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 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 artificial general intelligence, repairable airbuds, some Wolverine nerdery, drone delivery adoption, and much more. The guest of the show is Caroline Viarouge, CEO at EIT Manufacturing. A big part of the conversation focused on the cooperation between the UK and the EU when it comes to research and innovation. Here are the stories and things…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 artificial general intelligence, repairable airbuds, some Wolverine nerdery, drone delivery adoption, and much more. The guest of the show is Caroline Viarouge, CEO at EIT Manufacturing. A big part of the conversation focused on the cooperation between the UK and the EU when it comes to research and innovation. Here are the stories and things…

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Amid the semiconductor industry’s slowdown and increasing geopolitical tensions, Dutch chip machine-maker ASML reported a decrease both in sales and profits. Europe’s most valuable tech company saw orders fall to €3.6bn in the first quarter of 2024, down from €9.2bn in the previous quarter. Its net profit also dropped to €1.2bn — a 37% decrease compared to Q4 2023. “We see 2024 as a transition,” ASML’s President and CEO Peter Wennink said in a statement. Wennink expects a stronger second half of the year “in line with the industry’s continued recovery from the downturn.” Interestingly, China represented ASML’s largest market…This story continues at The Next Web

Amid the semiconductor industry’s slowdown and increasing geopolitical tensions, Dutch chip machine-maker ASML reported a decrease both in sales and profits. Europe’s most valuable tech company saw orders fall to €3.6bn in the first quarter of 2024, down from €9.2bn in the previous quarter. Its net profit also dropped to €1.2bn — a 37% decrease compared to Q4 2023. “We see 2024 as a transition,” ASML’s President and CEO Peter Wennink said in a statement. Wennink expects a stronger second half of the year “in line with the industry’s continued recovery from the downturn.” Interestingly, China represented ASML’s largest market…

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Under orders from the EU, tech giants have launched 11 advertising transparency tools. None of them are fit for purpose, according to a new study from Mozilla. The tools provide libraries of data about online adverts. By exploring the repositories, researchers can identify the funders and techniques behind the ads. At least, that’s the idea. The libraries are obligatory under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), a law designed to safeguard online environments. By shining a light on ad content and targeting, the EU hopes to tackle disinformation and manipulation. The impact could be global. Because platforms often respond to international…This story continues at The Next Web

Under orders from the EU, tech giants have launched 11 advertising transparency tools. None of them are fit for purpose, according to a new study from Mozilla. The tools provide libraries of data about online adverts. By exploring the repositories, researchers can identify the funders and techniques behind the ads. At least, that’s the idea. The libraries are obligatory under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), a law designed to safeguard online environments. By shining a light on ad content and targeting, the EU hopes to tackle disinformation and manipulation. The impact could be global. Because platforms often respond to international…

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A British drone maker plans to launch air taxis in 2026 after raising a whopping $110mn. Skyports has already flown electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft on delivery and monitoring trials. The new funding brings commercial air taxis closer to the services on offer. The first flights are slated to take off in the United Arab Emirates. Earlier this year, Skyports inked a deal with authorities in Dubai to build four vertiports ahead of the launch of air taxi services in 2026.  Skyports intends to then bring air taxis into other markets. The company is currently developing the UK’s first…This story continues at The Next Web

A British drone maker plans to launch air taxis in 2026 after raising a whopping $110mn. Skyports has already flown electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft on delivery and monitoring trials. The new funding brings commercial air taxis closer to the services on offer. The first flights are slated to take off in the United Arab Emirates. Earlier this year, Skyports inked a deal with authorities in Dubai to build four vertiports ahead of the launch of air taxi services in 2026.  Skyports intends to then bring air taxis into other markets. The company is currently developing the UK’s first…

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Berlin-based Ecosia, best known as the tree-planting search engine, has teamed up with French startup Kanop to monitor its reforestation efforts from space. With around 20 million users, Ecosia is the world’s largest not-for-profit search engine. It is also one of the biggest tree-planters in the world. The company claims to have planted 200 million trees since its inception in 2009.  To date, Ecosia has monitored its tree-planting efforts using ground-based observations. But with the help of Kanop, it is about to take things up a notch. Based in Paris, Kanop uses optical, radar, and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)…This story continues at The Next Web

Berlin-based Ecosia, best known as the tree-planting search engine, has teamed up with French startup Kanop to monitor its reforestation efforts from space. With around 20 million users, Ecosia is the world’s largest not-for-profit search engine. It is also one of the biggest tree-planters in the world. The company claims to have planted 200 million trees since its inception in 2009.  To date, Ecosia has monitored its tree-planting efforts using ground-based observations. But with the help of Kanop, it is about to take things up a notch. Based in Paris, Kanop uses optical, radar, and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)…

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We have all been guilty of falling under the foundation model spell of the past year-and-a-half, initiated by OpenAI’s unveiling of ChatGPT to the public. But it is not only where large language models (LLMs) such as GPT-4 are concerned that incredible progress has been made in the field of artificial intelligence. And one company has been behind more impressive milestones than most — DeepMind, acquired by Google in 2014 for a reported £400mn to £650mn.  Speaking at the TED 40th anniversary conference in Vancouver, Canada, on Monday, DeepMind’s CEO and head of Google’s entire AI R&D efforts, Demis Hassabis, confirmed…This story continues at The Next Web

