The UK government has appointed its first-ever entrepreneurship adviser, as it looks to combat challenges encountered by startups in the UK. Tech entrepreneur Alex Depledge, the founder of a startup she sold for £27m, has been appointed to the role. In the new role, Depledge will advise the chancellor Rachel Reeves on the government’s entrepreneurship landscape, focusing on addressing the key barriers faced by startups in the UK. Depledge, who was part of a UK government task force to support women entrepreneurs in fast-growing businesses, advocates more female-founded startups and has spoken about the challenges women face in business, including men not taking paternity leave. Depledge, who has an MBE, has run several startups including Hassle, an Uber-like platform for homeowners to source domestic services, which she and her co-founder sold for £27m. In the new role, Depledge will work two days a week, according to the FT, where she will help devise policies to help startups. Reeves said: "Startups, scaleups and other small businesses drive the innovation that keeps Britain growing, delivering our Plan for Change. "We have a long list of successful startups, scaleups and small businesses across the UK - with the greatest density of scaleups among the seven major industrial countries in the G7. "Having Alex on the team will bring invaluable expertise with her experience building successful businesses from the ground up, and I look forward to working with her." Depledge said: "I’m honoured to be appointed as the chancellor’s first-ever entrepreneurship adviser, a ground-breaking move that puts high-growth businesses at the heart of economic thinking. "It’s the first time an entrepreneur has held this role, and it signals a bold commitment from government to back the scale-ups and innovators powering the UK forward." IMAGE:PIXABAY

The Italian tech ecosystem in 2024 showed strong performance, with companies raising over €1.3 billion, despite a slight decrease from €1.4 billion in 2023. This drop, however, reflects the overall stability of the ecosystem, as evidenced by the impressive €504 million raised in the Q1 2025 alone. Key sectors like fintech, software, and space demonstrate Italy's growing strength in innovation-driven industries, signalling advancements in financial technology, digital transformation, and space exploration. Major cities such as Milan, Turin, and Rome have become vibrant hubs for tech and entrepreneurship, with Milan emerging as a central player, attracting both national and international investments. However, Italy's ecosystem still faces challenges, particularly in securing late-stage capital, which is essential for scaling successful startups. While government-backed national funds are supporting early-stage ventures, there is a regional disparity, with northern Italy attracting a larger share of investment and resources. To realise its full potential and become a leading European tech hub, Italy must address these funding gaps and regional disparities, ensuring equitable growth across its diverse and innovative sectors. Here are 10 companies to watch in 2025.  Amount raised in 2024: €150M D-Orbit is an aerospace company specialising in space logistics and orbital transportation services. The company provides end-to-end solutions for satellite deployment, in-orbit servicing, and end-of-life decommissioning. D-Orbit's flagship product, the ION Satellite Carrier, is an orbital transfer vehicle designed to deliver satellites to precise orbits efficiently, reducing launch costs and time to operation. D-Orbit also offers hosted payload services, allowing customers to test hardware in space without owning satellites. Committed to sustainability, D-Orbit has developed the D3 (D-Orbit Decommissioning Device) system to safely dispose of satellites at the end of their operational life, addressing the growing concern of space debris. In 2024, the company raised €150 million across two funding rounds to support the expansion of its space logistics services into in-orbit servicing and space-based cloud computing, while also strengthening its operations in the U.S., Europe, and the United Kingdom. Amount raised in 2024: €144.4M Bending Spoons is a leading mobile app development company known for creating innovative, high-quality apps that enhance user experiences. Driven by data-informed design and advanced technology, the company creates products spanning productivity, entertainment, and wellness. With a strong commitment to quality and user engagement, Bending Spoons combines creative vision with technical excellence to serve millions of users around the globe. Bending Spoons emphasises technological innovation, leveraging advanced artificial intelligence and engineering to enhance its products. As of 2024, Bending Spoons secured €144.4 million in equity funding, achieving a valuation of $2.55 billion. Amount raised in 2024: €105M Alps Blockchain is a technology company specialising in the production of computing power for the blockchain through the creation and management of data centres powered by renewable energy sources. The company designs, builds, and operates state-of-the-art infrastructure to actively contribute to the development and efficiency of the blockchain. Alps Blockchain has introduced in Italy a service that involves installing blockchain-dedicated infrastructure within hydroelectric plants, converting water power into computational energy and integrating seamlessly with existing systems. This approach has led to the establishment of over 30 mining farms across Europe, South America, and the Middle East. In 2024, Alps Blockchain secured €105 million in debt financing to fuel its growth and international expansion, strengthening current operations while exploring opportunities in new markets. Amount raised in 2024: €60M Satispay is a fintech company offering a mobile payment platform that enables users to conduct transactions directly from their smartphones. The app allows individuals to pay in stores and online, transfer money to contacts, and manage savings through features like cashback and digital piggy banks. Satispay operates independently of traditional credit and debit card networks, connecting directly to users' bank accounts. In 2024, Satispay secured €60 million in funding, further expanding its footprint in the European fintech sector and striving to simplify digital payments for both consumers and businesses. Amount raised in 2024: €36M xFarm is an agritech company specialising in digital farm management solutions. The company offers a comprehensive platform that enables farmers to monitor and optimise various aspects of their operations, including field management, irrigation, crop protection, machinery, livestock, and economic planning. Utilising data from sensors and satellites, xFarm provides actionable insights to enhance productivity and sustainability. The platform supports over 500,000 farms across more than 100 countries, covering approximately 9 million hectares and 414 different crops. In 2024, xFarm raised €36 million in Series C funding to expand its services in Europe, Asia, and Latin America and to develop new fintech products tailored for the agricultural sector. Amount raised in 2024: €35M BizAway is an corporate travel management platform, offering an all-in-one solution designed to simplify and optimize business travel. The platform allows businesses to book and manage travel seamlessly, featuring tools for itinerary planning, approval workflows, expense tracking, and travel policy enforcement. Additionally, BizAway offers 24/7 multilingual customer support and robust travel risk management services, including real-time alerts and dynamic tracking. In 2024, BizAway secured €35 million in funding to accelerate growth in its current markets and expand into new ones. The company continues to innovate in the corporate travel sector, aiming to deliver cost-effective, sustainable, and user-friendly solutions for businesses of all sizes. Amount raised in 2024: €35M LimoLane is a platform for chauffeur-driven car rentals (NCC). The company offers premium mobility solutions in over 500 cities worldwide. Designed for both businesses and individuals, LimoLane allows quick and secure bookings via app or web, ensuring a stylish and stress-free travel experience. Its app automates B2B mobility requests by integrating directly with clients' workflows. The services include airport transfers, event mobility, city transfers, and bus rentals with drivers. LimoLane stands out for its high-quality service, transparent pricing, and 24/7 customer support. Its clients include numerous businesses and event organisers seeking reliable and personalised transportation solutions. In 2024, LimoLane secured €35 million in funding, which will support the company’s continued expansion in Europe through increased investments and strengthened collaborations with the event industry. Amount raised in 2024: $25M Cyber Guru is a cybersecurity company, specialising in human-centric security awareness training. The company offers an AI-powered platform designed to transform user behaviour, turning individuals from the weakest link into the first line of defence against cyber threats. The platform provides a comprehensive suite of training modules, including phishing simulations, board-level NIS2 compliance training, and tailored programs for public administrations. Utilising advanced methodologies and machine learning, Cyber Guru delivers engaging and effective learning experiences that promote secure digital behaviours across organisations. In 2024, the company raised $25 million in Series B funding to expand its platform and further enhance its offerings. Amount raised in 2024: $25M HUI is a SaaS company that offers an all-in-one business management platform designed to streamline operations for freelancers, startups, and corporations. The platform includes tools such as HUI.desk for managing functions, processes, and resources, and HUI.play for personalising profiles and facilitating networking. HUI aims to support smart working and business acceleration through its comprehensive suite of applications. In July 2024, HUI secured a $25 million equity commitment from Nimbus Capital, reflecting strong investor confidence in its business model and growth prospects. HUI's mission is to empower businesses by providing a comprehensive platform that enhances efficiency, fosters collaboration, and supports sustainable growth in the modern digital economy. Amount raised in 2024: €20M Casavo is a company that leverages proprietary technology and automated valuation algorithms to provide an "instant buyer" model. Beyond direct purchases, Casavo also acts as a traditional real estate broker, managing everything from professional photography and virtual tours to listing and negotiation, with transparent fees (around 1 per cent). For buyers, Casavo offers a personalised experience, including early access to off-market properties and end-to-end support throughout the transaction, including mortgage brokerage services through “Casavo Mutui.” In 2024, the company secured €20 million in new funding to grow its customer base and agent network, while driving the digital transformation of real estate sales through a smart, transparent service.

