Evertrust, a Parisian cybersecurity software vendor specialising in digital trust, has raised €10 million in Series A funding from the US venture capital firm Elephant. The company plans to use the investment to strengthen and scale its sovereign Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Certificate Lifecycle Management (CLM) software suite, while accelerating its expansion across key European and international markets.

Founded in 2017 by Kamel Ferchouche, Jean-Julien Alvado and Étienne Laviolette, Evertrust began as a digital trust consulting firm before developing an integrated software platform covering both PKI and CLM. PKI enables the issuance and management of digital certificates, while CLM automates their renewal and administration. By bringing both capabilities together in a single in-house suite, the company has established itself as a notable European player in certificate governance, a foundational element of authentication, encryption and secure digital communication.

Evertrust has been profitable since its creation and continues to generate more than 80% of its business in France, serving major enterprise customers, including more than a quarter of CAC 40 companies. The company employs 40 people and was recently recognised as a laureate of the 2025 French Tech 2030 programme.

Evertrust’s Horizon software supports organisations in managing their digital identities by automating certificate lifecycles across servers, mobile devices, connected objects, on-premises infrastructures and SaaS environments. Its Stream platform provides a complete PKI infrastructure designed to secure and reinforce trust across digital systems.

The company is one of only four software vendors worldwide offering a unified PKI and CLM platform, and the only one based in Europe. Most competitors in the region specialise in only one of the two segments, which limits their scope and creates barriers to entry for complex enterprise and public-sector tenders.

Evertrust’s positioning comes at a time when digital certificate use is increasing rapidly. Validity periods for public certificates are set to shorten from the current 398 days to 200 days in 2026, 100 days in 2027 and 47 days in 2029, making automated renewal essential. The emergence of quantum computing adds further urgency, as new quantum-safe certificates will be required to counter future risks to current cryptographic algorithms.

The company has recently obtained CSPN certification from ANSSI for its PKI platform, reinforcing the robustness of its technology and its credibility among public and semi-public organisations where certification is a mandatory requirement. Evertrust emphasises digital sovereignty, with solutions designed and hosted entirely in Europe and compliant with standards such as eIDAS and NIST.

The Series A funding will enable Evertrust to strengthen its leadership position and accelerate international expansion. They plan to use these new financial resources to strengthen their sales and technical teams, which are expected to triple within five years. Evertrust also intends to accelerate the development of its network of reseller integrator partners for managed security solutions (MSSPs), shifting from a predominantly direct sales model in France to an indirect distribution model across major European and international markets.

“We have been impressed by the quality and ease of integration of Evertrust’s solutions — unique in Europe — as well as by the strength and execution of its growth strategy. We are proud to support this talented team in accelerating their expansion in Europe,” said Christopher De Souza, General Partner at Elephant.

“We are very pleased with the confidence shown by Elephant. Their support will be invaluable in strengthening our positioning as a global player in the rapidly evolving digital trust market, which increasingly calls for independent and sovereign solutions amid rising commercial and regulatory pressures,” said Kamel Ferchouche, CEO of Evertrust.

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Sprouty, an AI-powered parenting assistant, has raised $550,000 in a seed round from AltaIR Capital to accelerate growth, expand into new markets, and advance its mission of providing parents with reliable, empathetic support from birth to age two.

Parenting stress is a widespread issue, and parental burnout has been documented in many countries. Recent studies indicate that in more individualistic societies, where extended-family support is less common, parental burnout tends to be higher on average. These pressures are particularly strong in the early years of parenting, when disrupted sleep, new responsibilities, and work–family demands make everyday life more challenging. As a result, many parents look for solutions that reduce uncertainty and lighten their day-to-day load.

Sprouty was created to address these needs. Designed for families with children from birth to age two, the app combines evidence-based guidance, daily micro-exercises designed by paediatricians, and personalised recommendations to help parents navigate early childhood.

It offers clear, reliable information about a baby’s development and reduces mental load by consolidating key tools in one place, including feeding, sleep, diaper and routine tracking, evidence-based articles, and milestone guidance, within a supportive user experience. One feature uses AI to estimate the likely reason for a baby’s crying, with reported accuracy above 80 per cent.

The parenting market renews itself every day — every moment, someone becomes a parent for the first time. Our focus is to make sure the new parents stepping into this journey can easily find trustworthy support,

explains co-founder and CEO Dmitry Rumbeshta.

Founded in Europe, with its core team based in the UK and Cyprus, Sprouty is used by 1.7 million families across Europe, North America, Australia, and Latin America, with growth to date occurring organically.

The company will use the seed funding to expand its global presence, strengthen its user acquisition efforts, and extend its product offering to support children from birth to age three.

Equixly, the Verona-based cybersecurity startup using agentic AI to automate API security testing, has raised €10 million in Series A funding to expand its team, advance its proprietary AI models and accelerate its international presence, beginning with the launch of a UK sales and marketing function next year.

The round was led by 33N Ventures, with participation from Alpha Intelligence Capital and existing investors JME Ventures, 360 Capital and the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze. The company plans

Founded in 2022 by brothers Mattia and Alessio Dalla Piazza, who previously held roles at IBM, UniCredit and Accenture, Equixly focuses on the growing vulnerability landscape created by API-driven systems. APIs now account for more than half of global web traffic, and the average enterprise operates between 500 and 2,500 of them. This has made APIs a primary target for attackers, with 44% of malicious bots already focused on API endpoints and attacks projected to increase more than fivefold by 2030. In 2025 alone, global businesses faced an estimated $200 billion in losses due to API attacks.

Many organisations rely on manual penetration testing, which offers depth but cannot scale, or on automated scanners, which are fast but often fail to detect complex vulnerabilities such as business logic flaws. Equixly positions its platform as a way to overcome this gap by providing security and scalability simultaneously.

Equixly’s technology identifies up to 80% more vulnerabilities than standard Dynamic Application Security Testing tools and maps an organisation’s entire API environment. This allows the system to reveal 10% to 20% of so-called shadow endpoints that large enterprises often overlook. False positives are kept below 1%, enabling engineering teams to focus on real issues rather than unnecessary investigations.

The company achieves this through proprietary AI agents that automate penetration testing across the full development lifecycle. Once integrated into a customer’s systems and CI/CD pipelines, these agents study context, reconstruct software logic and conduct targeted attack simulations designed to mirror the behaviour of skilled human hackers. This enables Equixly to flag issues in real time and to detect deeply embedded vulnerabilities, emerging threats and business logic weaknesses that traditional scanners routinely miss. The company has been early in identifying new areas of risk, including those associated with Model Context Protocol servers, and expects this need to grow as AI-generated code increases the number and complexity of potential attack surfaces.

