Despite a cautious VC climate and ongoing geopolitical jitters, European startups are still attracting serious cash.  Covering everything from AI drug discovery and space launches to quantum software and fusion energy, the continent’s startups raised €19bn in the first half of 2025, according to Dealroom data.  We’ve crunched the numbers so you don’t have to. Here are the 20 largest startup funding rounds for H1 2025. (Note: This list includes only startups founded in 2015 and later.)  1. Helsing — €600M HQ: Munich, Germany Helsing builds AI-powered software for defence systems, designed to help democratic governments respond to modern security threats.…This story continues at The Next Web

The EU AI Act is expected to introduce its key rules for general-purpose AI (GPAI) models on August 2. However, amid growing concerns that over-regulation could erode Europe’s competitiveness in artificial intelligence, calls to postpone the roll-out have intensified from some key stakeholders, including Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Bosch CEO Stefan Hartung, and the tech lobbying group CCIA Europe, whose members include Alphabet, Meta, and Apple. At TNW Conference in Amsterdam on June 20, Eoghan O’Neill, senior policy officer at the AI Office of the European Commission, addressed the potential delay of the roll-out. He clarified that the Commission…This story continues at The Next Web

The NATO Innovation Fund (NIF) has made its first investment in a biotechnology startup. The alliance’s VC arm announced today that it’s co-leading a $35mn Series A round for UK-based Portal Biotech as it seeks to strengthen NATO’s defences against biological warfare. Portal develops portable, AI-powered diagnostic devices capable of detecting pathogens at the single-molecule level. Unlike traditional lab-based systems, its platform is designed for field deployment. It aims to offer rapid, on-site identification of biological threats.  Ana Bernardo-Gancedo, senior associate at NATO Innovation Fund, told Reuters that this capability is crucial for defence and security. “We believe it is…This story continues at The Next Web

AI slop songs are flooding Spotify — and the latest hit is by an indie rock band called The Velvet Sundown. The track’s success has intensified the ongoing debate on whether or not music streaming sites should label AI-generated songs. The group has attracted 474,341 monthly listeners on Spotify in under a month. Its top track, “Dust on the Wind” — which sounds similar to the 1977 Kansas hit “Dust in the Wind”  — has been played over 380,0006 times since its release on June 20. The Velvet Sundown was first flagged as potentially AI-generated by Reddit users, who pointed…This story continues at The Next WebOr just read more coverage about: Spotify

The European Union has 24 official languages and dozens more unofficial ones spoken across the continent. If you add in the European countries outside the union, then that brings at least a dozen more into the mix. Add dialects, endangered languages, and languages brought by migrants to Europe, and you end up with hundreds of languages. One thing many of us in technology could agree on is that the US dominates — and that extends to online languages. There are many reasons for this, mostly due to American institutions, standards bodies, and companies defining how computers, their operating systems, and…This story continues at The Next Web

Switzerland pours more of its venture capital into deep tech than any other country, according to new data. The Swiss Deep Tech Report 2025 found that 60% of all Swiss venture funding between 2019 and 2025 went to deep tech — far surpassing any other nation. The capital represents a big bet on cutting-edge science developing into global businesses.   Startups in the sector pulled in $1.9bn in funding last year, up from $1.4bn in 2023, and are on track to hit $2.3bn in 2025. The report was produced by the Deep Tech Nation Switzerland Foundation, a non-profit backed by telecom…This story continues at The Next Web

A British-built manufacturing satellite successfully launched into orbit on its first test mission. Cardiff-based startup Space Forge launched the probe — called ForgeStar-1 — aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-14 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Tuesday. The launch marks the first time the UK has sent a spacecraft into orbit to produce new materials in the unique conditions of space, according to the startup.  Joshua Western, CEO and co-founder of Space Forge, hailed it as the start of a “new era” for materials science and industry.   “We’ve built and launched Britain’s first manufacturing satellite, and it’s alive in…This story continues at The Next Web

Helsinki has launched a pilot project to test e-scooters equipped with AI-powered sensors that monitor rider behaviour and flag safety risks in real time.  Backed by the European Union, the trial involves 40 shared e-scooters from Tier-Dott, one of Europe’s largest operators.  Each vehicle is fitted with sensors developed by UK-based See.Sense, which detect sudden braking, swerving, and vibrations that may signal road hazards. The data is then analysed and visualised through a mobility data platform developed by French startup Vianova. The pilot is coordinated by Forum Virium Helsinki, the city’s innovation agency, as part of the EU-funded ELABORATOR project.…This story continues at The Next Web

Norwegian software firm Visma has provisionally picked London for its IPO next year. It could mark a rare win for the UK’s troubled stock market — if Downing Street pulls through on its promised reforms.  British private equity firm Hg acquired a 70% stake in Visma in 2006 at a £380mn (€445mn) valuation. The company, which makes accounting, payroll, and HR software products, is now worth an estimated €19bn.  Visma previously considered listing in Amsterdam but has since turned its sights to the British capital, according to the Financial Times.  Its IPO would run counter to the recent trend of…This story continues at The Next Web

ASML’s former CEO believes Donald Trump’s reelection presents a golden opportunity for Europe. Peter Wennink, who led ASML to become the continent’s most valuable tech company, sees a chance for other businesses to thrive by embracing collaboration as the US shifts toward isolationism. “Mr Trump could be the best thing that ever happened to Europe… I think people have woken up,” Wennink said at TNW Conference on Friday. He now wants the continent to seize the moment by replicating a pillar of ASML’s success: open ecosystems. During over a decade as CEO, Wennink oversaw the company’s rise to a €250bn…This story continues at The Next Web