UK legaltech CaseCraft.AI, a UK legal tech company, today announced that it has secured £550,000 in funding at a £3,000,000 pre-money valuation. Moun Fund was the lead investor in the round with £300,000 participation. CaseCraft.AI has developed a proprietary platform designed to assist individuals and businesses across the UK in filing and defending small claims. While streamlining the litigation process, the platform places a strong emphasis on early dispute resolution, helping users reach settlements before court action becomes necessary. The Small Claims Track is a simplified court procedure for resolving civil disputes valued at £10,000 or less, or £1,000 or less in cases involving personal injury or housing disrepair. Typical claims include unpaid invoices, faulty goods, and disputes over tenancy deposits. Michael Iatsukha, co-founder of CaseCraft.AI, commented: “We are at a pivotal moment in the application of technology to professional services and consumer solutions. This is just the beginning of the value AI can unlock, helping users achieve more with fewer resources.”  Laert Karaashev, Head of VC at Mount Fund, added: “We are proud to support CaseCraft.AI in its journey to bring innovation to the UK’s small claims process.  By making the system more accessible and efficient through cutting-edge AI, the platform has the potential to become a true champion for consumers. We look forward to supporting its continued growth.” CaseCraft.AI plans to deploy the funds raised to further develop, test, and refine its Small Claims platform, while also scaling up its marketing efforts to reach a broader audience. In addition, the funding will support team expansion, enabling the company to harness the latest advances in AI by recruiting top-tier product and engineering talent passionate about building consumer-facing AI solutions.  Lead image: Freepik. 

SaaS startup Tadaweb has secured $20 million to scale its Small Data Operating System for publicly available information (PAI) and open-source intelligence (OSINT).  The SaaS platform is used by defence, national security, public safety, cyber threat intelligence, and corporate security organisations across Europe and the US to boost the efficiency of analysts and investigators by reducing time to insight from days to minutes.  This funding brings the total investment in Tadaweb to $40 million,  Publicly Available Information (PAI) comes from open sources like news, social media, public records, and online platforms. Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) is the process of gathering and analysing this data to support decision-making — and makes up 80–90% of intelligence work for law enforcement and governments. For public and private sectors, rapid PAI analysis enables accurate insights in volatile markets. But with growing data volumes, even well-resourced teams risk being overwhelmed, making it harder to extract timely, high-value intelligence. Tadaweb enhances analysts' Small Data capabilities – the precise, manageable information a human can process — through an AI-powered Operating System that integrates a suite of products with third-party web tools and APIs. It enables the seamless ingestion of PAI, commercial datasets, and emerging sources to support faster, more accurate decision-making. While most solutions focus solely on automation and Big Data, Tadaweb flips the model, with a solution that reduces investigation time to insight from days to minutes.  Francois Gaspard, CEO and co-founder of Tadaweb, said:  “Our mission is to make the world safer by empowering the human mind with the right information at the right time. Almost everyone is looking to AI for a solution.  Our focus is on transparency, not delivering another black box. We embrace AI, while ensuring our solution keeps the human in control. True impact comes from putting humans in the centre.  By augmenting analysts with our Small Data Operating System, we’re doing just that.” Arsenal Growth and Forgepoint Capital International led the investment, with participation from existing investor Wendel.  Both Jason Rottenberg, General Partner at Arsenal Growth, and Damien Henault, Managing Director at Forgepoint Capital International, will join the Tadaweb board.  Jason Rottenberg, co-founder and General Partner at Arsenal Growth, said: “Tadaweb has built a genuinely human-centric Operating System that is solely focused on making analysts dramatically more productive. " Damien Henault, Managing Director at Forgepoint Capital International, said:  “Many players claim to help organisations with OSINT, but they offer a set of features, not a fully integrated end-to-end platform.  Three things attracted us to Tadaweb and how its Operating System helps analysts be more productive: its Small Data approach combined with a unique low/no-code visual query engine, the way it prioritises the human analyst, not the data, and its hyper-focused management team committed to delivering value for its customers." The capital will advance the company's momentum, supporting product development and recruiting top talent as Tadaweb continues its worldwide expansion and goes to market across public and private sectors. Lead image: Tadaweb. Photo: uncredited. 

London-based Simplisales has closed a $500,00 pre-seed funding round. Founded in 2021 by Ihsan Diskan, Simplisales unifies sales, finance, and fulfilment operations in a single system, offering seamless plug-and-play integrations with over 30 leading ERP and accounting platforms. The platform empowers businesses to rapidly deploy branded mobile apps and web stores in a matter of days, not months. Leveraging AI, Simplisales automates order entry, demand forecasting, and customer insights. In a recent interview, we spoke with Ihsan Diskan about how he came up with the idea to start Simplisales. Turning fragmented B2B sales into one unified, AI-driven workflow Most wholesale teams still juggle phone calls, emails, WhatsApp and paper. Simplisales unifies every touch-point via custom-branded mobile apps and web stores that plug into 30+ ERP and accounting systems. Inside, an AI engine that: Auto-drafts repeat orders from historical baskets and seasonality. Shows each buyer a personalised catalogue and real-time cross-/upsell prompts. Finds SKUs fast with smart, fuzzy search, even on misspelt queries. Suggests margin-safe prices and discounts while respecting MOQs and credit limits.  Today, Simplisales processes over $2 million in monthly GMV for clients including Gima (UK) and Lowrie Foods. We founded Simplisales because wholesale teams deserve the same seamless, data-driven workflows that e-commerce natives enjoy, said Ihsan Diskan, Founder & CEO of Simplisales, adding: This investment lets us double down on the R&D team—shipping more AI features that boost margins, while keeping the product affordable for businesses of any size. The Simplisales customers share their satisfaction with working with Simplisales. Nicky Hodges, director at Arkay Chilled Foods, shared: The Simplisales ecosystem has eliminated the daily friction that once slowed us down. Our team now works with remarkable efficiency. With the cloud-based ERP market projected to surpass $27 billion by 2025 and few AI-native solutions available, Simplisales is uniquely positioned to lead the category.  The round was led by SFC Capital, with participation from existing investors Startup Wise Guys and Wise Angels.  Ed Stevenson, Investment Manager at SFC Capital, says: Simplisales is tackling a massive, underserved market with a platform that replaces multiple point solutions. Their early traction and product velocity convinced us they’re building the operating system for B2B commerce. The funds will be used to advance R&D on new AI modules, such as automated order drafting, predictive pricing, and autonomous stock replenishment, and to support strategic hires in product and sales as Simplisales prepares for European expansion. Lead image: Simplisales

