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German Bionic has unveiled its latest wearable exoskeleton — and it comes equipped with an AI brain. Dubbed Exia, the robotic suit offers up to 38kg of dynamic assistance to make heavy lifting easier for humans. That means an item weighing 30kg feels more like 5 to the lifter’s lower back. But what really sets Exia apart from its predecessors is its capacity to adapt and learn. German Bionic claims Exia is the world’s first exoskeleton powered by augmented AI, a type of artificial intelligence designed to enhance human intelligence. Over time, each suit is designed to get better and better at anticipating the movements of the individual wearing it. This allows the exoskeleton to provide the most amount of physical support at the right time, the company said. Think of it as muscle memory, but for machines. The 💜 of EU tech The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol’ founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It’s free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now! Armin G. Schmidt, CEO and co-founder of German Bionic, called it a “breakthrough” in human augmentation, which refers to people using tech to enhance or extend their physical or cognitive abilities — think Tony Stark in Iron Man. “Exia doesn’t merely respond or even just think – it actually learns,” said Schmidt. “With every movement, it grows alongside its user, continuously adapting and evolving to meet the demands of the person and the job at hand.” German Bionic targets its suits at physically demanding jobs, such as in construction, logistics, or warehouse packing. Here’s how it works. A worker wears Exia like a lightweight backpack — the suit itself only weighs around 7kg. As they begin lifting, walking, or bending, Exia’s sensors detect motion and automatically activate its adaptive lift engine. Using battery-powered motors and advanced control systems, the suit enhances each movement, boosting the person’s strength. At the end of the shift, the worker docks the suit to recharge. “When you put on the device it can feel strange and heavy at first,” Norma Steller, CPO at German Bionic, previously told TNW. “But once the motors kick in it feels amazing. You feel strong, tall, and capable — it gives you this kind of feeling.” The units also collect data on your movements. The feature is intended to flag behaviours that increase the risk of injury, such as excessive repetition and improper lifting or twisting movements. Founded in 2017, German Bionics is one of many companies around the world working on human augmentation. Others include US-based Ekso Bionics, which has developed an exoskeleton for construction workers focused on supporting the shoulders; French startup Wundercraft, which has developed a lower-body exoskeleton to help patients recover from spinal cord injuries; and Spain’s Marsi Bionics, which has launched a gait exoskeleton for children with neuromuscular diseases. German Bionics’ Exia is now available in North America, Europe and the UK. The company told TNW the “price is variable, depending on requirements, the number of units being ordered, and what data the customer wants to track.” Want to discover the next big thing in tech? Then take a trip to TNW Conference, where thousands of founders, investors, and corporate innovators will share their ideas. The event takes place on June 19–20 in Amsterdam and tickets are on sale now. Use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30% off. source

In the wooded hills south of Munich, Germany, engineers are drilling 8 km down in a bid to harvest limitless clean energy from Earth’s molten, radioactive core. The project could offer a blueprint for cost-effective geothermal energy extraction, helping Europe power cities, heat homes, and reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.  The drill belongs to Canadian company Eavor, one of a new crop of startups working to make geothermal a serious player in the energy transition. Armed with an arsenal of plasma pulse drills, steel shot cannons, and robot worms, they plan to unlock Earth’s heat almost anywhere on the planet. Traditional geothermal plants rely on rare underground reservoirs of superheated water, like in Iceland or parts of Italy. Eavor’s system, on the other hand, only requires hot rocks, a closed loop of pipe, and some clever thermodynamics. But for it to work, depth is key. “Our system works like a radiator, but instead of radiating heat, it conducts it from superheated rocks,” Robert Winsloe, executive vice president at Eavor, tells TNW. “By going deep enough, we can harvest heat from almost any location without the need for subterranean aquifers.”  Eavor’s geothermal project in Gereitsreid, Germany. Credit: Eavor Deutschland Giant underground radiator  Eavor’s geothermal plant aims to replace natural gas with clean heat in Geretsried, a Bavarian town of 25,000 people.  