Amid a global race for semiconductor independence, the UK announced today a designated institute that will oversee its £1bn strategy on growing its chips sector. At the same time, Belgium-based research hub imec has landed €2.5bn in funding from the EU Chips Act. Dubbed the UK Semiconductor Institute, the independent body will bring together government,...

The EU’s AI Act is set to enter force next month after receiving a final rubber-stamp from the European Council. Ministers today endorsed a political deal on the landmark law, billed as the world’s first comprehensive rules on AI. The law applies a risk-based approach to regulation. The strictest restrictions only apply to “high-risk” systems, from...

Over the past couple of years, the Gulf states have been putting their oil money to use buying up thousands of the latest AI chips. However, thus far they have been relatively quiet when it comes to investing in quantum technology. That is now starting to change. Yesterday, Massy-based startup Pascal announced it had signed a deal with Saudi Arabian...

Switzerland-based Limula today announced a raise of $6.8mn (€6.2mn) to further develop its technology, which aims to automate cell therapy manufacturing. Gene and cell therapies have emerged as a promising treatment for life-threatening or difficult-to-manage diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s. Such therapies place healthy genes...

Moving to Amsterdam was eye-opening. Having grown up in the car-centric UK and struggled to cycle in London, it felt as though the Dutch embrace of bikes was innate, something that simply happened due to a quirk of national character. This, of course, proved incorrect. The Netherlands’ cycle culture didn’t spring from nowhere. Instead, its centrality...

If you’ve been to London recently you may have noticed packs of dark green and brown ebikes lining the city’s streets. They belong to Forest, an aptly named startup that claims to be London’s cheapest and most sustainable shared ebike operator.   It’s success stems from an advertising model unique to the world of micro-mobility.  Forest’s competitors...