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In a recent interview with TNW, Jelle Prins, the mind behind Uber’s first app, shared his vision of a world transformed by autonomous vehicles. “Imagine getting into a car here in Amsterdam in the evening,” he mused, “and waking up the next morning in a mountain village in France for a day of snowboarding.” In his mind, self-driving is the next step in the evolution of mobility, and the question is not if but when it will land in Europe. He shared his vision for this future — and his plans to design proteins using AI — with TNW founder Boris Veldhuijzen van Zaten in the latest episode of “Kia’s Next Big Drive.” Watch the full interview by clicking below: The Kia EV9 featured in the interview is a Level 2 autonomous vehicle, based on a 0-5 scale of driving automation. It uses Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), an advanced technology that enables the car to drive more autonomously by matching the speed of the car in front, but a human driver is still needed. This is all part of automakers’ gradual release of new adaptive technologies that are bringing us closer and closer to Level 5 autonomous vehicles, which don’t require a driver at all. While AVs are being introduced at a gradual pace commercially, we can expect AVs to be adopted in public transport at a much more rapid pace. As part of Horizon 2020, the European Commission is currently funding research projects into driverless public transport across the EU. But the US, China, and more recently the UK, are already far ahead — and gaining speed. In the US, companies like Waymo (Alphabet’s AV subsidiary) have already deployed commercial robotaxi services across Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin. Next year, they plan to expand into Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, DC in 2026. In China, Baidu has tested its Apollo Go autonomous ride-hailing service in over 15 cities, and is aiming for 100 cities by 2030. Even the UK, often slower to adopt emerging mobility tech, passed a landmark Automated Vehicles (AV) Act in 2024, creating a unified legal framework. Pilot AV programmes are slated for 2026, with Wayve and Uber already planning trials. In contrast, the EU remains fragmented. With inconsistent infrastructure, patchy 5G coverage, and no shared regulatory roadmap, the bloc risks falling behind — unless it can harmonise standards and accelerate investment. How AVs could reshape our cities Imagine the canals of Amsterdam stripped of parking spots and lined instead with trees, community gardens, and outdoor cafes. What if Barcelona’s “superblocks,” urban planning aimed at bringing traffic-restricted, pedestrian-friendly zones to city dwellers, could be brought to cities like Paris and Berlin? AVs could supercharge these trends, making cities more livable and accessible for everyone. Living further outside the city could be less of a problem if your commute becomes part of your morning ritual. Passengers could enjoy a cup of coffee, read, or fire up their laptop without having to concentrate on the road. AVs could communicate and coordinate their movements with smart city infrastructure, allowing for real-time traffic management. This could lead to optimised routing, reduced congestion, and smoother traffic flow. For example, some cities are experimenting with dynamic traffic lights that adapt in real time to traffic conditions using sensors, cameras, and algorithms. Is Europe ready for an AV future? Rolling back the rose-tinted sun roof Not all the potential consequences of AVs are positive. As with the rise of Uber, a wave of automation could disrupt millions of jobs in the transportation sector, from truck drivers to delivery workers and taxi operators. According to calculations by KPMG, AVs could lower the cost of public transportation by up to 50%. Considering 600,000 people work in the transport and logistics sector in the Netherlands, the total loss of income could amount to €14bn a year if these jobs are lost. Reskilling programs need to be introduced for these workers. AVs also raise troubling ethical questions. For example, how should a car choose between two harmful outcomes in an unavoidable crash scenario? To prepare for this future, scholars are debating the best way to align such intelligent systems with human moral judgment. There’s also the issue of cybersecurity. As vehicles become more connected, they also become vulnerable to hacking, posing risks not only to passengers but to entire transportation systems. Last year, researchers developed a hack, dubbed MadRadar, able to bypass anti-spoofing protections and make AVs hallucinate phantom cars on the road. Infrastructure needs The future of autonomy hinges on more than software and sensors — it needs roads to match the tech. One glaring challenge is the lack of consistent signage and road standards across Europe. A 2023 literature review highlights how variations in signage design, language, and placement across EU countries present significant hurdles for AVs, which rely on image recognition and machine learning to interpret their surroundings. Then there’s the question of digital infrastructure. Reliable 5G networks, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, and up-to-date digital maps are essential for real-time decision-making and safety. Cities that lack these assets risk being left behind. The regulatory maze Finally, there’s the matter of legislation. As of mid-2025, each EU member state has wildly varying rules on AV testing and deployment. Liability also remains a murky issue: if a self-driving car crashes, who’s at fault — the manufacturer, the software developer, or the passenger? These inconsistencies could slow down adoption in Europe, even as tech giants in the US and China race ahead. Until governments create unified frameworks that ensure safety without stifling innovation, mass deployment will remain on the distant horizon. Mentality shifts Whether or not AVs are actually safer than human drivers is still unclear. A study by Swiss Re that came out this year claimed Waymo’s autonomous vehicles have up to 92% fewer liability claims than human-driven cars. However, other studies have highlighted that AVs still face challenges in complex scenarios like dawn/dusk driving and turning at intersections, where they have higher accident rates compared