To build its underground heat engine, Eavor drills straight down 4,500 meters — deep enough to reach rock simmering at 160°C. Then it makes a sideways move, branching out horizontally for another 3,000 to 3,500 meters, before looping back up through a second vertical well. The result is a massive, closed-loop circuit sealed off from the Earth around it. Inside the loop, water flows in a constant cycle. As it goes down, it heats up from the hot rock deep underground. That hot water then rises on its own, while cooler water from above moves down to take its place. This natural flow — called a thermosiphon — keeps everything moving without the need for pumps. That makes the system more energy efficient.   At the surface, the hot water flows through a heat exchanger — a device that transfers its heat without mixing the water itself. Inside the exchanger, the heat from the geothermal water is passed on to a separate water network connected to the district heating system. When summer hits and heating demand drops, the system flips modes: some of that underground heat is diverted to a steam turbine, which converts it into electricity. The €370mn project kicked off drilling in July 2023 and already has serious backing: €91.6mn from the EU’s Innovation Fund and a €45mn loan from the European Investment Bank. Eavor aims to generate the first power from the site by the end of 2025. “All eyes are on Geretsried,” says Sanjeev Kumar, head of policy at the European Geothermal Energy Council. “If it works, it could seriously move the needle on geothermal.” Untapped potential Europe has long been at the forefront of tapping heat from below our feet. The Romans first exploited geothermal energy over 2,000 years ago to warm royal villas. In Larderello, Italy, the world’s first industrial geothermal power plant was switched on in 1911. Iceland, by the 1930s, had turned its superheated pools of volcanic water into a district-wide energy source.  Yet today, geothermal only supplies 0.2% of Europe’s electricity and 0.7% of its heat. That’s a tiny slice compared to wind and solar. But geothermal energy offers something those renewables cannot: always-on, baseload power that balances the grid when the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining. Geothermal plants also cover far less land than the equivalent solar farm or wind park. There’s another edge too — it can deliver heat as well as electricity, making it a powerful tool for replacing natural gas, a fact that hasn’t gone unnoticed among Europe’s politicians. “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has changed everything,” says Kumar. “Europe is now piling into geothermal as it looks for sovereign, clean sources of energy.” The Larderello geothermal power plant under construction in Tuscany in the 1910s. Credit: Enel Green Power According to the International Energy Agency, geothermal energy could meet humanity’s electricity needs 150 times over. But for now, it remains expensive and geographically limited. Traditional systems can only tap into pockets of land where hot water naturally rises close to the surface. And concerns over earthquake risks from underground drilling still hang over the sector. Eavor wants to disrupt the status quo and unlock this potential — and it’s not alone. There are currently over 100 geothermal startups working to make geothermal cheaper and safer. For many, the sole focus is to invent faster, more powerful drills — and turn the economics in geothermal’s favour.   Drilling deep One company striving to reinvent the geothermal drill is Slovakia’s GA Drilling. The startup has built a rig that combines a traditional diamond-tipped drill with an electrical device that blasts hard rock with ultra-hot “plasma pulses.” These discharges weaken underground formations, making it easier for the drill to break through hard bedrock.  “The key to scaling geothermal is getting drill costs down,” says Matus Gajdos, the company’s head of product. He claims the plasma pulse drill could bore at twice the speed of standard equipment, depending on the underlying geology. That could make tapping Earth’s heat more viable.   GA drilling’s rig in testing. Like most geothermal startups, it repurposes skills and equipment from the oil and gas industry. Credit: GA Drilling The company’s ultimate goal is to reach depths of 10km or more — almost as far as the deepest hole ever dug. At these depths, water gets so hot it becomes “supercritical,” meaning it’s both a liquid and a gas at the same time. This superheated water could potentially enable geothermal systems to extract 10 times more energy from deep, hot rock formations. However, GA Drilling is starting at more moderate depths. The company is currently in talks to drill a 6km well in the

