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Space rover tests ‘natural intelligence’ based on insect brains
In a simulation of Mars, a space rover is testing a control system with an unusual inspiration: insect brains. The software was created by Opteran, a startup based in the UK. But the idea originated from research on bugs. Scientists at the University of Sheffield had been studying the brains of insects. They discovered remarkable neurological efficiency. A honeybee’s brain, for instance, only contains about 1 million neurons. A human brain, by contrast, has around 86 billion. But the bee mind’s tiny size belies its impressive power. It’s capable of complex navigation, obstacle avoidance, and communication. It also functions with formidable energy…This story continues at The Next Web
In a simulation of Mars, a space rover is testing a control system with an unusual inspiration: insect brains. The software was created by Opteran, a startup based in the UK. But the idea originated from research on bugs. Scientists at the University of Sheffield had been studying the brains of insects. They discovered remarkable neurological efficiency. A honeybee’s brain, for instance, only contains about 1 million neurons. A human brain, by contrast, has around 86 billion. But the bee mind’s tiny size belies its impressive power. It’s capable of complex navigation, obstacle avoidance, and communication. It also functions with formidable energy…
This story continues at The Next Web
Tech bosses think nuclear fusion is the solution to AI’s energy demands – here’s what they’re missing
The artificial intelligence boom has already changed how we understand technology and the world. But developing and updating AI programs requires a lot of computing power. This relies heavily on servers in data centres, at a great cost in terms of carbon emissions and resource use. One particularly energy intensive task is “training”, where generative AI systems are exposed to vast amounts of data so that they improve at what they do. The development of AI-based systems has been blamed for a 48% increase in Google’s greenhouse gas emissions over five years. This will make it harder for the tech…This story continues at The Next Web
The artificial intelligence boom has already changed how we understand technology and the world. But developing and updating AI programs requires a lot of computing power. This relies heavily on servers in data centres, at a great cost in terms of carbon emissions and resource use. One particularly energy intensive task is “training”, where generative AI systems are exposed to vast amounts of data so that they improve at what they do. The development of AI-based systems has been blamed for a 48% increase in Google’s greenhouse gas emissions over five years. This will make it harder for the tech…
This story continues at The Next Web
TNW Podcast: Phill Robinson, Boardwave on Europe’s pathway to success
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 special episode, we’re happy to present an interview with Phill Robinson, founder of Boardwave — a networking platform for founders and CEOs working in the European software industry. The conversation — recorded by our senior editor Linnea Ahlgren — focuses around Europe’s pathway to success. What are we doing right and wrong, compared to the other continents? What’s the future of…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 special episode, we’re happy to present an interview with Phill Robinson, founder of Boardwave — a networking platform for founders and CEOs working in the European software industry. The conversation — recorded by our senior editor Linnea Ahlgren — focuses around Europe’s pathway to success. What are we doing right and wrong, compared to the other continents? What’s the future of…
This story continues at The Next Web
Decline of X is an opportunity to do social media differently – but combining ‘safe’ and ‘profitable’ will still be a challenge
It’s now almost two years since Elon Musk concluded his takeover of Twitter (now called X) on 27 October 2022. Since then, the platform has become an increasingly polarised and divisive space. Musk promised to deal with some of the issues which had already frustrated users, particularly bots, abuse and misinformation. In 2023, he said there was less misinformation on the platform because of his efforts to tackle the bots. But others disagree, claiming that misinformation is still rife there. A potential reaction to this may be apparent in recent data highlighted by the Financial Times, which showed the number…This story continues at The Next Web
It’s now almost two years since Elon Musk concluded his takeover of Twitter (now called X) on 27 October 2022. Since then, the platform has become an increasingly polarised and divisive space. Musk promised to deal with some of the issues which had already frustrated users, particularly bots, abuse and misinformation. In 2023, he said there was less misinformation on the platform because of his efforts to tackle the bots. But others disagree, claiming that misinformation is still rife there. A potential reaction to this may be apparent in recent data highlighted by the Financial Times, which showed the number…
This story continues at The Next Web
Marvel Fusion breaks ground on $150M laser facility in Colorado
German startup Marvel Fusion and Colorado State University have broken ground on a $150M laser facility in a bid to commercialise fusion energy. Dubbed ATLAS, the facility will use three ultra-high intensity lasers to fire 7 petawatts of power — over 5,000 times the electrical generation capacity of the US — at a target roughly the width of a human hair. The blast will last approximately 100 quadrillionths of a second. However, it will produce enough heat and pressure to fuse atoms together, initiating the same reaction that powers the Sun and stars. For decades, scientists have been experimenting…This story continues at The Next Web
German startup Marvel Fusion and Colorado State University have broken ground on a $150M laser facility in a bid to commercialise fusion energy. Dubbed ATLAS, the facility will use three ultra-high intensity lasers to fire 7 petawatts of power — over 5,000 times the electrical generation capacity of the US — at a target roughly the width of a human hair. The blast will last approximately 100 quadrillionths of a second. However, it will produce enough heat and pressure to fuse atoms together, initiating the same reaction that powers the Sun and stars. For decades, scientists have been experimenting…
This story continues at The Next Web
Dutch carbon capture startup Skytree opens offices in US, Canada