Startups love hiring big business leaders into advisory and C-suite roles. These hires solve a common issue: as startups grow and look to compete with incumbents, they need some corporate talent to see them over the line.  But big, established businesses have a different common issue. They’re too big, too established, and being outcompeted by the very companies that are hiring their talent.  Right now, it’s the hare and the tortoise — but slow and steady isn’t winning the race this time.  Established businesses need to take a page out of the startup playbook and hire for the C-suite from their competitors – the startups.  Larger, more established businesses are often embarrassingly slow to change. They’re overly bureaucratic, addicted to legacy systems, and unable to compete in the race for new, critical opportunities.   For example, bureaucratic silos at IBM led to budget fights and leaders focusing on protecting mainframe revenue instead of aggressively pivoting to cloud computing. Competition raced ahead. Large businesses are far too slow to innovate. Stuck in an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality, they aren’t chasing new products, markets, and technologies fast enough to stay competitive.  This was the case for Kodak, which clung to the once-lucrative film business for far too long. Failing to embrace the digital camera space, which cannibalised film sales, the company eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2012. Now, the proliferation of AI in the corporate world — and its ability to facilitate breakneck innovation with small teams — must be a wake-up call for big business. So, what’s the solution? Big businesses need to hire boldly. They must put their faith in tech entrepreneurs and bring them into the C-suite.  Startup leaders can conquer the groupthink that currently infects the boardrooms of most established businesses, where executives are often hired from the same industry and from other large, incumbent businesses. These leaders can act like disruptors, bringing in new ideas and a culture of experimentation. They’re also not afraid to fail — because they recognise this is a key step towards innovation. Startup leaders are also far more tuned in to shifting consumer trends. They reflexively look pan-sector, pan-market to identify trends and opportunities — and will act decisively to seize them. Big businesses hold the customer data and assume it gives them the clearest view of emerging trends. This is wrong. Their data is biased towards the status quo, and where trends can be identified, they’re micro-trends taking place within the strict confines of the existing business and its products or services. For this, instinct is far more important — and startup leaders tend to have the strongest market instincts. Startup leaders are also adept at breaking down departmental silos to build agile, cross-functional teams.   For example, a startup leader is used to working in a tight team directly with engineers, marketers, and customer support to build and scale new products at speed. At large businesses, the same process is compartmentalised, full of barriers, and indirect. Some will question whether startup leaders can handle the big corporate machine. But the truth is, that’s where many of the best ones started. Most corporate leaders have worked only in corporates. Startup leaders have almost always done both. Others might wonder if entrepreneurs will want to give up their startup freedom. It’s a great point — and the answer is to give them freedom. Let them have an outsized impact, give them the budget they need. They’ll move on quickly and leave an innovation playbook — that’s fine. I’m an entrepreneur and investor — I build and back startups. I love seeing them disrupt industries. But there’s no reason industries can’t be disrupted by the incumbents too. The competitiveness would benefit everyone. But to get there, we need to see big businesses leaning on the expertise of their startup competitors. source

Founders’ takes is a new series featuring expert insights from tech leaders transforming industries with artificial intelligence. In this edition, Cem Ötkün, CEO and co-founder of startup scouting platform Bounce Watch, shares his views on how AI is reshaping investing. Venture capital, once built on networks and narratives, is now undergoing a structural shift. AI is no longer a futuristic add-on to the investment process — it’s becoming an operating system. And for those investing in the opaque world of private markets, it’s not optional. It’s existential. The broken machinery behind the pitch Despite all the capital flowing through venture, much of the machinery remains outdated. Deal flow still relies heavily on intros. Screening is inconsistent. Diligence is time-consuming and subjective. Too often, the loudest signals win — not the most promising ones. This inefficiency creates three core risks: Missed opportunities, especially in under-networked geographies. Biased capital allocation, driven by pattern-matching rather than real traction. Time dilution, with analysts spending more time gathering data than interpreting it. TNW City Coworking space – Where your best work happens A workspace designed for growth, collaboration, and endless networking opportunities in the heart of tech. AI isn’t just solving these problems. It’s redefining the investment stack entirely. A new architecture for decision-making The modern investment team increasingly resembles a hybrid between a research lab and a software company. Instead of asking “Who do we know?”, the question is “What signals are emerging that others haven’t seen yet?” AI enables this shift in several ways: Data orchestration: Tools now unify disparate sources — talent movement, product launches, market activity — into coherent, queryable insight. Micro-pattern detection: Models surface weak signals that precede big movements. Not just trends, but subtle tremors. Process acceleration: From drafting memos to mapping competitors, AI dramatically compresses workflows. Under the hood, what’s actually happening is a full rewire of the investment workflow. LLMs are being fine-tuned on deal memos and partner notes. Vector databases store historical pitch content and internal scoring data. Embeddings allow semantic queries across raw PDFs, Notion docs, and CRM logs. Agents chain these components together — retrieving, interpreting, and acting autonomously based on firm-level rules. This isn’t about replacing analysts; it’s about giving them superpowers they didn’t know they needed. This is leading to a fundamental redesign of what “conviction” looks like in investing. It’s less about volume of meetings, and