War is being redefined by technology. Drones now swarm where soldiers once marched, AI can detect threats faster than spies, and cyberattacks are disrupting critical infrastructure without a single shot fired. To prepare for the battles of tomorrow, NATO is turning to startups.  In June 2023, the Alliance launched DIANA, an initiative that funds and facilitates defence innovations. Across a network of over 200 accelerator sites and test centres, DIANA brings together universities, industry, and governments to work with startups on new defence capabilities. At the helm is Jyoti Hirani-Driver. A former counter-terrorism policy advisor for the British government, Hirani-Driver was appointed DIANA COO last year. Her mission: to find dual-use technology that can serve both soldiers and civilians in the 32 NATO member nations — and get it into the field before NATO’s adversaries do. “It’s the first time ever we’re working as one on defence innovation,” she tells TNW. “We’ve always needed cutting-edge tech and innovation. We need it to outpace our adversaries and to make sure our armed forces have the best warfighting capabilities. DIANA can help us do that.” At TNW Conference on June 19, Hirani-Driver will share her views on the rise of defence tech during a panel discussion between four of Europe’s leaders in the sector. Ahead of the session, she outlined the goals of DIANA — and the value of dual-use tech. The defence tech path to market Delivering new innovations to the armed forces can be a tricky task. The defence market has long been the domain of big contractors, complex integration processes, and lengthy procurement cycles — which can delay the uptake of emerging technologies. It can also be challenging for startups to navigate. Her career in government gave Hirani-Driver a deep understanding of the obstacles. She was working in counter-terrorism during the rise of ISIS and supported British responses to terrorist attacks. Her experiences showed that national security required new approaches. “We knew we couldn’t just keep doing the same thing,” she says. “We needed to look at innovation and engage with the tech industry.” Hirani-Driver soon had a chance to put that into practice. In 2018, she was appointed Chief of Staff for the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) Defence Innovation Directorate. Under her leadership, the unit secured £1.1bn (€1.3bn) of tech R&D funding for the MoD. The investments backed advances in hypersonics, big data, autonomous systems, AI, and space-based technologies. “My job there was to embed innovation into the lifeblood of defence — not just in terms of capabilities, but in our people as well,” she says. “We need to think innovatively in everything we do. We need to become smarter at training our people, giving them the experience so they know what to expect and how to succeed on the battlefield.” That mindset underpins DIANA’s mission to support dual-use tech. The approach expands the talent pool by attracting companies from outside the defence sector, accelerates adoption through faster-moving civilian markets, and boosts commercial viability through broader revenue streams. If startups can scale and survive in the civilian world, they’re more likely to succeed in defence. “There are startups doing amazing things in the civilian world that don’t realise how valuable they could be to defence,” says Hirani-Driver. “We help them make that leap.” Hirani-Driver was appointed COO of NATO DIANA in January 2024. Credit: NATO How startups can make the leap DIANA’s programmes call for solutions to specific defence and security challenges. The last five were Energy & Power; Data & Information Security; Sensing & Surveillance; Human Health & Performance; and Critical Infrastructure & Logistics. Successful applicants then enter a six-month programme delivered by accelerator sites across the Alliance. They also gain access to NATO mentors, end-users, and unique test centres. One of these test sites is CR14 in Estonia, a military-grade “multiverse of cyber ranges” comprising virtual environments for cybersecurity development. Under DIANA’s umbrella, British startup Goldilock went there to validate a physical network isolation solution that instantly disconnects and physically segments critical national infrastructure. Hirani-Driver says the experience offered more than technical validation: “They can take that as a stamp of approval that their technology has been validated at one of the best cyber test centres in the Alliance.” Each selected startup also receives €100,000 — but Hirani-Driver insists that cash is not the main value. “The gem in our programme is connecting those startups with end users, mentors, and test centres,” she says. “I don’t want them to receive a bit of funding, finish the programme, and disappear from our ecosystem. Success for us means keeping those good ideas alive, helping them grow, and eventually seeing them deliver tech directly to