Swedish energy tech pioneer Flower has won TECH5 — the “Champions League of Technology.” The company clinched the title of Europe’s hottest scaleup after developing a novel way to store energy and stabilise the grid. Flower works with clients running battery storage systems — including EV fleets, home batteries, solar parks, and data centres — to push power back into the grid when demand spikes. The Stockholm-based business applies its software platform to portfolios of energy assets, uncovering insights that guide storage and management strategies. This improves predictability and flexibility for both energy producers and consumers. The result is a more balanced…

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Without water, the average human would die after about five days. Without energy, our society as we know it would collapse. But what about a world without AI? According to British business leaders, the consequences would be equally catastrophic. A new report by London-based software firm Endava, surveying 500 entrepreneurs, found that two-thirds of respondents rank AI as socially vital — on par with water and electricity. A whopping 93% of the respondents want industry and government to implement AI as fast as possible. Meanwhile, 84% of say they use AI as a “companion” or conversation partner at least once…

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A Swedish startup is taking defence tech back to basics — by building the country’s first TNT factory since the Cold War. Stockholm-based Swebal has secured a €3mn investment for the plant, slated to enter full operation in late 2027. Located in Nora, a town about three hours from the capital, the factory is expected to produce more than 4,000 tonnes of TNT a year. Investors in the facility include the co-founder of venture capital firm EQT, Thomas von Koch, serial entrepreneur Pär Svärdson, and Sweden’s former army chief, Major General Karl Engelbrektson.   Joakim Sjöblom, Swebal’s founder, said the…

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When founders dream of launching a startup under the Mediterranean sun, Barcelona and Madrid often come to mind first. But an increasing number of entrepreneurs are turning their gaze to Valencia — a city that’s building a vibrant, founder-friendly startup community. It’s not just about sunshine (though 300 days a year doesn’t hurt). It’s about momentum. Valencia’s startup scene is collaborative, affordable, and increasingly international. It’s big enough to see the benefits of accelerated growth — in 2024 the ecosystem experienced a 15.45% growth in the number of startups compared to 2023 — yet still retains a community vibe making…

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Munich-based defence tech startup Helsing has raised €600mn as geopolitical tensions trigger a flood of capital into AI warfare. The large investment was led by Spotify CEO Daniel Ek’s VC firm Prima Materia. It brings the company’s total raised to north of €1.3bn, building on a €450mn funding round in July last year.  Helsing didn’t disclose its updated valuation. However, according to the Financial Times, the unicorn company is now worth €12bn, making it one of Europe’s five most valuable private tech companies.  Prima Materia was one of Helsing’s earliest backers — a move that sparked boycotts among artists on…

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