged in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. One of the causes, he believes, was groupthink at incumbent banks. He founded Bunq in 2012 to create an alternative.  To create a new approach to banking, Niknam sought to embrace diverse ideas. He points to the company’s approach to proposals, which can be pitched anonymously — even to Niknam himself. “On the one hand, that’s better for the company — the best ideas win. And on the other hand, it makes it more fair, because all that counts is the quality of your idea, not who you know, where you’re brought up, or what school you attended.” The strategy delivered rapid results. In 2015, Bunq became the first Dutch company in 35 years to obtain a greenfield banking license. It then grew into Europe’s second-largest neobank after Revolut — and one of the few to achieve profitability. The company now boasts over 17 million users with more than €8bn in deposits. Outside Bunq, however, Niknam sees a country that’s becoming more closed. He believes the Netherlands is abandoning its internationalist roots, which is damaging its tech ecosystem and chasing talent away.  “Historically, the Netherlands has been very entrepreneurial, very international… when this country retreats and closes the doors is when things start to get worse.” Even the country’s vast pension funds, he notes, avoid backing Dutch startups. “They know the returns are going to be less,” he says. “Why are the returns less? Because it’s a small country, and it is retreating and starting to focus within its own borders.” He contrasts the mood with developments in the Baltics. The region’s tech ecosystem has attracted admiring glances for its optimism, openness, and rapid growth. Niknam feels that many people in the Netherlands take their rights for granted. “It’s maybe a little bit of an entitlement disease — that we have forgotten that all these wonderful things that we enjoy today, somebody worked for them really, really hard,” he says. Born in Canada to Iranian parents and with homes in the Netherlands and the US, Niknam has diverse cultural experiences. Image: OLSjopera Niknam feels the Netherlands has become too risk-averse and inward-looking. Despite the liberal stereotype, Dutch society can be surprisingly conservative.  That caution, Niknam says, is embedded in the culture — even in local proverbs. One goes: “Steek je kop niet boven het maaiveld uit.” Loosely translated: “Don’t stick your head above the mowing line.” If you do, it might get chopped off. In Niknam’s eyes, that mentality thwarts ambitious entrepreneurs. “Success is not only not celebrated, but you’re almost faulted for being successful,” he says.  The international return The Netherlands is also losing its appeal to international talent. Over nine in ten expats and migrant workers no longer even consider coming to work in the country, according to research from last year. Tech firms have raised major concerns over losing access to global talent. The chip equipment maker ASML — the largest company in the Netherlands — has threatened to move abroad because of the country’s hardening stance on migrants. Peter Wennink, ASML’s former CEO — who will also speak at TNW Conference — recently warned against losing access to skilled workers. “If we cannot get those people here, we will get those people in Eastern Europe or in Asia or in the United States,” he said. Still, Niknam believes the tide can turn. For change to come, he believes the “silent majority” — those who value openness and diversity — must speak up.  Despite its problems, Niknam remains upbeat about the future for tech businesses in the Netherlands. “The people are great. The schooling is great. The infrastructure is great,” he says. “It is simply changing the attitude and mindset — which can happen in a relatively short amount of time — that will make all the difference.” If you want to catch the talks by Niknam and Wennink — or anything else on the agenda for TNW Conference — we have a special offer for you. Use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30% off your ticket. Story by Thomas Macaulay Managing editor Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he e (show all) Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse). Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

A Russian-born gaming mogul has been named the UK’s richest person under 40 — in a ranking dominated by tech entrepreneurs. Dmitry Bukhman, 39, built his fortune after founding mobile gaming giant Playrix. His estimated wealth of £12.54bn tops The Sunday Times 40 Under 40 Rich List — and makes up over a third of its £36.2bn combined total. His net worth has nearly doubled since last year. As a child in post-Soviet Russia, Bukman taught himself to code. Alongside his older brother Igor, he built his first game with an old Pentium PC given to them by their grandfather. After founding Playrix in 2004, the duo turned their focus to free-to-play mobile games. Their biggest hits — including Homescapes, Fishdom, and Township — have come in the casual puzzle and simulation genres. The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!Most of their revenue derive from in-app purchases (IAP). In 2024, Playrix was the world’s fourth-largest mobile game publisher by IAP revenue, generating around $1.66 billion. The company has also faced accusations of pay-to-win mechanics and misleading advertising. The Bukhman brothers left Russia in 2016. They moved to Israel in 2016 and then relocated to the the UK four years later. In 2022, they shut down Playrix’s operations in their home country after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Bukhman is far from the only tech leader on the rich list — nearly half its members come from the sector. Five of them join Bukhman in the top 10: Herman Narula, the CEO of virtual worlds business Improbable, Oliver and Alexander Kent-Braham, the co-founders of insurtech firm Marshmallow, and Piotr Dabkowski and Mati Staniszewski, the co-founders of AI firm ElevenLabs. The rankings are a subset of The Sunday Times Rich List, which profiles the UK’s 350 wealthiest people and families. Their combined wealth is estimated at £772.8bn — more than the annual GDP of Switzerland. Story by Thomas Macaulay Managing editor Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he e (show all) Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse). Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

Swiss tech startup Metafuels has unveiled plans to open its first commercial-scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant in the Port of Rotterdam.  Metafuels’ CEO Saurabh Kapoor told TNW that Turbe represents a “major step forward” toward ramping up SAF production. The startup also announced plans to build a similar facility in Denmark last year. “Europe has ambitious decarbonisation targets, but without scalable and affordable SAF production, aviation will struggle to keep up,” said Kapoor.  The facility, dubbed Turbe, will be built in collaboration with liquid energy storage provider Evos. Turbe will be integrated into Evos’ existing Rotterdam terminal, which offers access to the infrastructure needed to store green methanol in large quantities.   Register now Metafuels’ “aerobrew” technology converts renewable methanol into jet fuel, using a process it claims delivers high energy efficiency and up to 90% lower life cycle emissions than conventional jet fuel. The resulting SAF is “drop-in ready,” requiring no changes to aircraft or airport infrastructure. Turbe will be able to process both bio-methanol — sourced from biological waste — and e-methanol, which is made using renewable electricity and captured CO2. This flexibility allows Metafuels to respond to shifts in feedstock availability and regulatory demand, the company said. Kapoor said he expects both the Netherlands and Denmark plants to start producing fuel for use in commercial aircraft from 2028. However, before that happens, the company will need to obtain accreditation for its aerobrew process, which it expects to get by the end of this year.   Metafuels says the new site will produce 12,000 litres of SAF per day during its first phase, with ambitions to scale that tenfold in the second phase. For reference, a Boeing 737 Max has a fuel tank capacity of around 26,000 litres, which equates to a range of around 6,570 km. Metafuels and the broader aviation industry still has a long way to go to meet global and regional targets for SAF adoption.  SAF made up only 0.53% of global aircraft fuel use in 2024. The EU wants to ramp that up to 70% by 2050, which will require a drastic increase in the production of the greener fuel.   Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.

Google DeepMind’s AI systems have taken big scientific strides in recent years — from predicting the 3D structures of almost every known protein in the universe to forecasting weather more accurately than ever before.  The UK-based lab today unveiled its latest advancement: AlphaEvolve, an AI coding agent that makes large language models (LLMs) like Gemini better at solving complex computing and mathematical problems.  AlphaEvolve is powered by the same models that it’s trying to improve. Using Gemini, the agent proposes programs — written in code — that try to solve a given problem. It runs each code snippet through automated tests that evaluate how accurate, efficient, or novel it is. AlphaEvolve keeps the top-performing code snippets and uses them as the basis for the next round of generation. Over many cycles, this process “evolves” better and better solutions. In essence, it is a self-evolving AI.   DeepMind has already used AlphaEvolve to tackle data centre energy use, design better chips, and speed up AI training. Here are five of its top feats so far.  1. It discovered new solutions to some of the world’s toughest maths problems Register now AlphaEvolve was put to the test on over 50 open problems in maths, from combinatorics to number theory. In 20% of cases, it improved on the best-known solutions to them.  One of those was the 300-year-old kissing number problem. In 11-dimensional space, AlphaEvolve discovered a new lower bound with a configuration of 593 spheres — progress that even expert mathematicians hadn’t reached.  2. It made Google’s data centres more efficient The AI agent devised a way to better manage power scheduling at Google’s data centres. That has allowed the tech giant to improve its data centre energy efficiency by 0.7% over the last year — a significant cost and energy saver given the size of its data centre operation.  3. It helped train Gemini faster AlphaEvolve improved the way matrix multiplications are split into subproblems, a core operation in training AI models like Gemini. That optimisation sped up the process by 23%, reducing Gemini’s total training time by 1%. In the world of generative AI, every percentage point can translate into cost and energy savings.  4. It co-designed part of Google’s next AI chip The agent is also using its code-writing skills to rewire things in the physical world. It rewrote a portion of an arithmetic circuit in Verilog — a language used for chip design — making it more efficient. That same logic is now being used to develop Google’s future TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), an advanced chip for machine learning.   5. It beat a legendary algorithm from 1969 For decades, Strassen’s algorithm was the gold standard for multiplying 4×4 complex matrices. AlphaEvolve found a more efficient solution — using fewer scalar multiplications. This could lead to more advanced LLMs, which rely heavily on matrix multiplication to function. According to DeepMind, these feats are just the tip of the iceberg for AlphaEvolve. The lab envisions the agent solving countless problems, from discovering new materials and drugs to streamlining business operations. AI’s evolution will be a hot topic at TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Tickets for the event are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30% off. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

