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id | date | title | slug | Date | link | content | created_at | feed_id |
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44,516 | 07/09/2024 10:00 AM | How Do You Solve a Problem Like Polestar? | how-do-you-solve-a-problem-like-polestar | 07/09/2024 | The all-electric sibling of Volvo has a new CEO, new models landing, and a new plant in South Carolina—but will this be enough to stop the EV brand's decline? | 07/09/2024 10:04 AM | 4 | |
44,515 | 06/09/2024 04:46 PM | Europe has opened a door to a universal wallet. The web’s inventor wants to enter | europe-has-opened-a-door-to-a-universal-wallet-the-webs-inventor-wants-to-enter | 06/09/2024 | ![]() Imagine you’re moving to the destination of your dreams. A tropical paradise by the sea? An enchanting mountain village? A sun-kissed chateau surrounded by vineyards? Take your pick. All you need to do is pack a smartphone. You catch a cab to the station, scan a turnstile, and board a train to the airport. On arrival, you stroll through a biometric corridor and straight on to your plane. After your flight touches down, you collect a rental car. You flash a digital driver’s licence to unlock the door. You drive to your new home. On the way, you stop off… This story continues at The Next Web |
06/09/2024 06:04 PM | 3 | |
44,513 | 06/09/2024 03:02 PM | Weekly funding round-up! All of the European startup funding rounds we tracked this week (Sep 2 – Sep 6) | weekly-funding-round-up-all-of-the-european-startup-funding-rounds-we-tracked-this-week-sep-2-sep-6 | 06/09/2024 | This article is visible for CLUB members only. If you are already a member but don’t see the content of this article, please login here. If you’re not a CLUB member yet, but you’d like to read members-only content like this one, have unrestricted access to the site and benefit from many additional perks, you can sign up here. The post Weekly funding round-up! All of the European startup funding rounds we tracked this week (Sep 2 – Sep 6) appeared first on EU-Startups. |
06/09/2024 03:34 PM | 6 | |
44,514 | 06/09/2024 02:49 PM | First metal part 3D-printed in space paves way for deeper cosmic missions | first-metal-part-3d-printed-in-space-paves-way-for-deeper-cosmic-missions | 06/09/2024 | ![]() Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have used ESA’s metal 3D printer to forge the first-ever metal part made entirely in space. The achievement was part of a collaboration between ESA and Airbus that looks to develop Europe’s capabilities in space manufacturing. It could mark a step toward greater autonomy for long-term missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. “Creating spare parts, construction components, and tools on demand will be essential for long-distance and long-duration missions,” said Daniel Neuenschwander, director of human and robotic exploration at ESA. Built by Airbus, the 180kg printer can be used to repair or… This story continues at The Next Web |
06/09/2024 04:04 PM | 3 | |
44,512 | 06/09/2024 02:26 PM | Doccla bags £35M, new €200M fund for digital clean energy startups, and key trends and investment in August | doccla-bags-pound35m-new-euro200m-fund-for-digital-clean-energy-startups-and-key-trends-and-investment-in-august | 06/09/2024 | This week we tracked more than 50 tech funding deals worth over €266 million, and over 10 exits, M&A transactions, rumours, and related news stories across Europe. In addition to this week's top financials, we've also indexed the most important/industry-related news items you need to know about. This week we also released Tech.eu Pulse, a compact version of our monthly report for August, that’s available to all of our readers. It offers a monthly glimpse into the valuable insights provided by our monthly reports, covering key investment trends, notable company activities, and emerging industry sectors. If email is more your thing, you can always subscribe to our newsletter and receive a more robust version of this round-up delivered to your inbox. Either way, let's get you up to speed. ? Notable and big funding rounds?? MirrorWeb closed £50M growth equity deal ?? Doccla bags £35M for European expansion ?? Calyxia raises €31.5M Series B to help global manufacturers fight plastic pollution ???? Noteworthy acquisitions and mergers?? CSIS Security Group acquires Security Alliance Limited ?? Alerce acquires WeMob to strengthen logistics offering ?? German fitness startup 7NXT expands reach with Buddyfit acquisition ?? Kiteworks acquires 123FormBuilder to bolster data collection capabilities ?? Wisnio acquired by talent assessment company Assessio Group ? Interesting moves from investors? SET Ventures closes €200M fund for digital clean energy startups ?️ Norway contributes $53M to the International Fund for Ukraine to purchase drones and air defence systems ? Singapore's Leo Capital launches €25M fund for Nordic B2B startups ?