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2019
TIPS: Europe finally gets its own payment system
The European Central Bank is offering a payment system to compete with digital services and credit card companies. European start-ups could benefit from it.
Circular economy: still a long way to go
Recycling and refurbishment are still rare in Europe’s economies. Platforms like Refurbed offer a first contact to a more sustainable approach.
The perils of ranking
Global lists are a key source of information for students choosing a university. But how relevant are they to the learning experience?
2018
The battle for batteries
The European Commission wants to build a strong battery industry that can compete with Asia, but has it entered the game too late?
Three hot hubs in Eastern Europe
Krakow, Vilnius and Moscow have become centres for dynamic starts. What do they offer?
10 great African innovations
From fintech to health to the environment, clever inventions are improving the lives of millions of people.
Europe’s answer to GPS
When Galileo is fully functional in 2020, it will provide the most precise navigation ever, even at the North and South Poles.
Lagos, capital of fintech
Lagos recently hosted the African Fintech Summit for the first time. The Nigerian city has all the attributes needed to become a hotbed for African fintech.
Welcome to Silicon Savannah
Kenya is brimming with innovation, hoping to establish a truly circular economy.
MOOCs: The challenge of Africa
Online courses can broaden access to higher education. But to help African students get jobs they should be integrated with local universities.
Europe’s battle for more innovation impact
How can European countries become leaders of innovation? Two experts discuss the continent’s weaknesses and possibilities.
In the driver’s seat for high-speed trains
Even as concepts like Hyperloop emerge, European leadership is not in danger.
Unicorns: still on the margin
Lagging behind Germany, France has produced only three start-ups valued at more than $1 billion. But it is starting to catch up.
France leads a new revolution
Will the US and China dominate the development of AI? President Macron has ideas that can keep Europe in the game.
Asia: Europe stays in the game
As Chinese research increasingly dominates science, Danish universities have set up a centre in Beijing to foster exchanges.
2017
The return of French Tech
A new technophile President and the inauguration of the giant Station F incubator are providing France with the visibility it needs.
Leaders in cybersecurity
Europe is often at the forefront in the fields of digital safety, antivirus protection and encryption. Here are three examples.
“Encouraging impact thinking”
An expert in technological change discusses the EU’s research programme and identifies the next challenges for innovation in Europe.
”Only 2.5% scale up successfully”
After testing its business model, a start-up has to begin producing regular income. This is a tricky step, and few are successful.
Six lessons from the Start-up Nation
With its 2,000 new high-tech companies, Israel has become the Silicon Valley of the Middle East.
Welcome to Health Valley
Building on skills honed over the centuries, western Switzerland has become a world leader in biotech.
The european robotics industry fights back
Asia’s acquisition of two of the continent’s crown jewels came as a wake-up call. To stay competitive, Europe must innovate.
An entrepreneur searching for meaning
Determined to understand what internet users are thinking, Christian Henschel now manages one of Europe’s leading platforms in mobile intelligence.
From toys and cable to shoes
As CEO of Sarenza since 2007, Stéphane Treppoz has turned the online seller into a key style site in 28 countries.
Galileo puts Prague on the cosmic map
Long known for its scientific creativity and skilled workforce, the Czech capital is redefining itself as a hub for space technology.
Successful and resolutely European
Not every start-up wants to move to America. Here are four that have remained loyal to their home turf.
Europe sees the light
To reach their full potential, the most innovative European start-ups often have no choice but to let American giants buy them. But this is changing.
Keeping innovators at home
The European Commission turns its attention to four key aspects of the problem.
Where have all the start-ups gone?
America is all too attractive for Europe’s innovative technology, but there are ways to stop the haemorrhage.
Europeans who have returned
Home is not just where the heart is – increasingly, it’s also where you find the innovators, the money and the quality of life.
Architect of virtual worlds
Denmark’s Unity Technologies has revolutionised the video game industry. Its founder, David Helgason, describes how it happened.
Focus on Russia
Russia has produced an array of new tech companies since the late 2000s. But these start-ups remain virtually unknown outside the country’s borders.
The power of nudging
Gently swaying people to act differently is a trick long known to advertisers. Several initiatives have proven its benefits for implementation of private and public policy.
2016
The circular economy: a boost for growth
How Europe is shifting towards a more sustainable system by reusing, remanufacturing and recycling.
All Eyes on Sweden
Some of the most significant triumphs in online innovation, like Spotify and Skype, are Swedish creations.
Zoom on Spain
Spain has become a technological leader in fields from mapping to aeronautics to graphene production.
Searching for the future Galileos and Keplers
Will Europe ever be able to compete with Silicon Valley? The answer lies not only in our universities and research parks but also in our primary and secondary schools.
2015
Five estonians to watch
Inspired by Skype, ambitious entrepreneurs have the confidence to believe their dreams can come true
“We reach a young audience that no longer buys newspapers”
Marten Blankesteijn, co-founder of Blendle, the new Dutch start-up whose app is already being referred to as the iTunes of the press.
“Understanding the target is key”
David Becker, the co-founder of Swiss-based Zkipster, explains how his firm became a micro multinational with eight employees on three continents.