As Europe pushes for tech sovereignty, one open-source advocate has a warning: don’t forget global cooperation. Amanda Brock, CEO of industry group OpenUK, told TNW that the EU must “get real” about the trade-offs of going it alone. Brock said tech policymakers must move beyond “tit-for-tat schoolyard politics” and instead “protect global collaboration whilst ensuring the needs of their citizens are met.”   Her comments follow a speech by Eva Maydell in Brussels yesterday, where the Bulgarian lawmaker urged Europe to “sober up” in its quest for tech independence.   The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!“We need to have a very clear outline plan which, first and foremost, assesses where our strengths are, where we have certain dependencies, and where we need to cooperate,” said Maydell. In a bid to reduce reliance on global tech giants, European institutions have been ramping up efforts to grow homegrown capabilities in areas such as AI, cloud computing, and semiconductors. These efforts have gained urgency amid rising tensions with the US and China.  However, Brock believes Europe must beware of the trade-offs of tech sovereignty. She points to open-source software, which is freely available for anyone to use, modify, and share — and inherently requires cross-border cooperation.  “Every time we hear talk of ‘sovereignty’ from the EU, in the next breath we hear ‘open-source’,” she said. “Yet these two concepts sit in direct conflict, as open-source has global collaboration at its heart.” Brock urged Europe to invest in tech infrastructure and talent to support the growth of technologies such as AI, while remaining open to the rest of the world. “No one said it would be easy,” she added. Andreas Riegler, general partner at APEX Ventures, agrees that Europe must continue to embrace global collaboration.  He warned against competing head-on with the US and China in technologies like cloud infrastructure or foundational AI models.  “Europe must resist isolationist instincts and instead integrate into global tech ecosystems where appropriate,” he said. “Not doing so risks duplication of effort, talent drain, and diminished geopolitical influence in setting global standards.” Europe’s tech sovereignty will be a hot topic at TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Tickets for the event are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30% off. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

TNW Backstage is going Double Dutch this week — in more ways than one. In the second episode of our new podcast, which goes behind the scenes of TNW Conference and the tech shaping our world, we’re joined by two special guests. Both of them are based in — you guessed it — the Netherlands. Together, they brew a distinctively orange blend of tech and humour, which has become a TNW trademark. One of them is content creator Derek Mitchell, the mind behind comedy brand Let’s Double Dutch. Mitchell’s viral videos exploring culture and identity in the Netherlands have earned global acclaim. His wildly popular sketches have now racked up over 250 million views. The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!In TNW Backstage, we revisit his appearance at last year’s conference. During the talk, Mitchell reveals how he found his voice online — and how you can too. Now, you may be wondering why a comedian was appearing at a tech conference. Well, there’s no one better to explain than this week’s second guest: Boris, the co-founder of TNW. Boris drops by TNW Towers to explain how humour fuels startup ideas — and lightens the load of tech work. He also looks back at memorable moments from TNW Conference. Among his favourites are a risky rib at Amazon’s CTO, wakeboarding through Amsterdam canals, and, um, cow poop bingo. (It’s another Dutch thing, apparently.) Our terrifically talented head of content, Oliviana Bailey, then gives a sneak peek at the fun and games at this year’s events. It’s a distinct break from the debut episode of the podcast, which explored the evolving data security landscape — and Meta’s controversial “pay or consent” model — with Ron de Jesus, the world’s first Field Chief Privacy Officer. But the contrast encapsulates the two sides of TNW Conference: serious business and festival vibes. You can check out both episodes of the podcast here. To celebrate its launch, we’re also offering an exclusive discount on tickets for TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19 and 20. You’ll find the offer hidden in each episode of TNW Backstage. Thanks for reading — and now, for listening too. Story by Thomas Macaulay Managing editor Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he e (show all) Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse). Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

Welsh startup Space Forge has raised $30mn to advance its first commercial in-orbit manufacturing satellite, ForgeStar-2. The NATO Innovation Fund led the funding round, the largest Series A financing in UK space tech history. Space Forge’s demonstrator — the ForgeStar-1 — is set to launch from the US on a SpaceX rocket this year. The oven-sized satellite will then harness the conditions of space to produce “supermaterials” that are impossible to make on Earth. Joshua Western, Space Forge’s CEO and co-founder, compared the technology to a sourdough starter — a small but potent base for growing something much bigger. “Our satellites utilise the zero-gravity, ultra-cold, vacuum environment of space to produce tiny crystals of a higher quality than could ever be made otherwise,” Western explained.  View all speakers Once returned to Earth, the crystal “seeds” can be used to grow larger crystals that form the basis of ultra-efficient computer chips, which could power everything from data centres to telecoms networks. Space Forge says these semiconductors could halve the time it takes to charge an EV. The technology could also be used to make new metal alloys or pharmaceutical drugs.   At least, that’s the long-term vision — but Space Forge hasn’t yet made its materials in space, and ForgeStar-1 won’t be coming back to Earth. Instead, the satellite will be intentionally burned up in the atmosphere.   Sensors on board, however, will enable the team to measure whether the crystal-forming process was a success. The first mission aims to validate the startup’s key technologies in preparation for the launch of ForgeStar-2.   Designed to be reusable, ForgeStar-2 will be equipped with a heat shield called Pridwen that will protect its precious payload from the intense heat and pressure of re-entry. That could enable it to make regular trips to space and deliver new seeds back to labs on Earth.    Space Forge predicts its crystal seeds could be worth up to £45mn ($60mn) per kg, which would easily cover the costs of launch. The company also claims that the power-saving gains of its semiconductors in technologies like EVs will offset the carbon emitted when launching the satellite.  Space Forge will use the fresh funding to accelerate the development of ForgeStar-2. As hinted by NATO’s participation in the round, the company’s technology could also have potential applications in security and defence. It may enhance European security by enabling the production of advanced materials for defence systems and reducing reliance on foreign suppliers for critical components. Chris O’Connor, partner at NATO Innovation Fund, said Space Forge would advance Europe’s access to space, supply chain independence, and long-term resiliency.  “We look forward to working with the Space Forge team to leverage their technological breakthroughs in order to secure the future of NATO nations,” he said. Update (11:10AM CET, May 14, 2025): This article previously stated that ForgeStar-1 was Space Forge’s first demonstrator. However, the first was actually ForgeStar-0, which was destroyed following the failed launch of Virgin Orbit from Spaceport Cornwall in 2023.

Helsing, Europe’s best-funded defence tech startup, has unveiled its latest product — an autonomous mini-submarine for underwater reconnaissance.  Dubbed SG-1 Fathom, the sub is the latest addition to Europe’s growing fleet of ocean drones, which aim to better protect the continent’s ships and subsea infrastructure from surveillance, sabotage, and attacks.  The 1.95-metre Fathom is designed to slowly patrol the ocean for up to three months at a time. The vessel is powered by an AI platform called Lura. The system is a large acoustic model (LAM) — like a large language model (LLM) but for sound.  Lura is able to classify sounds made by ships and submarines and then pinpoint their locations. Helsing said the algorithm can identify sounds at volumes 10 times quieter than competing AI models. It also works at 40 times the speed of an equivalent human operator. View all speakers Helsing said the “mass-producible” submarines can be deployed in hundreds-strong “constellations” to carry out large-scale surveillance.  Helsing plans to build the autonomous ocean drones in large numbers. Credit: Helsing Ocean reconnaissance of this kind has become increasingly urgent since the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage, which exposed the vulnerability of underwater assets to covert attacks. European nations NATO are also stepping up their maritime defences amid growing concerns over Russian aggression.  In Ukraine, ocean drones have already become an important tool in its war against Moscow. High-tech arsenal  The war in Ukraine is increasingly characterised by battles between autonomous systems, mainly unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). However, the battle between machines is also playing out in the seas.   Earlier this month, Ukraine used its Magura naval drone to shoot down two Russian aircraft. The Magura, armed with missiles, has been used extensively since 2023 to attack and destroy Russian ships and aircraft.  The country is also expanding its fleet of waterborne drones. Last week, Ukrainian company Nordex unveiled the Seawolf, an uncrewed surface vessel (USV) for combat, surveillance, and border security applications.     British company Kraken is developing a similar uncrewed boat that can engage enemies in combat or deliver cargo and personnel. Meanwhile, Denmark is set to trial autonomous sailboats to patrol the Baltic Sea looking for signs of potential threats.    The adoption of drones at sea comes amid rising geopolitical tensions, which have prompted European officials to go all-in on defence tech.  In March 2025, EU leaders endorsed the “ReArm Europe” plan, aiming to mobilise up to £683bn (€800bn) over the next four years to enhance military capabilities. Similarly, the UK government has committed to raising defence spending to 2.5% of GDP and wants to spend at least 10% of its defence budget on “innovative technologies”.  Helsing looks to capitalise on this political momentum. The company told Bloomberg last month that it has “won over a dozen contracts” with “total order volumes of hundreds of millions of dollars” since its founding in 2021.   Helsing, which is valued at €5bn ($5.4bn), is perhaps best known for its combat drones and AI software that acts like the brain for military vehicles such as fighter jets. Fathom marks its first entry into ocean-bound technology.  Several naval forces have already shown interest in Helsing’s autonomous submarine, the company said. It aims to deploy the first fleets of underwater drones within a year.  Defence tech is a key theme of the Assembly, the invite-only policy track of TNW Conference. The event takes place in Amsterdam on June 19 — a week before the NATO Summit arrives in the city. Tickets for TNW Conference are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30% off. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

