Stalling growth in the Dutch tech sector has sparked urgent calls for fresh funding streams. New data released today reveals the number of new startups in the Netherlands is declining. The country is also suffering from a severe lack of local investors.  The findings emerged in the State of Dutch Tech report by Techleap, a non-profit that supports startups and scaleups in the Netherlands.  The report raises concerns about the nation’s funding landscape. In 2024, only 104 startups raised over €100,000 — a 23% decline over the previous year. The number of deals, meanwhile, dropped by 20%. Webinar: Nurturing Scaleup Success Join us on 18 February for a discussion on the vital role of ecosystems in nurturing startups and scaleups and fostering a dynamic entrepreneurial landscape. Myrthe Hooijman, Techleap’s director of ecosystem change and governmental affairs, said the startup struggles were a “worrying signal.” “We need startups to build scaleups that can grow to unicorns,” Hooijman told TNW. “The decline potentially weakens our future potential. We must accelerate the transition from research to ventures, and learn from expert ecosystems, together with addressing the need to expand access to early-stage capital.” Dutch tech’s funding fortunes Amid the gloom, the report also exposed positive signs for Dutch tech. Collectively, the sector raised €3.1bn in venture capital during the past year — a 47% increase over 2023. The country’s VC market remains the fourth-largest in Europe, behind the UK, Germany, and France. Dutch deep tech has been a big target for the funding. The sector attracted €1.1bn last year and now accounts for 35% of the ecosystem. Techleap credits the success to government initiatives such as Brainport Eindhoven. The Netherlands also raised two new unicorns in 2024: Mews and DataSnipper. DataSnipper, an automation platform for audit and finance teams, reached the milestone $1bn (€965mn) valuation in February after raising $100mn ($97mn) in a Series B round. The company’s CEO will share her story at this year’s TNW Conference. Mews, a hospitality management scaleup based at TNW City, passed the landmark a month later. The company hit a valuation of $1.2bn (€1.1bn) after securing $110mn (€101mn). Overall, the Dutch scaleup ratio has risen from 13% to 21.5% over the past five years. However, this growth still trails the European average (23%) — and lags way behind the US (54%). Dutch investors have also slowed down. In 2024, domestic investment plummeted from 61% to just 15%. Hooijman urged them to expand their spending in growth phases. “We need to continue our work to unlock the late-stage capital through institutional investors,” he said. Alongside new funding streams, Techleap is pushing for improved access to tech talent. The non-profit has also called for greater European collaboration through a startup entity that covers the entire continent. The future of Dutch tech is a key theme 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 check-out to get 30% off the price tag. source

By Nadia Dreid ( February 12, 2025, 8:59 PM EST) — The FCC’s new leader is going after Comcast and NBCUniversal for their efforts to be diverse and inclusive, revealing Wednesday that he had directed the agency to open an investigation into the pair of companies to ensure they aren’t “promoting invidious forms of discrimination.”… Law360 is on it, so you are, too. A Law360 subscription puts you at the center of fast-moving legal issues, trends and developments so you can act with speed and confidence. Over 200 articles are published daily across more than 60 topics, industries, practice areas and jurisdictions. A Law360 subscription includes features such as Daily newsletters Expert analysis Mobile app Advanced search Judge information Real-time alerts 450K+ searchable archived articles And more! Experience Law360 today with a free 7-day trial. source

Welcome to 2025, where the boundaries of customer relationships are being redefined. Imagine a world where visionary brand strategies seamlessly blend with real-world journeys, and every interaction is meticulously crafted to captivate and delight. This is the future we’ll explore at CX Summit North America 2025, the ultimate gathering of customer experience (CX), digital, and marketing leaders — and we want you to be a part of it! This year, we’re unveiling our groundbreaking new Brand Experience Index and updated Customer Experience Index (CX Index™) which together form a powerful new way to measure a brand’s ability to drive loyalty. We’ll also reveal fresh insights into the future of — and best practices for — CX, digital business, and marketing. It’s such an important time to start building the future together. In 2024, CX performance was the weakest it’s been in a decade. But we have the know-how and the technology to create total experiences that consumers crave. At this year’s CX Summit, we’ll dig into that through: Unparalleled Keynote Presentations Get ready to be inspired by six dynamic Forrester keynote sessions that