our forces.” A diverse array of them have already progressed through the programmes. They range from Goldilock’s cyber defence system, to Lithuanian startup Astrolight’s secure laser communication systems, and Polish tech firm Revobeam’s intelligent antennas — which are particularly suited for unmanned vehicles operating in challenging environments. The Netherlands has also been represented. Delft-based Lobster Robotics joined DIANA last year after catching attention for its autonomous underwater vehicles for seabed mapping — a technology valuable for both marine conservation and naval surveillance. “I want to see Lobster Robotics delivering to the Navies across the Alliance,” Hirani-Driver says. With the next wave of DIANA challenges launching this summer, the programme is set to expand into additional focus areas. Hirani-Driver wants them to bring new innovations to NATO’s warfighting capabilities. “Big defence contractors have an important role to play in the security of the Alliance, but we continually need new players, more choice — and better tech,” she says. “Innovations from early-stage startups and SMEs are therefore critical for the Alliance and our defence capabilities.” If you want to catch Hirani-Driver’s talk or anything else on the packed agenda for TNW Conference, we have a special offer for you. Use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30% off your ticket. source

David Reger, founder and CEO of Metzingen-based Neura Robotics, is building humanoid robots — and a reputation with a touch of déjà vu. In the German press, he’s sometimes dubbed the “Young Elon Musk.”  It’s a nickname Reger embraces, despite all of the controversy surrounding the world’s richest man. “For me, it’s a positive, not a negative,” he told TNW in an interview. “I respect how Musk builds companies, how successful he is, how fearless he is to drive things further.” Musk’s politics, Reger continues, aren’t the focus of his admiration. “I’m just thinking about technological advancement and how to move that further and faster, and I admire Musk for that.” Like Musk, Reger has speed on his mind. Founded in 2019, Neura has quickly grown into one of Europe’s best-funded robotics startups, with over 600 employees. It’s already commercialised multiple robots, including a robotic arm for manufacturing and a load-carrying robot. And next month, the company will unveil the third generation of the 4NE-1 robot, which it claims will be the world’s most advanced humanoid.  The 💜 of EU tech The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol’ founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It’s free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now! 4NE-1 — as the name implies — is a robot built for anyone. The human-like bot is designed to be equally capable of folding your washing at home as it is stacking boxes in a warehouse. The current version of 4NE-1 is 180cm tall, tips the scales at about 80kg, and can carry items weighing up to 15kg. With a top speed of 3km/h, though, it’s a bit of a slowcoach. Its performance is set to improve in the third generation — we’ll have to wait to find out. What sets the humanoid apart, according to Reger, is its cognitive abilities. “It can touch, think, and react in much the same way humans do,” he said.  That’s thanks to a network of sensors and cameras embedded throughout its body. These feed real-time data to an AI system that interprets the environment and makes split-second decisions. The third generation of 4NE-1 will have more of these sensors than other humanoids, Reger said, allowing better data collection and closing the loop between virtual and physical worlds.  While Reger is confident that Neura is building the best humanoid, competition will be fierce. There are hundreds of companies developing human-like robots globally — including Musk’s car firm Tesla. The company is currently developing Optimus, also known as the “Tesla bot.”  Optimus is not dissimilar to Neura’s 4NE-1. Measuring 173cm and weighing 57kg, it’s also designed to be multi-purpose. It can fold washing, water plants, and vacuum, according to a recent demo video. Tesla aims to produce between 5,000 to 12,000 Optimus units this year.  “I see Musk as my only competitor in the segment,” said Reger.  Although Reger admires Musk, he’s wary of the impact his recent antics could have on robotics. He fears the political controversies could set the industry back. “For humanoids to be accepted in people’s homes and work lives, trust is everything,” said Reger. “So he should be careful with what he is doing.” Want to discover the next big thing in tech? Then take a trip to TNW Conference, where thousands of founders, investors, and corporate innovators will share their ideas. The event takes place on June 19–20 in Amsterdam and tickets are on sale now. Use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30% off. source