Five standout scaleups from the UK have made it into TECH5 — the “Champions League of Technology.”  The selections complete the UK and Ireland regional round of the tournament, which will now crown Europe’s hottest scaleup. Both Ireland and the UK had no shortage of contenders. Each nation boasts impressive digital track records. The UK is often regarded as Europe’s leading tech hub. The country has a thriving ecosystem of startups, a strong investment landscape, and a world-class talent pool.  The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!Last year, the country retained its position as the number one destination in Europe for tech investments, raising €17.5bn. London dominates the sector, forming a “golden triangle” with Cambridge and Oxford that powers a formidable innovation engine.  Ireland has also enjoyed a stellar run of tech success. The progress has been partly driven by low corporate tax rates, which have lured many Silicon Valley giants to its shores.  A skilled workforce, strategic location within the EU, and strong government support have also laid fertile grounds for homegrown tech firms. They range from Dublin unicorns LetsGetChecked, Workhuman, and Wayflyer, to payments giant Stripe — one of the world’s most valuable private tech firms.  This year’s TECH5 picks from the region, however, are all based in the UK. London dominates the list, providing a base for all but one of them. TNW’s judges selected the top five based on their growth, impact, and future potential. In no particular order, let’s meet them. Allica Bank Allica Bank has enjoyed a remarkable rise since launching in 2020. Last year, the fintech was Britain’s fastest-growing business, according to the Sunday Times. It also earned the top spot in Sifted’s rankings of European startups with the highest percentage revenue growth. Allica was recently highlighted by UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves as a star of the British fintech scene. Ravneet Shah, the scaleup’s Chief Technology Officer, attributes the company’s success to its distinctive approach to business banking.  “Our ambition is to empower established businesses with technology that’s user-friendly, scalable, and specifically built to handle their day-to-day financial needs,” Shah told TNW.  “We believe that this segment has long been underserved by legacy systems and processes, which were never designed with these businesses in mind. “By tailoring our services to this often-overlooked segment, we believe we can help them become more confident in managing their finances, allowing them to focus on growth, innovation, and long-term success.” PolyAI PolyAI is on a mission to create the world’s most lifelike AI voice agents. Designed for call centres, the AI agents manage customer service inquiries for companies including Volkswagen, Marriott, and MetroBank.  PolyAI says clients receive customised voice assistants in six weeks or less. The finished products promise engaging experiences that feel like talking to a real person.  CEO Nikola Mrkšić, who previously worked on Apple’s Siri voice assistant, co-founded PolyAI in 2017 with fellow University of Cambridge machine learning researchers. Last year, their company closed a $50mn (€38mn) funding round at a valuation of close to $500mn (€380mn). “We want to make people fall in love with voice assistants because [calling] is still the main way people interact with businesses,” Mrkšić told the FT. “It’s been very sticky and has stayed past a digital transformation elsewhere.”  Mrkšić envisions huge growth, predicting that up to 75% of customer interactions could be automated with AI.   Artios Pharma Artios Pharma is a pioneer of a rapidly advancing approach to cancer treatment. The company develops drugs that target DNA damage response (DDR), which cancer cells rely on to repair genetic faults and resist treatment. By targeting tumours through DDR, Artios aims to kill cancerous cells while sparing healthy ones. The technique has proved immensely promising in tests. Last month, Artios reported that its lead drug had shrunk a subset of tumours in an early-stage trial.  Investors have taken note. Artios has raised over €261 million so far, according to Bounce Watch data.  Our sole contender in the region from outside London, Artios is based in Cambridge. Founded in 2016, the company boasts impeccable credentials.CEO Niall Martin, PhD, and CSO Graeme Smith, PhD, were involved in the invention of AstraZeneca’s Lynparza, a blockbuster DDR drug that has been hailed as a “revolutionary” cancer treatment.  Zilch Zilch has introduced a new approach to Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) purchases. The payments are interest-free and subsidised by ads, with rewards for purchases and no late fees. The company also promises to only lend what users can afford. To encourage responsible spending, Zilch provides customers with tools to keep them on top of purchases.  Founded in 2018, the London-based business has quickly grown into one of Europe’s leading scaleups. In 2021, the fintech became one of the fastest companies in the continent to reach unicorn status. Last July, Zilch announced it had also turned profitable. Over 5 million customers are registered with the scaleup. The rapid rise has earned the company multiple accolades. In the last few months, Zilch was named the fastest-growing unicorn in Britain, won “Financial Institution of the Year” at the City AM Dragon Awards, and joined Allica Bank in earning praise from Chancellor Reeves. Veremark Veremark has created a background screening platform for hiring and appraisals. The system aims to find clients the best talent — and reduce recruitment risks. The platform offers an alternative to traditional screening approaches, which are often costly and prone to being skipped.  Founded in 2019, Veremark automates and digitises these processes. The result, the scaleup says, is faster and more insightful checks that comply with regulations. As well as prospective hires, the system can screen existing staff, business partners, limited partners, and founders. The company also recently launched a blockchain-based “career passport” for candidates to manage their verified credentials. “We’re building Veremark to become the world’s most trusted platform for verifying professional integrity,” the scaleup told TNW.  “In a time where trust is more important — and more fragile — than ever, we help businesses make better people decisions by giving them confidence in who they’re hiring and working with.” What’s next for the TECH5 scaleups? The Irish and British scaleups will compete for the TECH5 title with rivals from six other regions: the Baltics, Southern Europe, France, Benelux, the Nordics, and DACH. This summer, the winner will be crowned as Europe’s hottest scaleup.  The coronation will take place at TNW Conference on June 19 and 20 — and you could be there to witness it. Tickets for the event are now on sale. Use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout for 30% off. Story by Thomas Macaulay Managing editor Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he e (show all) Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse). Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