will immerse you in forward-thinking insights and cutting-edge research. Celebrate innovation with our 2025 Customer Obsession Award winners and leave equipped with the knowledge and drive to spark meaningful change in your organization. (Learn more about our awards and nomination process here.) Actionable Insights And Hands-On Learning With 42 targeted breakout sessions, 40 real-world case studies, nine workshops, and a special CX Summit Certification program, you’ll gain the knowledge you need to tackle today’s biggest challenges. We’ve more than doubled the number of hands-on sessions we’re offering this year so that you and your team can begin applying what you learn right away — before you return home. Whether it’s aligning teams, integrating emerging technologies, or developing robust measurement strategies, we’ve got you covered. Meaningful Connections Forge meaningful connections with top professionals in customer experience, digital, and marketing at 14 interactive sessions, industry-focused meetups, analyst-led roundtables, and social engagements. We’ll also feature our very popular annual Forrester Women’s Leadership Program and invitation-only Executive Leadership Exchange. And of course, dozens of Forrester experts will be available for one-on-one sessions so you can get direct answers to your most pressing questions. Don’t Miss Out!  Since we’re in Nashville, we’ll have great musical guests and other activities to make this an event to remember.  Join us at CX Summit 2025 and be part of a community that’s shaping the future of the total experience. This is more than just an event — it’s an opportunity to transform your brand and create unforgettable journeys for your customers. Register now and take the first step toward mastering the total experience! Don’t forget to take advantage of our early and team registration discounts. We can’t wait to see you there! 🎉 source

Fast programming languages are gaining popularity, TIOBE CEO Paul Jansen said in the TIOBE Programming Community Index in February. Fast programming languages he called out include C++, Go, and Rust. Also, according to the updated TIOBE rankings: Python, to which Jansen awarded the title “TIOBE’s programming language of the year 2024” in January, continued to skyrocket. C++ held onto its place at second from the top of the leaderboard. Mojo and Zig are following trajectories likely to bring them into the top 50, and reached #51 and #56 respectively in February. The TIOBE Programming Community Index shows trends in programming languages based on search engine volume. Trends year-over-year from the TIOBE Programming Community Index. Python is the light blue trend line. Image: TIOBE Software Speed of programs matters in 2025 “Now that the world needs to crunch more and more numbers per second, and hardware is not evolving fast enough, speed of programs is getting important. Having said this, it is not surprising that the fast programming languages are gaining ground in the TIOBE index,” Jansen wrote. SEE: The U.K. government offers a Cyber Code of Practice to help businesses mitigate risks from generative AI.  The need for speed helped Mojo and Zig rise into the top 50. Rust reached its all-time high in the proprietary points system (1.47%.), and Jansen expects Go to be a common sight in the top 10 going forward. Python’s popularity shows no sign of decreasing As can be seen from the image above, Python continued on an upward streak it has traveled since 2017. In particular, Python has risen rapidly in the points system since June 2024. Python isn’t a fast language, Jansen pointed out, so why is it still so popular? As generative AI increases the demand for crunching numbers, more programmers need to do the human parts of that work. As Jansen said in the TIOBE Index for January 2025, Python is so popular as to be considered the “undisputed default language of choice.” So, that popularity compounds as more people choose to learn it. “Since the number of graduated software engineers is lower than is needed, all kind of non-software engineers are jumping on the programming bandwagon, and their favorite language is Python,” Jansen wrote. “This is why Python is here to stay.” source

In my many customer conversations at our recent European user conference, VMware Explore Barcelona, one message was clear: The strategic importance of data is fueling demand for sovereign cloud services.  