From 2013 to 2023, the number of ICT specialists in the EU increased by 59.3% according to Eurostat. In that period, most of these tech workers were found in Germany, which provided employment for 21.5% of the EU’s ICT specialists—unsurprising when you consider the fact that the country is home to a myriad of high-tech companies and organisations such as SAP, Siemens, Bosch, and Audi. France had the second largest share at 13.8%, with Italy and Spain representing 9.9% and 9.6% respectively. While the demand for tech workers is increasing, this is happening in tandem with a worsening skills gap.…

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DeepSeek sent ripples through the global tech landscape this week as it soared above ChatGPT in Apple’s app store. The meteoric rise has shifted the dynamics of US-China tech competition, shocked global tech stock valuations, and reshaped the future direction of artificial intelligence (AI) development. Among the industry buzz created by DeepSeek’s rise to prominence, one question looms large: what does this mean for the strategy of the third leading global nation for AI development – the United Kingdom? The generative AI era was kickstarted by the release of ChatGPT on November 30 2022, when large language models (LLMs) entered…

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DeepSeek proves that Silicon Valley can’t monopolise AI innovation, according to a European AI entrepreneur. Muj Choudhury, the CEO and co-founder of British voice processing startup RocketPhone, welcomed DeepSeek’s rapid rise. He hopes the Chinese company signals a shift in the balance of AI power. “AI development has long been dominated by Silicon Valley’s powerful VC firms, which wield immense influence by pouring vast sums into the technology and shaping its trajectory,” he said. “In this landscape, an outsider like DeepSeek breaking through is not just impressive. It’s necessary. The industry needs challengers to drive real innovation and prevent AI’s future…

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Spanish tech star TravelPerk has raised a whopping $200mn and sealed the acquisition of expenses platform Yokoy. The investment values TravelPerk at $2.7bn — almost double last year’s $1.4bn valuation. The business travel giant said the funds would fuel further product development and expansion into the US. European VC firm Atomico led the Series E investment. Alongside the cash injection, TravelPerk announced the purchase of Yokoy, a Swiss startup that’s become a market leader in expense management. TravelPerk will now integrate Yokoy into one automated platform for travel and expenses. “Customers don’t have to compromise anymore,” said JC Taunay-Bucalo, TravelPerk’s…

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Swedish startup Adsorbi has secured €1mn to ramp up production of a cellulose-based material that sucks up pollutants from the air.  Metsä Spring, the venture arm of the Finnish forestry giant, led the funding round alongside Chalmers Ventures and Jovitech Invest. “We are planning to launch the pilot plant in June and we will be equipped to meet our customer demands while maintaining consistent quality,” Hanna Johansson, CEO of Adsorbi, told TNW via email. The facility will have an expected capacity of 100 tonnes per year. Johansson co-founded Adsorbi in 2022 alongside Christian Löfvendahl, Romain Bordes, and Kinga Grenda. The…

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