Dutch startup Skytree has opened a new HQ in Toronto, Canada and a new office in Nashville, Tennessee, as it looks to cash-in on attractive government incentives for direct carbon capture (DAC) technologies. Engineer-turned-entrepreneur Max Beaumont founded Skytree in 2014, following his work on DAC for the European Space Agency. Skytree’s technology is based on the carbon scrubbers used aboard the International Space Station, which remove the excess CO2 produced from the breath of astronauts. Direct air capture DAC machines suck CO2 from the air like a giant vacuum. The CO2 they capture can be buried underground or mineralised into…This story continues at The Next Web
Dutch startup Skytree has opened a new HQ in Toronto, Canada and a new office in Nashville, Tennessee, as it looks to cash-in on attractive government incentives for direct carbon capture (DAC) technologies. Engineer-turned-entrepreneur Max Beaumont founded Skytree in 2014, following his work on DAC for the European Space Agency. Skytree’s technology is based on the carbon scrubbers used aboard the International Space Station, which remove the excess CO2 produced from the breath of astronauts. Direct air capture DAC machines suck CO2 from the air like a giant vacuum. The CO2 they capture can be buried underground or mineralised into…
This story continues at The Next Web
TNW Conference 2025 theme spotlight: Sustainable Societies
A warming world will — and is already having — a profound impact on the things we all depend on: shelter, food, water, energy, medicine. Most nations have committed to drastic cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to dial back the planet’s thermostat. But true sustainability is not just about emissions. We will need to transform the way all industries operate — from agriculture to transport and health — to meet the SDGs. The great green transition necessitates innovation. It calls for new, clean technologies and the scaling of proven ones. It requires industry leaders, disruptive innovators, and ambitious startups to…This story continues at The Next Web
A warming world will — and is already having — a profound impact on the things we all depend on: shelter, food, water, energy, medicine. Most nations have committed to drastic cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to dial back the planet’s thermostat. But true sustainability is not just about emissions. We will need to transform the way all industries operate — from agriculture to transport and health — to meet the SDGs. The great green transition necessitates innovation. It calls for new, clean technologies and the scaling of proven ones. It requires industry leaders, disruptive innovators, and ambitious startups to…
This story continues at The Next Web
Vay secures €34M to bring remote-controlled cars to the streets of Europe
German “teledriving” startup Vay has secured €34mn from the European Investment Bank (EIB). In January, Vay launched a commercial remote-controlled car service in Las Vegas. Now it wants to roll out the technology on its home turf. In 2023, the company successfully conducted test drives without a safety driver on public roads in Hamburg. Vay says it has been working closely with authorities to launch a commercial service in the German city. “This investment will play a crucial role in strengthening the confidence and trust that EU regulators, partners and consumers have in Vay, paving the way for the commercial…This story continues at The Next Web
German “teledriving” startup Vay has secured €34mn from the European Investment Bank (EIB). In January, Vay launched a commercial remote-controlled car service in Las Vegas. Now it wants to roll out the technology on its home turf. In 2023, the company successfully conducted test drives without a safety driver on public roads in Hamburg. Vay says it has been working closely with authorities to launch a commercial service in the German city. “This investment will play a crucial role in strengthening the confidence and trust that EU regulators, partners and consumers have in Vay, paving the way for the commercial…
This story continues at The Next Web
Has wave energy finally found its golden buoy?
In November 2023, violent Atlantic storm “Domingos” struck the northern coast of Portugal, generating record-high waves and leaving a path of destruction across much of Western Europe. People on land were grappling with flooded homes, closed roads, and landslides. But just offshore, a potentially game-changing wave energy device was happily bobbing up and down, side to side — seemingly, in its element. Built by Swedish startup CorPower, the giant golden buoy turns the raw power of the ocean into a clean, reliable electricity source. CorPower claims its tech is at least five times more efficient than the previous state-of-the-art. “We’ve…This story continues at The Next Web
In November 2023, violent Atlantic storm “Domingos” struck the northern coast of Portugal, generating record-high waves and leaving a path of destruction across much of Western Europe. People on land were grappling with flooded homes, closed roads, and landslides. But just offshore, a potentially game-changing wave energy device was happily bobbing up and down, side to side — seemingly, in its element. Built by Swedish startup CorPower, the giant golden buoy turns the raw power of the ocean into a clean, reliable electricity source. CorPower claims its tech is at least five times more efficient than the previous state-of-the-art. “We’ve…
This story continues at The Next Web
Sweden’s node.vc closes €71M fund for early-stage Nordic startups
Stockholm-based node.vc has closed a €71mn fund to back early-stage startups in the Nordics. “The Nordic tech ecosystem is thriving, especially in areas like AI, gaming, fintech, and climate tech,” John Elvesjö, managing partner at node.vc, told TNW. “We’re seeing experienced talent, particularly from companies like Klarna, Spotify, Voi, Kry, and Pleo, stepping up to become founders,” Elvesjö said. The devaluation of employee stock options and increasing layoffs have sparked “fresh entrepreneurial energy,” he added. The fund is sector-agnostic. This means that any startup with “innovative technology” can apply. The size of initial investment per company will be around €1-2mn,…This story continues at The Next Web
Stockholm-based node.vc has closed a €71mn fund to back early-stage startups in the Nordics. “The Nordic tech ecosystem is thriving, especially in areas like AI, gaming, fintech, and climate tech,” John Elvesjö, managing partner at node.vc, told TNW. “We’re seeing experienced talent, particularly from companies like Klarna, Spotify, Voi, Kry, and Pleo, stepping up to become founders,” Elvesjö said. The devaluation of employee stock options and increasing layoffs have sparked “fresh entrepreneurial energy,” he added. The fund is sector-agnostic. This means that any startup with “innovative technology” can apply. The size of initial investment per company will be around €1-2mn,…
This story continues at The Next Web