A year ago this week, a viral hit offered a glimpse into the future of AI music: “BBL Drizzy.” The song emerged during the feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake. As the rappers traded disses, a New York-based comedian named Willonius Hatcher — aka King Willonious — brought his own track to the beef. Inspired by a dubious claim that Drake had a Brazilian butt lift, “BBL Drizzy” blended AI, comedy, pop culture, and music. The song swiftly went viral. It was later sampled in a beat by star producer Metro Boomin, which also went viral, and got rapped over by Drake himself.  “BBL Drizzy” became a cultural touchstone. The Washington Post called it “a real breakthrough for AI art,” while Wired described it as “the beginning of the future of AI music.” Time magazine named Willionius one of the 100 most influential people in AI. The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!Willonius — who will speak at TNW Conference on June 19 — is modest about his creation. “It was just one of those things where everything was in perfect alignment,” he says. But that’s selling his success short. Willonius has established a proven track record for creating online sensations. Here are some of his tips on striking internet gold. 1. Hone your skills Willonius had spent years honing his craft as a comedian and writer before shifting focus to AI. He’s challenged himself to write 30 scripts in 30 days, produce an album every month, and “put in my 10,000 hours” to master comedy music.  He applied that same work ethic to AI. From December 2022 to April 2023, he spent eight hours a day prompting in ChatGPT. He also experimented intensively with visual tools, creating over 30,000 images in Midjourney and generating movie trailers for his scripts. “You never know what could go viral,” he says. “All that you can do is just maintain a system and a work ethic. Even when [‘BBL Drizzy’] went viral, my whole thing was to keep working.” 2. Capture a zeitgeist Timing is a key ingredient in viral success — and “BBL Drizzy” arrived at a perfect moment. Interest in AI was surging and the Drake-Kendrick feud had captivated the public. In April, rapper Rick Ross made his own contribution to the beef, claiming that Drake’s posterior was, um, surgically enhanced. Days earlier, a team of former Google DeepMind researchers had released the beta version of a powerful new AI music generator called Udio. Willonius brought all of this together. He penned comedy lyrics that gently mocked Drake and prompted Udio to turn them into various songs. Eventually, he settled on a vintage ’70s soul sound. With a catchy title and a chorus about the alleged butt-boost, the track brought the feud into a new dimension.    “There were comedians trying to make jokes about it,” Willonius says. “But not really making any songs about that beef.” 3. Don’t just follow the crowd Willonius has always been fascinated by new forms of creativity. In 2007, he scored a viral hit on YouTube — a parody of Soulja Boy’s widely mocked yet wildly influential “Crank That.” But he was soon looking for more original paths.  Rather than follow trends, he sought new approaches. “If I would have done skits on TikTok, I would have just been doing it because everybody else was doing it,” he says. “And in my career, every time I’ve gone my own way, that’s when I’ve had the most success.” 4. Be consistent There’s no guaranteed formula for viral success. Willonius prefers to focus on the factors he can control. One of them is consistency. When he first started creating AI videos, they didn’t always bring in the views that he had expected. “It made me curb my expectations for my content — because you don’t know what’s ever going to go viral.” Instead of obsessing over every view, Willonius focused on releasing a steady stream of quality content. It eventually hit the mark. “Don’t worry about the views,” he suggests. “Just worry about the consistency and if you like what you produce. Everything else is out of your control.” 5. Embrace kaizen In his approach to consistency, Willonius applies a Japanese concept called “kaizen.” A philosophy of continuous improvement, kaizen emphasises the importance of small, incremental changes. “Every time you make art, you should make it with the intention of being better than the last time you made some art,” he says.  “Those are two things I do: stay consistent and just try to get better each time. And if I do those two things, I’m satisfied with the outcome.” 6. Quality counts One big reason for “BBL Drizzy’s” success? It’s simply a great song The catchy hook, memorable lyrics, and classic soul sound are a delight to the ear. “I think it proved that people don’t really care whether a song is AI generated or not,” Willonius says. “They just wanted to enjoy it and make them feel something. And when you heard that song, it made you laugh.” 7. Find your audience As the beef between Drake and Lamar turned ugly, “BBL Drizzy” offered welcome respite. It was a funny, light-hearted, good-natured counter to a vicious rap feud. The approach gave the track a broad appeal. “It’s a fun song — the lyrics are funny and it’s clean,” Willonius says. “Everybody across every age group, genre, and gender can enjoy it. Little children can sing it — and it’s a very singable song.” 8. Keep an eye on the future Pop culture and technology both move fast. Willonius follows each of them closely, keeping an eye out for emerging trends. He’s particularly excited about the creative possibilities of AI video. “We’re at the point now where anybody could make an AI feature film if they wanted to… The models are getting better,” he says. “They’re looking more realistic, more life-like.” A big upside, he says, is the democratising effect. For creators from marginalised backgrounds and those with limited resources, AI can open new doors to success. “It’s an exciting time to be a creator,” he says. “And it’s an exciting time for AI, because it’s getting better and better.” There’s still no magic formula for viral hits. But AI can give creators new tricks up their sleeves. If you want to catch King Willonius’ talk or anything else on the packed agenda for TNW Conference, we have a special offer for you. Use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30% off your ticket. Story by Thomas Macaulay Managing editor Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he e (show all) Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse). Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

Britain requires a “colossal” overhaul of its cybersecurity systems to defend against future quantum computers, the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) warned this week.  Speaking at the CYBERUK conference in Manchester, the body’s CTO Ollie Whitehouse urged organisations to start preparing now for a sweeping transformation in how digital security is built and maintained — warning of grave consequences if they don’t.   Quantum computers, once they reach a certain power threshold, could render current encryption methods obsolete. They could break security protocols that protect everything from financial transactions and medical records to military communications.  A critical part of preparing for this future is adopting post-quantum cryptography (PQC), Whitehouse said. PQC aims to defend against potential cyberattacks from quantum computers. It involves designing new encryption algorithms based on mathematical problems that are hard for both classical and quantum computers to solve. These algorithms are then integrated into existing systems to replace vulnerable encryption methods.  View all speakers Whitehouse stressed, though, that the move to PQC won’t just be a software upgrade. It will require a “decade-long, national-scale technology change programme to uplift the foundations of our connected systems,” he said. In March, the NCSC published guidance setting out clear timelines for the UK’s migration to PQC. It advised organisations to complete migration to PQC of all their systems, services, and products by 2035. The race to secure systems against quantum threats Across the world, governments are scrambling to prepare themselves for a world occupied by powerful quantum machines. Last year, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released several algorithms believed to be secure from quantum hacking.  There is also a cohort of tech startups that have emerged to help organisations get ready. One of them is UK-based PQShield, which raised $37mn last year for its software and hardware-based PQC solutions. It’s still uncertain, however, whether PQC will withstand future quantum attacks, as no one knows how powerful the machines will ultimately become. That’s why other companies and governments are exploring Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), which uses quantum mechanics to securely transmit encryption keys as particles of light. These photons carry qubits — the basic units of quantum information. Crucially, it is impossible to “listen in” on a QKD message without disturbing the quantum states. It would instantly alert both parties to eavesdropping. This makes the technology “untappable.” For the NCSC, however, the primary safeguard against quantum threats, at least for now, is migrating to PQC. Whitehouse described it as “a complex change programme that makes fixing the Millennium Bug look easy,” a nod to the massive efforts in the late 1990s to update computer systems unable to handle dates past 1999. The future of tech is a key theme of TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Tickets for the event are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30%. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

The Danish Armed Forces are set to trial four autonomous sea drones that will patrol Northern Europe waters, looking for signs of criminal activity.  Powered by wind and solar, the uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) will gather real-time data using sensors and cameras positioned both above and beneath the water. An onboard computer will stream this data to a machine learning algorithm that is trained to spot patterns and potential threats. The technology is designed to help the Danish defence forces identify threats such as enemy submarines, illegal fishing, drug smuggling, or tampering with undersea cables. The drones will also perform deep-sea mapping to give authorities a clearer perspective of the ocean floor and underwater infrastructure, such as communication cables, pipelines, and offshore energy platforms.  Surveillance of this kind has become increasingly urgent since the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage, which exposed the vulnerability of underwater assets to covert attacks. Denmark is also stepping up its maritime defences in the Baltic Sea amid growing concerns over Russian aggression. The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!The robotic sailboats are made and operated by Saildrone, a US-based tech firm founded by British engineer Richard Jenkins in 2012. In its early days, Saildrone mainly focused on climate and weather surveying. But now the vast majority of its 140-strong fleet is deployed for defence and security purposes.  “The Baltic, North Sea, and European Arctic waters are currently facing unprecedented threats,” said Jenkins. “We are very excited to be partnering with the Danish armed forces to deploy Saildrone systems to help protect Europe’s critical undersea infrastructure and increase regional security.” Denmark’s army will begin testing the four vessels in June, as part of a broader effort to beef up its high-tech defences, including deploying mine-hunting underwater drones and uncrewed surveillance aircraft.  Last month, the Nordic country announced a $614mn spending package. It will use the money to procure 26 new naval vessels, more drones, and sonar equipment in response to emerging maritime threats — particularly from Russia.  Last month, the company set up a Danish subsidiary in Copenhagen, which it hopes will bring the technology closer to key defence markets including the UK, France, and Germany. Defence tech is a key theme of the Assembly, the invite-only policy track of TNW Conference. The event takes place in Amsterdam on June 19 — a week before the NATO Summit arrives in the city. Tickets for TNW Conference are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to grab an exclusive discount. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

The beat just dropped on a new era of music, and it’s coming not from a recording studio but from the weird and wonderful realm of quantum physics. UK-based tech startup Moth has released the track “Recurse” in collaboration with British electronic artist ILĀ. It’s billed as the world’s first commercially available song created using “quantum-powered generative AI.” “Recurse” certainly sounds otherworldly — like the kind of music aliens might stream while drifting through deep space. Yet again, that is kind of ILĀ’s style. Give it a listen: https://cdn0.tnwcdn.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2025/05/ila_Recurse.mp3 You can listen to the track yourself on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify. It’s also available via a 24/7 interactive stream that generates and evolves in real-time.  Dr Ilana Wisby, CEO of Moth, said the track’s release marks a “defining moment,” not just for the company, but for the “future of creativity itself.”  “Recurse demonstrates the power of quantum AI to support and enhance, and not just take from, artists,” said Wisby, who is the former CEO of one of Europe’s best-funded quantum computing startups, Oxford Quantum Circuits. ILĀ provided original sounds to train a generative AI tool that worked inside Moth’s music software. The AI suggested parts like bass, synth, and drums, but ILĀ retained full control over instrumentation, effects, and arrangement. The music was then refined using quantum computers provided by German startup IQM.  Blending quantum and AI Behind the scenes, the song’s creation relied on the emerging field of quantum machine learning, which uses the unique properties of quantum computers to help AI learn patterns and solve problems faster than traditional computers.  The track was produced using Moth’s platform Archaeo, based on a type of quantum machine learning called Quantum Reservoir Computing (QRC). The system was able to identify subtle, complex patterns in ILĀ’s music that conventional AI might miss.  Unlike generative AI tools like Suno or Udio, Archaeo doesn’t create songs from scratch. Nor is it trained on vast quantities of music scraped from the web (often without consent). Instead, it learns from small samples from a specific artist, whom it then helps to make a new song.  “It feels very refreshing to use a technology that has been built to work with you — not simply replace you,” said ILĀ. “This approach produces something much more human led which feels more authentic in creative terms.” Moth’s technology was developed in collaboration with Brazilian composer Eduardo Reck Miranda. Renowned for his research on computational creativity, Miranda has written an entire book on quantum music. Last year he released an album called Qubism made up of quantum computer-made songs. He also serves on Moth’s board.  While Moth’s technology is still in early development, the company hopes it will redefine creative industries including music, art, and gaming.  Gamers could use tools like Archaeo to generate custom content — music, art, or dialogue — based on their own creative inputs, allowing for deeper personalisation and modding.   “We’re not just building tech for tech’s sake, we’re building tools that empower, inspire, and drive a new era of media and creativity,” said Wisby. The next big thing in tech is a key theme for TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Tickets for the event are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30%. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.