Ghent medtech startup PointCaré has raised nearly €1.5 million from a group of private investors.  The company is developing OnTarget, a platform that interprets the multitude of data from various sources in operating rooms and intensive care units in real time, providing caregivers with tailored advice based on the patient and the situation.  The startup was founded in 2022 by astrophysicist, engineering student, and anesthesiology trainee Dr Henri Van Overmeire. Graduating cum laude in astrophysics and medicine, later specialising in anesthesiology, and also pursuing civil engineering — alongside jazz drumming and business economics training is a rather unconventional path. During Dr Van Overmeire’s time in the operating room and intensive care unit, he realized that hospitals can sometimes function in surprisingly archaic ways. This insight prompted him to consider how things could be improved. “Critical care is integrated care. Providing care in the OR or ICU involves many components, and the effects of one aspect of treatment often have far-reaching consequences for others,” explains founder and CTO Dr Overmeire. Critical care departments are filled with high-tech devices generating massive data streams. But data alone doesn’t save lives: the key is to take the right action based on that data. And that’s exactly where  PointCaré comes in. Dr Overmeire contends that while new IoT technologies and communication protocols allow these devices to exchange information, without central interpretation, they contribute little to the care process.  “Existing equipment often fails to take the individual context of each patient into account — each case, situation, and person is different. This leads not only to diminished care quality and suboptimal treatments but also puts a heavy burden on healthcare workers, contributing to alarm fatigue and its consequences.” The OnTarget platform gathers and centralizes all available information in real time, with full contextual awareness, and supports doctors and nurses with AI to make accurate, informed decisions based on the complete picture — factoring in as many variables as possible.  “Beyond the clear benefits for the individual patient, by avoiding complications, we can also reduce costs in a healthcare system under immense pressure,” says CEO Veronique Pattyn. For OnTarget, PointCaré uses not only classical NLP techniques and LLMs, but mostly their proprietary agentic AI methods, which offer full transparency in decision-making. “Unlike many AI models today, the OnTarget platform is not a statistical ‘black box’ with hidden logic: every recommendation must be clearly traceable through a reasoning process expressed in understandable language” expanded Dr Van Overmeire. PointCaré aims to become a benchmark in the future international healthcare landscape. A first patent application has already been submitted, and preparations for European MDR (Medical Device Regulation) approval are underway.  With the newly secured funding, Van Overmeire plans to further develop and clinically validate the platform. By 2028, PointCaré plans to commercialise the platform internationally. Lead image: Henri Van Overmeire, co-founder and CTO, Veronique Pattyn, co-founder and CEO, and Robbe Claeys, graph data scientist. Photo: uncredited. 

Today sees the launch of DNS4EU, a public DNS resolver service designed to provide EU citizens with secure, privacy-centric, and reliable internet access.  The service is led by Whalebone, a cybersecurity company born in the Brno region. Developed within a European consortium with the support of ENISA and national CERTs, DNS4EU is the first EU-backed DNS resolver offering a secure, privacy and transparency-first alternative to DNS services like Google and Cloudflare. DNS4EU encompasses: A public resolver;  DNS4GOV, a commercial-grade service designed for governments and critical infrastructure;  A threat intelligence exchange network that supports secure DNS adoption and cross-border cybersecurity coordination. According to Richard Malovič, CEO of Whalebone:  “After years of building a global market leader position in large-scale on-prem/hybrid deployments of protective DNS, we decided to step up and challenge Cloudflare and Google in the public resolver space. More privacy, more transparency, and more dedication.“  Brno is home to an active community of cybersecurity companies and a collaborative environment where research, business, and public institutions come together to develop practical solutions with international relevance. In early 2025 alone, local companies secured almost €40 million in funding — including major rounds raised by Whalebone, Threatmark, and Safetica. Brno also has a strong track record of successful cybersecurity ventures that have grown into international players. These include the $28.4 million acquisition of Runecast and the sale of Flowmon Networks, both of which were founded in the region. The city is also the birthplace of AVG Technologies, the Czech Republic’s first unicorn, which was acquired by Avast in 2016 and now operates globally under the name Gen.  “Cybersecurity is not a standalone success story — it is a reflection of the region’s ability to combine research, infrastructure, talent, and long-term strategic support,” said Petr Chládek, CEO of JIC. “ Successful startups as well as projects like DNS4EU demonstrate how Brno contributes to Europe’s digital sovereignty with globally scalable solutions.” Key research institutions such as Masaryk University and Brno University of Technology lead major European projects in cybersecurity, including QARC (Quantum-Resistant Cryptography in Practice) and CCAT (Cybersecurity Certification and Assessment Tools).  These universities are also founding members of the CyberSecurityHubCZ — a national competence center established in 2020 to foster collaboration between academia, business, and government. DNS4EU is now fully operational and available to the public.

Klarna is moving into the mobile phone market, mirroring similar moves by Revolut and the German challenger bank N26. The Swedish financial company is launching its mobile plans first in the US, followed by the UK, Germany and other markets. To attract customers, Klarna, which has over 25m customers in the US, says it’s launching with “one simple plan”, which includes unlimited 5G data, talk and text for $40 a month. It also trumpets the simplicity of switching mobile plans to Klarna saying “users can transfer their existing number (or get a new one), and activate their phone plan in just a few taps within the Klarna app”. Klarna is partnering up with US mobile startup Gigs, which helps brands including challenger banks, such as Nubank, launch mobile services, on the move. Sebastian Siemiatkowski, CEO and co-founder of Klarna., said: “Klarna has saved consumers time and money, and reduced financial worry for over 20 years. With mobile plans we’re taking that one step further, as we continue to build our neobank offering. “Consumers already know and love Klarna’s super smooth services and now, with one tap in the Klarna app, they’ll be up and running with their new phone plan — no hassle, no hidden fees, just great value.”  Klarna is primarily known for its BNPL services, but it also offers services to consumers and retailers within payments, social shopping, and personal finances. Earlier this year, N26 said it was planning to offer mobile phone contracts while Revolut also announced plans to launch mobile plans in the UK and Germany.