Mattia Dalla Piazza, CEO and co-founder of Equixly, said: “Enterprises can no longer rely on static or occasional testing to secure their systems that serve millions of customers and increasingly drive global markets. With new regulations pending and with API growth soaring, demand for autonomous security is only going to become more important. Equixly is making advanced security testing continuous, autonomous, and accessible to every development and security team. With agentic AI infrastructure and models fully built in-house, teams get the human-level reasoning they need, at the scale modern software demands, while ensuring maximum control over data and preserving privacy.”

Gonçalo Borges from 33N Ventures said: “Equixly is building the security layer for modern software, where development is transformed by AI, and infrastructure is defined by APIs. Its solution augments application security teams by providing a scalable, contextual and real-time solution, while uncovering vulnerabilities that traditional vendors often miss. This team is set to lead the charge among Europe’s cybersecurity innovators and become a global category leader in the next generation of application security.”

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European tech companies experienced a cooler investment climate in November 2025, as total funding dropped to €4.6 billion across 271 deals, down sharply from October’s €8.3 billion and also November 2024’s €5.2 billion.

Despite the slowdown, several key markets maintained strong momentum. The UK led all countries with €1.25 billion in investments, followed by Germany (€673.5 million), the Netherlands (€620.5 million), France (€553.2 million) and Switzerland (€425.8 million), underscoring a continued concentration of capital in Europe’s largest tech ecosystems.

From an industry perspective, fintech remained the most heavily funded sector with €1.2 billion, reaffirming its position as a cornerstone of European tech. Transportation (€452 million) and software (€448.2 million) also attracted substantial investor interest, reflecting ongoing demand for mobility innovation and digital transformation solutions.

Sebastian Peck, Founding Partner at KOMPAS VC, commented on the November numbers within the European tech investment landscape in our November Tech.eu Pulse, a compact version of the monthly report:

November saw massive commitment from major VCs, including Aspirity Partners closing an €875M debut fund for B2B tech champions, Sofinnova Partners securing €650M for biopharma and medtech breakthroughs, and Future Energy Ventures raising €205M for the next wave of energy innovation.
At KOMPAS VC, we see this shift reflected across the regions we invest in. Europe’s competitive edge will increasingly come from companies addressing core industrial challenges, improving productivity, driving decarbonisation, and building resilience across supply chains and critical infrastructure.
These are the technologies that will define a competitive and sustainable economy over the next decade.

For his more detailed review and more in-depth analyses of the European tech ecosystem, including industry and country performance, exit activities, and more, check out our November report.

Here are the 10 largest tech deals in Europe from November, accounting for 50 per cent of the month’s total funding.

Amount raised: £500M Capital on Tap is a UK-based fintech company that provides small and medium-sized businesses with fast, flexible access to credit. Through its business credit card and integrated spend-management platform, the company offers credit limits of up to £250,000, unlimited 1% cashback, no annual or foreign exchange fees, and tools for issuing virtual or employee cards. Capital on Tap enables businesses to track expenses in real time, integrate with accounting software, and manage cash flow more efficiently. Since its launch, the company has helped over 200,000 businesses streamline their finances and access the funding needed to grow. Capital on Tap closed “London Cards 3,” its third asset-backed securitisation (ABS), a £500 million funding facility backed by its business credit card receivables.

Amount raised: €430M Picnic is a Dutch online supermarket that operates entirely through its mobile app, offering a full range of groceries delivered directly to customers’ homes. Using electric delivery vehicles and data-driven route planning, the company provides efficient, low-cost, and environmentally friendly deliveries. Picnic focuses on affordability by keeping prices low, eliminating unnecessary overhead, and offering free delivery with scheduled time slots. Picnic has secured €430 million from existing investors and is directing a significant portion of the funding toward expanding its operations in Germany.

Amount raised: €300M Spotawheel is a digital platform for buying and leasing high-quality used cars, designed to make the process transparent, reliable, and accessible. The company sources vehicles through a data-driven selection process and conducts comprehensive technical inspections, providing customers with detailed reports and a clear history for each car. Through its online marketplace, users can browse certified, accident-free vehicles, arrange test drives, and complete purchases or subscriptions entirely online. Operating across several European markets, the company aims to simplify the used-car experience while ensuring trust and value for customers. Spotawheel raised €300 million in combined debt and equity financingwhich will to expand its presence across Europe and grow its subscription fleet.

Amount raised: €220M HoloSolis is a solar energy company focused on rebuilding large-scale solar PV manufacturing in Europe by producing low-carbon, high-efficiency PV cells and modules domestically. The company is developing one of Europe’s largest solar gigafactories in Sarreguemines-Hambach, France, designed to reach an annual capacity of 5 GW, enough to supply around one million homes. Using advanced n-type TOPCon technology that avoids rare critical metals, HoloSolis aims to deliver high performance with a lower environmental footprint. HoloSolis secured €220 million in public and private financing, with the aim of strengthening EU energy sovereignty, cutting carbon emissions, and supporting the clean energy transition.

Amount raised: €180M Quantum Systems is an aerospace and aerial-data intelligence company that specialises in the development, design, and production of advanced electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) that combine multi-sensor data collection with AI-backed real-time processing. Serving both commercial and defence clients, Quantum Systems delivers drone platforms used for geospatial mapping, security, public safety, humanitarian, industrial, and defence operations. With global operations and a dual-use mandate, Quantum Systems has positioned itself as a leading provider of unmanned aerial intelligence platforms for both civilian and defence-oriented markets worldwide. Quantum Systems raised €180 million in a Series C Extension to accelerate its AI, software, and hardware development across all domains, connected by the multi-domain mission software MOSAIC UXS.

Amount raised: $175M PayZilch (often known simply as “Zilch”) is a UK-based fintech company offering a flexible “buy now, pay later” payment platform that lets consumers split purchases into interest-free instalments or pay in full to earn rewards. Through its app, users receive a virtual payment card that works globally where Visa is accepted; they can choose to pay upfront and receive up to 5 per cent cashback, or spread payments over six weeks or three months. PayZilch is designed to offer an alternative to traditional credit cards, with no annual fees and a simpler, transparent payment model, making shopping more flexible and manageable while helping users build credit over time. Zilch raised over $175 million in an equity and debt funding round as it eyes acquisition targets.

Amount raised: $170M Flatpay is a fintech company that provides straightforward, flat-rate payment solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. Its offering includes in-store card terminals, point-of-sale systems, and online payment tools, all designed to eliminate hidden fees and complex pricing structures. By combining simple hardware, intuitive software, and reliable service, Flatpay aims to help businesses streamline transactions, reduce administrative burdens, and manage their finances more efficiently across the Nordics and beyond. After securing $170 million in funding, Flatpay has become the country’s latest unicorn.