more about velocity of insight. Real-time instead of retrospective The old cadence of quarterly updates and founder calls is being overtaken by systems that observe founders in motion. Investors are now able to monitor startups as they quietly begin hiring, ship code, register domains, or test demand — all before a polished pitch emerges. This creates two distinct advantages: Proactive sourcing: Startups can be identified before they formally fundraise. Portfolio foresight: Investors can spot risk and opportunity in real-time — not months later. Europe, in particular, stands to benefit here. Fragmented ecosystems and hidden gems across the continent are better surfaced through models than word-of-mouth. The next layer: agents and autonomy The future of investing won’t be dashboards — it will be agents. Already, we’re seeing early versions of AI “copilots” assisting with research, due diligence, and document creation. But the next leap is autonomy. Agents will begin to act by: Prioritising leads based on signal strength. Drafting investment memos tailored to internal thesis frameworks. Recommending follow-ups, partnerships, or even exits. This isn’t science fiction. It’s a logical evolution of where automation meets domain knowledge. And the most forward-thinking funds are already testing these capabilities behind the scenes. A word of caution: systems without thinking are just noise Of course, AI isn’t infallible. Poorly tuned systems can amplify noise, reinforce existing biases, or produce convincing but inaccurate insights. That’s why the winning model isn’t machine or human. It’s machine-assisted humans with strong internal logic. Teams must treat AI like a colleague: useful, but always subject to challenge. Crucially, the quality of insight still depends on the quality of the data — and the creativity of the people asking the questions. What distinguishes the leaders? In today’s landscape, advantage no longer lies in building every system from scratch. Most investment teams don’t need to reinvent the wheel — they need to integrate smarter. What sets top-performing firms apart is not in-house engineering muscle, but the ability to select, combine, and embed the right tools into their daily routines. Instead of spending months building proprietary infrastructure, they focus on refining workflows, enhancing interpretation, and freeing up time for strategic thinking. It’s not about owning every layer — it’s about orchestrating what matters. The firms that excel are those that: Seamlessly blend external intelligence into internal processes. Adapt quickly to evolving signals and technologies. Focus on decision quality rather than tooling pride. They don’t try to be tech companies. They simply operate like intelligent investors in a tech-enabled world. The nature of investing hasn’t changed. It’s still about taking smart bets on uncertain futures. But the inputs — and the speed at which we interpret them — have changed beyond recognition. In this new era, edge doesn’t come from intuition alone. It comes from infrastructure. And the firms that build it, adopt it, and refine it daily? They won’t just win deals. They’ll redefine what it means to be an investor. source

We want to share an important update with our contributors and community. After the FT Group acquired a majority stake in TNW in 2019, the Covid-19 pandemic severely disrupted TNW’s core revenue stream. Despite significant efforts in the years since, no sustainable path to commercial viability was found. In light of this and the broader financial outlook, the TNW Board has had to make the difficult decision to close its Events & Media division. TNW Spaces will continue to operate as usual, but the media site will only publish new content until the end of September, and there will be no TNW Conference in 2026. 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! In response to the announcement, Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten, co-founder and board member, shared his reflections: “TNW has been the adventure of a lifetime. We started out at a unique moment in history, just as the world was moving online and everything was becoming digital. It was a thrill to not only witness that shift, but to help spark and accelerate it. “Over time, as digital became the norm, our role felt less about breaking new ground and more about celebrating what had already been achieved. I’m grateful we got to play our part, and I’m glad we can now close this chapter with pride.” We want to thank the contributors and community who made TNW such a special place. You’ve created a unique voice in tech, showcased the best of the industry, and exposed the worst. We’re sad to say goodbye, but grateful for 20 years of memories and an impact that will endure far beyond that. From the heart of tech, thank you. <3   source

Startup wisdom is a new TNW series offering practical lessons from experts who’ve helped build great companies. This week, Vivian Acquah, a certified inclusion strategist, workshop facilitator, and founder of Amplify DEI, shares her tips on ending meeting hangovers. So, you’re a leader. Your leadership involves managing a team while having both a defined direction and multiple essential goals that need completion. Your goal is to plan effectively and empower your team to achieve high performance. The truth is that team leadership extends beyond goal achievement. Leaders must handle the complex interpersonal situations that emerge when working with people. The speed and continuous change of your present work environment make this task extremely challenging.   How do you share ownership without losing control? What are some practical ways to foster accountability while avoiding micromanagement? How do you support your team during periods of organisational change? These are the questions that keep leaders up at night. But there’s one challenge, one sneaky, often-overlooked productivity killer, that might be flying under your radar: meeting hangovers. Yes, meeting hangovers. Let’s unpack this.    What exactly is a meeting hangover? We’ve all been there. You leave a meeting, and instead of feeling energised or clear-headed, you feel… off. Maybe the meeting dragged on too long. Perhaps it was poorly run, or maybe it left unresolved tensions hanging in the air. Whatever the reason, you walk away feeling drained. Your focus is lost. Your motivation? Gone. And instead of diving back into your work, you find yourself replaying parts of the meeting in your head, over and over. That’s a meeting hangover.  