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Dutch startup bags fresh funding to tailor orchard farming for every tree
Aurea Imaging, an Utrecht-based agtech startup, has raised €2.8mn in a Series A round to scale up deployment of its sensor system for orchard farming. Founded in 2016, Aurea provides agronomic intelligence products for precision orchard management on the individual tree level. To maximise productivity by customising treatments for each tree, the startup has developed TreeScout, a tractor-mounted sensor system. Powered by 3D computer vision and edge computing processing capacity, TreeScout scans the trees as the tractor drives through the orchard. Then, it collects data and uploads it on the cloud. TreeScout asseses each tree, looking at factors such as…This story continues at The Next Web
Aurea Imaging, an Utrecht-based agtech startup, has raised €2.8mn in a Series A round to scale up deployment of its sensor system for orchard farming. Founded in 2016, Aurea provides agronomic intelligence products for precision orchard management on the individual tree level. To maximise productivity by customising treatments for each tree, the startup has developed TreeScout, a tractor-mounted sensor system. Powered by 3D computer vision and edge computing processing capacity, TreeScout scans the trees as the tractor drives through the orchard. Then, it collects data and uploads it on the cloud. TreeScout asseses each tree, looking at factors such as…
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Former pro athlete invents digital running track to unleash new world records
A British startup plans to create a new wave of athletics records by reinventing the running track. London-based Feldspar is engineering the surface to maximise speed. It all starts with the flooring design, which converts more running energy towards horizontal propulsion. As a result, sprinters can reduce the force required for upright momentum and put extra power into going forward. By improving energy return, the system could also reduce fatigue. The track will also deliver new athletic insights. Through a combination of embedded sensors and camera-based analysis, Feldspar will capture real-time data directly from the surface. Coaches could use these findings to optimise…This story continues at The Next Web
A British startup plans to create a new wave of athletics records by reinventing the running track. London-based Feldspar is engineering the surface to maximise speed. It all starts with the flooring design, which converts more running energy towards horizontal propulsion. As a result, sprinters can reduce the force required for upright momentum and put extra power into going forward. By improving energy return, the system could also reduce fatigue. The track will also deliver new athletic insights. Through a combination of embedded sensors and camera-based analysis, Feldspar will capture real-time data directly from the surface. Coaches could use these findings to optimise…
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EU ‘not on track’ to reach digital transformation targets, says Vestager
The EU is falling behind its digital transformation goals for 2030, according to this year’s State of the Digital Decade report by the European Commission. The bloc has set four main targets: the digital transformation of businesses, the boost of its digital infrastructure, the cultivation of digital skills, and the digitalisation of key public services and health records. However, the Commission’s findings reveal that the current efforts of the member states are falling short of the EU’s ambitions across all target areas. “Today’s report clearly shows that we are not on track to reach our targets on the digital transformation…This story continues at The Next Web
The EU is falling behind its digital transformation goals for 2030, according to this year’s State of the Digital Decade report by the European Commission. The bloc has set four main targets: the digital transformation of businesses, the boost of its digital infrastructure, the cultivation of digital skills, and the digitalisation of key public services and health records. However, the Commission’s findings reveal that the current efforts of the member states are falling short of the EU’s ambitions across all target areas. “Today’s report clearly shows that we are not on track to reach our targets on the digital transformation…
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TNW Podcast: From satellite tracking and space regulation to multimodal AI, and more
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, we’re featuring two interviews recorded at TNW Conference 2024 ago with two amazing women working in very different parts of the technology industry. The first guest of the show is Chiara Manfletti — who had a lot to say about space, including the debris issue, satellite tech, regulation, and much more. In the second part of this episode, you’ll hear from…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, we’re featuring two interviews recorded at TNW Conference 2024 ago with two amazing women working in very different parts of the technology industry. The first guest of the show is Chiara Manfletti — who had a lot to say about space, including the debris issue, satellite tech, regulation, and much more. In the second part of this episode, you’ll hear from…
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Why Nvidia could soon be with hit with antitrust charges in France
Last month, Nvidia briefly became the world’s most valuable company, reaching a market capitalisation of $3.3tn. Behind the company’s meteoric rise to the top lies its market dominance in advanced AI chips. Once predominantly-known for its high-performance graphic processing units (GPUs) for gaming, Nvidia tapped its technological strengths to venture into the AI race. Its GPUs excel at parallel processing, simulations, and machine learning tasks, which makes them suitable for the training and deployment of AI models such ChatGPT. Another big strength for Nvidia is the CUDA chip programming platform and software ecosystem, which has established the company as the…This story continues at The Next Web
Last month, Nvidia briefly became the world’s most valuable company, reaching a market capitalisation of $3.3tn. Behind the company’s meteoric rise to the top lies its market dominance in advanced AI chips. Once predominantly-known for its high-performance graphic processing units (GPUs) for gaming, Nvidia tapped its technological strengths to venture into the AI race. Its GPUs excel at parallel processing, simulations, and machine learning tasks, which makes them suitable for the training and deployment of AI models such ChatGPT. Another big strength for Nvidia is the CUDA chip programming platform and software ecosystem, which has established the company as the…
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Ariane 6 will restore independent European access to space. Here’s what that means