Amount raised: $150M Distalmotion is a medical-technology company dedicated to expanding access to robotic-assisted surgery by simplifying its adoption for hospitals and outpatient centres worldwide. Its flagship product, the DEXTER® Robotic Surgery System, is a compact, mobile surgical robot designed for soft-tissue procedures that integrates seamlessly into existing operating rooms without requiring structural changes. DEXTER combines the precision and dexterity of robotic surgery with the flexibility of laparoscopic techniques, offering surgeons ergonomic, wristed instruments, a sterile console for bedside access, and an open architecture compatible with existing visualisation and laparoscopic devices. With regulatory approvals in Europe and the United States, and a growing number of installations at hospitals and ambulatory surgery centres, Distalmotion aims to make minimally invasive, robot-assisted care more widely and affordably available. Distalmotion closed a $150 million Series G funding round, which will be used primarily to accelerate US commercial adoption of DEXTER as well as to support ongoing clinical and product development initiatives.

Amount raised: €100M Ferroelectric Memory Company (FMC) is a semiconductor firm that develops next-generation memory technologies, notably its proprietary hafnium-oxide-based solutions. FMC’s product lineup includes DRAM+ and CACHE+ memory chips, which combine the speed of DRAM with the persistence of non-volatile storage. Through its innovations, FMC positions itself as a European memory-tech pioneer, aiming to enable scalable, energy-efficient memory infrastructures for the next generation of AI, cloud, industrial and edge computing environments. FMC raised €100 million to set new standards in memory chips with its highly innovative technology.

Amount raised: €100M NestAI is a Finnish “physical AI” lab that builds next-generation technology for real-world, mission-critical applications. Positioned as “a lab for the brilliant and the bold,” it focuses on solving significant human and societal problems, emphasising curiosity, boundary-pushing innovation, and a culture of humility, accountability, and creativity. The company develops advanced AI systems for unmanned vehicles, autonomous operations, and data-centric command-and-control platforms used in areas such as logistics, inspection, security, and defence, to strengthen Europe’s technological sovereignty in critical infrastructure and defence. NestAI has raised €100 million in new funding, which it will use to establish a physical artificial intelligence laboratory and to develop autonomous vehicles and command-and-control systems for defence applications.

KBC Group is investing €100 million through Start it @KBC to strengthen the Belgian startup ecosystem.

This investment also launches a new fund (the Start it Fund) aimed at early-stage financing for top-tier startups from the accelerator program, addressing a long-standing demand from founders. 

Thanks to this fund, these startups can count on capital and guidance to accelerate their growth. The very best will also have the opportunity to receive additional follow-up financing at a later stage. In this way, KBC Securities and Start it @KBC together offer a unique trajectory: from the first ideas to a potential IPO.

“Start it @KBC originated eleven years ago within KBC itself - from the same entrepreneurial DNA that lies at the core of our organisation,” says Johan Thijs, CEO of KBC Group.

“What began as a small initiative has grown into Belgium’s largest startup ecosystem. Entrepreneurship is in our genes: KBC was co-founded by entrepreneurs and stimulates innovation both outside and within the organisation.

Today, we are among the most innovative and digital-driven banks in the world, and our close collaboration with Start it @KBC fuels that ambition every single day. With the new fund, we can now truly support founders from idea to IPO: we support them not only with knowledge and a network but also with capital tailored to their growth ambitions.

Together, we are building an ecosystem where innovation, entrepreneurship, and international ambition take centre stage."

"Every year, around 1,000 startups apply to join us, a number that continues to rise. This allows us to be increasingly selective, and quality continues to grow. For eleven years, we’ve been building an ecosystem with founders, for founders. We already had coaching, community, and a European ecosystem - only one thing was missing: investing ourselves at the early stage. We are now filling that gap, at the request of founders, and in a way that centres them,” says Lode Uytterschaut, founder and CEO of Start it @KBC.

The “no equity” philosophy at the start of the Start it @KBC program remains unchanged, but the opportunity to invest is now added through a new early-stage fund managed by Start it itself: the Start it Fund.

While other accelerators offer small amounts at fixed terms at the start, the Start it Fund offers only the top 1 per cent of all applications at the end of their program a larger sum, depending on the needs and stage of the start-up. Start-ups are entirely free to accept the funding.

On average, the fund invests €300,000 at early stage, although the amount may be higher in some cases.

The very best of the selected startups also have the chance to receive further follow-up financing of up to €5 million through KBC Securities.

According to Tim Derycke, Head of Investment Services & KBC Focus Fund at KBC Securities:

“With KBC Securities, we offer not only follow-up financing but also access to the venture capital experience and technological expertise of our investment team.

In addition, KBC Securities provides added value for the further growth of companies: from M&A advice and financing solutions to guidance during an IPO.

With this integrated approach, we offer founders a unique ecosystem of support and financing – an offering unmatched in Belgium.”

Of the 1,923 startups Start it @KBC has supported since 2014, 227 have raised more than €1 million, and 122 have raised more than €2 million. Together, they have raised over €1.1 billion and created more than 12,000 jobs, making the ecosystem one of the largest employers in Belgium. 

Start it @KBC startups also perform very well in terms of survival rate: after five years, about 73 per cent still exist, compared to an international benchmark of 51 per cent for startups that raise venture capital. Among the biggest success stories are well-known names such as Aikido Security, Bolt, Loop Earplugs, Conveo, Keyrock, Segments.ai, Crazy Games, and Wondr/Planet B.

Assaia, the Zurich-based aviation technology company, has raised $26.6 million in an oversubscribed Series B funding round led by Armira Growth, alongside existing investors.

As air traffic volumes surpass pre-pandemic levels and airports face staffing constraints and tighter operational margins, the industry is increasingly prioritising intelligent automation to strengthen resilience and improve efficiency.

Assaia’s AI platform supports this shift by reducing turnaround times and enabling more effective planning across airside operations.

Assaia uses artificial intelligence and computer vision to give airports and airlines full visibility and control over aircraft turnaround operations. Its solutions help predict issues, automate key processes, and enhance operational performance, contributing to safer, faster and more sustainable airport environments.

Christiaan Hen, CEO of Assaia, said the funding marks an important new stage for the company, noting that airports and airlines are turning to AI more than ever to address growing operational pressures.

With Armira’s backing, we are accelerating the rollout of new technologies and expanding our footprint to deliver measurable value in some of the world’s most complex airport environments.

Assaia’s technology, designed to optimise the aircraft turnaround process through real-time visibility and automation across apron operations, is already deployed at major international hubs including New York JFK, London Heathrow, Dubai International, and Toronto Pearson. At these airports, it supports reduced delays, improved on-time performance and better gate utilisation.

The new capital will allow Assaia to scale its AI platform globally and launch additional solutions aimed at improving efficiency for airports, airlines and ground handlers.