According to research from the University of North Carolina and work management platform Asana, meeting hangovers are more common (and more damaging) than you might think. In a survey of 5,000 knowledge workers in the US and UK, over 90% admitted to experiencing meeting hangovers at least occasionally. More than half said these hangovers negatively impacted their productivity, and 47% reported feeling less engaged with their work afterwards. But it doesn’t stop there. The survey revealed that meeting hangovers affected how coworkers interacted with each other, producing negative effects on their relationships. People felt disconnected, disengaged, and, frankly, like they just wanted to be left alone. For a team attempting to meet its objectives, this is a problem — a big one.  Why meeting hangovers are a bigger deal than you think Despite the name, meeting hangovers don’t just fade away as your team moves on to their next task. The negative effects of such meetings extend beyond the meeting duration to impact both individual job performance and team dynamics. These effects tend to fall into three categories: 1. Loss of momentum  A meeting with no clear direction interrupts productivity. When decisions are delayed or misinterpreted, team members end up spending more time clarifying than executing. 2. Decreased engagement    Meetings that occur too often and lack proper facilitation can activate disengagement among team members. When team members feel that their time isn’t valued and their voices are unheard, frustration builds, which in turn reduces workplace morale.  3. Ripple effect on creativity and collaboration  Prolonged meeting-related stress suppresses cognitive functions like creativity, which makes teams less innovative and solution-focused. Meetings that operate improperly erode psychological safety, which serves as an essential requirement for team collaboration to succeed. By recognising the depth of this challenge, startup founders and leaders can take intentional steps to combat its effects and prioritise productive, energising, and inclusive meeting practices. From hangovers to high performance: the power of inclusion strategies An overlooked, yet highly effective way to address meeting hangovers is through inclusive leadership. Creating a space where all voices are valued and accountability is shared provides the psychological safety needed for high-impact collaboration. The following three methods help teams mitigate meeting hangovers and enhance their performance levels. 1. Set clear agendas for streamlined communication    Unstructured meetings create confusion and waste time for participants. Setting clear expectations from the start helps participants maintain focus and enables efficient use of their meeting time. Actionable steps: You should determine the reason behind each gathering before defining its target objectives and distinguishing between decision-making and brainstorming activities. Use an order of importance that considers both the urgency and strategic value of each item.  Set time boundaries for all discussion points , then designate a timekeeper to sustain the meeting schedule. Distribute the agenda to all participants at least twenty-four hours before the meeting starts and make sure they prepare in advance.   Impact:  Agendas that are properly set help eliminate confusion while keeping discussions on track to achieve results, allowing everyone to direct their energy toward moving forward.  2. Unwind to rewind: the secret to resetting after meetings    The cognitive toll of meetings can linger, especially following intense discussions. When team members take brief mental breaks after meetings, they develop better focus and clearer thinking. Actionable steps:  Include 10–20-minute buffers between meetings to prevent back-to-back scheduling. Suggest activities such as brief stretches or stepping away from screens to mentally reset.   Send follow-up emails that summarise key takeaways, decisions, and next steps, so attendees can mentally offload lingering concerns.  Impact:  The practice of “unwind to rewind” enhances both stress reduction and team member success at their upcoming work tasks. It’s a simple yet powerful way to enable sustained productivity across your team. 3. Foster an inclusive and accountable meeting culture  Activating inclusive leadership ensures that meetings are energising spaces where everyone feels empowered to contribute. Shared accountability drives follow-through and builds trust among team members. Actionable steps: Rotate facilitation roles to ensure equal participation and minimise dominance by any one individual. Quiet team members should be provided an opportunity to share their thoughts either during the meeting or after its conclusion. The round-robin discussion format helps maintain balanced contributions from participants.  Establish formal action item assignments with deadlines to specific team members before conducting follow-up checks to verify completion.  Impact: An inclusive meeting environment promotes clear communication alongside creative problem-solving and team unity. This transforms meetings into opportunities for advancement by maximising team member engagement. The blueprint for high-performing teams High-performing teams don’t just happen; they are built intentionally, through effective systems and inclusive leadership frameworks. Leaders who prioritise collaboration, accountability, and psychological safety during meetings lay the groundwork for sustained growth. Combining these practical strategies with ongoing team reflection ensures continuous improvement. Frequent retrospectives to evaluate meeting effectiveness will help refine processes and embed best practices into your company’s DNA. Looking ahead: building stronger meetings

