News

EDRi urges the European Commission to tackle manipulative design in the upcoming Digital Fairness Act, to protect users' fundamental rights. The organization calls for strong, binding rules to ban exploitative features and reinforce Europe’s digital rulebook.

Rotterdam-based Builders secured €3 million to fuel a new generation of enterprise AI companies. The venture studio plans to scale operations, expand across Europe, and increase its annual launch rate to up to ten companies.

French logistics software provider Shippingbo secures funding from Main Capital Partners to accelerate its growth. The cloud-based platform, serving 1,000 customers, aims for international expansion and will focus on its omnichannel logistics platform.

Formalize secured €30 million to expand its compliance software across Europe, helping businesses navigate complex regulations. The funding will fuel expansion into the DACH region and France, with new offices and team growth planned.

AI-powered image generation tools are now being used to create fake expense receipts, causing a surge in fraudulent claims. Reports indicate a 14% rise in fraudulent receipts since the launch of ChatGPT and Gemini.

Bunq, the Dutch challenger bank, enters the US market with a broker-dealer license, expanding its services to tech-savvy customers. The move allows Bunq, already serving 20 million users in Europe, to offer US stock trading, including ETFs, to American users.

European tech funding saw over €1. 3 billion invested in 70+ deals last week, led by Germany, the UK, and Sweden....

The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) urges organizations to act on AI literacy, publishing an updated guide. The guide details legal obligations and offers a practical action plan for organizations deploying AI systems.

AI is being used by companies to justify layoffs, claiming innovation and workflow optimization. A professor suggests that this is often a convenient excuse.

Apple threatens to disable its "App Tracking Transparency" feature in Europe, potentially impacting user privacy. A complex power struggle underlies this, involving data ownership, competition, and privacy regulations.

Brussels finds Meta and TikTok breached DSA transparency rules by failing to provide researchers with sufficient data access. This preliminary ruling indicates both platforms may face significant fines for non-compliance with the new regulations.

Civil society groups are protesting the appointment of Niamh Sweeney, a former Meta employee, as Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner. Over 40 NGOs, including Access Now and EDRi, signed an open letter voicing their concerns about the decision.

Aunoa, a Spanish AI company, secures €1. 5 million to scale its conversational AI agents across Europe....

Orange can simultaneously purchase 50% of Masorange and its share of Altice assets in France without affecting dividends. This marks a shift, as the market now accepts sector consolidation after years of regulatory taboo.

The EU Commission found TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook are not providing sufficient data access to researchers, with content reporting too difficult on the latter two. The EU is demanding improvements, or the platforms could face penalties under the Digital Services Act.

The European Commission found Meta in breach of the Digital Services Act (DSA) regarding content moderation, signaling a move towards enforcement. BEUC welcomes the initial steps, advocating for rigorous monitoring to protect consumers from unsafe and illegal content on platforms.

Cytely, a Swedish DeepTech startup, secured €3 million to expand its smart microscopy platform, transforming microscopes into real-time data engines. The platform dramatically cuts analysis time, as labs report 75% faster analysis using the innovative platform.

Lithuania's tech ecosystem is booming, with startups raising almost €600 million in 2024, despite the small population. The ecosystem's valuation has surged to over €16 billion, positioning Vilnius as the EU's fastest-growing tech city in 2025.

Brussels accuses Meta of inadequate complaint systems on Facebook and Instagram, potentially violating the Digital Services Act. The investigation follows concerns about Meta's handling of illegal content on its platforms.

Oxford-based QFX secured €2. 2 million in seed funding to develop modular hardware for quantum technologies....