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UK unicorn Improbable finally makes profit after pivot to venture building
After 12 years in business and several strategic pivots, British unicorn Improbable has achieved profitability for the first time. Improbable credited the milestone to yet another business shift. After numerous attempts to create virtual worlds, the company has reinvented itself as a venture builder. “Venture building has proven to be the optimal model for both Improbable and the metaverse, as experimenting with various use cases is key to achieving adoption,” said Herman Narula, Improbable’s founder and CEO. A new financial report substantiates his claim. In 2023, Improbable’s revenues increased by 37% to reach £66mn. With a total profit of £11…This story continues at The Next Web
After 12 years in business and several strategic pivots, British unicorn Improbable has achieved profitability for the first time. Improbable credited the milestone to yet another business shift. After numerous attempts to create virtual worlds, the company has reinvented itself as a venture builder. “Venture building has proven to be the optimal model for both Improbable and the metaverse, as experimenting with various use cases is key to achieving adoption,” said Herman Narula, Improbable’s founder and CEO. A new financial report substantiates his claim. In 2023, Improbable’s revenues increased by 37% to reach £66mn. With a total profit of £11…
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DeepL targets Taiwan, HK with new AI translation for Traditional Chinese
DeepL, the Cologne-based AI translation unicorn, has added Traditional Chinese to its language portfolio, strategically expanding its presence in Asian markets. Since its launch in 2017, DeepL has emerged as Europe’s Google Translate rival. But unlike Google, the startup is primarily focusing on business customers. “Translation is really important for businesses,” Jarek Kutylowski, founder and CEO of DeepL, told TNW in a previous interview. “Nowadays, companies start going global and expanding into other markets very quickly, so they get customers in different areas.” DeepL’s expansion in Asian languages To date, the startup supports over 20 European languages. It first entered…This story continues at The Next Web
DeepL, the Cologne-based AI translation unicorn, has added Traditional Chinese to its language portfolio, strategically expanding its presence in Asian markets. Since its launch in 2017, DeepL has emerged as Europe’s Google Translate rival. But unlike Google, the startup is primarily focusing on business customers. “Translation is really important for businesses,” Jarek Kutylowski, founder and CEO of DeepL, told TNW in a previous interview. “Nowadays, companies start going global and expanding into other markets very quickly, so they get customers in different areas.” DeepL’s expansion in Asian languages To date, the startup supports over 20 European languages. It first entered…
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TNW Podcast: Remon Berrevoets on quantum tech; dark future of European solar
Welcome to the new episode of the TNW Podcast — the show where we discuss the latest developments in the European technology ecosystem and feature interviews with some of the most interesting people in the industry. In today’s episode, Linnea and Andrii talk about AI in healthcare, the future of European solar, Crowdstrike and Formula 1, astronomers detecting deepfakes, and much more. You’ll also hear an on-stage conversation with Remon Berrevoets, co-founder and director of R&D at Q*Bird, with whom Linnea spoke at the TNW Conference about quantum tech, and specifically the technology of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) that…This story continues at The Next Web
Welcome to the new episode of the TNW Podcast — the show where we discuss the latest developments in the European technology ecosystem and feature interviews with some of the most interesting people in the industry. In today’s episode, Linnea and Andrii talk about AI in healthcare, the future of European solar, Crowdstrike and Formula 1, astronomers detecting deepfakes, and much more. You’ll also hear an on-stage conversation with Remon Berrevoets, co-founder and director of R&D at Q*Bird, with whom Linnea spoke at the TNW Conference about quantum tech, and specifically the technology of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) that…
This story continues at The Next Web
UK backs ‘space mirror’ to melt ice on the Moon into drinking water
The UK hopes to produce water on the Moon with a space mirror that reflects solar rays onto lunar ice. The device is the brainchild of the British Interplanetary Society (BIS), the world’s oldest space advocacy organisation. Boffins at the BIS named the device “Ganymede’s Chalice,” after a mythical cup that turns mortals into Gods. On the moon, their elixir is frozen. They want to melt it into water through a technique called solar concentration. Automated cranes will first place the lunar ice into an air-locked crucible. A curved mirror will then reflect sunlight onto the ice. Using heat from…This story continues at The Next Web
The UK hopes to produce water on the Moon with a space mirror that reflects solar rays onto lunar ice. The device is the brainchild of the British Interplanetary Society (BIS), the world’s oldest space advocacy organisation. Boffins at the BIS named the device “Ganymede’s Chalice,” after a mythical cup that turns mortals into Gods. On the moon, their elixir is frozen. They want to melt it into water through a technique called solar concentration. Automated cranes will first place the lunar ice into an air-locked crucible. A curved mirror will then reflect sunlight onto the ice. Using heat from…
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Researchers detect deepfakes with the same tools used to survey galaxies
It’s a common saying that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Now, researchers claim that they can also reveal deepfakes with the help of tools that study galaxies — by looking at eyeballs. According to the research by Adejumoke Owolabi, master’s student at the University of Hull in the UK, it’s all about how the light is reflected in the eyes. Working together with Kevin Pimbblet, astrophysics professor and director of the Centre of Excellence for Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and Modelling, Owolabi compared real images with AI-generated deepfakes. To analyse the reflections of light in they eyes of…This story continues at The Next Web
It’s a common saying that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Now, researchers claim that they can also reveal deepfakes with the help of tools that study galaxies — by looking at eyeballs. According to the research by Adejumoke Owolabi, master’s student at the University of Hull in the UK, it’s all about how the light is reflected in the eyes. Working together with Kevin Pimbblet, astrophysics professor and director of the Centre of Excellence for Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and Modelling, Owolabi compared real images with AI-generated deepfakes. To analyse the reflections of light in they eyes of…