We often discuss startups partnering with government institutions — and when the government is the client, we often focus on the challenges that come with it. But in the UK, startups are actually spun out of government, transforming public-sector laboratory innovation into valuable solutions for industry and society. Ploughshare is a UK-based organisation founded in 2005 and fully owned by the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Its mission is to commercialise government-owned innovations, mainly IP developed by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and other public science bodies, to deliver real-world benefits  I spoke to CEO Hetti Barkworth-Nanton to learn all about it.  What do Ministry of Defence scientists do?  Barkworth-Nanton admits that most people have no idea what MOD scientists actually do. “It’s a really wide spectrum, which is why I need a very broad talent base in my team.  There are some really unusual innovations you wouldn’t expect from a defence lab. One we're working on right now, with Birmingham University, is a handheld device that can detect traumatic brain injury — something that could be used on rugby pitches or in schools nationwide.” Ploughshare operates across multiple verticals, translating government-owned innovations into real-world impact. These include: Defence and security, where military-grade technologies are adapted for broader use;  Health and medtech, with life-saving diagnostics and clinical tools; Industrial and environmental tech, applying rugged solutions to sectors like energy and infrastructure; consumer safety, repurposing defence innovations for everyday protection; Advanced materials, such as hydrophobic coatings, are now used in footwear and electronics. Ploughshare verticals. How unique IP gets stranded in government labs Why is technology developed in the lab not actively deployed within government initiatives?  According to Barkworth-Nanton, often, the labs aren’t developing technology to take it to market; they’re proving a concept.  “Once that’s done, they often put it out to industry:  “Here’s a proven concept: who has a solution for this problem?”   Without traction, that can leave some really unique IP just sitting in the lab. “ How Ploughshare unlocks hidden value in IP backlogs Ploughshare begins by identifying the most promising inventions, working proactively with clients to uncover ideas with strong commercial viability and the potential to drive meaningful impact. This early-stage focus ensures that innovations are not only technically robust but also positioned for real-world application. Once identified, these ideas are rapidly developed into tangible products and solutions. Ploughshare collaborates with industry partners to determine the most effective routes to market, secures investment, and supports early-stage ventures through the Ploughshare Accelerator Fund.  To enable long-term success, it also works across a wide network of stakeholders, providing access to leadership, infrastructure, talent, and capital, helping innovation scale and reach its full potential. With Ploughshare, innovation is grounded in existing assets, not just reinventing the wheel, and there’s a huge opportunity in re-examining past research. Barkworth-Nanton contends: “I’ve seen examples where AI is helping revisit failed trials, uncovering why they failed, and then redoing them successfully. That’s where consolidation and convergence come into play.” These companies often have MOD investment, but the IP might be more useful outside of defence. Ploughshare is open to considering all IP generated in the MOD, besides that which is classified. Plougshare has authored a playbook which demystifies the ‘spinning-out’ process, taking researchers from the disclosure and securement of IP, setting up a company and growth, through to market valuation.  Its team of commercialisation managers considers key criteria:  What’s the potential impact if this IP got out into the wider market? “That includes financial impact, economic benefit, environmental benefit, and even life-saving potential. We give it what we call an “impact score.” How easy it would be to get the tech out? According to Barkworth-Nanton, this can depend on the technology readiness level (TRL);  “Low TRL needs a lot of investment before it's viable, which can make us question if it's worth the effort.  Another factor is whether it needs to be spun out. We either license to an existing company or we create our own spinout. If it’s a spinout, we need to be sure the originating scientists are at least motivated to support it in some form." Ploughshare has helped commercialise over 140 technologies, created 500+ jobs, generated £126 million in gross value added, and secured £163 million in export sales. It has created 17 spin-outs and companies that licensed their tech commercially, with a wide-ranging impact, including defence advantage, security, health, and operational efficiencies. How Ploughshare spins out MOD innovation Ploughshare gets exclusive access to MOD IP. The MOD pays it a fee that partially funds our operations. It also generates income from licensing deals or equity in spinouts. All of that flows back into Ploughshare. Since it's 100 per cent owned by the MOD, any major exit would lead to discussions about that money going back to them. Barkworth-Nanton explained that “when we work with non-MOD clients, they pay us a full service fee. We don’t make a profit on that, but we do agree to a small percentage of any future returns. That gives our team skin in the game.  But fundamentally, I’m not in this to just make money. I want to grow the economy, save lives, and deliver real impact.” The difference between Government and university scientists  One of Ploughshare’s biggest challenges is attracting interest from government scientists to commercialise their work. Barkworth-Nanton views this as the biggest difference between government innovation and universities. “Scientists in government labs usually work there because they’re passionate about their subject and want to serve the public. That doesn’t always translate into entrepreneurial motivation.  Going from public service to entrepreneurship is a massive leap in risk— on many levels.  But the ones we work with are phenomenal. We just wish more of them would engage with us. We're actively working to make more scientists aware of what we do.” Ploughshare has significantly expanded its capabilities over the past five years by growing the organisation by around threefold to tackle a backlog of IP that it previously didn’t have the capacity to manage effectively.  This growth has also enabled it to build a more diverse and inclusive team, which Barkworth-Nanton believes is fundamental to driving innovation. The team is also in contact with other government bodies and even defence companies.  Some Ploughshare spinouts and licensees  Claresys Claresys was established to commercialize the COSE pinhole camera, a compact, low-light camera initially used in covert military operations.  Image: Claresys. With rugged, lens-free optics, the system has proven invaluable in harsh industrial and security environments.  Today, Claresys cameras support applications in oil and gas pipeline monitoring, hazardous material inspections, and law enforcement surveillance. The company was successfully exited. Clearwater Hydroacoustics Born from naval sonar research, Clearwater Hydroacoustics has developed Sonarbell, a unique “passive sonar reflector”—essentially a subsea version of a bicycle cat’s-eye.  Image: Sonar bells. Unlike powered beacons, Sonarbell devices don’t require batteries or maintenance, making them ideal for long-term use in underwater infrastructure monitoring. Today, they are deployed in oil and gas fields, cable-laying operations, and underwater navigation systems, significantly reducing operational costs and complexity. Porton Plasma Innovations (P2I) P2I develops hydrophobic coatings originally designed for military gear to protect against chemical threats.  It is now used by Hi‑Tec to waterproof footwear and by eyewear and electronics companies to safeguard against misting and moisture. Presymptom Health  Presymptom Health commercialises a diagnostic test that can detect sepsis up to three days before symptoms appear.  It uses biomarker signatures and machine learning to provide early alerts that could save lives and reduce hospital costs.  Smart Dog-Restraint System Image: Ploughshare. Inadequate, poorly fitted, or faulty car harnesses and restraints for dogs are far too common, putting the lives of both pets and owners at risk. During emergency stops or accidents, the force of a dog suddenly accelerating forward can break the animal free from conventional harnesses or restraints that rely on a seatbelt – risking death or serious injury for the dog.  The restraint system was developed to keep working and companion dogs safely restrained in vehicles during crashes, utilising energy-absorbing tech.