Cloud sovereignty is central to the European Union’s quest for increased digital autonomy, with the aim of fostering innovation and supporting European businesses on their digital transformation journey. I want to stress that Broadcom is committed to helping organizations and governments meet their digital transformation and data-sovereignty needs. We’re working closely with cloud service providers (CSPs) on solutions that provide enterprises with strict control over their data, regulatory compliance, and deployment flexibility. By prioritizing data residency and control, we enable our partners and customers to manage their data and scale their operations without compromising on security or sovereignty. VMware Cloud Foundation: Built for Sovereignty and Flexibility Our flagship offering, VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF), is the bedrock of our strategy and provides the ultimate sovereign cloud solution at competitive prices. It also guides your national cloud providers to deliver sovereign cloud services that comply with national laws. With VCF, customers can retain critical workloads on-premises, ensuring their data remains within their own borders and under their control. At the same time, VCF’s compatibility with leading CSPs enables a seamless experience across private and public cloud environments. We’re working with major European CSPs to build a strong VMware-based ecosystem of sovereign cloud solutions that let their customers transition to the cloud while ensuring the highest standards of data sovereignty. This partnership model empowers European CSPs to compete effectively with global hyperscalers, providing European businesses with cloud services tailored to their specific needs. A Per-Core Subscription Model for Adaptability To offer our customers greater flexibility, Broadcom’s per-core subscription model provides a range of options in product offerings, subscription length, and payment terms. This model ensures that organizations large and small can access the solutions they need at a scale and price in line with their capacity and investment strategies. We heard positive feedback on this subscription model in Barcelona. This subscription-based approach reflects a broader industry trend toward flexible, cost-effective solutions that prioritize sovereignty, giving European customers the power to navigate the evolving digital landscape more confidently. Championing Data Sovereignty and Competitiveness For many European organizations, data sovereignty is a business imperative that fuels competitiveness. Our products empower European organizations to retain control over their data and build their digital futures while remaining in alignment with European regulatory frameworks. With more and more organizations planning to bring certain workloads back on-premises, Broadcom enables companies to adapt to these requirements through the VMware ecosystem. Our solutions simplify compliance, providing tools to manage data retention, control, and sovereignty within any preferred IT environment, which is especially crucial as organizations seek to scale and grow. Innovation and Growth for European SMEs and Scale-Ups Of course, organizations at varying stages of digital transformation. Our solutions are designed to support customers wherever they are in their journey. For Europe’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs), flexibility and scalability are critical to compete. Our scalable solutions provide affordable access to cloud infrastructure, allowing these businesses to expand at their own pace, unencumbered by restrictive pricing models. And we offer CSP partners all around the globe to assist. Meeting the Demand for Sovereign AI The rise of sovereign AI presents unique challenges, especially as organizations seek to balance data control with AI-driven innovation. We’re working closely with our strategic partners to introduce AI-powered services that respect data privacy and sovereignty. This collaboration empowers customers to harness the potential of AI within a framework that prioritizes regulatory and ethical considerations — an essential factor as organizations look to incorporate AI responsibly into their operations. Broadcom’s Commitment to a Sovereign, Competitive Cloud Future for Europe Our approach to sovereign cloud centers on delivering flexibility, control, and innovation for our customers and partners across Europe. By providing solutions that meet the specific needs of European organizations, whether they prefer to operate on-premises or in the cloud, we are helping them grow, compete, and navigate an increasingly digital and data-driven landscape. As demand for sovereign cloud solutions continues to grow, Broadcom will continue to ensure that European organizations have access to scalable, secure, and compliant cloud environments. We are proud to support our CSP partners as they compete with global hyperscalers, offering a truly European alternative that champions data control, regulatory compliance, and technological independence. Through our work, we are enabling Europe’s tech ecosystem to thrive as we support our customers’ ambitions in a rapidly changing world. To learn more visit us here. About Hock Tan Broadcom Hock Tan is Broadcom President, Chief Executive Officer and Director. He has held this position since March 2006. From September 2005 to January 2008, he served as chairman of the board of Integrated Device Technology. Prior to becoming chairman of IDT, Mr. Tan was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Integrated Circuit Systems from June 1999 to September 2005. Prior to ICS, Mr. Tan was Vice President of Finance with Commodore International from 1992 to 1994, and previously held senior management positions with PepsiCo and General Motors. Mr. Tan served as managing director of Pacven Investment, a venture capital fund in Singapore from 1988 to 1992, and served as managing director for Hume Industries in Malaysia from 1983 to 1988. source

