VanMoof: What startups can learn from the rise and fall of an ebike superstar


Since launching in 2009, VanMoof, known for its sleek, high-tech city bikes, developed an almost cult-like following — from the streets of Amsterdam to New York.  Today, what was once the world’s most-funded ebike startup is bankrupt, leaving riders angry,

These tiny robotic tentacles could travel into the lungs to treat cancer


Scientists have developed tiny robotic tentacles that travel into the lungs to detect and treat cancer. The device is just 2.4 mm in diameter and ultra-soft.  It’s sent to the periphery of the lungs from the end of a bronchoscope — a thin tube with a light an

European startups: I think we’re going to need a better battery


Next year, a Dutch company will put a new kind of battery in a drone and — if all goes according to plan — that drone will fly for 50% longer than it could with a standard lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery. Flight times of nearly an hour, say, rather t

Microsoft’s Teams and Office bundling may breach EU competition rules


On Thursday, the European Commission opened an antitrust investigation into Microsoft’s bundling of its Teams app with its Office suite, which includes Word, Excel, and Outlook. The EU is concerned that this practice may be in breach of the bloc’s competition

New zinc battery tech can store and produce green hydrogen on demand


While our transition to renewable energy is critical if we are tomeet our climate targets, fully relying on sources such as solar and wind still presents a major challenge: efficient and sustainable storage. Now, a German research consortium led by Fraunhofer

Berlin tech companies join forces to plant trees when you travel by train


German multi-modal travel unicorn Omio has teamed up with compatriot search engine Ecosia to create a tree-planting rail travel booking tool. It means users will be able to search and book train journeys through Ecosia’s website, powered

Europe stockpiles €7B of Chinese solar panels in bid for energy security


When Russia cut off Europe’s gas supply following the invasion of Ukraine, it exposed the vulnerable underbelly of a continent largely reliant on imported energy.  To be fair, the bloc responded pretty quickly by sourcing gas from other countri

Europe’s largest ever solar telescope set to enter construction phase


Seven European countries have joined forces to begin construction of the European Space Telescope (EST) — the largest of its kind to ever be built in the continent. On Tuesday, nine research institutions from the participating nations (Czechia, Germany, Slova

Germany syphons €20B from climate pot to fund chip fabs


Germany’s finance ministry is investing €20bn from its climate fund to bolster local production of semiconductors — critical components in everything from smartphones to fridges. The money will be doled out to a handful of chipmakers by 2027,

AI startup launches ‘fastest data processing engine’ on the market


Paris-based and female-founded AI startup Pathway has announced the general launch of its data processing engine. Reportedly, it is up to 90x faster than existing streaming solutions, and promises to be the “fastest data processing engine on the market.


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