Have you heard of the privacy paradox? It’s the contradiction between our claims to care about privacy — and our refusal to protect it. The paradox came to mind while working on the debut episode of our brand-new podcast: TNW Backstage. The show takes you behind the scenes of TNW Conference — and the tech shaping our world. Our first episode features a standout guest: Ron de Jesus, the world’s first Field Chief Privacy Officer. The conversation explores the evolution of privacy threats. One hot topic is Meta’s controversial “pay or consent” model, which gives users a stark choice: allow ad-tracking or go ad-free for a fee. View all speakers When we spoke to Ron last year, the strategy was drawing fire from regulators, civil society groups, and nonprofits. But did that scare users away? Not really. Meta’s user base has continued growing — and the company is doubling down on the model.  It’s a prime example of the privacy paradox in action. In TNW Backstage, we dig into these tensions and other big privacy issues. We also discuss how they’re shaping the agenda for this year’s TNW Conference. To celebrate the podcast’s launch, we’re offering an exclusive discount on tickets for the event, which takes place on June 19 and 20. Tune in to TNW Backstage via the media player below to unlock the offer. Thanks for reading — and now, for listening too. Story by Thomas Macaulay Managing editor Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he e (show all) Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse). Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

A flying car that morphs into a plane in just 80 seconds is set to go on sale in early 2026. Slovakian flying car maker Klein Vision unveiled the Aircar 2, its first “production-ready” prototype, today.  Klein Vision co-founder Anton Zajac told TNW that the vehicle will cost between $800,000 and $1mn.  The original Aircar garnered a lot of attention back in 2021 when it successfully conducted a 35-minute inter-city test flight. The Aircar 2 will have some major upgrades over its predecessor. Klein Vision has scrapped the 1.6-litre BMW engine for a new 280-horsepower motor with twice the power. This is set to boost the aircraft’s cruising speed from 170 to 250 km/h, shorten the takeoff distance, and increase its overall safety. The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now! The new model will be made of a single shell (monocoque), which will provide better structural support. The Aircar 2 is designed to transform into a plane in just 1 minute, 20 seconds — about half the time it previously took.  In driving mode, with its wings folded, the Aircar 2 will be able to clock up to 200km/h. Credit: Klein Vision The flying car will have a range of around 1000km and be powered by petrol. Klein Vision plans to go electric “as soon as the energy density of the batteries is good enough,” Zajac said.   Owners of the flying car, which measures 5.8-metres in length, will be able to store it in most standard parking spots. Once they want to fly, they would have to drive the vehicle to their local airport, press a button to deploy the wings and rudder, and take-off. Once landed, they could drive on to their destination. The car has a top speed of 200 km/h on the road.  The aircraft is based on 35 years of development led by Slovakian aviation expert Stefan Klein. The first Aircar, launched in 2016, has already clocked 170 flight hours and more than 500 takeoffs and landings. It received a certificate of airworthiness to fly in 2022.   Klein Vision already has pre-orders for the Aircar 2 and a “few interested potential clients,” said Zajac. The company recently unveiled the production prototype at the Living Legends of Aviation Gala Dinner in Beverly Hills. Guests at the event included Hollywood actors John Travolta and Morgan Freeman, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, and Prince Harry. The Aircar 2 might also be available in red. Credit: Klein Vision After that, Klein Vision aims to obtain the European Aviation Safety Agency’s CS-32 certificate, which would remove restrictions on production numbers. Klein Vision, which has a team of only seven people, is completely bootstrapped. The first Aircar cost around $5mn to build. Most of that funding came from Zajac, who is a prominent tech investor. He indicated, however, that the company is “open” to external investment as it prepares to ramp up production of the new model. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

Latvian startup Origin Robotics today launched BLAZE, an autonomous interceptor drone designed to destroy enemy drones by ramming into them or blowing them up. BLAZE is deployable on the battlefield in less than a minute. It comes in a small briefcase which doubles as a launchpad and charging dock.  Powered by computer vision, BLAZE has been trained to spot the difference between different aircraft types and distinguish them from other objects, such as birds. It combines this system with traditional radar to track aerial targets with high precision.    View all speakers Once it locks onto an enemy unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), BLAZE takes off from the ground and zips off to intercept it. Equipped with a warhead, it smashes into the target, blowing up itself and the enemy drone too. It can also self-detonate once it gets close to its adversary.   While this may seem wasteful, each unit costs at least 10 times less than the drone threats it is designed to intercept, Origin told TNW, without revealing the exact price tag. While BLAZE is autonomous, Origin says operators retain oversight until the final moment. The device also has a “wave-off” function, which allows the drone to return safely or self-destruct if needed. This aims to reduce the chances of friendly fire.  As drones reshape modern warfare, Origin pitches BLAZE as a cheap solution to counter them, filling the gap between gun-based air defence and pricey missile interceptors.  “The need for a system like BLAZE is immediate — it’s driven by real-world operational demands that are unfolding right now,” Agris Kipurs, CEO and co-founder of Origin Robotics, told TNW. He added that the company plans to “enable NATO armies across Europe.”  One of its potential customers is the military in Ukraine, where small UAVs equipped with explosives have quickly become the weapon of choice in the fight against Russia. Origin’s flagship drone, BEAK, is already deployed in active combat in Ukraine.  But Ukraine also faces its own onslaught of Russian drones, which has left it scrambling for lower-cost ways to counter these mass-produced aerial threats.  In January 2025 alone, Russia launched over 2,500 drones into Ukrainian territory.  “We designed BLAZE specifically to address this threat — a fast, intelligent, and cost-effective addition to existing air defence systems,” Kipurs said.  “In asymmetric warfare, drones are relatively inexpensive and widely deployed to overwhelm air defences and strike targets both at the frontline and deep behind it, making it challenging and costly to counter,” he added. Ukraine has increasingly relied on first-person view (FPV) interceptor drones to counter Russian UAV attacks. These piloted FPVs are basically consumer-grade drones with an explosive attached.   “While creative, this approach is extremely challenging and not scalable,” Kipurs said. Using FPVs as interceptors, he continued, “requires an exceptionally skilled pilot with extensive training and flight time — skills that are rare, even among experienced operators.” Kipurs co-founded Origin in 2022 alongside Ilja Nevdahs. The company has raised over $9mn to date. It also recently secured an R&D contract from the Latvian Ministry of Defence and a grant from the European Defence Fund. Defence tech is a key theme of the Assembly, the invite-only policy track of TNW Conference. The event takes place in Amsterdam on June 19 — a week before the NATO Summit arrives in the city. Tickets for TNW Conference are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to grab an exclusive discount. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.

US food delivery giant DoorDash has acquired British rival Deliveroo in a £2.9bn ($3.9bn) deal, ending the UK business’ rocky tenure as a public company.  The all-cash offer, priced at £1.80 ($2.40) per share, represents a 77% premium over Deliveroo’s recent trading price. However, the acquisition price is less than half its 2021 IPO valuation of £7.6bn. Deliveroo’s board unanimously backed the deal. CEO and co-founder Will Shu, who owns 6.4% of the company, is set to pocket £172mn.  The merger will expand DoorDash’s footprint in Europe, where it has lagged behind competitors like Uber Eats and Just Eat. Deliveroo’s largest markets are the UK and Ireland, which account for around 60% of its total orders. In Europe, the company also has a presence in France, Belgium, and Italy. Tony Xu, CEO and co-founder of DoorDash, said the acquisition would bring together two teams that have “similar visions and values.” The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now! “Deliveroo is just such a team and one that I have long admired,” he said. “[Together] we’ll cover more than 40 countries with a combined population of more than 1 billion people, enabling us to provide more local businesses with the tools and technology they need to thrive.” Founded in London in 2013 by Shu and Greg Orlowski, Deliveroo quickly grew from a local startup into an international player. It pioneered “dark kitchens” with its Deliveroo Editions model and introduced a subscription service, Deliveroo Plus, in 2017.  The company raised a total of £1.2bn over several rounds. The largest was a £432mn ($575mn) round in 2019 led by Amazon. Two years later, Deliveroo listed on the London Stock Exchange at the height of the COVID pandemic delivery boom.  However, Deliveroo’s shares fell 14% on debut, and the company struggled to meet investor expectations. By 2022, it exited markets like Australia, the Netherlands, and Germany to refocus on core operations.  Still, 2024 marked a turnaround, with Deliveroo posting its first annual pre-tax profit of £12mn ($16mn). Despite that progress, DoorDash’s bid proved compelling.  “I want to thank all of our incredibly skilled people, dedicated riders and merchants and our loyal consumers for helping us to build the successful business we have today,” Shu said. “I hope they share our excitement about what the future holds.” Up to 830 jobs could be cut post-acquisition, mostly in back-office roles, though both firms pledged to minimise redundancies. Deliveroo will retain its London HQ and existing GMB union agreements. DoorDash said the combined company will invest in tech and logistics to better compete globally. For Deliveroo, it’s the end of independence. For DoorDash, it’s a bold bet on Europe’s fragmented but still-growing food delivery market. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.