️ In other (important) news? European Tech.eu Pulse: key trends and investment in August ? Robinhood amps up UK offensive with stock lending offer ? Baltic states continue to punch above their weight in startup funding ? Innovate UK backtracks on female funding decision after campaign ? Recommended reads and listens?⚖️ The hidden costs of AI-powered legaltech: are foundational skills being lost? ? From labs to the ocean: 6 next-gen blue economy startups ?? No tech firm can say “software is never going to fail”, says ethical hacker, amid CrowdStrike fallout ? European tech startups to watch?? ???? Approveit raises $1M for payments software ?? Tiptapp's green mission for easier recycling gets a €1M boost ?? Kokuai closes a second round of €260,000 ?? Early-stage investor Angels United is investing a six-figure sum in Kickscale ?? Home Grooming, Pelomatto closes a €430,000 round ?? 8 months after founding, Capsa AI raises £1.7M for AI-driven private equity solutions |
06/09/2024 02:34 PM | 1 | |
44,509 | 06/09/2024 01:00 PM | The NSA Has a Podcast—Here's How to Decode It | the-nsa-has-a-podcastheres-how-to-decode-it | 06/09/2024 | The spy agency that dared not speak its name is now the Joe Rogan of the SIGINT set. And the pod's actually worth a listen. | 06/09/2024 01:34 PM | 4 | |
44,507 | 06/09/2024 12:11 PM | 8 months after founding, Capsa AI raises £1.7M for AI-driven private equity solutions | 8-months-after-founding-capsa-ai-raises-pound17m-for-ai-driven-private-equity-solutions | 06/09/2024 | Capsa AI, a London-based startup transforming due diligence in private equity, has raised £1.7 million in Seed funding just eight months after its founding. In that time, Capsa AI had already become revenue-generating, managing over $30 billion across the US, UK, and Germany. Capsa AI has developed an AI operating system that allows investors at private equity funds to ‘delegate’ the manual, low-skill due diligence tasks that traditionally take up to 25 per cent of their time. These tasks include activities such as the creation of company profiles, extraction and consolidation of financial information from company records, analysis of financial performance and reviewing customer contracts. In the coming months Capsa AI will help private equity funds leverage their historical deal data in order to make better investment decisions. The funding round was led by Outward VC, the leading UK fintech investor, with participation from Cornerstone VC, the ‘people first’ early-stage investor and existing investor, Antler, the most active early-stage VC firm in Europe. The round also included contributions from high-profile angel investors such as Chris Adelsbach, one of Europe’s most prolific fintech investors, as well as senior professionals from leading private equity firms and tech unicorns. Danyal Özdüzenciler, the co-founder of Capsa AI, comments:
Sanchit Dhote, Principal at Outward VC, comments:
The capital raised will be used to build out the team, focused particularly on hiring product engineering talent to develop more features for private equity investors. The funding will also be used to penetrate target markets and build out proprietary AI models. Lead image: Capsa AI. Photo: uncredited. |
06/09/2024 12:34 PM | 1 | |
44,508 | 06/09/2024 12:09 PM | Europe’s biggest floating solar farm could power a large town | europes-biggest-floating-solar-farm-could-power-a-large-town | 06/09/2024 | ![]() Berlin-based renewable energy firm Q Energy has secured €50mn in debt finance to complete work on Europe’s largest floating solar farm, set to power up next year. The plant is already under construction at the site of a former quarry in the Haute-Marne region of France. Once finished, the farm will comprise 134,649 floating solar panels covering an area equivalent to 180 football pitches. The huge 73MW array will cater to the electricity needs of around 37,000 people, Q Energy estimates. Floating solar farms — or “floatovoltaics” — work much like their land-based cousins, but on water. Each one comprises… This story continues at The Next Web |
06/09/2024 12:34 PM | 3 | |
44,506 | 06/09/2024 11:49 AM | From labs to the ocean: 6 next-gen blue economy startups | from-labs-to-the-ocean-6-next-gen-blue-economy-startups | 06/09/2024 | The ocean covers over 70 per cent of the Earth's surface, providing a habitat for the largest ecosystem on our planet. But oceans are under threat from rising temperatures and sea levels, loss of biodiversity, overfishing, and coral bleaching. Fortunately, there's a thriving interest in the Blue Economy and the sustainable use of ocean resources to grow economics, improve livelihoods, and create jobs while preserving the health of marine and coastal ecosystems. Funds such as Ocean 14 Capital, Faber, Katapult Ocean, and Blue Ocean fund invest in science-backed startups with tech that aim to preserve ocean ecosystems. Let's dive in and take a look: Stream Ocean (Switzerland)![]() Founded in 2022, Stream Ocean is developing an end-to-end AI-powered solution for real-time maritime surveillance to increase