Generative AI (genAI) continues to reshape how organizations use technology — including in digital commerce. For organizations selling online, this means reimagining internal operations and innovation as well as customer-facing initiatives. Forrester predicts that in 2025, one in five US and EMEA retailers will launch customer-facing genAI applications. GenAI also ranked in the top 10 investments for retailers and brands in 2024. To help our clients better understand genAI’s impact on commerce-related solutions, we launched a research series in which we ask vendors to outline how they’re currently bringing genAI applications into their live product. Following our initial analysis around B2C commerce and point of service, our third report focuses on the impact of genAI on commerce search, which includes feedback from 21 commerce/site search providers. Here’s a peek at what our research uncovered: Shopping assistants are the most common application for genAI in commerce search. Thirteen of the 21 vendors included a shopping assistant use case in their current solution offering or roadmap. These customer-facing assistants feel like a chat agent used for customer service. The shopping assistants respond to shopper questions with tailored recommendations, gift ideas, or product details. They refine their responses based on inputs from the shopper. Product data enrichment is a window of opportunity for genAI enhancements. GenAI is taking on the tediousness of generating comprehensive product descriptions that align with branding, language/locale, and data requirements, as well as optimizing product content for different audiences. Some solutions also leverage genAI to interpret product photos, generate attributes based on the images, and use the attributes to enrich the product data. There’s potential for a more sophisticated search experience. Some genAI use cases that are still in development include ways to further enhance the search experience for shoppers. GenAI will bring more relevant product and content recommendations as it learns to better perceive the intent of the shopper. It will also boost product data with more sophisticated tools that will interpret content from more sources. Check out the full report for all of our findings, plus insights about how to approach this cutting-edge tech. Curious to learn more? Let’s connect — schedule an inquiry or guidance session with us! source

為慶祝二十周年，千両將分階段推出多重推廣活動，先以廣受饕客歡迎的日本直送活蠔打開序幕—為「千両二十周年職人祭第一彈」，而第二彈和第三彈亦將於2025年上半年以不同主題推出，隆重呈獻更多驚喜美食體驗！ 第一彈於2月13日至4月2日期間日本活蠔最當造時期，限時於千両全線分店舉行，提供四款期間限定日本直送活蠔，並以職人調配的清酒凍讓蠔之鮮味進一步昇華，呈獻時令食材的極緻鮮味。 由2月13至26日期間，千両將從日本岩手縣嚴選「令和之怪物」活蠔供港；而由2月13日至4月2日，每週搜羅兵庫縣相生灣相生活蠔、瀨户內港武士活蠔以及高木活蠔，一連兩個月不同品種，每款活蠔均為最時令鮮美，推廣期内限量發售。 為體現極致「職人精神」，推廣期間更會以千両職人精心挑選的山和純米吟釀製成清酒凍，以火揮發酒精感，突出原材料的味道和香氣，最後點綴於活蠔上作為調味，讓旨味昇華。山和酒造店的伊藤先生曾到訪東松島蠔養殖場，使用全宮城縣岀身的酒米、酵母、設計師、水和生產商，釀造岀這款專為品蠔而設的米酒，完美呈現職人如何從心出發追求美味極緻。 LinkedIn Email Facebook Twitter WhatsApp source

Best overall: Square Best for highly customizable payment workflows: Stripe Best for tailored POS setups: Clover Best for interchange-plus pricing: Helcim Best for e-commerce businesses with in-person sales: Shopify Finding the right credit card payment app is crucial as the need for secure, scalable, and feature-rich payment solutions grows. With tools designed to streamline operations, improve customer experiences, and support diverse payment methods, these apps empower businesses to stay competitive in an increasingly digital business environment. Related: Best mobile credit card processing solutions Top credit card payment apps comparison The credit card payment apps below are my top picks based on pricing, app features, user experience, and my own hands-on testing and research. These apps are available for Apple and Android devices and offer ways to accept credit card payments. While some credit card processing apps only offer limited functionality, the top six apps all provide levels of scalability, whether in terms of volume processing, additional business tools, or bigger POS setups. Our rating (out of 5) Starting monthly cost Tap to Pay Transaction fee Integration options Square 4.46 $0 iPhone & Android 2.6% + $0.10 APIs, third-party integrations, Square App Marketplace Stripe 4.31 $0 iPhone & Android 2.7% + $0.05 APIs, extensive third-party integrations Clover 4.31 $14.95 iPhone only 2.6% + $0.10 APIs, App Market plugins Helcim 4.28 $0 iPhone only Interchange + 0.40% + $0.08 APIs, limited third-party integrations Shopify 4.18 $39 iPhone & Android APIs, Shopify App Store Square: Best overall Our rating: 4.46 out of 5 Image: Square Square is a leader in the credit card payment app space, offering a seamless blend of hardware, software, and payment processing