Some of Europe’s hottest startups arrived at TNW València last week to develop ideas, expand networks, create new leads, and — and most importantly of all — fight. Not in the physical sense, of course, but in a fiercely-contested TNW València pitch battle. After surviving a series of fiery knockout clashes, eight of Europe’s most electrifying startups were selected for the contest final on Friday. València provided the perfect stage for the showdown. The region is Spain’s fastest-growing entrepreneurial ecosystem, with the most startups per capita in the country. It was also bathed in glorious sunshine — but this was no vacation…
Ladies and gentlemen, the moment has almost arrived: TNW València is next week! In case you’ve been living under a rock (or frequenting another tech site, you traitor), we’re taking our cherished festival on the road. After 16 glorious years in Amsterdam, we’re bringing the show to Spain’s Mediterranean coast — and you’re all invited. We’re not only there for the sun, sea, and sand — far from it, in fact. València has the fastest-growing innovation ecosystem in Spain, and the most startups per capita in the country. On March 30th and 31st, we’ll showcase the best tech in the region…
Recently, we asked if it was possible for Europe to have a dominant smartphone again. The answer was simple: no, not unless there’s some sort of miracle. The reason behind this is multifaceted, but the core point is that because Asia hosts the majority of the world’s mobile manufacturing facilities, it’s borderline impossible for European companies to create a good enough phone at a low enough price to succeed. But, here at TNW, we had another question: could Europe launch its own mobile operating system? Why do we need a European mobile OS? On first inspection, it’s an excellent idea.…
Ah, the joys of pitching. Your entire masterplan squeezed into a few sentences, a room of powerful strangers with your future in their hands, and mere seconds to impress them. Who doesn’t love a quick dip in a shark tank? Quite a lot of people, unfortunately. Luckily for them, pitching coach David Beckett is here to help. Beckett has spent decades mastering the art of public speaking. He first honed his skills through over 1,000 corporate presentations across 16 years at Canon, before switching to the crisper craft of startup pitches. In 2013, Beckett founded Best3Minutes, which provides in-person and online training…
The EU Commission is extending the relaxation of state aid rules to prevent green tech firms from relocating abroad and enable the bloc’s transition to a net-zero economy. The rules around national subsidies had already been amended in 2022 as a response to Russia’s war on Ukraine, seeking to enable member states to more easily finance struggling companies and energy production in Europe. Now, rising concerns about an escalating global subsidy race have pushed the EU to further prolong this temporary crisis framework — and even expand its scope to include support to domestic clean tech companies fighting climate change.…
Under the Chips Act, the EU is seeking to end its dependence on China and produce 20% of the world’s semiconductors by 2030. Amidst the political push, attracting global giants to invest in the union’s domestic production has been a key strategy — with Intel’s plan to construct a massive chip plant in Magdeburg, Germany, considered a big boost for the bloc. But now, Intel is asking the German government for an additional €4 billion to 5 billion in subsidies to move forward with the project, Bloomberg reports, citing people familiar with the matter. In March 2022, Intel announced an initial…
No one may fully understand quantum computing yet, but one thing is clear — the expectations are high. And where there are high expectations, there’s money. Both private and public funding for European quantum technologies has grown notably over the last few years. In 2021, private funding to quantum startups increased by 2.5x compared to 2020, and by 8x compared to 2019. Public funding has grown as well, with the EU planning to invest $7.2 billion (€6.8 billion) in quantum computing projects by 2025. Understandably, most of these billions already are or will be directed to building a successful quantum…
The European Commission has launched a new €7.5 million grant scheme to help Ukrainian SMEs integrate and benefit from the single market. The so-called ReadyForEU scheme comprises two calls for proposals directed to Ukraine-based businesses and entrepreneurs: the Business Bridge and the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs — Ukraine. The calls follow the country’s recent entrance into the singlemarket programme, which is also providing the funding. “ We’re offering tangible financial support for small Ukrainian businesses and entrepreneurs. The Business Bridge With a budget of €4.5 million, this action offers financial support to SMEs affected by the war, in the form…
Rishi Sunak has enraged British scientists after dimming hopes of rejoining the EU’s Horizon programme. Prospects of reentering the €96 billion research scheme had grown after a new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland was struck on Monday. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen described the agreement as “good news” for scientists and researchers. She said work to associate the UK with Horizon could start “immediately” after implementing the terms. Scientists had overwhelmingly welcomed the breakthrough. Sir Adrian Smith, President of the Royal Society, the UK’s foremost collective of scientific voices, called for access to Horizon to be swiftly secured. “These schemes…
Why can’t European tech companies compete with Silicon Valley giants? It’s a perennial conundrum for the continent’s IT leaders — and one that Phill Robinson is trying to solve. After a globetrotting career as a tech executive, Robinson returned home to the UK and founded Boardwave, a networking platform that wants to make Europe a software superpower. The concept emerged from Robinson’s diverse background in the sector. The entrepreneur spent decades traversing Europe and Silicon Valley, in roles ranging from CMO of Salesforce.com during its IPO to CEO of Dutch software giant Exact. These experiences exposed several advantages for tech firms…
A new €15 million fund has launched to help quantum technology research in the Netherlands transform into venture capital-investable startups. Backed by Quantum Delta NL (QDNL), a foundation that seeks to boost and scale the Dutch quantum ecosystem, the so-called QDNL Participations fund has a twofold focus: early-stage startups in the sector and research teams working on promising quantum technologies before they incorporate as startups. In the first case, the funding will reach up to €1.5 million — with the foundation typically leading the investment round. In the second case, the fund will offer €50,000 to researchers via a SAFE…
Big business opportunities are brewing in the cosmos. Morgan Stanley predicts the space economy will grow from €355 billion in 2020 to over €1 trillion by 2030 — and competition for the rewards is fierce. The USA remains a celestial superpower, while China is emerging as a powerful challenger. Europe has historically lagged behind the world leaders — but is now carving out a promising niche. Across the continent, countries are converging around a single segment of the market: small satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO). The maximum altitude in LEO is about one-third of Earth’s radius. Credit: ESA As the…
A rough year in public markets has taken a heavy toll on startups. According to new research, every unicorn in Europe that went public in 2021 has since shrunk in valuation. The losses follow record-highs for VC exit valuations in 2021. PitchBook, a financial data firm, attributed the downturn to a shrinking public market. The company found that 13 unicorns went public during 2021’s bull market and IPO frenzy. Yet none have gone on to have positive share price returns. Their numbers paint a gloomy picture. By the end of 2022, more than half of them had lost over 75% of their…
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