our understanding of marine ecosystems and contribute to more effective ocean conservation efforts. Its tech monitors ocean projects using a high-definition autonomous underwater camera system and AI model enabling automated analysis via its online dashboard. Stream Ocean's technology can be applied across various sectors, including offshore wind, maritime construction, aquaculture, and conservation. By delivering HD imagery continuously, clients can engage with and assess projects in real-time. subdron (Germany)![]() subdron is developing close-range navigation for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) It helps AUVs autonomously sense and inspect underwater infrastructure such as port facilities and ship hulls. By leveraging advanced sensor systems and innovative algorithms, these vehicles enable faster, more accurate, and cost-effective inspections, minimising human intervention and maximising operational efficiency. The technology can significantly decarbonise the shipping industry and transform the maintenance and monitoring of critical underwater assets, reducing costs by up to 50 percent and improving safety for a wide range of industries. The company raised €1.3 million Pre-Seed in July 2023. WellFish Tech (Scotland)WellFish Tech is transforming fish healthcare in the aquaculture industry through rapid, 24.hour blood testing for fish. The company aims to reduce the reliance on lethal methods to assess fish health with non-lethal, blood-based testing. It's developed a proactive healthcare model, where fish are routinely monitored every 2-4 weeks throughout their life cycle. Data is analysed, interpreted using its database and AI models, and presented to the farmer using a traffic light system (green OK; amber warning; red problem) within 24 hours of sample receipt. As with any disease in any species including humans, early detection and intervention leads to less mortality. RiverRecycle (Finland)RiverRecycle has invented patent-pending technology that effectively cleans rivers from plastic pollution and removes floating plastic waste from rivers. The collected waste is sorted for reuse, recycling, or proper disposal. Instead of sending low-value plastic waste to landfills where it could potentially harm the environment, the company recycles it using either mechanical or chemical methods. This process ensures that the plastic waste is repurposed and does not spill back into the environment. Through the sale of recycled products, RiverRecycle generates profits to sustain its operations while supporting developing communities in improving their local economies and environment. Planetcare (Slovenia)Washing machines are a significant source of microplastics found in oceans. Planetcare filters stop 98 per cent of them. ![]() According to research, 6 kg of laundry releases over 700,000 microscopic plastic fibres. By simply installing a PlanetCare filter on your washing machine, you can now stop throwing one light plastic grocery bag into the ocean every week. In five years, PlanetCare users will stop over 500 tons of microfibre emissions just by filtering their laundry wastewater. Seawater Solutions (UK)Seawater Solutions develops degraded coastal land using seawater, creating wetlands that capture carbon, create jobs, produce food, re-wild the environment, clean waterways and stabilise coastlines. Seawater Solutions' Regenerative Seawater Agriculture (RAS) system introduces salt-tolerant species and ecologies onto degraded land, forming a healthy and productive ecosystem. RSA systems regenerate land within three years, significantly faster than conventional restoration efforts, largely due to the circular systems of water management, cropping methods, and the use of indigenous agronomic practices suited to the specific regions in which we work. Carbon credits produced in these large-scale operations, along with environmental engineering services like coastal erosion management, have significant demand from governments and international organisations. Lead image: Wirestock. |
06/09/2024 12:04 PM | 1 | |
44,505 | 06/09/2024 11:27 AM | August 2024's top 10 European tech deals you need to know about | august-2024s-top-10-european-tech-deals-you-need-to-know-about | 06/09/2024 | August was the slowest month YTD, with over €1.9 billion raised in some 203 deals. This figure represents a decrease of around 60 per cent compared to the previous month (in July European tech companies collected €5 billion). The August slowdown within the European tech investment landscape commented Jasenko Hadzic, Principal at BackingMinds, in our August Tech.eu Pulse, a compact version of the monthly report:
For his more detailed review as well as more in-depth analyses of the European tech ecosystem, including industry and country performance, exit activities and more, check out our August report. And here is the list of 10 biggest European tech deals in August which collected together around 60 per cent of the total amount collected this month.