A portion of the funding will support the rollout of the next-generation StandManager, a planning module that uses AI to optimise gate and stand assignments before aircraft land, enhancing predictability and gate utilisation in congested and high-volume environments.

The co-founder of AI infrastructure startup Nebius says its strategy is to build as many of its own data centres as it can, saying it plans to "build and control as much as possible”. 

Nebius, which is sometimes referred to as a neocloud, is backed by Nvidia. It builds and operates data centres, packing them with GPUs, then offers access to these data centres to AI and enterprise companies needing compute power, as well as offering them specialised software to run AI applications.

This year, Amsterdam-headquartered Nebius has signed blockbuster deals with Microsoft, worth over $17bn, and Meta, worth $3bn, to supply them with AI infrastructure and compute power.

In the podcast, Roman Chernin, co-founder and chief growth officer, Nebius, discusses the two blockbuster deals and some of its other AI and enterprise clients. He also talks about Nebius’s approach to housing data centres, whether it would build more of its own or co-locate.

Chernin said: “Our strategy is long-term build and control as much as possible, and I think in a few years from now, the majority of the fleet will be run on physical infrastructure that is ours. But in the meantime, we are obviously partnering with others just to move faster.”

Elsewhere in the podcast, Chernin discusses data centre energy demands, Nebius’s green credentials, and its plans for the next few years.

Anaphite, a Bristol-based battery technology company, has secured €1.6 million (£1.4 million) in a Series A follow-on round through the Innovate UK Investor Partnership Programme.

Half of the funding comes from Innovate UK’s Clean Energy and Climate Technologies competition, with the other half provided by aligned investment from climate-focused venture capital funds Elbow Beach and World Fund. The capital will support the expansion of Anaphite’s Dry Coating Precursor (DCP®) technology platform beyond NMC cathodes to enable high-throughput dry coating of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathodes and graphite anodes.

LFP cathodes have become increasingly competitive in mainstream electric vehicles in recent years, despite having lower energy density than NMC materials. However, manufacturing LFP cathodes remains significantly more energy-intensive, requiring more than twice the energy per kWh of battery cells produced compared with NMC cathodes using medium-to-high nickel content. Material mixing and electrode coating account for 30–40% of total cell manufacturing energy and cost, making process optimisation a key lever for reducing both cost and carbon intensity.

With LFP forecast to account for more than 55% of global cathode demand by 2030, demand for technologies that enable reliable, high-yield dry coating is rising. Yet dry coating LFP cathodes is more challenging than NMC, with no commercial-scale solution proven to date. To meet growing EV demand, as well as regulatory milestones including the 2030 and 2035 bans on new combustion engine vehicles in the UK and EU, scalable manufacturing processes are urgently needed.

Anaphite aims to address these challenges by applying its dry coating expertise and nanomaterials capability to LFP electrode formulations. The company has already demonstrated the performance of its dry coating technology on NMC cathodes. Its DCP® platform uses proprietary chemical compositing techniques to disperse difficult-to-mix materials such as binders and conductive carbons, attaching them to active material particles to create homogenous dry composite powders. This approach is intended to overcome the limitations of existing mixing methods, which have proven inadequate for LFP dry coating.

Anaphite’s CEO Joe Stevenson says: “We’re thrilled to have secured this grant support from Innovate UK and the matching investment from Elbow Beach, World Fund and other Anaphite investors. This enables us to attack one of the toughest technical challenges in dry coating – successfully manufacturing LFP electrodes. Once achieved at scale, it will be enormously valuable to the industry. Anaphite’s DCP® technology has been successful with NMC dry coating formulations, and we’re confident it can be applied to LFP, to further boost the cost and carbon emission savings for OEMs.”

One of the major hurdles with LFP formulations is particle size. The latest generation of LFP (Gen IV) has particles ranging between 0.7 and 3 microns, compared with 3 to 20 microns for NMC. The significantly higher surface area of LFP particles introduces challenges in achieving uniform mixing and consistent dry film formation.

Craig Douglas, Partner, World Fund, comments: “Anaphite’s technology is broadly applicable across next-generation and established battery technologies alike. This investment will enable the company to significantly expand its commercial capabilities, accelerating the scale-up of its manufacturing processes and driving down manufacturing costs for the global battery industry.”

Key outcomes expected from the project include successful roll-to-roll production of dry-coated LFP cathodes and graphite anodes, followed by full cell builds for testing. Demonstrating high first-cycle efficiency and strong cycle life will validate the applicability of Anaphite’s technology to LFP and graphite formulations. This would open the door to dry coating across a wider range of mass-market electrode materials and strengthen ongoing collaborations with global OEMs seeking to reduce both cost and environmental impact in battery cell manufacturing.

The project aligns with the UK Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Plan, which identifies batteries and automotive as priority sectors for industrial growth. It is also expected to support further expansion of the BESS sector, which is forecast to account for most new energy storage capacity added in the UK by 2030, with LFP anticipated to become the dominant chemistry.

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Italy-based Equixly has raised €10 million in Series A funding to scale its proprietary agentic AI hacking platform. The round was led by 33N Ventures and joined by Alpha Intelligence Capital, with additional participation from existing investors JME Ventures, 360 Capital and Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze.

Founded in 2022 by brothers and serial entrepreneurs Mattia and Alessio Dalla Piazza, alumni of IBM, UniCredit and Accenture, Equixly is a penetration testing platform built for the scale and complexity of today’s API-driven web.

As organisations rely more on APIs, existing security methods are struggling to keep up with fast-evolving, complex threats. Manual penetration testing is thorough but costly and hard to scale, while automated scanners are easier to run but often miss business-logic flaws, where attackers exploit normal workflows to steal data, hijack accounts or move funds. This forces organisations to choose between scalability and depth of security.

Equixly identifies up to 80 per cent more vulnerabilities than standard Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) tools at the development stage and, by mapping a company’s entire API landscape, can reveal the 10–20 per cent of “shadow” endpoints that enterprises are often unaware of, while keeping false positives below 1 per cent. This enables teams to focus on resolving real issues rather than investigating false alarms.

The platform uses proprietary AI agents to continuously detect vulnerabilities across the software development lifecycle and to automate complex API security testing. It embeds into existing systems, is designed to meet compliance and security requirements, and integrates directly into CI/CD pipelines.

Once deployed, Equixly’s agents monitor how each application is used, infer its underlying logic, and run targeted attack simulations to identify weaknesses in a way that mirrors the behaviour of skilled attackers.

This allows Equixly to flag issues to teams in real time, helping developers and security teams remediate earlier, reduce costs and improve resilience. It can also identify deep, complex business-logic issues and edge cases, detecting hidden and emerging threats in areas traditional scanners may miss or overlook.

