SoftBank snaps up troubled British AI chip developer Graphcore


Japanese tech group SoftBank has acquired yet another British chip player. This time it has snapped up Bristol-based AI processor developer Graphcore, whose very survival was in doubt over the past year.  The acquisition comes as investors compete to back the next big

Cultivating giants: How nurturing university spinouts fuels innovation ecosystems


Innovation thrives at the intersection of academia and entrepreneurship. Universities serve as breeding grounds for startups poised to disrupt industries with their novel ideas and cutting-edge technologies.  Yet, the path from academ

Oxford Ionics doubles performance of previous quantum chip world record


UK-based startup Oxford Ionics today announced a significant achievement for its ion-trapped quantum processors, demonstrating over twice the performance of the previous world record — without using error correction.  While not providin

Military AI startup Helsing raises €450M, plans to protect NATO’s border with Russia


Military AI startup Helsing has raised a whopping €450mn at a reported valuation of €5bn. The German company said the war chest will fund security for NATO’s Eastern Flank. Founded in 2021, Helsing has rapidly grown into one of Europe’s defence tech leaders. I

New hope for European tech? VC funding rises to $29B in first half of 2024


Whisper it, but startup funding is showing signs of a rebound. Venture capital investment in Europe has risen by 12% so far in 2024, according to Dealroom. By June, the financing for startups and scaleups had reached $29.3bn. If the current spending rate cont

PhotonDelta’s new Silicon Valley hub to merge Dutch and US photonic chip expertise


PhotonDelta, a photonic chip accelerator in the Netherlands, has opened an office in Silicon Valley — marking a milestone moment for the Dutch semiconductor sector. The move is part of PhotonDelta’s goal to create a unified photonic chip industry that l

US chip giant AMD to buy European LLM leader Silo AI for $665M


US chipmaker AMD has agreed a $665mn (€614mn) deal to buy Finnish startup Silo AI, one of Europe’s leading artificial intelligence firms. AMD announced the all-cash transaction on Wednesday. The Californian company described the acquisition as “a significant s

TNW Podcast: Daniel Keiper-Knorr on startups and funding; fusion power in Europe delayed again


Welcome to the new episode of the TNW Podcast — the show where we discuss the latest developments in the European technology ecosystem and feature interviews with some of the most interesting people in the industry. In today’s episode, Andrii talks about f

Icelandic VC closes $87M fund as country’s startup scene comes of age


Amid increasing interest in Iceland’s tech ecosystem, Reykjavik-based Frumtak Ventures has closed a $87M fund aimed at local startups. This is the venture capital firm’s fourth fund, following a €57mn predecessor in 2021. While sector-agno

Air taxis cleared for Paris Olympics, Macron offered seat on first flight


Air taxis have been cleared for takeoff during the Paris Olympics — and President Macron has been offered a seat on the first flight. German startup Volocopter will deliver the flying taxis. A barge on the River Seine will provide a tiny airport for the vehicles


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