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06/09/2024 11:34 AM | 1 | |
44,504 | 06/09/2024 10:00 AM | Elon Musk Has Backed Himself Into a Corner in Brazil | elon-musk-has-backed-himself-into-a-corner-in-brazil | 06/09/2024 | After a public standoff with a judge over X and Starlink’s operations in the country, Elon Musk is showing signs of wavering. | 06/09/2024 10:04 AM | 4 | |
44,503 | 06/09/2024 09:45 AM | Insurtech Korint raises €5M | insurtech-korint-raises-euro5m | 06/09/2024 | 18 months after its first funding round and the launch of its offering, Insurtech startup Korint has raised €5M led by Ventech, with continuing support from 360 Capital. This second round brings the total amount of funding to €7M. The first round in March 2023 enabled Korint to launch a powerful and innovative “Core Insurance Platform” SaaS that allows insurers and brokers to deploy new insurance products rapidly and massively. This platform is based on an original “event-sourcing” logic engine that manages the entire lifecycle of an insurance contract in real time. Even the most complex cases - like fleet policies with hundred of assets or customers with multiple products - are handled effortlessly by the Korint platform. Moreover, Korint’s cloud-hosting, scalable infrastructure and API-based architecture can easily give its clients flexibility and full control over their product management. This solution has already attracted renowned players in the industry. Wakam leveraged Korint’s solution for its first insurance product dedicated to insuring employees’ bicycles, while WTW used the company’s SaaS for an automotive breakdown cover for an OEM.Korint also became the digital platform for the brokerage firm Yeet Assurances for their telematics Motor products for gig-economy drivers. More partners signings are expected in the coming weeks. This new funding round will allow Korint to strengthen its tech and insurance development team to accelerate the development of its platform. With this funding, the company aims to resolve a series of key problems frequently met in the insurance industry, which is in deep need of a fully digital management tool capable of handling complex B2B insurance policies. “We were impressed by the technicality of Korint’s solutions. The technologies used can manage the most advanced and innovative insurance products. This is a major competitive advantage. Supporting ambitious and bold entrepreneurs who use technology to advance industries is the foundation of Ventech’s investment thesis. It was a natural choice for us to support Jean-Baptiste, Martin, and their teams!” said Jean Bourcereau, President and Managing Partner at Ventech. “We are delighted to see Korint confirm all the promises we perceived during our first funding 18 months ago. The market’s need for digitalization is clear, and this new round will give them all the means to become the market reference,” concluded Thomas NIVARD, Partner at 360 Capital. |
06/09/2024 10:04 AM | 1 | |
44,510 | 06/09/2024 08:27 AM | Vienna-based Propcorn secures €600k pre-seed for AI-based property platform | vienna-based-propcorn-secures-euro600k-pre-seed-for-ai-based-property-platform | 06/09/2024 | Propcorn, a pioneering AI-powered search engine for the property industry, announced the completion of its €600k pre-seed funding round. The financing round was led by Austrian business angel Hansi Hansmann and his Hans(wo)men Group. The investor consortium was complemented by Calm/Storm, and Weilburg Ventures, the start-up investment arm of the Weilburg Family Office. Propcorn specializes in identifying redensification and new build potential and uses Artificial Intelligence to optimise urban development and property investment.The company plans to use this backing to change the proptech landscape for good. The Austrian proptech was founded in early 2024 by Niki Stadler (CEO), Benjamin Buchta (CPO) and Bertty Contreras (CTO). Together, they are pursuing the goal of redefining the use of technology in the property sector. “We are thrilled to have such prestigious investors on our side who share our vision to transform the property industry,” said Niki Stadler, Founder and CEO of Propcorn. “With this funding, we will accelerate our product development and bring our AI-powered search engine to market so that urban planners, developers and investors can discover new opportunities with unprecedented efficiency and accuracy.” Optimising property portfoliosPropcorn’s platform will go live in September 2024 and offers all users a free trial period. The service will provide property professionals with a powerful tool to identify underutilized land and optimize property portfolios, making the process of urban planning and investment faster and more data-driven. “The founding team has identified a key pain point in the property industry and is ideally positioned to solve it with the help of its AI-driven platform. We are delighted to be part of this,” commented Hansi Hansmann, Business Angel and Chairman of the Hans(wo)men Group. The financing round was legally supported by RPCK Rastegar Panchal Rechtsanwälte Keyvan & Katharina Rastegar. Propcorn is one of Austria’s first FlexCo start-ups, demonstrating its innovative approach not only in terms of technology, but also in terms of modern corporate structures, such as employee participation through the possible allocation of tax-privileged enterprise value shares (UWA). Lucanus Polagnoli, Founding Partner and CEO at Calm/Storm Ventures, added: “We are pleased to support Propcorn’s mission with our Austrian Founders Fund, not only because we believe in the founding team, but also because we see the ever-increasing strategic importance of AI-driven technologies. We believe that this development will affect all industries, especially the property sector.” Sebastian Scholda, Managing Director at Weilburg Ventures, said: “Propcorn solves the problems of many market participants in the property industry in an efficient way. In addition to property investors, for whom Propcorn provides a powerful tool with its innovative approach, Propcorn is also revolutionizing urban development and urban planning. Propcorn’s solutions can counteract the increasingly criticized issue of ‘soil sealing’ in particular, as redensification can be assessed much more easily and quickly. This diversity and practical relevance were decisive factors in our investment.” The post Vienna-based Propcorn secures €600k pre-seed for AI-based property platform appeared first on EU-Startups. |