Equixly was among the first to draw attention to emerging risks related to Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, and its approach is expected to become increasingly important as AI-generated code accelerates development and expands the attack surface beyond the capabilities of traditional security tools.

Equixly’s CEO and co-founder, Mattia Dalla Piazza, noted that with upcoming regulatory changes and the continued rapid expansion of APIs, the need for autonomous security solutions will only increase:

Equixly is making advanced security testing continuous, autonomous and accessible to every development and security team. With agentic AI infrastructure and models fully built in-house, teams get the human-level reasoning they need at the scale modern software demands, while ensuring maximum control over data and preserving privacy.

Equixly is trusted by a growing group of European businesses across banking, energy, insurance and retail, helping them strengthen and future-proof their systems in the face of evolving threats.

The new funding will be used to expand the team, further develop the company’s proprietary AI models and accelerate international growth, beginning with the establishment of a UK sales and marketing presence early next year.

Orbital Marine Power, the Scotland-based operator of what it describes as the world’s most powerful tidal turbine, has secured a €8 million (£7 million) investment to support its international commercial pipeline and contribute to wider efforts to decarbonise energy systems.

The round brings together existing shareholders, including Scottish Enterprise, alongside new investor PXN Ventures, the combined venture arm of Praetura Ventures and Par Equity. Orbital develops floating tidal turbines designed to generate clean, reliable electricity from tidal currents, with materials and manufacturing sourced across the UK.

The backing follows recent momentum in Canada, where the Province of Nova Scotia awarded Orbital and Eauclaire Tidal Ltd new tidal energy licences through its 2025 procurement process. The company already operates along multiple UK coastal sites, from Orkney to the Isle of Wight, and has established its technology as one of the sector’s most advanced. Engineered to operate in the harshest conditions, Orbital’s turbines aim to offer predictable, weather-independent renewable power.

Speaking on the investment, Andrew Scott, CEO of Orbital Marine Power, said: “We are delighted to see Orbital Marine Power embark on its newest chapter of growth. We warmly welcome PXN Ventures as our new investor, an organisation that shares our vision and passion for Orbital’s role as a clean energy leader. We’re excited to advance the delivery of commercial tidal stream projects whilst driving a meaningful transition to a more sustainable future. We also greatly value the continued support and investment from Scottish Enterprise in this round, which has been instrumental in enabling this partnership to happen”

Orbital plans to double its turbine orderbook after securing contracts for difference with the UK Government for a total of 14.4MW at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney. These six turbines will join the company’s existing O2 models, collectively capable of powering around 18000 homes with predictable, continuous, clean energy.

The growing project pipeline represents a wider industrial opportunity for the UK, with Orbital committing to building around £200 million of equipment and maintaining approximately 70% of its supply chain domestically. The company expects this to create sustainable, high-quality jobs and support the expansion of a specialised renewable energy sector.

With strong momentum in Scotland, industry partners suggest the UK is increasingly well placed to become a global centre for tidal-stream energy, complementing its position in offshore wind.

Alastair Moore, Investment Director at PXN Ventures, said: “It is an incredibly exciting time to be joining Orbital Marine Power as an incoming investor. The business is paving the way for tidal stream energy to form part of the energy mix and is another fantastic example of the world-leading innovation coming out of Scotland. As electricity demand increases, Orbital has an important role to play in providing base load energy to grids at home and abroad, and we’re delighted to push them closer to delivering this.”

Derek Shaw, Director of Entrepreneurship and Investment at Scottish Enterprise, added: “Tidal energy is one of Scotland’s most exciting opportunities, and Orbital Marine Power is driving the sector forward with world-leading technology. We’re proud to back the business with further investment and are delighted to welcome new investment from PXN Ventures, one of Scottish Enterprise’s long-standing co-investment partners. By investing in such innovation, we can help Scotland reap the sizeable economic benefits of retaining its world-leading position in tidal, while continuing to drive forward our energy transition.”

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betacluster Ventures has launched betacluster Poland.One, a new early-stage fund under the PFR Starter program. With a target capitalisation of €19 million (PLN 81.25 million), the fund will invest in technology startups primarily from Poland that are developing solutions for the Smart Data Economy, where intelligent data systems, AI and automation transform how industries operate, compete and scale.

The fund’s investor base includes PFR Ventures as the public anchor LP, alongside private investors from Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Poland, reflecting the growing recognition among Western European investors of Poland’s strength in engineering talent and deep-tech innovation.

betacluster Ventures operates on the thesis that competitive advantage will belong to companies able to collect, secure and analyse data, train AI models and turn insights into scalable products.

The fund will build a portfolio of early-stage companies with strong international potential, with individual investments of up to €1 million (PLN 5 million) to help validate technology, enter new markets or accelerate growth. Most of the capital will be directed toward startups at the earliest stages (teams with solid technical foundations developing their first product and commercial strategy), while also backing companies that have already achieved initial market traction.

betacluster Poland.One will focus on sectors undergoing rapid AI- and data-driven transformation, including manufacturing, logistics and industry, smart health, fintech, smart cities, business productivity, civil security and dual-use technologies.

Florian Steger, General Partner at betacluster Ventures, notes that AI is reshaping industries, but its impact depends on the ability to use data effectively. The fund’s goal is to support founders developing technologies that make data more intelligent, secure and scalable:

With betacluster Poland.One, we want to help Polish founders turn their engineering excellence into global category-defining companies.

While primarily focused on companies registered and operating in Poland, the fund remains open to exceptional teams from across CEE, provided their plans include building significant operations in Poland.

The fund is currently in its second fundraising round, aiming to reach its full €19 million (PLN 81.25 million) target. After an initial close of almost €14 million (nearly PLN 60 million), interest remains strong, with new investor commitments already covering 50 per cent of the capital targeted for the second close planned for January 2026.

The UK and Germany are among the countries with the highest number of ChatGPT enterprise customers outside the US, while the Netherlands and France are showing strong growth in business customer numbers, according to a new report from ChatGTP developer OpenAI.

OpenAI has published selective usage figures of its AI tools, which are now used by more than one million businesses, as it looks to drive up the number of businesses paying for its tools and help fund the hundreds of billions of dollars it needs to power its growth plans.

It also comes amid stiff competition from Anthropic and other AI labs for enterprise customers and concerns that AI investments are yielding poor returns for businesses.

The report said that the UK and Germany now rank among the largest ChatGPT enterprise markets outside of the US by customer numbers, but didn’t reveal specific numbers. 

It also shows that the Netherlands, growing 153 per cent year to November 2025, and France, growing 146 per cent year to November 2025, are among OpenAI's fastest-growing business markets, both above the global average of 143 per cent.

Germany was also singled out as one of the most active markets by message volumes.

Across all the businesses surveyed, OpenAI said its data showed that businesses' usage of its tools was shifting from chatbot and experimentation phase to core infrastructure work.