As far back as December 2013, the European Council called for the member states of the European Union to develop their defence capabilities and so enhance the “strategic autonomy” of the EU. Since then, the idea that the term encapsulates has come up time and again. In 2016, it was made part of the EU’s Global Strategy doctrine. It was promoted again in late 2020, championed in particular by France. And it was the thread that ran through Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the European Union speech of 2023. “Von der Leyen’s EU aims to make itself resilient in…This story continues at The Next Web
As far back as December 2013, the European Council called for the member states of the European Union to develop their defence capabilities and so enhance the “strategic autonomy” of the EU. Since then, the idea that the term encapsulates has come up time and again. In 2016, it was made part of the EU’s Global Strategy doctrine. It was promoted again in late 2020, championed in particular by France. And it was the thread that ran through Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the European Union speech of 2023. “Von der Leyen’s EU aims to make itself resilient in…
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Greece taps AI-powered satellite tech to build wildfire defence system
Greece’s Ministry of Digital Governance has awarded German startup OroraTech a €20mn contract to build a satellite-based early warning system for wildfires, which last year alone cost the Mediterranean nation almost two billion euros in damages. The national defence system will consist of four thermal satellites and a network of ground sensors and processing services. OroraTech will develop it in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA) and several Greek universities and companies. A spin-out from the Technical University of Munich, OroraTech builds thermal imaging satellites that can detect wildfires from space and monitor their spread. The company so far…This story continues at The Next Web
Greece’s Ministry of Digital Governance has awarded German startup OroraTech a €20mn contract to build a satellite-based early warning system for wildfires, which last year alone cost the Mediterranean nation almost two billion euros in damages. The national defence system will consist of four thermal satellites and a network of ground sensors and processing services. OroraTech will develop it in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA) and several Greek universities and companies. A spin-out from the Technical University of Munich, OroraTech builds thermal imaging satellites that can detect wildfires from space and monitor their spread. The company so far…
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Neobank Monzo unveils new anti-fraud features in case of phone theft
UK-based neobank Monzo has unveiled three app-based security features, aiming to safeguard user accounts from criminals even in the case of phone theft. The new security tools are designed to prevent criminals from transferring or withdrawing amounts from Monzo accounts by offering an additional layer of protection. The digital bank plans to officially roll them out over the coming weeks. To begin with, customers will be able to use the new “known locations” feature to indicate a specific, safe location (like their home or their workplace) where they need to be when moving amounts of money over a certain limit.…This story continues at The Next Web
UK-based neobank Monzo has unveiled three app-based security features, aiming to safeguard user accounts from criminals even in the case of phone theft. The new security tools are designed to prevent criminals from transferring or withdrawing amounts from Monzo accounts by offering an additional layer of protection. The digital bank plans to officially roll them out over the coming weeks. To begin with, customers will be able to use the new “known locations” feature to indicate a specific, safe location (like their home or their workplace) where they need to be when moving amounts of money over a certain limit.…
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What is an iron flow battery and why is Schiphol Airport testing one?
Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands is testing an unusual kind of battery that could prove to be a better, cheaper way to store wind and solar energy. Developed by US startup ESS, the device is known as an iron flow battery. The airport is currently trialling the technology to power some of its electric ground power units. These machines provide electricity to parked planes to run systems such as lights, avionics, and air conditioning. But why is Schiphol betting on this lesser-known type of energy storage instead of mature lithium-ion batteries? The answer can be traced back over four decades…This story continues at The Next Web
Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands is testing an unusual kind of battery that could prove to be a better, cheaper way to store wind and solar energy. Developed by US startup ESS, the device is known as an iron flow battery. The airport is currently trialling the technology to power some of its electric ground power units. These machines provide electricity to parked planes to run systems such as lights, avionics, and air conditioning. But why is Schiphol betting on this lesser-known type of energy storage instead of mature lithium-ion batteries? The answer can be traced back over four decades…
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Meta’s ‘pay or consent’ model in breach of EU tech rules, says Brussels
In yet another blow to big tech, the EU is charging Meta with breaching the bloc’s sweeping online competition rules, known as the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Alongside Google and Apple, Meta is among the tech giants (designated as “gatekeepers“) required to comply with the landmark law as of March this year. A mere two weeks after the act kicked in, the European Commission opened an investigation into all three companies, expressing concerns that the measures they introduced were falling short of complying with the DMA. In the case of Meta, this concerns the “pay or consent” model for data…This story continues at The Next Web
In yet another blow to big tech, the EU is charging Meta with breaching the bloc’s sweeping online competition rules, known as the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Alongside Google and Apple, Meta is among the tech giants (designated as “gatekeepers“) required to comply with the landmark law as of March this year. A mere two weeks after the act kicked in, the European Commission opened an investigation into all three companies, expressing concerns that the measures they introduced were falling short of complying with the DMA. In the case of Meta, this concerns the “pay or consent” model for data…
This story continues at The Next Web