06/09/2024 02:04 PM | 6 | |
44,511 | 06/09/2024 06:56 AM | Unlocking potential: The power of stock options in startups | unlocking-potential-the-power-of-stock-options-in-startups | 06/09/2024 | Attracting and retaining top talent is one of the biggest challenges startups face today. By offering employees a stake in the company’s future success, startups can foster a culture of ownership and commitment. In this article, we will explore how stock options work, their benefits, the current European landscape, and how they can be optimised for greater impact. Stock options give employees the right to buy company shares at a set price after a certain period, also known as the vesting period. If the company’s stock price rises, employees can purchase shares at the lower, predetermined price and potentially sell them for a profit. This mechanism aligns employees’ interests with the company’s success, encouraging them to stay and contribute to its growth. They are very popular in the US because there is no upfront cost or tax for the employee or the company. In Europe, stock options’ rules and tax treatment vary by country, but the goal is to incentivise and reward employees for the company’s growth. Attracting and retaining talentFor founders, stock options are a valuable tool to attract top talent. With limited cash for salaries, especially in the early days, stock options can supplement compensation packages, making them competitive with larger companies. This stake in the company’s future success motivates employees to work harder and stay longer. Other interested parties in stock options plans besides founders and employees are the investors themselves, as they understand that such incentives benefit the company. Like the founders, the investors see the increased chances to attract the necessary talent to pursue the company objectives, which will also have a positive effect that creates alignment between employee interests and the growth of the startup itself. Making stock options work for allIdeally taxed only once and at the time of capital gain, options can reduce the tax burden for employees, making them highly attractive. In addition, startups that issue non-voting stock options allow founders and early investors to maintain control while offering attractive compensation packages to their employees. This provides a win-win situation for employees and company leaders. Both are best practices, but none are widely implemented in Europe. Yet. The European landscape: Progress and pain pointsEurope’s startup ecosystem is diverse, and so are its stock option policies. In our latest Startup Nations Standards (SNS) Report, seven out of 21 surveyed countries achieved a 100% implementation level for Standard 3, Stock Options, demonstrating that they have established top-tier stock option policies. This result is based on evaluating the following substandards: Taxation, Non-voting rights, and Stock Options schemes. The report finds that 16 countries (76%) allow the issuance of non-voting stock options, reflecting a positive shift towards more flexible equity compensation. Additionally, just over half (52%) of the countries set up a specific programme for Stock Options, indicating relative interest in this scheme at a national level. However, there are significant disparities in how stock options are treated across EU member states. This is particularly striking regarding taxation, as Stock Options are taxed once at the time of sale in only nine countries (43%), thereby hindering their attractiveness. Differences in taxation, eligibility criteria, and regulatory frameworks can create a complex environment for startups operating across borders. Moving forwardGiven the significant heterogeneity between EU Member States, At ESNA we seek to improve coordination between countries for better policy. For startup founders, stock options are more than just a perk—they’re a strategic lever. With a perfect symbiosis between founders, investors, and employees when it comes to their respective interests around the startup, stock options are an instrument that contributes to the desired growth, fosters innovation, and cultivates loyalty. By harmonising regulations, clarifying criteria, reducing administrative burdens, and boosting education—Europe can create a more favourable environment for startups to flourish. Embracing these changes can propel the continent to the forefront of the global startup ecosystem, making it easier for founders to attract and retain the talent needed to succeed. The post Unlocking potential: The power of stock options in startups appeared first on EU-Startups. |
06/09/2024 02:04 PM | 6 | |
44,501 | 05/09/2024 03:47 PM | Vega launches Sentinel-2C in ‘fitting’ swan song for European rocket | vega-launches-sentinel-2c-in-fitting-swan-song-for-european-rocket | 05/09/2024 | ![]() Europe’s first-generation Vega rocket has blasted a payload into space for the last time. Vega lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana in the early hours of this morning. It was carrying Sentinel-2C, an Earth observation platform that will now join Europe’s fleet of Copernicus satellites. LIFTOFF of #Sentinel2 C on the last Vega rocket from @EuropeSpacePort in Kourou, French Guiana on 5 September 2024! pic.twitter.com/QzAZPkqBTr — European Space Agency (@esa) September 5, 2024 The European Space Agency (ESA) called the launch a “fitting” farewell for a rocket that was primarily responsible for deploying small Earth observation satellites… This story continues at The Next Web |