Remote-controlled robots could one day build giant solar farms in space, according to a recent trial in the UK. British startup Space Solar conducted the test at the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s (UKAEA) facilities on the University of Oxford’s Culham Campus, which hosts several fusion research initiatives. The company used two remotely operated robotic arms to assemble a section of the support structure for its future solar power satellite. The device aims to beam the Sun’s energy from space to Earth.  According to Space Solar, the trial proved that robotics can assemble gigawatt-scale solar power satellites. Pernilla Sjöholm, the Tinder Swindler Survivor on stage at TNW Conference 2025 Hear her story and how she developed a startup to prevent scams and fraud using technology on June 19. Sam Adlen, the startup’s co-CEO, said the demonstration opens the door to all manner of in-space infrastructure projects.    “This is a milestone not just for our satellite architecture, but for the future of large-scale structures in space, from data centres to energy infrastructure,” he said. As part of its plans to build a working fusion reactor, UKAEA is developing robots for extreme industrial environments, such as maintaining future fusion power plants. The trial shows that those same machines may also show promise for cosmic applications.  Professor Rob Buckingham, executive director of UKAEA, said building fusion reactors and structures in space shared some common challenges, such as remoteness, radiation, and extreme temperatures. The demo suggests that fusion-hardened robotics could help automate the complex task of assembling vast solar farms in orbit.    A solar revolution in space? Space Solar plans to capture the Sun’s energy in space, using huge satellites equipped with solar arrays that are several kilometres long and around 20 metres wide. The probes would capture the energy via microwaves and wirelessly transmit it to dedicated receiver stations on Earth, which would convert the energy into electricity.    By 2029, Space Solar plans to commission its first 30MW demonstrator system, which would be capable of powering around 1000 homes. By the early 2030s,  the startup plans to deploy its first gigawatt-scale solar space farm. The UK Space Agency has provided grant funding for the development of the startup’s first satellite. Solar panels are theoretically capable of gathering far more energy in space than on Earth because, unhindered by the atmosphere, the intensity of sunlight is much greater. They could also beam energy from orbit 24/7, regardless of the weather on the ground.  However, space-based solar power faces many challenges. It’s currently far more expensive than ground-based solar systems — the initial development of a gigawatt-scale prototype could cost €15bn–€20bn. Then there are the potential environmental impacts. Installing a satellite of that scale could involve hundreds of separate rocket launches, contributing to atmospheric pollution.  Nevertheless, the European Space Agency (ESA), NASA, and several startups in the UK, US, China, and Japan are all working to make space-based solar a reality. source

The European Commission has unveiled ambitious plans to cut red tape and make the EU a more attractive place for tech businesses to scale.  Launched today, the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy comes as the bloc scrambles to attract and retain tech startups amid stiff competition from the US and Asia.  Under the new initiative, the EU has laid out a five-point plan to close the gap with its rivals. It’s also in talks to deploy a public-private fund of at least €10bn under the new strategy, Reuters reports.  Here’s the lowdown: 1. Making rules less painful Pernilla Sjöholm, the Tinder Swindler Survivor on stage at TNW Conference 2025 Hear her story and how she developed a startup to prevent scams and fraud using technology on June 19. European startups regularly express frustrations that EU regulation holds them back. To ease that, the EU wants to create a “28th regime” — essentially a simplified legal framework for companies to operate under a single set of rules across the 27 member states. It’s meant to reduce headaches around things like taxes, employment rules, or insolvency.  There’s also a new digital ID, the European Business Wallet, scheduled for rollout during the fourth quarter of this year. The ID is meant to make it easier and faster to deal with public administrations by providing a digital identity and data exchange system that reduces paperwork and manual verification. For example, a startup using the wallet could instantly share verified credentials with a government agency, potentially skipping weeks of paperwork.    Additionally, the upcoming European Innovation Act, scheduled to come into force in 2026, will offer startups more “regulatory sandboxes” where they can safely test new ideas without tripping over outdated rules.  