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Amsterdam-based Mews, a cloud-based property management system (PMS) for the hospitality industry, has become the latest Dutch unicorn. In a fresh funding round, the startup — which is also a TNW community member — achieved unicorn status after raising $110mn (€101mn) at a valuation of $1.2bn (€1.1bn). Mews was founded in 2012 by Richard Valtr, an ex-hotelier on a mission to accelerate the...
The excitement of auto racing comes from split-second decisions and daring passes by fearless drivers. Imagine that scene, but without the driver — the car alone, guided by the invisible hand of artificial intelligence. Can the rush of racing unfold without a driver steering the course? It turns out that it can. Enter autonomous racing, a field that’s not just about high-speed competition but...
Historically, women’s health has taken a back seat to men’s — leaving a persistent gender gap in data, research, and clinical trials. A wave of femtech innovators may finally bring balance. Among them is Elina Berglund, co-founder and CEO of Natural Cycles, the world’s leading birth-control app. “We need more companies focusing solely on women’s health and women’s issues because that’s what is...
Lithium-ion batteries have transformed everything from consumer electronics to electric vehicles and energy storage. But to power the next wave of tech — from planes to smartphones — they need to get denser. One option is to replace the graphite anodes within them with silicon ones. Silicon anodes can store 10 times the amount of lithium ions that graphite can and they take up a lot less space....
A former British security chief has reignited the perennial ransomware question: to pay or not to pay? Ciaran Martin, who was the first-ever CEO of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), answered emphatically in the negative. Yet Martin doesn’t only advise victims to hold onto their cash. He also wants to ban them from handing over the ransom. Writing in today’s London Times, Martin...
The EU has fined Apple €1.8bn for stifling music streaming rivals — the first penalty that the bloc has imposed on the tech giant. Antitrust regulators intervened following a complaint made by Spotify back in 2019. The Swedish streaming giant argued that Apple’s App Store rules harmed consumer choice and broke competition law. After a lengthy investigation, the EU took Spotify’s side. Brussels...
The role of an ethics committee is to give advice on what should be done in often contentious situations. They are used in medicine, research, business, law and a variety of other areas. The word “ethics” relates to the moral principles governing human behaviour. The task for ethics committees can be quite tricky given the wide range of moral, political, philosophical, cultural and religious...
Seven European organisations have teamed up to build a prototype ocean energy device that could power tropical islands with virtually limitless, consistent, renewable energy. The technology is called Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC). It generates electricity by harnessing the temperature difference between sun-warmed surface water and the cold depths of the ocean. OTEC systems transfer...
Is AI a panacea or a Pandora’s box? It’s a question that divides the British government. Ask the deputy prime minister, Oliver Dowden, and he’ll fill your ears with promises about a glorious future. AI is a “game-changer” that can “revolutionise public services,” Dowden gushed yesterday. Healthcare, education, and crime prevention are all prime targets for the technological transformation — and...
Walking is the simplest form of exercise, but it has enormous benefits. As our lifestyles become ever more sedentary, doctors are increasingly prescribing walks to address medical conditions and our general wellbeing. But how can patients stay motivated to keep it up? And how can doctors keep track of their progress? That’s where Lithuanian startup Walk15 comes in. Founded in 2019, Walk15 is on a...