05/09/2024 04:34 PM | 3 | |
44,500 | 05/09/2024 03:41 PM | Why It's So Hard to Fully Block X in Brazil | why-its-so-hard-to-fully-block-x-in-brazil | 05/09/2024 | With 20,000 internet providers across the country, the technical challenges of blocking X in Brazil mean some connections are slipping through the cracks. | 05/09/2024 04:04 PM | 4 | |
44,502 | 05/09/2024 03:23 PM | Paris-based Calyxia raises €31.5 million Series B to help global manufacturers fight plastic pollution | paris-based-calyxia-raises-euro315-million-series-b-to-help-global-manufacturers-fight-plastic-pollution | 05/09/2024 | Calyxia, an industrial B2B Cleantech innovator, certified B Corp, specializing in advanced and biodegradable microcapsules and microparticles for use in Consumer Goods, Crop Protection and Advanced Materials, announced that it has raised €31.5 million in a Series B funding round. The round was led by Lombard Odier Investment Managers, through its Plastic Circularity Fund and Bpifrance, through its Large Venture Fund, with strong support from existing investors including Astanor. This new capital will enable Calyxia to achieve profitability, deploy globally its innovative manufacturing technology, and establish itself as the leader in a market exceeding $10 billion by 2030. More specifically, with the backing of this new funding round and of the France 2030 program, Calyxia plans to expand its commercial and industrial operations, beginning with the establishment of new headquarters and a second production site in the Paris Region by Q1 2025. This new facility will increase production capacity to 3,000 tons per year, paving the way for Calyxia to achieve profitability and establish its position as the market leader. “Our customers are eager to reduce the environmental impact of their products, but they often face trade-offs with performance and profitability, which hinders widespread adoption,” said Jamie Walters, CEO and Co-Founder of Calyxia. “This investment will accelerate the widespread deployment of our products, allowing manufacturers to reduce plastic pollution and GHG emissions, whilst boosting their product performance and profitability, unlocking impact at scale.” Tech against microplasticsCalyxia recently installed and qualified its first fully operational factory in 2023, and has secured commercial partnerships for mass-volume industrial applications with leading companies in Agriculture, Consumer Care and Advanced Materials markets. Founded in 2015 by a group of scientists from Harvard University (USA), ESPCI-Paris PSL (France) and Cambridge University (UK), Calyxia, is an Industrial B2B CleanTech Innovator, certified B Corp, that has developed a proprietary and eco-designed manufacturing technology to produce the world’s first advanced performance and sustainable microparticle and microcapsule products. Christopher Tritten, Head of Private Assets and CIO at Lombard Odier Investment Managers, added: “We are thrilled to support Calyxia through the Lombard Odier Plastic Circularity Fund. Their groundbreaking technology offers an innovative approach to tackling microplastic pollution, and we believe they have the potential to scale and become a leader in the sector. This aligns perfectly with our commitment to investing in companies that are building a more sustainable future.” Cindy Ung, Investment Director at Bpifrance Large Venture, commented: “Bpifrance, through its Large Venture Fund, is very proud to support Calyxia in this new stage of its development. Calyxia is at the forefront of creating solutions that enhance product performance while addressing global carbon and plastic pollution. We are confident that the company will become a leader in its field, contributing to France’s reindustrialization plan supported by Bpifrance.” Hans Marteau, Managing Partner at Astanor, adds: “At Astanor, we are dedicated to backing visionary companies that are redefining the future of agrifood tech and sustainability. Calyxia’s groundbreaking microcapsule technology not only addresses the urgent challenges of microplastic pollution and GHG emissions but also offers transformative solutions for the Agriculture sector. By enhancing product performance and sustainability across multiple industries, Calyxia is at the forefront of creating a more sustainable and profitable future. We are proud to continue our support as they scale their innovative solutions globally.” The post Paris-based Calyxia raises €31.5 million Series B to help global manufacturers fight plastic pollution appeared first on EU-Startups. |
05/09/2024 05:04 PM | 6 | |
44,499 | 05/09/2024 02:50 PM | Kiteworks acquires 123FormBuilder to bolster data collection capabilities | kiteworks-acquires-123formbuilder-to-bolster-data-collection-capabilities | 05/09/2024 | Kiteworks, which delivers data privacy and compliance for sensitive content communications through its Private Content Network (PCN), has acquired 123FormBuilder, a provider of advanced data collection through secure web forms and form-driven private content workflows. The acquisition follows on the heels of its recent $456 million growth equity investment. Kiteworks' platform unifies, tracks, controls, and secures sensitive content moving within, into, and out of their organization, in order to bolster risk management and ensure regulatory compliance on all sensitive content communications. 