that caters to businesses of all sizes. Its robust ecosystem includes everything from a free point-of-sale (POS) app to advanced tools for inventory management, team coordination, and customer engagement. What sets Square apart is its ease of use combined with powerful features, like Square Online for e-commerce and built-in integrations with accounting and marketing platforms. Unlike many competitors, Square doesn’t charge monthly fees for its core services, making it an ideal choice for businesses seeking affordability without compromising functionality or scalability. Why I chose Square When it comes to easy and affordable ways to accept credit card payments, Square is one of my go-to’s. There are no upfront costs to use the payment app, and its seamless integration of POS systems, payment processing, and ecommerce tools ensures you can handle both in-person and online transactions effortlessly. With support for Tap to Pay on both iPhone and Android, Square makes accepting contactless payments simpler than ever, eliminating the need for additional hardware in many cases. Although Square has paid add-ons, I think its free features are impressively robust. It covers essential needs, such as sales tracking, customer management, and inventory control. These free tools allow you to start small and scale as needed without a heavy upfront investment. Pricing App subscription — $0 per month. Account fee — $0 per month. Processing fees. In-person — 2.6% + $0.10. Online — 2.9% + $0.30. Manually entered — 3.5% + $0.15. Invoices — 3.3% + $0.30. Minimum cost for additional hardware — $0 (free magstripe reader) Features Free Square account includes POS, mobile app, invoicing, virtual terminal, and payment links for online transactions. Square supports Tap to Pay on both iOS and Android, allowing contactless payments without additional hardware. Includes a free mobile card reader with every signup; in-person transaction rates are transparent and competitive. Robust reporting, inventory management, and customer engagement tools are built into the app at no extra cost. Offers add-ons like payroll, marketing, and team management tools at affordable prices for growing businesses. Square credit card payment app home page. Image: Square Pros and cons Pros Cons Free features like POS, invoicing, and payment links. Free card reader and supports Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android. Intuitive and user-friendly app. High-volume businesses need to request custom rates. Limited customer support hours. Potential account holds. Stripe: Best for highly customizable payment workflows Our rating: 4.31 out of 5 Image: Stripe The Stripe Dashboard app is a powerhouse for businesses that require highly customizable payment workflows. Unlike many competitors, Stripe’s app empowers developers and tech-savvy businesses with robust APIs, enabling tailored payment experiences across various platforms. Its advanced features include real-time insights into payment activity, fraud detection tools, and streamlined management of subscriptions and invoices. What sets it apart is its unparalleled scalability—whether you’re processing a few transactions or managing global payment operations, Stripe adapts seamlessly. With support for over 135 currencies and payment methods, it’s an excellent choice for businesses with diverse customer bases or international ambitions. Related: Best international merchant accounts Why I chose Stripe For businesses that require flexible and customizable payment workflows, I think Stripe is an unbeatable choice. Its robust APIs and developer-friendly tools make it easy to design tailored payment solutions that integrate seamlessly with your existing systems. Whether you’re handling subscriptions, marketplace payments, or one-time transactions, Stripe’s flexibility ensures that your workflow aligns perfectly with your business needs. Plus, with support for Tap to Pay on both iOS and Android, Stripe simplifies contactless payments, reducing the need for additional hardware. While Stripe offers premium add-ons, its core features—like real-time payment tracking, advanced fraud detection, and multi-currency support—are highly valuable on their own. These tools enable businesses of all sizes to scale effortlessly, manage international transactions, and maintain control over their payment processes with minimal friction. Pricing App subscription — $0 per month. Account fee — $0 per month. Processing fees. In-person — 2.7% + $0.05. Online — 2.9% + $0.30. Manually entered — 3.4% + $0.30. Invoices — 3.1% + $0.05. Minimum cost for additional hardware — $59 (Stripe Reader M2) Features Highly customizable payment workflows through advanced APIs. Multi-currency support for seamless international transactions. Real-time payment tracking and analytics. Advanced fraud detection with machine learning tools. Options for subscription management and recurring billing. Integration with over 100 third-party apps and tools. Scalable infrastructure suitable for startups and enterprises.