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The global IT outage exposed Europe’s dangerous dependence on US tech
It’s a taunt that’s reiterated to the point of cliché: Europe is a good place to start a tech business, but a bad place to scale one up. The causes are contentious but their impact is undeniable. None of the 10 most valuable tech firms in the world are in Europe. The US, meanwhile, is home to eight of them. Inevitably, that builds dependencies on digital services from across the Atlantic. Our businesses, our public services, and our critical infrastructure all depend on big tech companies. We are all at the mercy of their whims, their weaknesses, and their rulers. When…This story continues at The Next Web
It’s a taunt that’s reiterated to the point of cliché: Europe is a good place to start a tech business, but a bad place to scale one up. The causes are contentious but their impact is undeniable. None of the 10 most valuable tech firms in the world are in Europe. The US, meanwhile, is home to eight of them. Inevitably, that builds dependencies on digital services from across the Atlantic. Our businesses, our public services, and our critical infrastructure all depend on big tech companies. We are all at the mercy of their whims, their weaknesses, and their rulers. When…
This story continues at The Next Web
UK startup unveils ‘world’s most advanced’ vertiport for air taxis
In collaboration with LG, UK startup Urban-Air Port has unveiled the AirOne vertiport, which merges robotics with AI integrated systems — a world first, according to the company. Vertiports promise to facilitate advanced urban air mobility, intended for vehicles such as drones and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Urban-Air Port first demostrated AirOne in 2022 in the UK. Now, the vertiport is commercially available. Through the partnership with LG, the startup has designed a vertiport that combines physical infrastructure with digital solutions across ground operations. Artist’s impression of AirOne. Credit: Urban-Air Port AirOne features modulars stations with integrated…This story continues at The Next Web
In collaboration with LG, UK startup Urban-Air Port has unveiled the AirOne vertiport, which merges robotics with AI integrated systems — a world first, according to the company. Vertiports promise to facilitate advanced urban air mobility, intended for vehicles such as drones and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Urban-Air Port first demostrated AirOne in 2022 in the UK. Now, the vertiport is commercially available. Through the partnership with LG, the startup has designed a vertiport that combines physical infrastructure with digital solutions across ground operations. Artist’s impression of AirOne. Credit: Urban-Air Port AirOne features modulars stations with integrated…
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Oxygen-generating ‘battery rock’ discovery challenges understanding of life on Earth
Scientists have discovered oxygen-generating ‘battery rocks’ on the ocean floor that could challenge long-held beliefs about the origins of life on Earth — and make a strong case against deep-sea mining. A team led by Professor Andrew Sweetman of the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) made the discovery while on fieldwork in the Pacific Ocean. The researchers were scanning the seabed 4,000 metres below the surface, a region known as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, for polymetallic nodules. The potato-sized lumps contain metals such as manganese, nickel, and cobalt — key ingredients in lithium-ion batteries. These characteristics have made the nodules…This story continues at The Next Web
Scientists have discovered oxygen-generating ‘battery rocks’ on the ocean floor that could challenge long-held beliefs about the origins of life on Earth — and make a strong case against deep-sea mining. A team led by Professor Andrew Sweetman of the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) made the discovery while on fieldwork in the Pacific Ocean. The researchers were scanning the seabed 4,000 metres below the surface, a region known as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, for polymetallic nodules. The potato-sized lumps contain metals such as manganese, nickel, and cobalt — key ingredients in lithium-ion batteries. These characteristics have made the nodules…
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This unfolding thermal telescope can tell if your home is leaking heat
A Cambridge University spin-out is developing a unfolding, heat-detecting telescope that could capture high resolution thermal images of Earth — at an affordable price. Currently, some large, expensive satellites in low-earth orbit can capture high-resolution images infrequently, while small, low-cost satellites capture frequent but low-resolution images. The startup, SuperSharp, wants to occupy the space in the middle. SuperSharp credits these capabilities to its unfolding “self-alignment technology” which allows it to fit big telescopes in small satellites. Unfolding telescopes are nothing new — just look at James Webb for inspiration — but they’re generally very expensive and notoriously tricky to…This story continues at The Next Web
A Cambridge University spin-out is developing a unfolding, heat-detecting telescope that could capture high resolution thermal images of Earth — at an affordable price. Currently, some large, expensive satellites in low-earth orbit can capture high-resolution images infrequently, while small, low-cost satellites capture frequent but low-resolution images. The startup, SuperSharp, wants to occupy the space in the middle. SuperSharp credits these capabilities to its unfolding “self-alignment technology” which allows it to fit big telescopes in small satellites. Unfolding telescopes are nothing new — just look at James Webb for inspiration — but they’re generally very expensive and notoriously tricky to…
This story continues at The Next Web
How Julia could beat Python for programming language dominance
Despite taking several years to become fully popularised, Python continues to dominate the programming sphere thanks to its clean and relatable syntax, readability, and ease of learning for beginners. However, the most common complaint among users is that Python is slow. Slower than C++, slower than Java, and slower than C#. It’s also slower than Julia, a high-performing, relatively new kid on the block which was released in 2012. Conceived by Jeff Bezanson, Stefan Karpinski, Viral B. Shah, and Alan Edelman as a free language that’s both fast and high-level, Julia is as easy to use as Python or R,…This story continues at The Next Web
Despite taking several years to become fully popularised, Python continues to dominate the programming sphere thanks to its clean and relatable syntax, readability, and ease of learning for beginners. However, the most common complaint among users is that Python is slow. Slower than C++, slower than Java, and slower than C#. It’s also slower than Julia, a high-performing, relatively new kid on the block which was released in 2012. Conceived by Jeff Bezanson, Stefan Karpinski, Viral B. Shah, and Alan Edelman as a free language that’s both fast and high-level, Julia is as easy to use as Python or R,…
This story continues at The Next Web