2. Closing the funding gap In 2024, US startups raised $178bn, more than triple the $51bn figure for European companies, according to Crunchbase.  The EU proposes three measures to close the gap.  The first is the Savings and Investments Union, designed to channel more household savings and private capital into European businesses. It aims to do this through mechanisms such as lowering the transaction costs of cross-border investments to attract more outside capital and simplifying insolvency laws to give investors greater confidence in backing a startup that might go belly up. Secondly, it plans to “expand and simplify” the European Innovation Council, the EU body that gives startups access to the funding and coaching they need to scale.  Thirdly, it looks to develop an Innovation Investment Pact, a voluntary initiative designed to entice big institutional investors to back EU funds, venture capital firms, and scaleups. It aims to do this by lowering the complexity, cost, and risks of investing in smaller funds and companies — making it easier for the big fish to fund the little guys.  Combined, the idea is to make it a lot easier for European startups to grow without relocating abroad. 3. Helping ideas leave the lab While Europe is known for world-class research, that doesn’t always translate to world-class businesses.  The EU wants to change that with a “Lab to Unicorn” initiative that connects startups with universities across Europe. The idea is to make it easier — and fairer — to turn academic research into spinouts. It will include guidance on licensing intellectual property, sharing revenue or equity, and commercialising cutting-edge research. 4. Attracting world-class talent Hiring skilled people — especially across borders — is often a major barrier for European startups.  The EU’s “Blue Carpet” plans to streamline hiring of international talent. The initiative will focus on entrepreneurial education, better employee stock options, and cross-border employment. The bloc is also pushing for a Blue Card Directive, which will encourage member states to fast-track visas for non-EU founders. If it works, startups might find it easier to build international teams, keep top talent, and relocate themselves.  5. Opening up critical infrastructure Finally, the EU wants to make it easier for startups to access high-end research labs and tech infrastructure — the kind of facilities usually reserved for big players. A new Charter of Access will aim to standardise and simplify this process, so startups can tap into these resources more easily and bring products to market faster. Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation, said the five-point plan would “remove the barriers” holding back the region’s entrepreneurs. “The strategy will enable us to turn Europe’s wealth of creativity, research, and ambition into thriving new companies, quality jobs, and real-world impacts,” she said.   The plan signals a clear intent to boost Europe’s startup landscape. But with global rivals moving fast, much will depend on how quickly and decisively the EU turns ambition into action. Supporting European startups and scaleups is the core mission of TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Tickets are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30% off. source

While Europe races to phase out fossil fuels and electrify everything from cars to heating systems, it’s turning a blind eye to a reliable and proven source of clean energy lying right beneath our feet.  Geothermal energy offers exactly what the continent needs most: clean, local, always-on power. Yet, it only accounted for 0.2% of power generation on the continent in 2024. Something needs to change. The recent blackout in Spain, triggered by a failure in the high-voltage grid, serves as a warning shot. While solar and wind are vital pillars of decarbonisation, they’re variable by nature. Without steady, around-the-clock sources of electricity, Europe risks swapping one form of energy insecurity for another. A much bigger wake-up call came in 2022 when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. For years, European governments had built an energy system dependent on imports of natural gas. When that stack of cards shattered, it triggered an energy crisis that exposed the vulnerable underbelly of Europe’s power system.  The answer to these problems lies, in part, a few kilometres underground. According to the International Energy Agency, geothermal energy has the potential to power the planet 150 times over. But it’s not just about electricity — geothermal can also deliver clean, reliable heat. That makes it especially valuable in Europe, where millions of homes already rely on radiators and district heating systems, many of them still powered by natural gas. Geothermal plants also come with a smaller footprint. They require far less land than an equivalent solar farm or wind park. What’s more, the materials and infrastructure needed to build them — like drilling rigs and turbines — can be largely sourced locally. That’s a sharp contrast to solar panels and batteries, most of which are imported from China.   