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Hollywood is infamous for celebrity excess, but Tinseltown strictly controls one scandalous indulgence: swearing. Director Scott Mann encountered these constraints after shooting the thriller Fall. Movie giant Lionsgate — best-known for the John Wick, Saw, and Hunger Games franchises — wanted to release the film in the US. But the studio had big problems. Thirty-six of them, to be precise. “They...
In the 1977 Star Wars film A New Hope, there’s an iconic scene where the beloved droid R2-D2 casts a beam of light to create a hologram of Princess Leia pleading for the help of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Sadly, almost 50 years on, we’re not much closer to the true holograms science fiction promised us, let alone the teleportation devices and flying cars. Yes, we have AR and VR headsets like Microsoft’s...
Our growing reliance on technology at home and in the workplace has raised the profile of e-waste. This consists of discarded electrical devices including laptops, smartphones, televisions, computer servers, washing machines, medical equipment, games consoles and much more. The amount of e-waste produced this decade could reach as much as 5 million metric tonnes, according to recent research...
Businesses are already being radically transformed by artificial intelligence (AI). Tools now exist that offer instantaneous, high-quality results in improving certain operations without the burden of high costs or delays. In fact, generative AI could completely upend the traditional ways that we measure success in business. Generative AI refers to programs that produce high-quality text, images...
Artificial intelligence (AI) makes important decisions that affect our everyday lives. These decisions are implemented by firms and institutions in the name of efficiency. They can help determine who gets into college, who lands a job, who receives medical treatment and who qualifies for government assistance. As AI takes on these roles, there is a growing risk of unfair decisions – or the...
Across Europe, skills shortages are emerging as a key challenge. The Council of the European Union says this is driven by demographic change, demand for new skillsets, and poor working conditions in some sectors. Adding to that, a recent report highlighted that around 42% of Europeans lack basic digital skills, including 37% of those in the workforce. The rapid advancement of AI is adding more...
Every year, millions of businesses are created around the world. In order for these big ideas to turn into successful startups, most of them will inevitably come up against the challenges of fundraising. While there is no magic formula, there are variables that founders can hone in on when engaging with potential investors. TNW sat down with San Francisco-based VC Plug and Play early-stage...
Finnish startup Oura has closed its Series D funding round at $200mn, bringing the smart ring maker’s valuation to a cosy $5.2bn. Oura’s smart ring uses 20 biometric markers to track sleep, physical activity, and stress resilience. The device displays this data on an app that gives you a personalised “readiness” score. We tested the wearable earlier this year and were genuinely impressed. ...
Munich-based startup Vaeridion has secured €14mn to develop an electric aircraft that it hopes will whisk passengers on short-haul routes around Europe by 2030. “The microliner looks like a regular plane and it takes off from a runway — the only difference is that it will be powered by batteries,” Vaeridion’s co-founder and CEO, Ivor van Dartel, told TNW in an interview last month. “For...
Short-term rental platforms like Airbnb have transformed travel. They’ve made it easier for tourists to access personalised, private accommodations and for property owners to monetise their spaces. With global tourism now on track for a full recovery post-COVID, Hostaway has secured a cool $365mn at a $925mn valuation as it looks to cash-in on the boom in short-term rentals. Hostaway is a...