123FormBuilder is a web forms platform, enabling customers to build secure registration forms, order forms, surveys, and other form types. The company offers advanced no-code, drag-and-drop online form creation that includes conditional logic, e-signature functionality, multipage forms, file uploads, and integrations with over 45 popular tools for streamlined workflow automation. “We are very excited to welcome Florin and the talented team at 123FormBuilder to the Kiteworks family,” said Amit Toren, SVP of Corporate and Business Development at Kiteworks. “123FormBuilder’s emphasis on security and compliance aligns with our Private Content Network vision. Our customers will benefit from no-code, dynamic form creation as well as bidirectional integration of web forms with various solutions such as Salesforce, Stripe, Shopify, HubSpot, and others. In addition, this acquisition further solidifies Kiteworks’ aggressive growth strategy and demonstrates our continued momentum in expanding our market presence and technological capabilities through strategic M&A activities.” Integrating 123FormBuilder’s advanced data collection through secure web forms and form-driven private content workflows into the Kiteworks Private Content Network will enable 123FormBuilder’s customers to benefit from a unified platform that centralises tracking, control, and security of sensitive content communications. Consolidation of audit logs into one platform will also streamline compliance tracking and reporting for123FormBuilder customers. “123FormBuilder is thrilled to join the Kiteworks family and contribute to its Private Content Network vision, empowering organisations to manage security and compliance risk across communication channels,” says Florin Cornianu, CEO of 123FormBuilder. “Our team at 123FormBuilder has worked tirelessly to develop a secure and user-friendly platform for data collection, a technology that will thrive under Kiteworks’ guidance. The acquisition extends our long-term security and compliance commitment to innovation bolstered by a profitable, well-funded organisation committed to the highest security and compliance standards.” |
05/09/2024 03:04 PM | 1 | |
44,497 | 05/09/2024 02:15 PM | German fitness startup 7NXT expands reach with Buddyfit acquisition | german-fitness-startup-7nxt-expands-reach-with-buddyfit-acquisition | 05/09/2024 | German fitness startup 7NXT, owner and operator of Gymondo and 7Mind, is acquiring Buddyfit. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Genoa, Buddyfit offers online fitness classes, mindfulness sessions, live workouts and nutrition plans to a paying subscriber base of 100,000. In 2023, 7NXT acquired 7Mind, a leading German mental well-being platform. This combination established Gymondo as an all-encompassing consumer digital platform for mental and physical fitness and well-being and broadened the business’s customer base to include both B2C and B2B customers. Adding Buddyfit bolsters the 7NXT companies' subscriber base to more than 800,000 and extends the company’s market reach deeper into Europe. This has the potential to unlock further opportunities in the European market, including France and the Nordics. 7NXT founder and CEO Markan Karajica said:
Buddyfit Founder & CEO Giovanni Ciferri said:
7NXT is a portfolio company of Oakley Capital. According to Oakley Capital founder and Managing Partner Peter Dubens:
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44,495 | 05/09/2024 01:16 PM | Last call for early-stage startups: Join the 4th CEE Startup Voucher Program (Sponsored) | last-call-for-early-stage-startups-join-the-4th-cee-startup-voucher-program-sponsored | 05/09/2024 | The entrepreneurial ecosystem in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) continues to flourish, with innovative programs aimed at boosting the region’s most promising startups. The CEE Startup Voucher, now in its fourth edition, is offering early-stage startups the chance to elevate their businesses to new heights! Open until September 15, 2024, this initiative has helped over 100 startups from 23 countries take their ideas to the next level! Why should you apply?Participating in the CEE Startup Voucher Program offers startups a range of benefits designed to fuel growth and success:
Who’s it for?The CEE Startup Voucher is open to anyone with an innovative business idea, from the prototype stage to the first paying customer phase. Whether you’re in AI, Fintech, Mobility, Sustainability, or any other emerging industry, this competition provides the tools and resources to help scale your venture. How to Apply?To submit your application, visit the CEE Startup Network website and take advantage of this golden opportunity to scale your business and make your mark in the growing CEE startup landscape. Remember, September 15 is the last day applications will be open. Don’t miss out on this opportunity! Timeline to keep in mind
The post Last call for early-stage startups: Join the 4th CEE Startup Voucher Program (Sponsored) appeared first on EU-Startups. |
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44,498 | 05/09/2024 01:00 PM | ASML CEO: Export curbs on China are more about US economics than security | asml-ceo-export-curbs-on-china-are-more-about-us-economics-than-security | 05/09/2024 | ![]() Reports that the Netherlands plans to implement (under US pressure) new export restrictions of ASML equipment to China are increasing. In the name of national security, the US chip war against China has been escalating since 2022, when Washington took the first decisive steps to curb the Asian country’s semiconductor ambitions. Part of the US strategy has been applying pressure to ally countries such as the Netherlands — home to ASML. The Dutch tech company is the sole manufacturer of the world’s most advanced chipmaking machines. The Netherlands has curbed exports of ASML’s most sophisticated machines for high-end chips since… This story continues at The Next Web |