The entanglement of tech and politics has become impossible to ignore — especially in the United States, where the lines between Silicon Valley and Washington are rapidly dissolving. At President Trump’s inauguration, the CEOs of Amazon, Meta, and Alphabet took prominent seats — even ahead of cabinet nominees — an unmistakable sign of how closely US tech giants are now intertwined with national policy agendas. Just days earlier, outgoing President Biden had warned of a rising “tech industrial complex.” This isn’t just symbolism. It reflects a broader shift: US tech firms are aligning themselves with a domestic industrial strategy that treats cloud, AI, and digital infrastructure as tools of geopolitical power. For Europe, the implications are becoming harder to ignore. France’s AI and digital minister has since warned of digital “predators” undermining European autonomy. In Germany, government agencies have started phasing out Microsoft Teams in favour of domestic collaboration tools. And in Denmark, a nationwide migration to open-source Linux systems is underway. 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! These are not isolated incidents. They signal the early stages of a digital sovereignty movement — one driven as much by pragmatism as by politics. For Europe, reclaiming control over digital infrastructure is no longer a fringe idea. It’s a strategic imperative. A critical dependency Europe’s dependency on foreign hyperscalers is deep and longstanding. The majority of government services, healthcare systems, and private sector infrastructure run on platforms controlled by Microsoft, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google. This reliance has become so entrenched that it has long gone unnoticed — until now. Consider the US CLOUD Act, which gives American authorities the right to access data stored on US-owned servers, even if that data resides in Europe. For EU citizens and enterprises, this creates a fundamental contradiction: their data is simultaneously subject to local privacy laws like the GDPR, and to foreign surveillance laws they cannot influence. Vendor lock-in compounds the problem. Many organisations find themselves tied to proprietary ecosystems with limited portability, unable to move or replicate workloads across providers without significant cost or risk. Worse still, operational decisions, such as product changes, pricing, or data handling practices, are increasingly made without European input. Cloud infrastructure has become critical infrastructure. The question is no longer whether it matters who controls it, but what happens when those controls sit thousands of miles away, in different jurisdictions with different interests. Europe’s tech awakening European governments are beginning to act. France has launched substantial investments in domestic cloud initiatives, supporting providers like OVHcloud and investing in sovereign platforms that have “SecNumCloud” certification. Germany, meanwhile, has taken steps to reduce its reliance on non-European providers across federal agencies. In the case of Denmark, the shift to Linux isn’t just about cost-saving. It’s about control, transparency, and security — hardly surprising considering Trump’s “interest” in Greenland.  These moves are not reactive or symbolic. They are part of a broader shift toward digital self-determination — one that recognises sovereignty as a foundation for resilience. For too long, Europe’s digital future has been outsourced. Now, there is a growing realisation that true independence requires owning the stack — from infrastructure and identity to data and application logic. Resilience over nationalism This movement is not about anti-American sentiment. Nor is it an argument for economic protectionism. European digital sovereignty is not a rejection of global collaboration — it’s a recalibration of risk. Governments and enterprises alike are waking up to the reality that resilience cannot be achieved through over-reliance on a narrow set of providers. When infrastructure is dominated by a handful of foreign vendors, the system becomes brittle, not strong. Europe should move towards a more robust approach defined by: Local hosting with clear jurisdictional control. Open standards that prevent vendor lock-in. Open-source platforms that offer transparency and adaptability. Diverse provider ecosystems that encourage innovation and flexibility. For identity and access management in particular, open protocols like OAuth and OpenID Connect enable multi-cloud orchestration. This means that if an organisation needs to switch providers or host in a new region, their identity layer can remain consistent and secure — a crucial capability in an era of geopolitical turbulence and accelerating cyber threats. A pragmatic path to digital sovereignty The path to digital sovereignty does not require a revolution. But it does demand focus and follow-through. A practical approach begins with auditing existing digital dependencies — not just at the infrastructure level, but across the full digital stack. From there, organisations should identify where resilience and portability are weakest, and where they are most exposed to external decisions beyond their control. This assessment should inform a phased diversification strategy. That might mean gradually shifting workloads to sovereign clouds, adopting open-source alternatives to proprietary software, or decoupling key components — such as authentication or API management — from single-vendor ecosystems. Governments have a role to play, not only in policy and procurement, but in investing in skills and local innovation ecosystems. Sovereignty is not a checklist item — it is a capability that requires sustained support to build and maintain. Choosing the future In a world where digital systems underpin every aspect of life, from education and healthcare to finance and national defence, infrastructure control is no longer a technical issue. It is a matter of strategic independence. Europe has a choice to make. Continue relying on foreign platforms for its most sensitive digital functions, or invest in a future it can truly own. Sovereignty is not about isolation. It’s about agency — the power to shape a digital future that reflects European values, laws, and long-term interests. source