Bordeaux-based healthtech startup DESKi has closed a $6 million seed round. The round was led by Racine² (Serena & makesense), with BNP Paribas Développement, Épopée Gestion, Good Only Ventures, Better Angle, and NACo participating. The funds will support DESKi’s U.S. and European market launch. DESKI was founded by brothers Bertrand and Olivier Moal, who’ve developed HeartFocus, the first AI-powered cardiac ultrasound tool that enables even first-time users to capture diagnostic-quality heart scans. FDA-cleared and backed by clinical studies, HeartFocus is redefining early detection in cardiology with a simple conviction: No heart can wait™. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, yet access to echocardiography is limited by a shortage of specialists. HeartFocus bridges this gap with real-time AI guidance that empowers any healthcare worker to perform scans after just a few hours of training, even in remote or primary care settings. Built by experts in medicine and engineering, HeartFocus by DESKi is powered by proprietary AI trained on over 10 million data points. Already recognised by the French Ministry of Health (France 2030 award), it integrates seamlessly into global care platforms and delivers high-impact, scalable diagnostics. As healthcare systems face growing pressure, HeartFocus offers a critical missing link in cardiac care: a scalable, accessible diagnostic tool for all. This seed round moves DESKi from clinical proof to large-scale deployment, with global implications for patient care and early disease prevention. Lead image: DESKi

Supply chain orchestration platform Pelico today announced a $40 million strategic financing round to accelerate its fast-growing North American footprint. It brings the company’s total funding to $72 million. Pelico enables manufacturers to address the growing challenge of fragmented supply chains through a real-time orchestration platform. By synchronising teams and processes, Pelico enables faster decisions, smoother collaboration, and agile responses to disruptions — cutting backlogs, reducing inventory costs, and improving on time delivery.  Global manufacturers such as Airbus, Safran, Eaton and Daikin have successfully deployed Pelico in just 12 weeks, achieving immediate improvements in operational efficiency. Customers see an average reduction of 40 per cent in parts shortages, a 15 per cent increase in on-time deliveries, and a 40 per cent reduction in MRO cycle times.  “Today’s disruptions and future shocks cannot be solved by siloed teams and fragmented supply chains,” said Tarik Benabdallah, founder and CEO of Pelico.  “We started Pelico in 2019 to solve the dilemma that a single late part can halt a billion-dollar production and limit the ability to innovate. Our AI-powered co-pilot is built to solve this by creating a connected, real-time view of supply chain operations.”  General Catalyst led the funding with participation from existing investors 83North and Serena. As part of this round, Larry Bohn of General Catalyst will join the company's board. According to Larry Bohn, Managing Director at General Catalyst, Pelico addresses one of the most urgent challenges in global manufacturing—supply chain fragmentation.  “We saw their potential to transform complexity into clarity by turning operational data into fast, actionable insights. In today’s turbulent world, ensuring resilient and intelligent supply chains isn’t just a competitive edge — it’s a necessity.”  Florent Pelissier, Startup Director at Microsoft, said: “Pelico’s Agentic platform exemplifies the kind of industry-relevant, cloud-powered innovation that harnesses the power of AI to deliver real-time insights and optimization, from the shop floor to the boardroom.”  "Pelico was rolled out across 5 factories and over 150 users in record time, delivering immediate and measurable impact,” said Dan Berilloux, Senior IT Leader, Aerospace at Eaton. “It didn’t just upgrade our tech stack— it transformed how our teams collaborate, make decisions, and operate. What used to be ad hoc is now standardised, streamlined, and scalable.”  Pelico is scaling rapidly with 300 per cent year-over-year revenue growth over the past two years and tripling its headcount since 2022. Founded in France in 2019 by Tarik Benabdallah, Mamoun Alaoui, and Jonathan Hickson, the company now also maintains offices in Miami and Frankfurt.  Deployed in over 15 countries, Pelico supports global industry leaders operating 1000+ factories worldwide and works with 50 per cent of the world’s top 10 aerospace and defense companies.  With this funding, Pelico will accelerate North American expansion, where revenue has tripled in the last six months. The funding will also drive hiring in data science and engineering and accelerate investment in Agentic AI to deliver smarter, self-optimising supply chains.  Lead image: Pelico. Photo: uncredited. 

Germany-based startup ONE WARE has successfully raised €2.5 million in funding. ONE WARE is a software company that makes AI faster, more accessible, and more cost-effective. Its technology enables developers to generate custom neural network architectures in seconds, eliminating the need for extensive infrastructure or deep AI expertise. By simplifying AI deployment for image and signal processing, ONE WARE lowers the barriers to entry and unlocks innovation across industries. ONE WARE’s core products, ONE WARE Studio and ONE AI, simplify the development of digital and AI-based solutions. ONE WARE Studio is an open-source development environment for hardware and embedded design that can be seamlessly adapted to individual hardware and AI workflows thanks to its integrated tools and modular plug-in system. This is complemented by ONE AI, an intelligent, fully automated AI generator for neural networks, specifically developed for resource-efficient edge computing applications. Leon Beier, co-founder & CEO of ONE WARE, commented: With ONE AI, even existing industrial systems can be upgraded with a tailored AI solution in just minutes, without the need for expert knowledge. This is made possible by a globally unique method for automatically generating neural network architectures, which we’ve already filed for patent protection. ONE AI creates fully tailored AI models within seconds that are perfectly suited for any specific task and any hardware. This enables applications previously considered too technically complex or economically unfeasible for AI. According to a white paper published jointly with Altera, AI models built with ONE AI can deliver responses up to 488 times faster with 24 times greater accuracy. They achieve this while running on decade-old hardware, avoiding the need for advanced edge-AI chips that demand 20 times more resources. The key lies in ONE AI’s ability to generate and optimise models uniquely tailored to the available hardware and task at hand. Trusted by leading chip manufacturers and customers worldwide Thanks to these advantages, ONE WARE has already partnered with leading chip manufacturer Altera. Integrating ONE AI into their hardware makes it much easier for customers to deploy high-performance AI applications, increasing chip value and unlocking new markets. Mark Moran, director of boards, development kits, and partners at Altera, stated that working with ONE WARE showcases the powerful possibilities that arise when advanced AI development is paired with the efficiency of FPGA technology. He added: ONE WARE takes our MAX® 10 platform to a new level – delivering solutions that not only push technological boundaries, together we are building solutions that are far more precise, more efficient and drive meaningful change in industrial practice. This partnership represents a new generation of industrial AI: scalable, resource-efficient, and universally applicable. ONE WARE has demonstrated its impact through successful industrial projects with high-profile clients. HDO uses ONE AI for real-time quality control of metal components, while FSB relies on the technology for defect detection in hardware design. According to Christian Leon, COO & managing director at HDO, working with ONE WARE was pragmatic and focused from day one:  Using AI-powered image processing, we established a robust defect detection system on high-gloss surfaces in just a few weeks – a milestone that traditional metrology would have taken up to 18 months to reach. We’re enthusiastic about ONE WARE’s solution. Its potential in AI is impressive and a true lever for strengthening our competitiveness. The Vision: AI for every application, hardware and industry The potential of ONE WARE extends far beyond industrial applications. The technology is so universal that it can be used in fields such as medical technology, aerospace and more. This opens the door to a new standard for how AI is developed and deployed across all industries. This scalability was a key factor in the investment decision. The round is led by Cusp Capital, a leading venture capital firm focused on European software and technology companies. Through our European Digital Infrastructure investment thesis, we seek out entrepreneurs building the foundations of future global digital systems. ONE WARE is such a company. With its mission to make advanced technologies more accessible and universally applicable, the team around Leon, Leo, Hendrik, and Ali is fundamentally changing the way AI and electronics development is approached across industries, said Jan Sessenhausen, investor & general partner at Cusp Capital. The funding will support the growth of ONE WARE’s development and sales teams, the scaling of its server infrastructure, and continued technical enhancements to the platform. At the same time, the company will deepen strategic partnerships with industrial and mechanical engineering firms to make its technology widely accessible. 