German drone maker Quantum Systems has raised €160mn at a valuation north of €1bn, becoming Europe’s latest defence tech unicorn.   Quantum Systems builds electric, AI-powered autonomous surveillance drones that are dual-use, meaning they can serve both military and civil purposes.   Defence forces can use the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to spy on enemies and gather intel. The drones can also be used by farmers to inspect their crops, by energy companies to check power lines, and by search and rescue teams to look for survivors.   Florian Seibel, co-CEO and co-founder of Quantum Systems, said the company was ready to become the European leader in “robotised and AI-powered aerial intelligence solutions” for both defence and civilian applications. “The need for sovereign, aerial intelligence has never been more pressing,” he added.  View all speakers The latest funding round, led by the UK’s Balderton Capital, brings Quantum Systems’ total capital raised to $284mn (€250mn), according to Dealroom data. The round also saw participation from Airbus Defence and Space, Bullhound Capital, and existing angel investor Peter Thiel.  Quantum Systems has already secured several major defence contracts, including with the German, Spanish, and British armed forces. Its flagship drone, the Vector AI, has been tested in Ukraine, which has become a major battlefield testing ground for dual-use technologies.   Tekever is another European startup that has surveillance drones in active deployment in Ukraine. Founded in Portugal, the dual-use firm recently raised “tens of millions” in fresh capital at a valuation “beyond $1bn (€882mn),” its CEO, Ricardo Mendes, told the Financial Times.    Similarly to Quantum Systems, soldiers use Tekever’s long-distance UAVs to cover vast areas and carry out reconnaissance. Its drones have also been used to search for small-boat migrant smugglers in the English Channel and monitor pipelines in Nigeria. Quantum Systems and Tekever are both benefiting from a surge in European defence tech investment. This growth is partly fueled by rising security concerns — driven by Russia’s aggression and the Trump administration’s warning that it may cut US military support to Europe. Defence tech startups in Europe raised $613mn (€540mn) in venture capital in 2024, the largest value ever recorded, according to Dealroom. The bulk of those funds was secured by just one company — Germany’s Helsing.  Defence tech is a key theme of the Assembly, the invite-only policy track of TNW Conference. The event takes place in Amsterdam on June 19 — a week before the NATO Summit arrives in the city. Tickets for TNW Conference are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to grab an exclusive discount. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.

Dutch startup Eyeo has emerged from stealth with €15mn in funding to advance a breakthrough photonics technology for cameras that could radically disrupt the way we take images. Eyeo spun out last year from Belgium’s Imec, one of the world’s leading nanoelectronics centres. The startup’s waveguide colour-splitting technology — an optical technique that uses tiny structures to guide and separate light by wavelength — triples the light sensitivity of today’s best image sensors.  Eyeo’s sensors allow all sorts of cameras, from DSLRs to those in smartphones and virtual reality headsets, to capture brighter, clearer images, especially in low-light conditions. The technology also enables cameras to “see” colour in much the same way our eyes do, thanks to “unprecedented” colour fidelity, Eyeo said.  Jeroen Hoet, CEO of the Eindhoven-based company, called the results a “new standard for the future of imaging.”  View all speakers Most cameras today (like those in your phone) use colour filters — tiny red, green, and blue layers — on top of each pixel to create a colour image. But these filters block over 70% of the light that hits them. That means most of the light is wasted, especially in low-light conditions. These filters also limit how small pixels can be, which in turn limits how compact and high-resolution a camera can be. Instead of blocking light with filters, Eyeo splits photons using tiny structures called waveguides that direct each colour of light directly to the right pixel. This results in a sensor that captures all of the incoming light. The technology also allows camera sensors to have minuscule pixels, smaller than half a micron (1/1000mm) in size.  All this equates to a sensor that can process a lot more light, effectively doubling the resolution of a camera using a chip of the same size.  A 3D render of Eyeo’s colour-splitting waveguide structure that forms the building block’s of a camera sensor. Credit: Eyeo “Eyeo is fundamentally redefining image sensing by eliminating decades-old limitations,” said Hoet. “This technology paves the way for entirely new applications in imaging, from ultra-compact sensors to enhanced low-light performance, ultra-high resolution, and maximum image quality.”  The use cases could be wide-ranging. They could span ultra-slim smartphones with great camera quality; smaller, higher-resolution AR and VR headsets; security cameras capable of capturing more reliable footage; and lightweight camera drones.   Eyeo says it has already established partnerships with “leading image sensor manufacturers and foundries” to commercialise its technology. With fresh capital, the company now aims to improve its current camera sensor designs. It’s also looking to deliver its first evaluation kits to customers in two years time. These kits let potential customers test and explore the technology before it’s ready for mass production.   Imec’s venture arm, Imec.xpand, co-led the funding round alongside Invest-NL. QBIC fund, High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), and Brabant Development Agency (BOM) also chipped in. The next big thing in tech is a key theme for TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Tickets for the event are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30%. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