Geothermal energy is not theoretical. It doesn’t require scientific breakthroughs. We’ve been drilling wells and extracting energy from the Earth for centuries. The know-how exists, and so does the workforce. Decades of oil and gas exploration have built a deep bench of geologists, drillers, reservoir engineers, and project managers. Instead of letting this expertise fade, we can redeploy it to build geothermal plants. The infrastructure, such as drilling rigs, can also be repurposed for a cleaner cause. Geothermal could be the ultimate redemption arc for oil and gas. Sure, drilling deep isn’t cheap — yet. But a new crop of startups is rewriting the playbook. Armed with everything from plasma pulse drills to giant radiators, these companies could finally crack the cost barrier — and make geothermal available pretty much anywhere. Just as SpaceX disrupted a sclerotic rocket industry with its cheap launches, these startups are poised to succeed where the geothermal industry has failed.  All that’s missing is investment. While billions are being funnelled into high-risk technologies like fusion or nuclear fission reactors, funding for geothermal tech is minuscule in comparison, especially in Europe. Yet, unlike those technologies, geothermal is ready right now.   If Europe wants to achieve climate neutrality and energy sovereignty, it must stop ignoring geothermal. We need bold investment, regulatory reform, and a clear signal to industry: don’t let geothermal become a forgotten renewable. Grid failures, missed climate targets, deeper energy dependence — these are the risks Europe faces. It’s time to start drilling, before it’s too late.  Want to discover the next big thing in tech? Then take a trip to TNW Conference, where thousands of founders, investors, and corporate innovators will share their ideas. The event takes place on June 19–20 in Amsterdam and tickets are on sale now. Use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30% off. source

Belgium-based Ravical has secured €7.3mn in pre-seed funding to bring AI agents to professional services firms in tax, legal, accounting, and insurance.  Joris Van Der Gucht, Ravical’s CEO and co-founder, said the “virtual employees” could do 80% of the work in these firms.   “Ravical’s agents take on the repetitive, time-consuming tasks that slow experts down,” he told TNW, citing examples such as retrieving data from internal systems, checking the latest regulations, or reading long policies.  Despite doing up to 80% of the work in these firms, Van Der Gucht downplayed concerns about the agents supplanting humans. The 💜 of EU tech The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol’ founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It’s free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now! “We don’t expect job losses,” he said. “It’s not about replacing experts, it’s about creating space for them to be more impactful and reimagining how they engage with their clients.” Ravical’s AI agents are designed to suggest, not act independently. The company said each AI-generated output is traceable and audible, which are critical requirements in the world of professional services.  Ravical isn’t Van Der Gucht’s first venture into automating workflows. He previously co-founded Silverfin, which provides cloud-based accounting automation software. In 2023, he sold the company for €320mn. In February, he founded Ravical alongside AI experts Ken Bastiaensen and Benjamin Vandermarliere. Armed with fresh funding, the startup plans to refine its algorithms and expand its team.   Enrico Mellis, partner at Lakestar, the lead investor in the round, said he was excited to support the company in bringing its “proven” experience in automation to the booming agentic AI market. “Agentic AI is moving from buzzword to board-level priority,” Mellis said.  Ravical said it has already undertaken 10 pilot projects with professional services firms of various sizes and across multiple industries. The company is eyeing international expansion, but didn’t elaborate on where. AI’s evolution will be a hot topic at TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Tickets for the event are now on sale — use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30% off. source

