German mobility startup FlixBus is best known for its fleet of big green buses that whisk passengers around mainland Europe at affordable prices — akin to Greyhound in the US. But there is also a rail-bound version of FlixBus dubbed, you guessed it, FlixTrain. The service began operations in 2018, following the opening of German rail lines to private competition five years earlier. By mid-2022, the company serviced over 70 stations along many of Germany’s main rail routes. Flix also recently...
Rolls-Royce has completed the first tests of its UltraFan demonstrator aircraft engine at its facility in Derby,UK. The tests were conducted using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) primarily from waste-based feedstock, but the company is also exploring options for hybrid-electric and hydrogen-powered options. “The UltraFan demonstrator is a game changer. In the making for nearly a decade, UltraFan has been designed to showcase technologies that can deliver greater fuel efficiency for both...
Tom Furness will be speaking at TNW Conference, which takes place on June 15 & 16 in Amsterdam. If you want to experience the event (and say hi to our editorial team!), we’ve got something special for our loyal readers. Use the promo code READ-TNW-25 and get a 25% discount on your business pass for TNW Conference. See you in Amsterdam! Since the world’s first (and rather crude) VR machine was invented in 1956, extended reality (XR) has evolved into some seriously advanced kit and is becoming...
Jinhua Zhao and Shashi Verma will be speaking at TNW Conference, which takes place on June 15 & 16 in Amsterdam. If you want to experience the event (and say hi to our editorial team!), we’ve got something special for our loyal readers. Use the promo code READ-TNW-25 and get a 25% discount on your business pass for TNW Conference. See you in Amsterdam! Urban transport systems are straining under unprecedented pressure from population growth, fiscal challenges, and environmental harm. Living in...
A UK startup has unveiled a unique system for bringing spacecraft back to Earth. The company, named Space Forge, developed the tech to provide a low-cost and sustainable way of reusing satellites. Ultimately, the startup wants the system to support in-space manufacturing, which can produce materials that can’t be made on Earth. These “supermaterials” have transformative potential for electronics, pharmaceuticals, and alloys. Unfortunately, returning them to Earth is currently painfully complex...
While Europe’s climate tech companies raised a record $13.2bn in 2022, investment is nowhere near the levels required to combat climate change, according to a new report by World Fund. Specifically, analysts from the European climate tech VC, in collaboration with Cleantech Group and PwC, have found that investment needs are outpacing investment volumes at an exponentially increasing rate. The numbers are telling. For the EU to reach its goal of reducing emissions by 55% by 2030, an annual...
A growing number of founders are leveraging the power of technology to help solve some of society’s biggest problems, from developing self-monitoring digital health platforms that give patients more autonomy to finding new solutions for storing renewable energy. Today, on Global Accessibility Awareness Day, it’s particularly important to recognise the advancements a growing number of founders have made in making technology open, equal, and accessible to all, from creating devices that take into...
Award-winning innovators Caroline Lair and Lucia Gallardo will be speaking at TNW Conference, which takes place on June 15 & 16 in Amsterdam. If you want to experience the event (and say hi to our editorial team!), we’ve got something special for our loyal readers. Use the promo code READ-TNW-25 and get a 25% discount on your business pass for TNW Conference. See you in Amsterdam! Social inequality and climate risk have become central to understanding what will drive innovation – and investment...
The crackdown on cryptocurrency escalated today when lawmakers called for consumer trading to be regulated like gambling. In a new report by a cross-party committee, British politicians claimed the likes of Bitcoin and Ether have “no intrinsic value” and serve “no useful social purpose.” They also noted several adverse impacts of cryptocurrencies. Specifically, they highlighted the vast energy consumption, the risk to consumer traders, and the criminal use in scams, fraud, and money laundering....
It’s been a rough start to 2023 for European startups. In the first quarter of the year, dealmaking decelerated, valuations flattened, and exits remained subdued, according to new research. Analysts from PitchBook, a financial data firm, found that investor priorities have shifted from growth at all costs to profitability. After a boom in VC activity that trickled into early 2022, reports of lower growth rates, workforce reductions, and tougher funding conditions have emerged. As a result, due...
Barbara Belvisi, award-winning innovator and entrepreneur, will be speaking at TNW Conference, which takes place on June 15 & 16 in Amsterdam. If you want to experience the event (and say hi to our editorial team!), we’ve got something special for our loyal readers. Use the promo code READ-TNW-25 and get a 25% discount on your business pass for TNW Conference. See you in Amsterdam! Picture a future where technology enables sustainable living on Earth, while preparing for life in space. That’s...
Eu regulators have greenlit Microsoft’sacquisition of gaming giant Activision Blizzard, but analysts warn that the deal remains a long way from completion. The EU approved the $69 billion (€63bn) takeover after Microsoft agreed to several pro-competition remedies. Most notably, the company pledged to automatically license popular Activision Blizzard games, such as Call of Duty, to rival cloud gaming services. “The commitments offered by Microsoft will enable for the first time the streaming of...