Driving electric can be a pleasure, but charging often feels like a pain. Public facilities can be hard to find, prices swing wildly, and hidden fees add up. Incompatible systems and long waits only deepen the frustration, leaving drivers anxious about where to charge — and what it will cost. A Dutch startup called Tap Electric has ambitious plans to solve these problems. Founded in 2020, the company has built a platform to make charging transparent, accessible, and affordable. For drivers, the platform provides clearer choices, cheaper options, and tools to manage their charging sessions. For EV station owners, installers, and operators, it offers free management software that simplifies operations. The strategy proved a big hit at TNW Conference. Tap Electric won the event’s pitch battle, impressing the judging panel of investors, industry leaders, and media insiders with a compelling vision for the future of EV charging. After scooping the grand prize, Nico Spoelstra, the startup’s co-founder and CEO, shared his mission for the business: “If we want to speed up adoption, we have to make driving, renting, or owning an EV extremely affordable compared to other options,” he said. The search for cheaper charging TNW City Coworking space – Where your best work happens A workspace designed for growth, collaboration, and endless networking opportunities in the heart of tech. Tap supports drivers in three key ways. First, it helps them find the cheapest charging stations.  Through the Tap app, users can locate chargers, compare pricing, and understand their upfront costs. The app shows all public chargers with pricing directly on the map. Subscribers can also see the cheapest prices and choose to charge via the app or EV charge card across the startup’s public charger network.  The system aims to cut through the complexity of finding the best deal. With different pricing models, varying network structures, and the growing popularity of dynamic pricing, the cost of charging a vehicle is increasingly unclear.  “In response, we use the driver’s charging behaviour to predict the price of their next charge on any charger, so that they can still compare the cost of different chargers,” Spoelstra said. Spoelstra has experienced the benefits personally. “When I drove to France last year, I didn’t plan my route; I picked the next fast charger before leaving the previous one and then just drove to it.” Optimising every session The second strand of Tap’s plan is optimising charging. Using AI algorithms, the startup predicts the best times and places to plug in, giving drivers more for their money, with costs calculated in real-time during a session. Within the app, a suite of tools turns scattered data into actionable guidance. Price Intel deciphers a single charger’s tariff, including idle fees and time-based pricing. Map Intel takes a broader view, analysing the entire Dutch public network to spot the cheapest operators — and the most expensive. Tap Insights lets drivers review the networks they’ve used in the past, see the impact on their charging costs, and then receive recommendations for cheaper alternatives nearby. “We work with Dutch public charging operators to take this one step further and do this in the public domain, on the street,” Spoelstra said. “Helping people without their own driveway monetise their car’s flexibility to get a cheaper charge is vital for EV adoption.” A third focus is simplifying the software behind charging. While many platforms grew bloated and confusing, Tap automated processes from the start. The streamlined approach keeps operations lean.  “We give that advantage back to our customers by making our software free to use for managing chargers and providing the cheapest charge card in the Netherlands,” Spoelstra said. Beyond the driver Spoelstra is upbeat about the progress of EV charging, but still sees further challenges ahead. Chief among them are grid constraints and high energy prices.  To ease the strain, Tap works with networks and grid operators to lower peak loads. That enables more chargers to run on the same cables, reducing the need for costly infrastructure upgrades. The company also offers bi-directional charging, which allows energy to flow both to the grid and back into it. As a result, car batteries become valuable grid assets. “The more we help drivers monetise the flexibility of a battery, the more we can help lower energy costs,” Spoelstra said.  Looking ahead Spoelstra takes great encouragement from the rapid rollout of hyper-fast charging stations from companies such as Fastned and Tesla. He positions Tap as a powerful addition to the landscape, guiding drivers to the nearest fast charger for their needs. He’s now setting his sights on another target: deeper integration with energy infrastructure.  “Insights into price and power are vital, but the real difference is made with our charge control algorithms that establish symbiosis between cars, the grid, and energy markets. You’ll see us make some big moves there in the coming months.” If those moves pay off, even charging electric could go from a pain to a pleasure. source

Jacqueline van den Ende, CEO of Carbon Equity, believes we have already passed the climate transition tipping point: “Last year, 90% of all new electricity production worldwide came from renewable sources, i.e. generated via solar, wind, or water. Meanwhile, China is actually ahead of its climate goals compared to other countries,” she said. This isn’t a sign to let up; if anything, van den Ende believes we need more investment into climate tech solutions that will help accelerate the transition and make clean energy accessible across the globe. Yet, European climate tech funding sunk to a five-year low in Q1 2025. In the latest episode of Kia’s Next Big Drive, van den Ende shares how Carbon Equity is using its platform to democratise climate finance by making it possible for individuals to invest in pioneering climate tech companies. Watch the interview here: Europe wants clean energy — and fast Despite recent headlines, support for the energy transition is growing across the continent. European citizens are not only voicing their opinions but taking action by reducing and recycling waste (64%) and cutting down on consumption of disposable items whenever possible (49%). 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! Many are also putting their money where their mouth is. The first half of 2025 marked a significant milestone for the European battery electric vehicle (BEV) market, with new registrations up 34% compared to the same period in 2024. According to the European Commission’s 2025 Eurobarometer survey: The rise of energy communities Appetite for creating what the EU calls ‘energy communities’ has increased over the last few years, as EU funding has supported new community led actions. By securing ownership of renewable energy production, these communities are able to protect residents from price shocks by providing stable, affordable power year-round. Investment into an energy network based on wind turbines, an electric boiler, and heat pumps paid off for Denmark’s Hvide Sande District during the 2022 energy crisis. While energy bills soared across Europe, residents of the community saw heating costs drop by over 50%. Since 2015, Ireland’s Ecovision community has used energy saving profits to create a community fund aimed at helping residents access funding for energy saving