A quarter of European organisations have banned Elon Musk’s generative AI chatbot Grok, according to new research from cybersecurity firm Netskope.  In contrast, the most popular AI app, ChatGPT, is only blocked by 9.8% of organisations in Europe. The runner-up, Google’s Gemini, is banned by 9.2%. Grok has been under the spotlight recently for a string of blunders. They include spreading false claims about a “white genocide” in South Africa and raising doubts about Holocaust facts.  Such mishaps have raised concerns about Grok’s security and privacy controls. The report said the chatbot is frequently blocked in favour of “more secure or better-aligned alternatives.” Pernilla Sjöholm, the Tinder Swindler Survivor on stage at TNW Conference 2025 Hear her story and how she developed a startup to prevent scams and fraud using technology on June 19. Neil Thacker, Netskope’s global privacy and data protection officer, said the bans underscore a broader trend in how European organisations use popular GenAI tools. “Businesses are becoming aware that not all apps are the same in the way they handle data privacy, ownership of data that is shared with the app, or in how much detail they reveal about the way they train the model with any data that is shared within prompts,” he said. GenAI is now widely used across Europe, with 91% of organisations integrating cloud-based chatbots into their operations, the report found. Yet not all tools are welcomed equally.  Stable Diffusion, UK-based Stability AI’s image generator, is the most blocked AI app in Europe, barred by 41% of organisations. The app was often flagged because of concerns around privacy or licensing issues, the report found. Gianpietro Cutolo, cloud threat researcher at Netskope, said organisations were gaining awareness of the risks around specific AI bots. “They’re becoming more savvy that not all AI is equal when it comes to data security,” he said. The growing rejection of Grok comes amid a string of upsets across Musk’s empire, including turmoil at Tesla. The car firm’s sales in Europe have plummeted this year, with a 52% drop year-on-year in the EU last month. Some analysts have linked the decline to Musk’s role in the Trump administration and his open support of far-right politicians. Now, similar reputational fallout may be catching up with Grok — which Musk once called the ultimate “truth-seeking AI.”   Europe’s digital future will be a hot topic  at TNW Conference, where thousands of founders, investors, and corporate innovators will share their views. The event takes place on June 19–20 in Amsterdam and tickets are on sale now. Use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the checkout to get 30% off. source

Swiss tech startup Metafuels has unveiled plans to open its first commercial-scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant in the Port of Rotterdam.  Metafuels’ CEO Saurabh Kapoor told TNW that Turbe represents a “major step forward” toward ramping up SAF production. The startup also announced plans to build a similar facility in Denmark last year. “Europe has ambitious decarbonisation targets, but without scalable and affordable SAF production, aviation will struggle to keep up,” said Kapoor.  The facility, dubbed Turbe, will be built in collaboration with liquid energy storage provider Evos. Turbe will be integrated into Evos’ existing Rotterdam terminal, which offers access to the infrastructure needed to store green methanol in large quantities.   The 💜 of EU tech The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol’ founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It’s free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now! Metafuels’ “aerobrew” technology converts renewable methanol into jet fuel, using a process it claims delivers high energy efficiency and up to 90% lower life cycle emissions than conventional jet fuel. The resulting SAF is “drop-in ready,” requiring no changes to aircraft or airport infrastructure. Turbe will be able to process both bio-methanol — sourced from biological waste — and e-methanol, which is made using renewable electricity and captured CO2. This flexibility allows Metafuels to respond to shifts in feedstock availability and regulatory demand, the company said. Kapoor said he expects both the Netherlands and Denmark plants to start producing fuel for use in commercial aircraft from 2028. However, before that happens, the company will need to obtain accreditation for its aerobrew process, which it expects to get by the end of this year.   Metafuels says the new site will produce 12,000 litres of SAF per day during its first phase, with ambitions to scale that tenfold in the second phase. For reference, a Boeing 737 Max has a fuel tank capacity of around 26,000 litres, which equates to a range of around 6,570 km. Metafuels and the broader aviation industry still has a long way to go to meet global and regional targets for SAF adoption.  SAF made up only 0.53% of global aircraft fuel use in 2024. The EU wants to ramp that up to 70% by 2050, which will require a drastic increase in the production of the greener fuel.   source