~the-next-web | Bookmarks (154)

Scientists in the UK have forged 5.5 tonnes of a new kind of steel capable of withstanding the searing heat and intense neutron radiation of nuclear fusion, the same reaction that powers the Sun and stars. The breakthrough is another boost to Europe’s growing flock of fusion energy startups. A UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) working group called NEURONE produced the reduced-activation ferritic-martensitic steel,...

TNW has strengthened its support for European tech by adding ecosystems expert Yeni Joseph to the management team. Yeni has also started a new role as Head of Ecosystem Strategy and Partnerships.  The appointment brings extensive expertise to TNW’s leadership — and fresh ideas.  “TNW has a long-standing track record of catalysing innovation,” says Yeni. “We now want to focus on going from legacy...

London-headquartered biotech startup Verdiva has emerged from stealth with a whopping $410mn for a new range of drugs aimed at tackling the obesity epidemic. It’s one of Europe’s largest-ever biotech VC deals, signalling investor appetite for the booming weight loss market.  Verdiva looks to challenge the dominance of Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, the makers of the two most popular weight loss drugs,  Ozempic...

The Dutch government has reached a deal with Nvidia to supply hardware and expertise for the construction of an AI facility in the Netherlands.  The facility will centre around an AI supercomputer aimed at accelerating research and development, as the country pushes to further digitalise its economy, according to a statement made Thursday.   The Dutch Minister for Economic Affairs Dirk Beljaarts is currently in...

Fifty of the fastest-growing tech firms in the Netherlands are in Las Vegas this week. The crew crossed the Atlantic to attend CES — the world’s biggest tech show. By their side is economic affairs minister Dirk Beljaarts, who’s on a mission to promote Dutch innovation. So is TNW. We’ve partnered with the Consumer Trade Association — which organises CES — on its annual Match...

XOcean has secured $115mn to expand its fleet of uncrewed surface vessels. Founded in 2017 by James Ives, XOcean builds autonomous boats that zip around the ocean, using sensors to gather large amounts of data on everything from the subsurface structures to the temperature and clarity of the seawater.  The bots — which are about the size of a small car — then relay...

German startup Vay plans to expand its “teledriving” fleet in Las Vegas to 100 electric vehicles — and you could get a job steering the cars.    Vay first launched the service last year, with just two Kia eNiros. It’s fleet has since grown to 30 EVs, which have completed 6000 rides so far.  When you open the Vay app and request a ride,...

French upstart Circular has unveiled a fresh challenge to Oura — the current lord of the smart rings. Circular has just released a new smart ring that offers two key advantages over Oura, which currently dominates the global market for the trendy wearables, which monitor your health metrics and display the info on an app.      Dubbed the Circular Ring 2, it’s a quantum leap...

Dutch battery startups must innovate at “critical pinch points” in the supply chain to compete globally, says Kevin Brundish, CEO of Eindhoven-based battery company LionVolt. The comments come at a tough time for Europe’s battery sector, which has been left reeling following the recent collapse of Northvolt. The Swedish startup’s gigafactories were perhaps the continent’s greatest hope for a homegrown battery success story.  Northvolt’s...