renovations. Over 900 homes and 50 community and commercial buildings have been renovated so far, saving over 10 GWh of energy, the equivalent of the average annual electricity consumption of more than 2,300 Irish households. All renovations are done through local contractors, helping to boost the local economy. Recently, a Finnish town of 5,000 people introduced a sand battery that uses dirt to store excess renewable energy as heat. On a sunny or windy day, the battery heats up, storing energy for weeks or even months. Polar Night, the startup behind the battery, estimates the battery will be able to heat the whole town for a week in winter or an entire month in summer, on just one charge. This pilot project could kick start a new trend for communities looking to heat their homes and businesses sustainably. More grid work, more energy However, the Iberia-wide blackout on April 28th fueled skepticism, with some blaming Spain and Portugal’s net zero ambitions. Just before the blackout, on April 16th, Spain had reached a milestone by running 100% on wind, solar, and hydro power for the first time. Our sustainability tech reporter, Siôn Geschwindt, based in Portugal, was quick to report on the story at the time, interviewing several climate tech experts who attributed the Iberian blackout points to grid growing pains — not green energy failure. “While wind and solar generate clean, cheap electricity, they don’t produce power in a steady stream — they rise and fall with the weather. However, grids in Europe were largely built for more predictable sources of energy, like coal, gas, or nuclear plants,” says Geschwindt. “Without that stabilising force, or the addition of alternatives like battery storage systems, the grid becomes more vulnerable to surges in electricity demand or supply.” Experts, including Carbon Equity portfolio company Octopus Energy, say updating the grid to enable more flexibility is an essential step for the transition. South Australia experienced a similar blackout in 2016. Afterwards, it strengthened its grid by introducing: Smarter demand response systems Modernized grid settings More backup battery capacity By 2023, South Australia achieved 64% renewable electricity with zero major outages. Batteries on wheels While helping to significantly lower CO2 emissions, the rise of EVs could also put pressure on the demand for green energy. But carmakers are preparing for a future in which your car will become more than a way of getting from A to B: it could also play an integral role in the energy ecosystem of the future. The interview between van den Ende and TNW founder Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten took place in Kia’s all-electric EV9, the first model equipped with vehicle-to-grid technology and bidirectional charging, allowing it to store energy gained from renewable sources and feed it back into the power grid. In fact, a fully charged EV9 with a 99.8kWh battery could power a household for about one week. In a recent study, researchers explored the benefits of using an EV to optimise solar energy sharing between neighbours. They found that this arrangement could cut electricity costs for both households by about 1.2 cents per kilowatt-hour for the solar-owning home and 3.6 cents for the neighbor. A Fraunhofer study for T&E investigated the potential economic benefits of ‘vehicles to grid’ technology for the wider EU with some promising findings: By 2040, widespread adoption of bidirectional charging could reduce annual energy system costs across the EU by 8.6%, amounting to €22.2 billion in savings per year. Even by 2030, savings of 5.5% or €9.7 billion annually are projected. Total savings between 2030 and 2040 could amount to €175.45 billion – which is almost the

Startup wisdom is a new TNW series offering practical lessons from experts who’ve helped build great companies. This week, Lize Hong, the founder of strategic communications firm Venture Vox, shares her tips on getting startups noticed. Startups don’t fail because they lack a good product. They fail because no one knows or cares about them. It’s brutal, but true. While many founders cling to the myth that “build it and they will come,” the reality is that attention is oxygen for startups. I’ve learned this through experience. As a tech communications expert, I’ve defended the reputations of companies like Google and Uber and helped hundreds of startups build their brands across Europe and the US, from pre-seed to post-IPO. I now work closely with founders to craft messaging that truly cuts through the noise. Time and again, I’ve found that the most successful founders know precisely the unique value they bring. It’s my mission to help them stop leaving success to chance by having crystal clear messaging and turning their brand into a force multiplier. TNW City Coworking space – Where your best work happens A workspace designed for growth, collaboration, and endless networking opportunities in the heart of tech. It’s an approach I shared at TNW Conference last month — and one that’s enabled companies to secure funding, attract top talent, and win customers. Based on these experiences, here are five principles every founder needs to master to get their startup noticed. 1. Have crystal clear messaging If a founder can’t explain what they do in 20 seconds, they’re in trouble. The world’s best communicators aren’t the most charismatic ones — they’re those who organise information so it’s easy to understand. Founders must articulate the problem they solve, the solution they offer, and the benefit for the customer in plain language. No jargon, no “cutting-edge disruption.” If your messaging is too complicated or unfocused, people will assume your product is, too. Test your message on someone outside your industry. If they don’t get it, neither will investors, customers, talent, or media. Don’t try to be clever when you can be clear: Think short sentences and use words people actually understand. 2. Use a structured approach to tell your story Everyone loves a good story, but founders often default to endless lists of features. Instead, prepare three core stories you can use repeatedly: Product story: why this product solves a real, widespread problem. Founder story: why you are the person to build this. Company story: how your startup is evolving and where it’s going. Using clear structures to tell your story helps you connect emotionally while illustrating your traction and vision. Founders who master storytelling find it easier to pitch, recruit, and secure press. 