Swedish agritech startup BlueRedGold has raised €2.73 million in investment.  The startup specialises in developing high-tech indoor automation systems for saffron cultivation. BlueRedGold’s system replicates ideal growing conditions indoors, enabling multiple cultivation cycles per year and automating the intricate processes of saffron flower picking and stigma separation. They aim not only to grow saffron in Sweden but also license their system globally across the food, medical, cosmetics, and nutraceutical sectors. The funding will be used to construct a first-of-its-kind blueprint facility - a modular plant designed for profitability from the start.  PINC, the venture arm of international food company Paulig led the funding which included The Food Tech Lab and PolarVentures., “Saffron is one of the most culturally significant and economically valuable spices on the planet, but its production is fragile, inconsistent, and facing growing sustainability challenges,” said Erika Hombert, Senior Investment Manager at PINC.  “This isn’t just a pilot - it’s a blueprint we can multiply globally,” said Hombert.  "Demand is already there — not just from food producers, but from the rapidly expanding medical and nutraceutical segments. We’re focused on meeting that need with quality, consistency, and scale.” BlueRedGold’s approach brings automation, predictability, and quality to a supply chain we know well, offering a complimentary path forward for future production." With more than several tonnes of saffron requested already by the nutraceutical, food, and cosmetics industries, BlueRedGold’s market traction underscores the opportunity in reshaping saffron supply.  For BlueRedGold CEO Nastaran Baleng-Soultani, the partnership with PINC and Paulig goes far beyond capital. “We’re extremely excited to be supported by this strategic investor consortium. Working with PINC means partnering with a team who deeply understands food, flavour, and the dynamics of supply. Their strategic insights and global reach through Paulig are incredibly valuable as we take this next step,” said Baleng-Soultani.  “This investment enables us to scale production and start fulfilling the unmet demand we see worldwide,  with quality and reliability at the core.” Supporting this next phase of growth, Andrei Boulescu has recently joined BlueRedGold as CTO and Head of Automation and Production. A seasoned expert in AI-driven automation and scaling complex production systems, Boulescu brings experience from global leaders including Huawei, Airbus, and Innotek. The funding will accelerate the company’s development of the world’s first scalable indoor saffron cultivation system, enabled by advanced robotics and AI. Lead image: Andrei Boulescu (Founder & Chief Innovation Officer), Nastaran Baleng-Soultani (CEO), and Mikael Öhman (CTO and Head of Production & Automation. Credit: Markus Engstrand.

German AI marketing startup Superscale AI, has raised $5M in a pre-seed round led by Creandum, with participation from Interface and s16vc, Peter Welinder (Open AI), Austin Lau (Anthropic), Luke Harries (ElevenLabs), Philipp Westermeyer (OMR), and many more leading European entrepreneurs and operators. Superscale is part of a new wave of AI-native platforms that aim to reduce the complexity of go-to-market execution. Like Shopify for e-commerce or Lovable for software, Superscale lowers the barrier to high-performance marketing. Superscale allows founders and growth teams to create and launch high-quality, brand-authentic marketing campaigns in minutes.  By plugging in a product URL, such as a webshop, landing page, or App or Play store listing, the platform analyses product and website information to suggest marketing strategies, messaging, audiences and UGC-style ad formats.  Users then use a conversational chat interface to refine and iterate the content before launching directly from the platform.  As campaigns run, Superscale continuously learns from performance data to optimise future outputs.  “Building great products is no longer the bottleneck. Being seen is,” said Patrick Häde, co-founder and CEO of Superscale.  “We started Superscale because we kept seeing talented teams struggle to find the time, budget, or momentum to market what they’d built. Our vision is to make growth accessible: a world where launching content and finding messaging-market-fit is as seamless and fast as shipping a product.”  “Superscale is doing for marketing what Lovable does for software engineering and Shopify did for commerce,” said Fredrik Cassel, general partner at Creandum.  “The timing is right, the pain is real, and this team has the experience and urgency to build a category-defining platform from Europe.” Superscale’s founding team has worked together across multiple startups for over a decade, bringing deep experience in building and scaling consumer and SaaS products in Europe’s startup ecosystem.  That cohesion enabled the team to move from concept to waitlist launch in under three months, drawing strong inbound interest from marketers at leading startups, high-growth scale-ups, and highly recognized brands.  Over time, the company plans to automate additional steps of the marketing lifecycle through specialised AI agents, giving teams back time to focus on product and storytelling. Over the next year, the company will expand its platform while executing on a long-term vision of AI-powered, autonomous marketing execution. With the new funding, Superscale plans to expand its core AI content engine, introduce new creative formats, and build out specialised agents that automate more parts of the marketing workflow, from ideation to distribution.  Lead image: Superscale AI. Photo: uncredited. 

A pioneering Dutch startup transforming the field of quantum chip testing, Orange Quantum Systems (OrangeQS), has closed an oversubscribed €12 million seed round. Quantum computing is a rapidly developing field. As the chips that underpin many of these advances become more complex, a significant challenge has emerged: the need for scalable, precise, and cost-effective quantum chip testing. OrangeQS meets these challenges with a comprehensive product suite designed to streamline quantum chip testing across the entire value chain. OrangeQS’s flagship test product, OrangeQS MAX, sets new industry benchmarks for high volume, standardised quantum chip testing. Europe’s leading quantum computer builder, IQM, will use the system in Espoo, Finland, to accelerate quantum chip development. OrangeQS FLEX offers customizable chip-testing solutions for academic and industrial R&D teams. It is being used, among others, by quantum research labs at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany) and the University of Napoli (Italy). Additionally, R&D labs like the Advanced Quantum Testbed at Berkeley Lab (USA), Chalmers Next Labs (Sweden) and QuTech (The Netherlands) are testing OrangeQS Juice, an open-source operating system enabling users to seamlessly manage their complete quantum research setup within a single environment. Garrelt Alberts, CEO of OrangeQS, said: We are excited to see such strong support from the investment community. This funding round not only validates the critical importance of our technology but also enables us to accelerate our product roadmap, delivering the testing solutions essential to the emerging quantum computing industry as it advances toward building powerful quantum computers that benefit society. Powering exponential growth in quantum chip manufacturing With the fresh funds, OrangeQS will invest in building even faster test machines that check quantum chips in days rather than weeks. By removing this bottleneck, the company helps leading chip makers keep doubling the number of reliable quantum bits every few years. The round was led by Icecat Capital, supported by Cottonwood Technology Fund, QBeat Ventures, QDNL Participations, and InnovationQuarter Capital. The new funding round drew strong interest from investors, reinforcing the company’s ambition to become the global leader in testing solutions for the rapidly developing quantum chip market. Lead image: OrangeQS