Five standout scaleups from the Baltics have made it into TECH5 — the “Champions League of Technology.”  Representing Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia, the quintet will now challenge rivals from six other regions for the title of Europe’s hottest scaleup. To earn their place in TECH5, the Baltic contenders have already had to fend off stiff competition. For a combined population of just over six million, the region is the birthplace of a remarkable range of innovations, startups, and scaleups. Collectively, the three states are renowned for strong digital infrastructure, tech-savvy populations, global mindsets, and government policies that support innovation. Individually, each country boasts its own impressive attributes. Estonia leads Europe in density of unicorns (privately held startups valued at over $1bn). Several trace their roots to the “Skype Mafia” of entrepreneurs that emerged from the video chat pioneer, including Playtech, Wise, and Bolt. Last year, the country was also ranked as the global leader in e-government and venture funding relative to GDP. The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!Lithuania has bred its own impressive flock of unicorns: Vinted, Nord Security, Baltic Classifieds Group, and the most recent addition, Flo Health — which last year became Europe’s first femtech unicorn. The country is also the number one fintech hub in the EU by number of licensed companies. Latvia, meanwhile, was named Europe’s most startup-friendly country in 2021 by Index Ventures. Currently, on-demand printing company Printful is the nation’s only unicorn, but the ecosystem is growing fast. Since 2019, the country’s startups have grown in enterprise value by 5.3x — the highest increase in the region, according to Dealroom data. With such fertile ground for scaleups across the region, picking just five for TECH5 was a challenge.  Our judges selected them after analysing their growth, impact, and future potential. In no particular order, let’s meet them. Vok Bikes Estonia’s Vok Bikes develops electric cargo bikes with three key qualities: smart, safe, and sustainable.  Designed for city use and streamlined deliveries, the four-wheel drive bikes have a range of 100km and a top speed of 25km/h. According to Vok, the system saves users up to 70% annually in maintenance expenses. Acceleration, braking, and reversing are integrated into the pedals, while the fine-tuned torque control reduces fatigue. The design also supports extended climbing with heavy loads, without overheating the system. Further features include regenerative braking, intelligent power disruption, online diagnostics, and a swappable battery. Customers include IKEA, which uses Vok Bikes for last-mile deliveries, alongside many delivery, transportation, and logistics companies. Last month, the Tallinn-based company reported that a Vok XL bike has an ownership cost that’s 64% lower than a Ford Transit Connect. “Even resale value holds up,” the scaleup said. “After five years, the Vok still retains ~22% of its original value.” PVcase Lithuania’s PVcase is a global leader in solar project software. The company’s end-to-end platform covers the entire development of solar farms, from site selection and design to yield optimisation. The approach aims to streamline solar project design, cutting costs and timelines. By accelerating deployments of solar energy, PVcase contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the impacts of climate change.  Since launching in 2018, the Kaunas-based business has delivered software to customers in nearly 80 countries. “With 2 terawatts of solar already installed globally, PVcase tools empower our customers to design the next terawatts 10 times faster,” the scaleup told TNW. “This exponential increase in solar design speed is not just an industry statistic; it’s a lifeline for our planet.” Investors have been impressed by the progress. In 2023, PVcase secured a cash injection of $100mn (€88mn), bringing its total funding to over $123mn (€109mn). Jeff App Latvia’s Jeff App supports people with limited access to traditional financial services — the “underbanked.” The Riga-based business offers alternative credit scores in emerging economies, extending the pathways to financial inclusion.    Founded in 2019, Jeff also operates as a lead generation service. The fintech says it has over 8 million users, with each one undergoing creditworthiness and fraud detection checks. By partnering with Jeff, banks and lenders can tap into new markets of borrowers. Jeff also collects, analyses, and models data from a host of sources, including smart devices, social media, and behavioural analytics. Clients can access the insights through the scaleup’s API. Last year, Jeff secured $2mn (€1.77mn) in late-seed funding to further develop its services. “Financially, we can now pursue new product categories that offer much greater market size and a faster path to becoming a household name in emerging markets,” said Toms Niparts, the scaleup’s co-founder and CEO. Roofit Solar Another Estonian flagbearer, Roofit Solar delivers fully-integrated solar panels that blend innovation and elegance. The panels combine Nordic design with premium materials and efficiency. The solar cells are integrated into high-quality metal sheets. The panel then form a solar roof tailored to a home’s aesthetic design. Using AI, the system also optimises energy purchases, sales, and storage — maximising the customer’s savings and revenues. The company emerged from the founders’ dissatisfaction with the appearance of traditional solar panels. In 2016, they launched Roofit Solar to prove solar energy doesn’t need to compromise on looks. In January, the company unveiled a new slimmed-down design: the Velario Slim. “Our other products are already high performers when it comes to energy efficiency, but the compact Velario Slim will allow even more roof space to be covered and more free energy to be generated for property owners under the same roof,” said Andres Anijalg, the scaleup’s CEO. Turing College Our second Lithuanian finalist, Turing College provides online courses that empower users to upskill or reskill — on their terms. The Vilnius-based edtech emerged in 2021 with a new approach to learning. Each course is designed to equip busy professionals with in-demand tech skills. The methodology involves short intensive sprints inspired by the Agile method, which is used by industry leaders including Google, Apple, and Facebook.  Last year, the scaleup was awarded a €2.5mn grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC). “This grant is pivotal for us,” said Lukas Kaminskis, Turing College’s founder and CEO. “It allows us to invest in solutions that both simplify mentor work and boost learner experience and outcomes. “While there’s widespread agreement on AI’s potential to transform education, what that transformation will look like is still unclear. Our team has been searching for the answer over the past eight years, and we believe we’ve found it — at least for digital skills training.” What’s next for the Baltic scaleups? The Baltic scaleups will compete for the TECH5 title with rivals from across Europe.  The challengers from Southern Europe, France, Benelux, the Nordics, and DACH have also been selected. Next week, we reveal the contenders from the final region to enter the tournament: the United Kingdom and Ireland. The tournament will culminate next month, when the grand champion is crowned Europe’s hottest scaleup.  The coronation will take place at TNW Conference on June 19 and 20 — and you can be there too. Tickets for the event are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout for 30% off. Story by Thomas Macaulay Managing editor Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he e (show all) Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse). Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

Spain and Portugal have largely restored power after Monday’s unprecedented blackout — the worst in recent European history. The fallout has put the region’s reliance on renewables under fire. Santiago Abascal, leader of Spain’s far-right Vox party, even called on the country to abandon “climate fanaticism” in response to the power cut. Yet, experts stressed to TNW that the problem isn’t green energy, but the outdated grid infrastructure and technology it relies upon.  “What’s happened this week should serve as a stark reminder of the dangers of failing to invest in a more resilient energy grid,” Amsterdam-based Taco Engelaar, managing director at energy infrastructure firm Neara, told TNW.  Last year, Portugal and Spain sourced, respectively, 87.5% and 56% of their electricity from renewables such as wind, solar, and hydropower. The two countries have both, for short periods, run their grids entirely on green energy. However, as the Iberian nations have surged ahead in the race to adopt renewables, they may have become victims of their own momentum.  Outgrowing the grid? The 2025 Agenda While wind and solar generate clean, cheap electricity, they don’t produce power in a steady stream — they rise and fall with the weather. However, grids in Europe were largely built for more predictable sources of energy like coal, gas, or nuclear plants. Without that stabilising force, or the addition of alternatives like battery storage systems, the grid becomes more vulnerable to surges in electricity demand or supply. As we’ve seen this week, on rare occasions, that can overwhelm the system, causing it to crash, taking homes, businesses, and critical services offline.   “The first thing to clarify is that this is not a net-zero issue,” Chris Glover, utilities and energy director at British engineering consultancy Buro Happold, told TNW. “The issue here is managing supply and demand.”   The growing mismatch between the grid’s design and its new energy mix is now playing out.  But that’s no reason to hit the brakes on the energy transition, said Glover. Instead, he suggests they double down on energy storage, grid balancing tech, and infrastructure upgrades to support a more resilient system. ‘Starved of flexibility’ Spain and Portugal are not the first to face this challenge. A major blackout in 2016 left 850,000 South Australians without power. Critics, including Australia’s prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, pointed to the state’s ambitious shift to renewables. But rather than retreat, South Australia leaned in, investing in big batteries, so-called synchronous compressors (which mimic the stabilising “inertia” of fossil fuel-powered turbines), and even more wind and solar. Last year, the state sourced 75% of its electricity from renewables and hasn’t had another blackout since. The IEA has called its progress “remarkable.” Alex Schoch, head of flexibility at Octopus Energy, believes Spain could take a cue from South Australia’s success. While the latter’s blackout was caused by a storm, “both countries’ grids lacked the proper tools to recover from sudden shocks,” he wrote on LinkedIn. He called Spain’s power system one “starved of flexibility.”  Before the blackout, Spain’s grid was running on nearly 80% wind and solar — a huge achievement for clean energy, but also a challenge for stability. There was very little electricity coming from steady sources like gas or nuclear, which help keep the grid balanced. On top of that, Spain has almost no large-scale battery storage to step in when solar or wind drops unexpectedly.  Experts believe these factors played a key role in Monday’s sweeping blackout. The disruption has been traced back to two separate grid disconnections in the southwest of the country — the heart of Spain’s solar energy production. With so little backup power in place, the system may have struggled to respond to these disruptions fast enough, leading to cascading failures across the network.   When part of Spain’s power supply suddenly dropped, the grid should have quickly reduced demand to keep everything in balance — for example, by using batteries or other backup systems to smooth things out, Glover explained. “No such steps appear to have been taken,” he said.  When power generation drops, countries can often import electricity from neighbours. However, Spain and Portugal are mostly cut off, with just a weak link to France through the Pyrenees mountains. That makes them more vulnerable during outages.  Although the exact cause of the blackout is still under investigation, the disruption — which saw Spain’s grid lose 15GW of energy in just five seconds — has raised serious doubts about the region’s energy infrastructure. It could also serve as a stark warning for other countries. Electrification conundrum As more electric vehicles plug in, heat pumps replace gas boilers, and factories switch to electric power, Europe’s ageing grids are increasingly feeling the strain. Between 2020 and 2050, electricity demand is set to jump 80%. Yet much of the infrastructure carrying that load was built decades ago. To meet climate targets, annual global grid investment needs to nearly double to $600bn by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).   Engelaar believes new technologies could help. “Digital modelling can give [energy] utilities granular insights into every inch of their networks, as well as allowing them to stress-test their assets against potential threats and pinpoint vulnerabilities before it’s too late.” Another software solution is demand response, which automatically adjusts electricity use in real time.  Jacob Bro, partner at climate tech VC firm 2150, also highlights the power of decentralised energy solutions. These include rooftop panels, home batteries, and local wind farms, which generate electricity closer to where it’s used.  “Closer to our homes and offices, at the edge of the grid, we need to deploy flexible capacity, and we need smarter grids and greater transparency,” he told TNW. Overall, what emerges is a complex picture of rapid progress outpacing preparation. The blackout wasn’t a failure of renewables — it was a failure to keep up with them. If Europe wants a cleaner future, its grids need to catch up fast.  “Investing in net-zero infrastructure is a core part of the solution, not the problem,” said Glover.  Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.