“Firms are beginning to reorganise work around AI, not just ask it occasional questions,” it said.

The data shows that enterprise users report saving 40 to 60 minutes per day and being able to complete technical tasks such as data analytics and coding, while 75 per cent of enterprises said they could do faster or higher quality work.

OpenAI also said that API usage by businesses has increased, with more than 9,000 organisations now processing over 10 billion tokens, and nearly 200 exceeding one trillion tokens.

The report draws on two data sets: usage data from among the one million business customers of OpenAI and an OpenAI survey of 9,000 workers across almost 100 enterprises documenting patterns of AI adoption.

Madrid-based Algori, a purchase and behavioural data platform for the FMCG industry, has raised an additional €3.6 million in growth capital, bringing the company’s total funding to €7.5 million.

The round brought in new investors, including Red Bull Ventures, Tech Transfer Agrifood (Clave Capital), Co-Invest Capital, AttaPoll, and Firstpick, alongside continued support from existing backers Shilling, Flashpoint, and Change Ventures. The company’s investor base also includes industry veteran Jared Schrieber, co-founder of InfoScout and former Numerator board member.

The FMCG industry relies on detailed shopper data to inform decisions on distribution, pricing, promotions, assortment, innovation, and category strategy. However, consumer behaviour is fragmented across channels, and traditional household panels still depend on relatively small samples of 4,000 to 20,000 active panellists that are then extrapolated to represent an entire national population.

These constraints, combined with slow data cycles and limited SKU coverage, mean that manufacturers and retailers often lack the reliable, timely purchase data needed to defend or grow shelf space in an increasingly concentrated European retail market.

Algori addresses this challenge by collecting purchase data directly from shopper receipts, both physical and digital, submitted via its consumer apps. These receipts are processed by Algori’s proprietary AI-based classification engine, which interprets and structures each item at the individual product-code (SKU) level. This approach provides high-granularity insights by retailer, category, and shopper segment, without requiring retailer integrations and at a speed that exceeds traditional panels.

Algori’s dataset offers detailed visibility into full shopping baskets, store-level pricing changes, purchase missions, and retailer format-level patterns. Unlike traditional panels, which often lack the granularity to go beyond leading brands, Algori uses AI to generate insights across a wider range of products and manufacturers.

In practice, this fast and detailed view supports manufacturers and retailers in analysing category performance, shopper leakage, basket composition, and the impact of pricing and assortment decisions.

Andrius Juozapaitis, co-founder and CEO of Algori, noted that the shopper panel industry is experiencing a fundamental transformation, as manufacturers and retailers increasingly expect faster delivery of more detailed data, something traditional panels are not equipped to provide at the necessary level of depth. He explains:

Our approach diverges by combining artificial intelligence technology, scale, and data recency. Outside of VC funds, we’re now backed by FMCG companies intent on solving their own data challenges. It’s an enormous endorsement from within the industry, and proof FMCG stakeholders understand the value of the most granular, high-frequency purchase insights platform for Europe and beyond.

The new funding will support Algori’s planned expansion into multiple European markets, including Poland, Germany, and France, followed by Latin America.

It will also enhance the company’s shopper panel capabilities through broader purchase and behavioural data collection and accelerate the development of new AI-enabled insight solutions to better meet the evolving needs of FMCG manufacturers and retailers.

Catalpa Ventures has announced the first closing of its €30 million Catalpa Health Fund I, the first early-stage HealthTech-focused venture capital fund based in Luxembourg. The fund has secured commitments from entrepreneurs, family offices and industry leaders, and is aiming for a final close by Q1 2027. With the vehicle now active, Catalpa Ventures will begin investing in early-stage HealthTech startups across Europe, focusing on pre-seed and seed rounds and targeting 15 to 20 investments over the next four years.

The launch comes as Europe’s healthcare systems face mounting pressures. Hospitals are increasingly overstretched, medical staff shortages are intensifying, and costs continue to rise. Europe’s ageing population further compounds the challenge, with people aged 65 and over living with an average of three to four chronic conditions. At the same time, the World Health Organisation projects a shortfall of 4 million healthcare professionals across Europe by 2030, spanning doctors, nurses and long-term care staff.

With healthcare expenditure already averaging around 10% of GDP across the EU and growing faster than the wider economy, the system’s sustainability is under strain. Catalpa Ventures aims to address this by investing in scalable, evidence-based solutions capable of strengthening clinical capacity and improving patient outcomes. The team has set an ambition to support innovations that improve healthcare outcomes for at least 100 million people.

The fund will prioritise European founders and technologies in areas such as disease prevention and management, digital tools that support healthcare professionals, and solutions that streamline workflows or reduce administrative burdens in settings including clinics, general practices, clinical research organisations and laboratories. Ticket sizes will range from €300k to €1.5 million, with follow-on capacity reserved for strong-performing portfolio companies.

Catalpa Health Fund I also reinforces Luxembourg’s emergence as a hub for innovation-driven healthcare investment. The fund is led by a founding team combining scientific, medical, entrepreneurial and investment expertise. Univ Prof Dr med Silke Sperling brings a background spanning Max Planck, the NIH and Charité, while Dr Thomas Goergen contributes experience as an entrepreneur and co-founder of Luxembourg Investment Solutions. They are joined by Willibrord Ehses, former partner at a Luxembourg venture firm, and Dr Christian Goergen.

This diversity of expertise enables the team to conduct rigorous scientific and clinical due diligence while supporting founders in scaling operations and demonstrating long-term impact.

“We are building a platform for bold innovation and real impact, backing tomorrow’s HealthTech leaders to transform care for millions,” said Dr Thomas Goergen, Partner at Catalpa Ventures.

“As evidence-based solutions converge with AI at unprecedented speed, a highly compelling opportunity emerges that the Catalpa Health Fund is uniquely positioned to capture,” added Prof Dr med Silke Sperling, Partner at Catalpa Ventures.

The fund’s first investment goes to Noah Labs, a startup developing a certified, reimbursable telemedicine platform for managing heart failure. Through advanced voice analytics that support earlier detection and improved care, the company aims to reduce avoidable hospitalisations and set new standards in personalised healthcare.

The post Luxembourg-based Catalpa Ventures closes a €30 million fund to back early-stage HealthTech innovation appeared first on EU-Startups.

As Europe accelerates the deployment of AI across its economy, the gap between labour-market demand and available AI skills is becoming a structural constraint on growth. While most national strategies still focus on higher education and adult reskilling, a quieter shift is now happening much earlier in the talent pipeline: AI entrepreneurship is moving into secondary school classrooms across Europe.

