Asked to name Europe’s financial technology hubs, you might take a while to reach Lithuania. But something special is happening in the Baltic state, and it’s backed by a startup ecosystem that…
All Hail the Unicorn Maker: Is SoftBank’s Vision Fund Good for Tech?
Masayoshi Son has always been a bit of a gambler. In 2000, during the first dot com bubble, the 59-year-old SoftBank founder lost a record $70 billion. Undeterred, he continued with his…
Big Corporations Have Made Switzerland the World’s Innovation Capital – Can it Become a Startup Hub Too?
To say Switzerland has a reputation for innovation would be an understatement. Since 2008 it has ranked first on the Global Innovation Index eight of nine times. It also has the highest…
Lyft Paints it Black with New Luxury Services
Ride-hail firm Lyft has added two high-end options to its service, as the company looks to muscle in on Uber’s luxury travel market. Lyft Lux and Lyft SUV will launch across five…
Rouhani’s Re-Election: A Victory for Moderate Iran, and its Entrepreneurs
It’s the economy, stupid. At least, that was the word on the streets of Tehran this Friday, as around 70% of Iran’s 80 million people elected their next President. The Middle Eastern…
SoftBank Tech Fund Becomes World’s Largest with $93bn War Chest
SoftBank has announced that it has raised $93 billion for a new tech investment fund, which will become the largest in history. The Japanese telecoms giant, currently valued at $78.6bn, raised capital for…
Macron’s Coup de Maitre: France and Technology
On his first day in office as newly-elected President, just after the swear-in ceremony, Emmanuel Macron will rediscover the place where he built his meteoric career. Five years ago Macron was just…
ELLIQ: Intuition Robotics Bridges Uncanny Valley To Cure Loneliness Epidemic
Ever found the increasing number of humanoid robots a little, well, creepy? You’re not alone. In fact, in 1970 professor Masahiro Mori coined a phrase for the unease we feel when a…
Ukraine’s Post-Maidan Tech Economy: A Confusing Web of Hope and Hardship
They call them the Aitishniki: the IT workers. They drive around in fancy cars, drink flat whites from cafés with English on the chalkboard and eat at flashy new restaurants. They can…
As Macron Marches to Victory, the Tech Industry Sighs with Relief
ast night, at 8pm local time, the media confirmed what polls had been telling us all day: Emmanuel Macron was heading to the Élysée Palace–and by a landslide. Thousands danced in the…