3. Make sure PR serves your goals Too many startups chase press for vanity, not strategy. Your press release isn’t a golden ticket. It’s a vehicle for a story. Before drafting one, ask: how does press help your goals? If your priority is raising a round, press might help build credibility with investors. If you’re expanding in a new market, local coverage could open doors. Identify your top goals and the audiences you need to reach, then craft communications that target them specifically. Aim high, but aim right. 4. Remember, PR isn’t always the answer PR is a tool, not a catch-all solution. Press isn’t the only channel to get the word out. Founders often waste time pitching stories that won’t land when they could instead share them on LinkedIn or their company blog. Not every update deserves press attention. If you wouldn’t care about your announcement if it came from another startup, why would anyone else? Before pitching, evaluate if your story is truly newsworthy. Is it timely, relevant, impactful, or unusual? If not, it’s better to build credibility and audience directly rather than chasing headlines that will never materialise. 5. Only talk to the media when you’re ready Media coverage can supercharge your startup’s credibility — I’ve seen this countless times. But it can also expose you if you’re not prepared. Before talking to journalists, ensure you have a working product, a clear message, and a compelling story. Research who you’re talking to, prepare your key points, and practice answering tough questions. And remember: follow up. A clear, factual follow-up email helps journalists get the details right and builds relationships for future coverage. The bottom line You can’t delegate storytelling to an agency and expect magic. The most successful founders understand that communications is a core part of building their company, not an afterthought. Through clear messaging, structured storytelling, strategic PR, and brand alignment, startups can transform from overlooked to unforgettable. Your product deserves to be noticed. The question is: will you learn to tell its story well enough for the world to care? source

Founders’ takes is a new series featuring expert insights from tech leaders transforming industries with artificial intelligence. In this edition, Steven Kleinveld, founder of applied AI lab Skylark, argues that vibe coding won’t replace developers — it’ll upgrade them. There’s been a lot of talk lately that AI is going to replace developers. With the rise of tools that let you prompt your way into building apps, people are starting to wonder: “Are developers even still needed?” The short answer: yes — more than ever. The hype around no-code and “vibe coding” makes it seem like anyone can build a solid MVP overnight. And sure, tools like Lovable, Bolt, and Canva Code are great for testing ideas quickly. But once things get more complex, these tools hit a ceiling… You still need someone who knows how things actually work — backend logic, data flows, design systems, UX decisions. The stuff that makes a product good, not just functional. That’s where developers come in — and not just any developers, but those who know how to work with AI, not fear it. TNW City Coworking space – Where your best work happens A workspace designed for growth, collaboration, and endless networking opportunities in the heart of tech. This isn’t the end of developers. It’s a shift in how they work. It’s well documented that LLMs such as Anthropic’s Claude, Google’s Gemini, and OpenAI’s ChatGPT have been drastically improving. As a result of this, the quality of AI tooling has skyrocketed, allowing developers to work with superhuman efficiency, thus becoming more valuable. This moment in tech isn’t about replacing developers; it’s about how they evolve. AI won’t replace developers. But developers who use AI will replace the ones who don’t Just to be clear, AI is amazing at taking care of the repetitive stuff — generating code snippets, filling in boilerplate, even giving you a head start on a frontend. But that doesn’t mean it can build a reliable, secure, and scalable product from scratch. As the CEO of Skylark, an applied AI lab, I’m well aware of how quickly the field is evolving. But it will still be years before AI models master all three elements — reliability, security, and scalability — without a human in the loop. Developers who get AI get supercharged The real winners in this AI wave? Developers who know how to work with it. If you’re a backend developer, AI can help you with front-end tasks you’re less confident in. If you’re full-stack, you can use it to speed up your workflow and focus on the tricky parts you enjoy most. It’s like having a really fast assistant — but you still need to be the one steering the ship. The key is knowing what you’re good at, what you’re not, and where AI can fill in the gaps. That’s what makes a developer “AI-savvy.” And in my view, that’s becoming one of the most valuable skills out there. Vibe coding is fun, but it won’t take you all the way We’ve all seen the trend of prompting an AI to “just build this” and hoping it works. It’s fast, it’s playful, and sometimes it’s surprisingly good. But it can also lead to what I call ‘AI drift’: when your product slowly shifts away from your original idea because the AI starts adding unnecessary features or misinterpreting what you want. This is where experienced developers make the difference. They know when something’s off. They know when to stop the AI and fix things. They know how to spot bugs or security issues the AI missed. Non-technical folks often miss these signs — and that’s where things can break, fast. So no, AI isn’t replacing developers. It’s giving the best ones extra gear. Of course, not every founder will be technical. But even non-tech founders will need to understand how AI works and, more importantly, what its limits are. Knowing how to prompt an AI is one thing. Knowing when the output is wrong is a whole other skill. Bottom line: AI is a tool, not a replacement Developers who learn how to work with AI will only become more valuable. They’ll build faster, smarter, and with fewer people, but they’ll still be the ones driving the process. So if you’re a developer wondering if AI is coming for your job, I’d say: don’t worry. Just get familiar with the tools, stay sharp on your skills, and figure out how AI can make you better. This isn’t the end of the road — it’s a new chapter. And developers are still very much the main characters. source