In 10 European countries, students are already building applied AI projects through AI-ENTR4YOUTH, a three-year programme coordinated by JA Europe and supported by Intel and the European Commission. Initially piloted in Italy, Portugal, and Spain, the initiative has expanded to Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Greece, Romania, and Ukraine. Through a partnership with EIT Food, part of the programme focuses specifically on AI in agrifood systems. The World Economic Forum has listed it among its leading global initiatives in AI education.

“We are helping young people turn AI from a mystery into a meaningful tool for creation and inclusion. Europe’s strength will come from the imagination of its youth, from classrooms to startups, learning not only to live with AI, but to lead with it. AI-ENTR4YOUTH has proven that young people can do more than use AI; they can build with it, question it, and apply it for the public good,” says Salvatore Nigro, CEO of JA Europe

A skills gap that is already constraining the market

According to an analysis referenced by the European Commission, more than 60% of European workers will require additional training to adapt to the impact of AI, either immediately or within the next year. On the employer side, an EY survey shows that 77% of European companies struggle to attract AI-skilled talent.

Among students, expectations already exceed preparation. A 2024 study of 7,000 young people aged 12–17 found that 74% expect AI to strongly influence their future careers, yet only 46% feel their schools currently prepare them for this reality.

This mismatch is one of the main reasons why AI education is now being pushed down into earlier stages of schooling.

From classroom exercises to early-stage startup thinking

Unlike traditional digital literacy courses, AI-ENTR4YOUTH is structured around project-based learning. Students work in teams to define real-world problems, build AI-based solutions, test them, and develop basic business models around their ideas. The curriculum spans data literacy, AI ethics, no-code AI tools, computer vision, Python programming, mathematics for AI, data exploration, modelling, deployment, prototyping, and user testing, alongside pitching and business model development.

In practice, many projects now resemble early-stage startup initiatives rather than school assignments.

In Spain, one student team developed WaterScreen, a sensor-based system installed on school water lines that measures real-time consumption and flow rates to visualise usage patterns and raise awareness of water scarcity and waste. The project emerged in response to recurring drought conditions in Catalonia and was designed to give schools granular data on where and how water is being lost.

In Portugal, another team started Talk To Me, a device that translates between sign language, text, and sound using computer vision and natural language processing. The system captures hand gestures through a camera and converts them into text and audio in real time, while also translating spoken language back into sign outputs. The project addresses everyday communication barriers for deaf and mute users and focuses on accessibility in public and social environments.

In Italy, students worked on ChatMed, an AI-powered chatbot designed to reduce waiting times in hospitals by digitising patient intake and administrative processes. The system helps patients submit basic medical information and documentation digitally before appointments, with the goal of easing pressure on front-desk staff and improving the flow of non-clinical patient data.

Scaling remains structurally uneven

While JA Europe reached 6.5 million young people across its wider programmes last year, scaling AI entrepreneurship uniformly across Europe remains complex. Education policy is still largely national, and teacher readiness varies widely.

To reduce fragmentation, the European Commission, together with the OECD and with G7 endorsement, recently introduced a draft Artificial Intelligence Literacy Framework for primary and secondary education, aimed at aligning national approaches and accelerating uptake.

What this signals for 2026: AI education becomes infrastructure

Based on current deployments and policy signals, several clear AI education trends for 2026 are now emerging.

AI is moving from an optional subject to a default layer across entrepreneurship and innovation education, embedded across disciplines rather than isolated within computer science. At the same time, equal access to infrastructure is becoming the main scaling constraint, as device availability, connectivity, and cloud tools differ significantly between regions and school systems.

Teacher training is emerging as the critical bottleneck for long-term scale. Several countries are now testing national frameworks aligned with existing digital education strategies, such as Spain’s #CompDigEdu, Portugal’s Digital Transition Plan, and Italy’s National Digital School Strategy. Without large-scale, continuous teacher upskilling, curriculum reform alone is unlikely to scale.

Curricula are shifting toward modular, continuously adaptable AI content, with mathematics increasingly reinforced as the foundation for coding and data science, and stronger collaboration between IT, economics, and technical subjects. Ethics, transparency, and bias are also moving upstream into school-level AI education as the EU AI Act enters implementation.

From education pilots to Europe’s future startup talent pipeline

While most student projects remain at an early stage, early exposure to applied AI and entrepreneurship is increasingly seen as a long-term talent pipeline for startups and innovation rather than a classroom experiment. Alumni of earlier programmes, such as Cornel Amarei, founder of Romanian startup .lumen, which develops smart glasses for the visually impaired and has raised over €15 million, are often cited as early indicators of sustained impact.

As European startups and corporates compete globally on AI, deep tech, and data infrastructure, the shift toward applied AI education in secondary schools suggests that future cohorts will enter universities and eventually the market, with practical AI experience already in place.

By 2026, the question may no longer be whether AI belongs in classrooms, but whether education systems can scale fast enough to feed Europe’s next generation of founders, operators, and engineers.

The post AI education trends for 2026: How European classrooms are shaping the future startup talent pipeline (Sponsored) appeared first on EU-Startups.

French cybersecurity software vendor Evertrust has closed a €10 million Series A round from the fund Elephant, which will support the company’s growth strategy, including team expansion, product development, and international scaling.

Founded in 2017 by Kamel Ferchouche (CEO), Jean-Julien Alvado (CTO) and Étienne Laviolette (COO), Evertrust has evolved from a digital trust consulting firm into a provider of an in-house software suite covering both PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) for issuing and managing digital certificates, and CLM (Certificate Lifecycle Management) for automating their lifecycle.

By offering an integrated solution, Evertrust has positioned itself as an important player in the management and governance of digital certificates, which are essential cryptographic components used for authentication, encryption, signing, and securing digital communications.

Evertrust’s flagship software, Horizon, enables organisations to maintain control over their digital identities by automating certificate management across servers, mobile devices, connected objects, on-premises infrastructures, and SaaS environments. Its Stream solution complements this by providing a complete PKI infrastructure, supporting security and trust across clients’ digital systems.

By combining both PKI and CLM in a single platform, while most other vendors focus on just one of these areas, Evertrust is well-positioned to meet the needs of large organisations seeking to secure their digital infrastructures amid the rapid growth of digital certificates and the significant reduction in their validity periods.

As part of its development, Evertrust recently obtained CSPN certification from the French National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) for its PKI platform. This certification confirms the robustness of Evertrust’s technology and strengthens its credibility, particularly with public and semi-public organisations for which certification is a mandatory selection criterion.

The company is also aligned with digital sovereignty objectives, offering solutions designed and hosted in Europe, outside the reach of extraterritorial jurisdictions, and compliant with international standards such as eIDAS and NIST.

Commenting on the funding round, Kamel Ferchouche, CEO of Evertrust, said that the company welcomes Elephant’s vote of confidence, noting that this backing will be key to reinforcing Evertrust’s position as a global player in the fast-changing digital trust market, where demand for independent, sovereign solutions is growing under mounting commercial and regulatory pressure.