We have all been guilty of falling under the foundation model spell of the past year-and-a-half, initiated by OpenAI’s unveiling of ChatGPT to the public. But it is not only where large language models (LLMs) such as GPT-4 are concerned that incredible progress has been made in the field of artificial intelligence. And one company has been behind more impressive milestones than most — DeepMind, acquired by Google in 2014 for a reported £400mn to £650mn.  Speaking at the TED 40th anniversary conference in Vancouver, Canada, on Monday, DeepMind’s CEO and head of Google’s entire AI R&D efforts, Demis Hassabis, confirmed…

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PhotonVentures, a Dutch deep tech fund aiming to boost Europe’s photonics industry, has closed its second fundraising round with over €15mn — bringing its total capital to €75mn. The fund targets startups and scaleups developing solutions with photonic chips for a wide range of applications: from data transmission and health diagnostics to smart sensors, AI, AR, and VR. PhotonVentures will initially invest in 20 early-stage companies with international growth potential. It will focus on Seed to Series A rounds, with investments varying between €1mn and €2.5mn. The VC firm is a spinoff and strategic partner of PhotonDelta, a manufacturer of…This story continues at The Next Web

PhotonVentures, a Dutch deep tech fund aiming to boost Europe’s photonics industry, has closed its second fundraising round with over €15mn — bringing its total capital to €75mn. The fund targets startups and scaleups developing solutions with photonic chips for a wide range of applications: from data transmission and health diagnostics to smart sensors, AI, AR, and VR. PhotonVentures will initially invest in 20 early-stage companies with international growth potential. It will focus on Seed to Series A rounds, with investments varying between €1mn and €2.5mn. The VC firm is a spinoff and strategic partner of PhotonDelta, a manufacturer of…

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In 2013, Dutch scientist Mark Post unveiled the world’s first cultivated meat burger on live television — taking lab-grown meat from the realm of science fiction to science fact.  Post ended up turning his invention into a startup called Mosa Meat. The new venture promised to bring the “world’s kindest burger” to supermarket shelves.  Today, Mosa Meat announced it has secured another €40mn — just two months after closing a $85mn Series B funding round. Lowercarbon Capital and M Ventures led the round, alongside existing investors including actor Leonardo DiCaprio.  The freshing funding comes as US politicians wage a culture…This story continues at The Next Web

In 2013, Dutch scientist Mark Post unveiled the world’s first cultivated meat burger on live television — taking lab-grown meat from the realm of science fiction to science fact.  Post ended up turning his invention into a startup called Mosa Meat. The new venture promised to bring the “world’s kindest burger” to supermarket shelves.  Today, Mosa Meat announced it has secured another €40mn — just two months after closing a $85mn Series B funding round. Lowercarbon Capital and M Ventures led the round, alongside existing investors including actor Leonardo DiCaprio.  The freshing funding comes as US politicians wage a culture…

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French SaaS company Planisware launched its initial public offering (IPO) today, reaching a valuation of €1.11bn. This is the largest IPO on the Euronext Paris stock exchange in the past three years. Planisware was founded in 1996 by Yves Humblot, Pierre Demonsant, Matthieu Delille, and François Pelissolo. Planisware provides software for enterprise project portfolio management. It counts over 500 blue-chip clients across the globe, including PepsiCo and Pfizer, and employs circa 700 people. The company has seen its consolidated revenue grow at a compounded annual rate of approximately 20% during the last three years — with an EBITDA margin of over…This story continues at The Next Web

French SaaS company Planisware launched its initial public offering (IPO) today, reaching a valuation of €1.11bn. This is the largest IPO on the Euronext Paris stock exchange in the past three years. Planisware was founded in 1996 by Yves Humblot, Pierre Demonsant, Matthieu Delille, and François Pelissolo. Planisware provides software for enterprise project portfolio management. It counts over 500 blue-chip clients across the globe, including PepsiCo and Pfizer, and employs circa 700 people. The company has seen its consolidated revenue grow at a compounded annual rate of approximately 20% during the last three years — with an EBITDA margin of over…

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More than 50 European VCs and startups have joined forces to launch Climate Brick — a new community designed to fast-track investment in green technologies.  Climate Brick launched today along with what its founders claim to be one of the most comprehensive climate tech studies ever conducted. The report, featuring interviews with 100 climate experts and 3,000 companies, offers a roadmap for climate tech startups looking to scale.  “We really needed a common vocabulary and playbook for climate tech, and now with Climate Brick — we have it,” said Rokas Peciulaitis, partner at Contrarian Ventures and one of Climate Brick’s…This story continues at The Next Web

More than 50 European VCs and startups have joined forces to launch Climate Brick — a new community designed to fast-track investment in green technologies.  Climate Brick launched today along with what its founders claim to be one of the most comprehensive climate tech studies ever conducted. The report, featuring interviews with 100 climate experts and 3,000 companies, offers a roadmap for climate tech startups looking to scale.  “We really needed a common vocabulary and playbook for climate tech, and now with Climate Brick — we have it,” said Rokas Peciulaitis, partner at Contrarian Ventures and one of Climate Brick’s…

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