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44,492 | 05/09/2024 12:27 PM | The hidden costs of AI-powered legaltech: are foundational skills being lost? | the-hidden-costs-of-ai-powered-legaltech-are-foundational-skills-being-lost | 05/09/2024 | 90's film aficionados will recall a scene in the teen film Clueless where the protagonist Cher helps her lawyer father prepare for a massive legal court case during a big overnighter. Her task is to go through a mountain of printed documents with a highlighter - highlighting every time a name is mentioned. She muddles up the date-sorted piles, and chaos ensues. It's boring, tedious work that, while vitally important, is monotonous. It was a training wheel task of many legal professionals in the earliest stages of their careers—until now. Today, AI and machine learning can automate the most mundane, commoditised tasks in due diligence, document handling, discovery, and litigation. For example, AI tools can summarise judgments, help collect arguments, and create the first draft of lawsuits and other written submissions. While there's plenty of debate around the merits of AI in legal decision-making, there needs to be more around what the use of AI means for law as a profession. Law is a sector that traditionally relies on junior staff spending long hours doing mundane work as a rite of passage — both in terms of gaining foundational skills, respect, and knowledge. Take away the grunt work, and what does it mean for skills acquisition and professional development? I contacted legal tech startups and legal professionals to find out. AI trained on legal materials save time and improves accuracyUK company Robin AI automates and speeds up the process of drafting and negotiating contracts and extracting information from across entire contract repositories through simple search. Its legal copilot can cut the time it takes to review contracts by 85 per cent. According to Richard Robinson, CEO and co-founder of Robin.AI:
Robinson highlights that people are not good at pouring through thousands and thousands of pages of documents, looking for a needle in a haystack. "Because they're tired, bored, they miss things, they get hungry, their performance is different, depending on whether it's 12 am or 1 pm. But computers don't have any of those problems. And now AI is actually better than people at these types of tasks." According to Dan Fox at Johnson Hana, a firm using AI to process large volumes of data to aid early assessment and document review, agrees,
Can you form foundational skills relying on AI?However, former Shearman & Sterling lawyer and CEO and General Counsel of Bittrex Global Oliver Linch, believes that law firms are in real danger of hollowing out the junior and mid-level section, resulting in fewer lawyers and less investment in skills acquisition.
According to Robinson, AI can enable less experienced professionals to have the power of much more experienced professionals.
But Linch contends that, "If you want to be doing those funky, zany, innovative market-changing deals, you need to know what you're doing first. And there's just no way, there's just no substitute for having spent those miserable hours, though they might have been in the weeds of these deal docs so that you know the protocol side like the back of your hand."
But how much time should juniors at law firms dedicate to foundational tasks such as rote learning and search, which AI can better perform? To be clear, Linch does not foresee a spiral death match between juniors and AI but rather the importance of using AI as an opportunity to grow the industry as a whole. Linch highlights a lack of retooling within legal firms, asserting, "There's no one really learning how to use AI, not just to do what the junior associates used to do, but how to make it better, how to innovate, how to actually use these tools to do things that we could never even imagine." He admits that most of the lawyers he talks to use AI already "and hope their bosses never find out. They've got chat GPT open on their screen." Law firms can capitalise on AI by transparently adopting privacy-centric software and robust safeguards and oversight to demonstrate their commitment to client data security.
Fox agrees, asserting that those who resist the advantages of AI could be left behind:
Can AI restore the law sector's lost trust?Speaking of reputation, done well, AI adoption could also significantly enhance the law sector's public perception. According to Robinson:
Image: Freepik. |
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44,494 | 05/09/2024 12:14 PM | BMW installs ‘motionless’ wind energy device at Mini factory | bmw-installs-motionless-wind-energy-device-at-mini-factory | 05/09/2024 | ![]() US startup Aeromine has installed the UK’s first “motionless” wind turbine atop BMW’s Mini factory in Oxford. The 3-metre-tall, box-shaped device captures wind flowing up and over the building. Specially designed wing-like airfoils create a vacuum behind the unit which forces air up through a chamber where it turns a fan inside, generating power. Aeromine’s device has no visible moving parts. The bladeless design minimises noise and vibrations, and the risks to wildlife like birds or bats. By amplifying wind speed, Aeromine’s system can harness energy more efficiently. Each unit has a power rating of 5kW — equivalent to about… This story continues at The Next Web |
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44,491 | 05/09/2024 11:30 AM | New York Cracked Down on Airbnb One Year Ago. NYC Housing Is Still a Mess | new-york-cracked-down-on-airbnb-one-year-ago-nyc-housing-is-still-a-mess | 05/09/2024 | The city’s short-term stay law was meant to lower rents and open up apartments for full-time residents. Critics claim the data shows it’s not working. | 05/09/2024 11:34 AM | 4 | |
44,493 | 05/09/2024 11:09 AM | Uh oh, Elon: Half of European marketers plan to cut spending on X ads | uh-oh-elon-half-of-european-marketers-plan-to-cut-spending-on-x-ads | 05/09/2024 | ![]() The advertising exodus from X is set to accelerate. In 2025, almost half of marketers in Europe and North America plan to cut their spending on the platform. That’s according to a new study from Kantar, a market research firm based in the UK. The company found that trust in ads on X is now “historically low.” Unsurprisingly, the company’s reputation has plummeted under the leadership of Elon Musk. When Musk bought the platform in 2022, trust from marketers stood at a worrying 22%. Two years later, it’s down to a dismal 12%. Trust isn’t their only concern. Only 4%… This story continues at The Next Web |
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