Greek-founded, AI-powered development platform Bitloops has completed a €1 million pre-seed funding round. The funding will accelerate Bitloops’ mission to redefine how teams transform Figma designs into high-quality, scalable, and maintainable production code, without compromising on engineering standards. Co-founded by Vasilis Danias and Sergio Pereira, Bitloops addresses a critical gap in the frontend development workflow: the disconnect between design output and production code quality. While generative AI tools and large language models (LLMs) can generate code quickly, they fall short when it comes to code architecture, responsiveness, and integration into real-world systems, requiring extensive refactoring to meet enterprise-level standards. Unlike low-code or no-code tools, Bitloops understands layout logic, design systems, and developer conventions, guiding teams through structured implementation with the precision of a senior engineer. Developers can get 80% of the way from design to code in a few hours - but the last 20% is where everything slows down. That final polish often takes days, if it happens at all, causing delays, frustration, and endless loops with designers, said Vasilis Danias, co-founder of Bitloops, adding: Generic AI tools such as ChatGPT or even code editors such as Cursor or Windsurf can help with snippets or quick fixes, but they don’t deliver the 10x leap in productivity that frontend developers need - especially when it comes to structured, design-accurate, production-ready code. Bitloops changes that. Developers can now achieve results that are 95% perfect in just minutes instead of hours - without sacrificing quality, structure, or design fidelity. It’s not only about very significant productivity gains, it’s also about finally being able to build without compromise. Bitloops’ Frontend Copilot approach combines advanced AI with workflows designed for professional craftsmanship, ensuring teams receive high-quality, documented, and fully responsive UI components directly from a design. Designed with the mindset of a senior engineer, the copilot interprets layouts, respects design systems, and produces clean, reusable components ready for production. Bitloops tackles some of the most persistent challenges in frontend development, like managing CSS at scale, maintaining consistent component design, and reducing rework. By automatically updating design systems, generating Storybook documentation, and producing clean, scalable code, Bitloops helps engineering teams eliminate repetitive tasks and accelerate delivery. Early users in the closed alpha report enterprise-grade code quality and a significantly faster path to scalable frontend architecture. Backed by leading European investors The investment is led by Eleven Ventures with participation from Corallia Ventures and several angel investors. Svetozar Georgiev, partner at Eleven Ventures, believes Bitloops is creating a category-defining solution that bridges AI and professional software development in a truly transformative way, adding: Their vision of enabling developers to work faster without compromising quality fits perfectly with where the industry is headed. According to Dr. Nikos Vogiatzis, partner at Corallia Ventures, Bitloops is addressing a known challenge in frontend development, where repetitive, low-level tasks often hinder the efficiency of even top-tier teams: Their approach is grounded in strong technical research and a clear grasp of developer workflows. We’re excited to support a team bringing rigor and innovation to an area that’s overdue for transformation. Since launching the closed alpha, the company has onboarded over 100 developers and partnered closely with five design partners who are actively shaping the product’s direction. Their feedback has helped the team validate both code quality and developer experience, confirming Bitloops delivers value where others fall short. With the newly raised funds, Bitloops plans to accelerate product development and team expansion. Bitloops’ roadmap focuses on enhancing developer workflows through advanced AI model refinement, expanded system integrations, and developer-centric features, while growing its expert team and advancing its domain-specific language model tailored for frontend development. For developers, the real bottleneck isn’t creativity - it’s the grind. Bitloops eliminates the grunt work: the CSS wrangling, the variant juggling, the endless tweaks. We give teams back their time and focus, letting them ship polished, production-ready UIs at scale - without the usual tradeoffs, commented Sergio Pereira, co-founder of Bitloops. Lead image: Bitloops

Finland’s SaaS company Swarmia has raised €10 million in new funding. Swarmia helps software engineering teams improve developer productivity and experience to drive better business outcomes. The platform provides real-time insights into product development. That way, it enables data-driven decision-making, streamlined reporting, and smoother cross-team collaboration. Otto Hilska, founder and CEO of Swarmia, believes that in today’s market, where companies are focused on profitability and growth, sustainable success depends on a highly aligned engineering team working toward a common goal and efficiently delivering top-tier products. He comments: Swarmia helps organizations master the three pillars of engineering effectiveness. These three pillars, business outcomes, developer productivity, and developer experience, all directly contribute to how any company can grow and succeed. With Swarmia, engineering leaders can align work with business goals, managers can streamline development processes, and developers can focus on high-value tasks with fewer interruptions. Software engineering intelligence is an emerging category. According to Gartner, the adoption of these tools is expected to grow from 5 to 70 per cent of companies in the coming years. The growth reflects a major shift in managing engineering organisations. Engineering leaders now focus on creating systems that help teams prioritise work and deliver customer value more efficiently.  However, many organisations struggle to adopt modern practices due to insufficient data and challenges in applying them strategically. Swarmia addresses this challenge by combining carefully selected quantitative metrics with qualitative survey data. Work log, Source: Swarmia Hilska comments: Most developer tools today simply display data. While data visualization serves a purpose, the real challenge lies in helping engineering teams interpret this data and act on it effectively. Swarmia provides engineering teams with actionable recommendations to drive better business outcomes and profitable growth. Swarmia’s client portfolio includes leading global companies such as Docker, Webflow, Engine, Miro, Trustpilot, and Pleo. We’re thrilled to enter this next growth phase. We already support several Fortune 500 companies that rely on our platform not just to process their large quantities of data, but also to receive real-time recommendations for the actions they should take, Hilska concludes. The round was led by DIG Ventures and Karma Ventures, with participation from notable angel investors, including Romain Huët (Open AI’s head of developer experience) and Cal Henderson (co-founder and former CTO of Slack). Kristjan Laanemaa, founding partner at Karma Ventures, says: Swarmia is redefining software engineering intelligence at a time when adoption is moving into the mainstream, and we’re really excited to partner with them. It’s inspiring to see a leader in the space emerging from Europe. What really stood out in our conversations with Swarmia customers was the ease of adoption and the genuine relief of engineering leaders in top-tier software companies, finally having a unified data source to confidently lead their engineering teams. Lead image: Swarmia

