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Our growing reliance on technology at home and in the workplace has raised the profile of e-waste. This is around 1,000 times more e-waste than was produced in 2023. This rising tide of e-waste, coupled with the limited lifetimes of hi-tech devices, could affect globalsustainability goals. However,less than 20%is formally recycled. Meeting these demands could require investments exceeding US$500 billion (395 billion) for data centre infrastructure. Theenvironmental impactsof e-waste are considerable....

Businesses are already being radically transformed byartificial intelligence(AI). In fact, generative AI could completely upend the traditional ways that we measure success inbusiness. Applications powered by data-driven algorithms enable users to quickly createhigh-quality content, redefining traditional measures of success. A small cafe can generate aesthetically pleasing menus in a few clicks through apps likeJasper.AI. Online retailers can use generative AI chatbots such asbotco.aito provide 24/7 support, answering queries and offering advice....

Across Europe, skills shortages are emerging as a key challenge. The rapid advancement of AI is adding more pressure. The report also found that in the medium term, Germany is heading for a shortage of skilled workers. 40% off TNW Conference! But on a micro, or personal level, software engineers and tech professionals have a lot of scope. These were followed by desktop or enterprise developers, and mobile and embedded applications....

Artificial intelligence(AI) makes important decisions that affect our everyday lives. These decisions are implemented by firms and institutions in the name of efficiency. The results have beenpublished in the journal Cognition. Examples of these efforts include theWhite Houses AI Bill of Rights, and theEuropean parliaments AI Act. These reflect a shared concern: people may feel wronged by AIs decisions. So how does experiencing unfairness from an AI system affect how people treat one another afterwards?...

Every year, millions of businesses are created around the world. While there is no magic formula, there are variables thatfounderscan hone in on when engaging with potential investors. Not because of making money of course thats a plus but because they actually care about solving that problem. In addition to said passion, the ability to sell is another key skill. Founders are constantly required to sell their ideas to investors, to clients and also to talent....

Ouras smart ring uses 20 biometric markers to track sleep, physical activity, and stress resilience. Founded in 2013,Ourasecured its first funding on Kickstarter, the crowdfunding site, in 2016. Counting this new tranche of capital, the tech startup has raised $550mn since inception. It’s free, every week, in your inbox. In 2022, Ourabecame a unicorn and sold its millionth ring. Oura said it signed partnerships with key retailers such as Amazon and Target this year....

For operators and passengers, the experience will be essentially the same. 40% off TNW Conference! Van Dartel and Sebastian Seemann both former Airbus and ZF engineers co-founded Vaeridion in 2021. Their vision was to build an electric plane to replace jet-fueled aircraft on regional flights. Preliminary tests put the range of the microliner at about 500km, said the company. In 2022, almost a third of flights in the EU covered this distance or less, according toEurocontrol....

Short-term rental platforms like Airbnb have transformed travel. Hostaway isa property management system (PMS) and software marketplace for the short-term rental industry. With this new strategic investment, well be doubling down on these efforts and much more. The company said it was the first PMS to integrate ChatGPT into its platform. 40% off TNW Conference! The platform also recently adopted dynamic pricing tools to optimise rates, potentially increasing revenue. Hostaway also raised $170mn last year in its first big funding round....

Its been a great year for the Dutchstartupecosystem. Venture capitalists have, so far, invested $3.5bninto Netherlands-based early-stage companies, according to Dealroom data. That makes 2024 Dutch techs second-bestfundingyear ever, surpassed only by 2021. The Netherlands stands to be Europes fourth best-funded ecosystem for 2024. Germany is second at $7.9bn, while France is coming in at a close third with $7.7bn. 40% off TNW Conference! 4.Mews $110mn Cha-ching! We have a new unicorn in the house....

In 2023, Dutch startups raised $2.2bn. And for some startups and scaleups, 2024 was truly a monumental year. 40% off TNW Conference! Peters was previously Chief Operating Officer at payment solution provider Marqeta, helping the company go public in 2021. Hotel management software providerMews hit a 1.1bn valuationafter a 101mn raise, led by Swedish investment company Kinnevik. The good news for Mews, founded in 2012 by former hotelier Richard Valter, did not stop there....

Microsoft probably needs no introduction. And how does one go about unlocking a founder like that? Its honestly just access, Yang says. Yang, however, is optimistic. The ecosystem has just had more time to develop. Story byLinnea Ahlgren Linnea is the senior editor at TNW, having joined in April 2023. Dabbles in gaming and fitness wearables. But first, coffee. Also tagged with

German entrepreneur Felix Starck co-founded the Baller League last year alongside former players Mats Hummels and Lukas Podolski. Thefounderswanted to change the way younger audiences engage, view, and interact with the worlds most popular sport. Thats just not how sport works any more. It needs to be exciting, and it needs to be authentic. Those are the two words that we always use at Baller League. It’s free, every week, in your inbox....

But Spot is far from the only robodog on the block. One of its competitors is ANYmal, an autonomous quadruped thats impressively good at everything from parkour toclimbing ladders. Apart from doing tricks, ANYmal also has a real job. It does routine inspections in some of the toughest places on Earth. Think oldnuclear power plants, abandoned mines, and offshore oil rigs. With its AI brain, it plans safe paths and knows where its been....