Amid the economic malaise that followed the 2008 financial crisis in the UK – record unemployment, sluggish growth, tight fiscal consolidation – a game-changing policy drive was beginning to take shape.  This shift, driven by the Conservative-led coalition government at the time, was designed to transform the UK into “Incubator Britain” – attracting software and tech entrepreneurs with generous tax breaks, government-backed early-stage funding, and a thriving ecosystem, laying the foundations for the startup hub we recognise today. But while these initiatives succeeded in spurring startup growth, they did little to help those businesses scale. Despite having near-zero costs of distribution, British software firms today take nearly twice as long to scale from £10mn to £100mn in revenue as their US counterparts, held back by a set of persistent barriers that significantly stunt their growth potential. Against today’s backdrop of weak growth, isn’t it time we applied the same strategic focus to supporting scaleups as we did to startups in the 2010s? With geopolitical tensions rising, building up our homegrown technology sector represents good business sense and bolsters our future security. The 2025 Agenda The scaleup sector makes an outsized contribution to the economy, accounting for just 1% of UK SMEs, but generating 22% of SME turnover. Creating the right conditions for high-growth businesses to flourish is therefore crucial not only to the success of new businesses — it is also central to the government’s defining mission: reigniting economic growth. Recognising the barriers to scaleup growth Without meaningful action to address these barriers, the UK risks losing our most promising tech firms to foreign markets, taking high-value jobs, innovation, and intellectual property with them — a trend that has cost the UK billions already. The country has a golden opportunity to break this cycle, particularly in AI, where we have the potential to create globally significant companies rather than see these grow elsewhere or get snapped up by US giants. The AI sector alone has grown substantially, with its Gross Value Added increasing from £1bn in 2022 to £1.2bn in 2023, and estimates suggesting UK AI firms generated over £14bn in revenues. Keeping these companies local could be transformational. At a recent industry roundtable held by the think tank, The Future Governance Forum, the barriers facing scaleups took centre stage. Among the attendees were Labour MP Josh Simons, the BVCA — the trade body for the UK’s private equity and venture capital industry — and my company, Boardwave — a community of more than 2,000 European software leaders and CEOs. The discussion echoed the findings of the Future Governance Forum’s recent report, “A Mountain to Scale,” identifying three critical areas where policy must change to enable this essential growth. These were: finance, talent, and place. Finance: fixing the late-stage funding gap in UK tech While there is plenty of capital available for Series A investments, scaleups often struggle to secure the later-stage funding they need to continue growing. This “valley of death” in funding is a well-documented issue, with an estimated £15bn shortfall in domestic scaleup investment annually.  The government cannot close this gap alone; unlocking larger pools of private capital is essential. Sweden’s model of encouraging pension fund investment into growth-stage businesses offers one potential blueprint. The UK’s own pension reform agenda represents a similar opportunity to mobilise greater private sector investment. Talent: addressing hiring challenges and skills gaps Labour market dynamics are also making it harder for scaleups to thrive. The recent roundtable emphasised the challenges around hiring in the UK, given the impact that recent policy changes — such as the increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions — have had on business confidence. Alongside this is the availability of technology talent. The UK’s visa system needs to better support the development of skills in high demand, particularly in AI, if the country is to remain globally competitive. The government should look at targeted visa pathways such as Estonia’s e-Residency rules to attract the talent needed to drive the next generation of high-growth firms. Place: creating scaleup hubs across the UK There is a significant opportunity to position the UK as the best base for scaling businesses looking to enter the European market, particularly for investors and firms from high-growth economies like Brazil. Many foreign investors see the UK as attractive for reasons such as our strategic location, the English language, our openness to foreign direct investment (FDI), good infrastructure, and a stable government. However, the current feeling — particularly in the software and technology sector — is that the UK is often a less attractive place to scale a business than other markets. Despite this reputation, technology is playing an increasingly critical role in driving growth, fostering innovation in key sectors such as defence, energy, and security, and strengthening the UK’s geopolitical position.  The government’s recent announcement of increased defence spending underscores the need for sustained investment in cutting-edge technology to maintain strategic advantages. To fully harness the potential of tech scaleups — not just as economic drivers but as pillars of national resilience — policies like the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) and the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) should be expanded to support more mature, scaling companies in sectors aligned with these priorities. By doing so, the UK can solidify its leadership in the global tech landscape while reinforcing its economic and geopolitical standing. Regional growth is also key to tackling the broader trust problem in UK entrepreneurship. More people are employed by scaleups in the South East than in the rest of England combined. And with the majority of foreign funding for tech going to firms based in London and the South East, this reinforces the need to deploy more UK capital into tech, and take a place-based approach to scaleup policy.  Having stronger entrepreneurial communities is essential to propelling long-term growth. A more connected UK — and European — ecosystem, where founders have access to mentors, capital, AI expertise, and scaling best practices, will be critical in driving innovation and competitiveness. The UK already has a strong foundation of experienced leaders in tech and high-growth businesses, and their expertise should be harnessed and shared as part of the country’s broader growth strategy. By enabling collaboration and knowledge exchange across regions, we can create a more resilient, well-networked entrepreneurial landscape that fuels scaleup success nationwide. Creating the right conditions for UK tech One of the roundtable’s most striking conclusions came from Josh Simons MP: businesses and investors should seize the opportunity to act. While policy changes on investment, talent, and place can play a vital role in creating the right conditions, the private sector must also take the lead in addressing risk aversion and mobilising investment into the UK’s most promising growth-stage firms.  Two years ago, while in opposition, then-shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves outlined her ambition to make Britain the “best place to grow a business,” vowing to break down the “stubborn obstacles” holding scaleups back. Now, as the government’s chancellor, she has a unique opportunity to realise that vision. Fulfilling this ambition in power means recognising the crucial role scaleups play in the UK economy. Policy must tend the soil in which clusters of innovative firms can grow and sow the seeds that will transform “Incubator Britain” into “Scaleup Britain”. The government’s mission for growth depends on it. Story by Kath Easthope Kath Easthope is Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer at Boardwave, a community of over 2,000 software CEOs and leaders across Europe. S (show all) Kath Easthope is Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer at Boardwave, a community of over 2,000 software CEOs and leaders across Europe. She leads member and partner engagement, designing tailored programmes for scaling leaders in software, SaaS, and AI - supporting them at every stage of growth. These initiatives, which are free for tech leaders, provide a clear, structured pathway to business acceleration, helping Europe’s most ambitious founders scale to £100 million in ARR - faster, smarter, and with the support of a powerful peer network behind them. Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

Danish startup Teton has used Gefion, one of Europe’s most powerful supercomputers, to turbocharge the development of its AI “care companion” for hospital staff.  Teton installs cameras and sensors in hospital rooms to gather real-time data. This gets fed to an AI algorithm, creating a virtual “digital twin” of the room. The model monitors patient and staff behaviour such as movement, breathing, or posture changes. If it sees a problem, the system alerts nurses via an app.  To protect privacy, all processing takes place on-device and none is sent to the cloud. No personal data or raw video footage is stored. Instead, the video is immediately converted into 3D spatial representations and the original footage is deleted.  Teton’s goal is to help hospital staff spot early signs of health issues and respond faster to potential risks. The company also aims to ease the workload of nurses. By continuously monitoring patient rooms, the system could reduce the number of manual checks. It can also automatically generate care notes.  The 2025 Agenda The AI care companion has already been trialled at two Danish hospitals with promising results. The tool cut nightshift workloads by up to 25%, according to the company’s own research.  Teton’s founders, Mikkel Wad Thorsen and Esben Klint Thorius, have spent years training their AI model on real patient scenarios. They even hired actors and nurses to repeatedly act out scenes to improve their training data. However, these manual processes take a lot of time. That’s where Gefion, Denmark’s AI supercomputer, came in. Using the supercomputer, Teton was able to create over 1 million 3D scenes of hospital rooms. In each virtual room, a different scenario would play out. For example, a patient turning over in bed, a nurse checking vitals, or someone experiencing distress.  These scenes aren’t just static images, they’re dynamic environments that mimic how people and objects move and behave in real life. By generating so many of them, Teton can expose its AI to a huge variety of scenarios — far more than would be feasible manually. This helps the system learn how to recognise subtle patterns and respond appropriately in real clinical settings. “Gefion has made a huge difference to the rate at which we have been able to develop our AI model,” Thorsen told TNW. “Being able to unlock the geometric knowledge helps us to build in much better predictions and estimations of how a patient is doing,” he added.  Thorsen hopes the improvements will ultimately help hospitals deliver better patient care — and take the weight off care staff. Giving nurses a helping hand The EU currently has a shortage of 1.2 million doctors, nurses, and midwives. There is also a declining interest in nursing careers across more than half of the bloc’s 27 countries, according to OECD research. The nursing shortage is a worldwide issue, which has given rise to several startups trying to fill the gap with tech solutions. One of them is Stockholm-based Bemlo, which has created a platform for short-term hiring of nurses and doctors, allowing hospitals to quickly onboard new staff. Other efforts look to assist nurses more directly. US-based Diligent Robotics has built Moxi, a metre-tall mobile robot designed to help alleviate boring and repetitive tasks in healthcare facilities. Armed with supercomputing power and digital twins, Teton is betting AI can help ease the strain on stretched hospital employees. And now the startup is looking to fast-track the development of its algorithm. “With all of these new data points, we could significantly accelerate the iteration time and unlock a new scale for the next generation of our model,” said Thorsen. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with