The new investment will enable Evertrust to strengthen its position as a European player and accelerate its expansion into new markets. The company plans to use these funds to grow its sales and technical teams, with headcount expected to triple within five years.

Evertrust also aims to accelerate the development of its network of reseller-integrator partners for managed security services (MSSPs), moving from a primarily direct sales model in France to an indirect distribution model in major European and international markets.

Today Romanian-founded SaaS marketplace Tekpon has acquired 100 per cent of the TNW media and events brands from the FT.

The financials of the deal have not been disclosed, but the transaction is Tekpon’s largest investment in media and events so far.

Alexandru Stan is CEO of Tekpon, a SaaS marketplace he founded in 2020 after building 21 companies and exiting five.  In late 2025, he quietly acquired TNW from the FT — without seeing any financials before signing the deal. 

I spoke to him about why he bought TNW, his view on the role of journalism, what the new editorial strategy will look like, and how he plans to position TNW in Europe’s evolving tech ecosystem.

From SaaS entrepreneur to media owner

Founded in 2020, Tekpon is a marketplace and buying/ procurement service for software (especially SaaS & AI tools). It helps businesses discover, compare, and purchase software through a combination of a software tool directory and a human-led procurement service. 

Stan describes himself as a serial entrepreneur: 

“I built 21 companies, did five exits, the rest failed — which is normal for an entrepreneur.  In 2020, I launched Tekpon with former co-founders from previous businesses.

We built a SaaS marketplace with the idea of becoming the first honest software review platform.”

When I queried Stan to understand the state of the financials at TNW, he admitted, 

“The deal happened without me seeing any data. TNW is so well-known—especially across Europe and the US—that the brand’s strength alone meant they didn’t show me anything.”

The acquisition is part of Tekpon’s long-term plan to build an international ecosystem connecting software, media, events, advisory, and innovation.

“TNW was too small for FT”

I wanted to understand why Stan thinks TNW was closed down. I mean, I’ve heard everything from the post-COVID financials to the lack of profitability of its much-esteemed annual conference. 

Stan asserts:

“The Financial Times is extremely powerful. TNW was a strong brand and community—but too small for the FT. TNW wasn’t a business that could generate a billion dollars in annual revenue

 It’s like someone very rich buying a bicycle: it doesn’t matter to them.”

According to the deal with FT, TNW’s brand and editorial standards will be maintained, while its events and digital platforms will be integrated into Tekpon’s wider strategy.

The FT will continue to own and operate TNW Spaces, offering private offices and coworking spaces that support a thriving community of startups, scale-ups, and innovators.

TNW will support all major European ecosystems—Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, the Nordics, and more, as well as Romania, even though it’s still a small market. 

When asked about verticals or niches, Stan says TNW will stay away from politics and by default defencetech, but focus on:

• AI, especially startups with a positive societal impact.
• The software industry.
• What’s next in tech, staying true to the brand’s name.
• M&A and investment insights:

“We have multiple M&A partners in Tekpon’s community who give us information months before it becomes public as well as a community of 136,000 people at Tekpon who can provide insights from across the ecosystem.

 Journalists can turn those insights into real news. It will become very powerful for Europe.”

TNW staff to have independence — and better conditions

Tekpon already hosts annual awards, an AI summit, a podcast and a magazine. With this in mind, I asked Stan about editorial independence. He asserts that “independence is essential. Tekpon makes money selling software. We take commissions on HubSpot, Monday.com, etc."

"This means TNW can stay 100 per cent independent. We don’t need to mix software sales with journalism.”

However, Stan also admitted that he loves writing, saying, “I’ll be involved daily in finding what’s interesting in the market, supporting the community, and avoiding conflicts of interest. I’ll help the newsroom understand what deserves coverage, but journalists will stay independent.”

And, he shared that he has no intention of making journalists work for peanuts. “I care about people first. I want them to have a good life and the means to perform well.”  

Stan is undecided on how many journalists the publication will fund throughout Europe, but shared that the company is calculating how many new quality pieces it needs monthly.  He asserts:

“If I need 10 people, 20, or even 30, I’ll hire them. And if I need capital, it’s easy to raise it.”

According to Stan, the first order of business is to transfer the 100,000-plus TNW articles currently in FT's possession. 

Plans for 2026 include an expanded TNW Conference, new SaaS and AI program tracks curated by Tekpon, and cross-regional executive programmes. The brand also plans to launch a 1,000-member exclusive TNW community called TNW Inner Circle — an exclusive community for founders and executives. It aims to help members succeed and to make Europe more competitive globally.

“Europe doesn’t fully know what’s coming, so we need strong networks” shared Stan.

“I’m a big fan of real journalism. I analyse articles deeply—why something was written, what’s behind it. There are not many tough tech journalists — you are one of them —, and Europe needs them.

With TNW, I want people — executives, founders — to share things they don’t usually share in public. That’s how we’ll build something meaningful.”

The state of tech media in Europe

It's not been an easy year for Europe’s tech media. Private equity firm Regent LP bought Techcrunch from Yahoo Inc. in March 2025 and shed the vast majority of its European office.  June saw European layoffs at Business Insider by 21 per cent, and  TNW’s media and event management closed in September. 

That said, it's not all doom and gloom.

Defender Media was launched in April. etn began its YouTube channel in September, and Pathfounders started publishing articles in October. 

In June, The Recursive tripled revenue, and announced the launch of a global advisory board. Resiliience Media bagged funding in August.

There are other acquisitions, too. Silicon Canals was sold to Brown Brothers Media in September, while EU-Startups was sold to MeOut Group in November. These moves reflect a broader consolidation across European tech media—but also raise questions about editorial integrity and long-term strategy.

However, the most controversial example is Silicon Canals, which has rapidly shifted away from its original newsroom model and now resembles an AI-driven content mill producing low-quality, click-optimised articles at scale.

Having seen this pattern before, I’m wary.

As I noted on LinkedIn, I previously worked at ReadWriteWeb — once one of the world’s top ten tech blogs, syndicated by The New York Times and ranked in Technorati’s top 100. After multiple ownership changes, it too devolved into AI-generated clickbait. It devalues the ecosystem for us all.

That said, competition is always a good thing. There are enough stories in Europe for all of us.

Disclosure: I’m a former Senior Writer at TNW, where I focused primarily on mobility. TNW always felt like FT’s errant little brother compared to the more stoic Sifted — but being under the FT banner had its perks. 

People recognised the FT name, even if they’d never heard of your publication. And it’s the only newsroom I’ve ever worked for that paid out a Christmas bonus — much less to freelancers — so for that alone it has a place in my heart.