Swedish deeptech company Embedl has raised €5.5M in a pre-series A funding round to accelerate the launch of its SaaS platform, Embedl Hub. Embedl helps companies in the defence, automotive, and robotics industries deploy AI models, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and transformers, directly to their hardware. Its technology reduces energy use by up to 83 per cent and can cut hardware costs in half through efficient model optimisation. A spinoff from Chalmers University of Technology, Embedl began commercial operations in 2022. Since then, it has supported major players like Bosch and Kodiak Robotics in improving AI inference efficiency. Inference costs surpassed training costs in 2024 and continue to grow. As original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) embed more AI features, there’s increasing demand for real-time, low-power inference that doesn’t depend on cloud connectivity. Companies increasingly need solutions that deliver reliable AI performance without relying on the cloud. Hans Salomonsson, co-founder and CEO of Embedl, said: The world needs to make AI more energy efficient, fast. While the applications and usage of AI continue to skyrocket, we can’t increase energy consumption at the same level. Our solution will also help bring robotics and autonomous vehicles to the market faster, as we can help optimise the hardware’s energy efficiency while assuring the highest quality data being transferred instantly. We are grateful for the new and existing investors for their support. Shubham Shrivastava, head of machine learning at Kodiak, believes that the ability to deeply inspect the cognitive components of their AI models, optimise them with hardware in mind, benchmark individual layers, and deploy seamlessly across hardware platforms is truly transformative for their work. This is particularly valuable in sectors like defence, where Embedl's Model Optimization SDK helps AI systems run efficiently on existing hardware, avoiding costly upgrades. It offers tools to prune, quantise, and compress deep learning models, reducing size and speeding up inference. Its modular design lets developers tailor components for specific needs and apply their domain knowledge. Built-in visualisation tools make it easy to track model changes during optimisation. The automotive industry is leading the way in developing advanced, safety-critical features that must run on affordable, efficient hardware. Embedl’s edge AI tools make it easy to deploy generative AI models across various hardware platforms, helping companies achieve high performance without increasing hardware expenses. Investors in the round include Chalmers Ventures, Fairpoint Capital, SEB Greentech, Spintop Ventures, and STOAF.   Jonas Bergman, investment director at Chalmers Ventures, said: This funding is a sign that Chalmers has the technical expertise to build great AI solutions. We at Chalmers Ventures are proud to continue backing our portfolio companies that deliver, and we expect great things from Embedl, in addition to the impressive achievements they have already made in such a short time. With the new funding, Embedl will accelerate the commercialisation and launch of its SaaS platform, the Embedl Hub. Lead image: Embedl

A spinout of VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Hypermine, has today announced the successful closure of its seed funding round. The funding round consists of private equity investments from Stephen Industries and Sage Enterprises, as well as an IPR investment from VTT. Global demand for minerals is rapidly increasing, driven by global urbanisation, clean energy transition, and growing agricultural needs. Key resources like copper, cobalt, and lithium are in short supply, threatening climate goals. The mining industry faces higher costs, more waste, and increased energy and water use. To meet demand, the focus is shifting from exploration to more efficient extraction and processing technologies. Hypermine’s technology combines laser illumination, hyperspectral sensing, and proprietary machine-learning algorithms. That allows mine operators to sort the valuable minerals from the remaining mined material at the earliest stage of the mining process, improving resource recovery while minimising the environmental impact. Mines can improve their profitability by 3–10 per cent with the technology while extending their lifetime. Furthermore, Hypermine’s technology helps cut down energy use by 10 per cent, and it can reduce ore flotation acids and water usage by 15 per cent. Markku Makkonen, CEO of Hypermine says: Meeting society’s material needs without damaging the environment is not an easy undertaking. We want to make mining more efficient, which is key for mining companies to extract more minerals at lower costs, while also minimizing environmental impact and reducing the use of water, acids, and energy. We’ve already proven our technology in multiple different environments and have vast market potential.  We are continuing to partner with major players in the global mining industry and have ambitious growth plans. Jake Greenberg, managing director at Sage Enterprises, believes Hypermine represents a genuine breakthrough for the mining industry, offering transformative potential for efficiency and sustainability. He comments: In the same way that sonar allowed navies to see enemy submarines, Hypermine’s laser-based hyperspectral sensors allow mining companies to see the minerals in their orebodies in real time, improving decision-making accuracy to ensure that valuable ore gets processed while waste rock goes to the dump. This means the future of mining will be significantly more sustainable and more profitable. Hypermine’s breakthrough innovation, broadband laser illumination, enables revealing mineral contents of ore surfaces remotely and under any environmental conditions. This makes it possible to use the technology already during the excavation stage, improving mining decisions significantly. Currently, decision-making is based on inaccurate 3D block models that represent large sections of the mine, covering between 3,000 and 10,000 tonnes of material. Hypermine enables decision-making at truck load resolution, approximately 100 to 400 tonnes, making ore grade identification hundred times more accurate,  elaborates Mikhail Mekhrengin, CTO of Hypermine. Hypermine’s technology has been co-developed and validated with a leading mining company. The Hypermine product has ongoing pilots in the UK, South Africa, Brazil, and Canada. The technology’s implementations in mines include, e.g., rock face, muck pile, loading, and hauling. We pioneer cutting-edge technology to support mining providers in their most critical operations - from the excavation to ore pre-processing. Combining innovative techniques, precision engineering, and industry-leading expertise, we deliver reliable, high-performance solutions designed to perform with confidence and safety, even under the toughest mining conditions, says Andrei Rupasov, CPO of Hypermine. Tor-Oskar Karlberg, investment director at Stephen Industries, sees the mining industry at a pivotal moment, facing lower ore yields and mounting environmental scrutiny, all while global demand for minerals accelerates. He comments:  As an investor, we’re focused on high-impact technologies with strong teams and potential to grow internationally. Hypermine fits this commitment and we’re confident in the team’s vision. We're excited to support Hypermine on their mission as they scale their technology and business. The funding will be used to strengthen Hypermine’s team, support current customers and acquire new customers, as well as achieve profitable growth. Lead image: Hypermine

The CEO of a Swedish AI legaltech startup backed by General Catalyst said that its platform was not using Chinese large language models (LLMs) due to concerns from the clients of its legal partners. Speaking on the Tech.eu podcast, Legora CEO and co-founder Max Junestrand (pictured right) also said that AI was writing 70 per cent of Legora’s code, underscoring how widespread the use of AI was in the startup. Junestrand said: "Most big law firms that we work with would not like to leverage Chinese models yet. “They want to be able to very clearly explain to their clients which in turn might be governments, large financial institutions. “AI is moving really fast. They are not really used to moving at that pace and so, to throw a Chinese model into the mix, just gets a bit tricky.” The arrival of China’s DeepSeek LLM made headlines worldwide earlier this year, topping the app downloads charts and sinking US tech stocks. Other Chinese competitors include Alibaba and its Qwen models. However, some have expressed security and privacy concerns about the Chinese models. Legora, a platform built on top of LLMs, helps lawyers research and review legal documents. It has over 250 law firm clients and in May this year announced an $80m Series B funding round, bringing its valuation to $675m.  Junestrand added: “We are already writing 70 per cent of our code at Legora today. All of our marketing is reviewed by AI. We are using AI in our own legal team and actually in our sales team.”