Dutch startup Eyeo has emerged from stealth with €15mn in funding to advance a breakthrough photonics technology for cameras that could radically disrupt the way we take images. Eyeo spun out last year from Belgium’s Imec, one of the world’s leading nanoelectronics centres. The startup’s waveguide colour-splitting technology — an optical technique that uses tiny structures to guide and separate light by wavelength — triples the light sensitivity of today’s best image sensors.  Eyeo’s sensors allow all sorts of cameras, from DSLRs to those in smartphones and virtual reality headsets, to capture brighter, clearer images, especially in low-light conditions. The…

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German drone maker Quantum Systems has raised €160mn at a valuation north of €1bn, becoming Europe’s latest defence tech unicorn.   Quantum Systems builds electric, AI-powered autonomous surveillance drones that are dual-use, meaning they can serve both military and civil purposes.   Defence forces can use the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to spy on enemies and gather intel. The drones can also be used by farmers to inspect their crops, by energy companies to check power lines, and by search and rescue teams to look for survivors.   Florian Seibel, co-CEO and co-founder of Quantum Systems, said the company was ready to become…

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US food delivery giant DoorDash has acquired British rival Deliveroo in a £2.9bn ($3.9bn) deal, ending the UK business’ rocky tenure as a public company.  The all-cash offer, priced at £1.80 ($2.40) per share, represents a 77% premium over Deliveroo’s recent trading price. However, the acquisition price is less than half its 2021 IPO valuation of £7.6bn. Deliveroo’s board unanimously backed the deal. CEO and co-founder Will Shu, who owns 6.4% of the company, is set to pocket £172mn.  The merger will expand DoorDash’s footprint in Europe, where it has lagged behind competitors like Uber Eats and Just Eat. Deliveroo’s…

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Latvian startup Origin Robotics today launched BLAZE, an autonomous interceptor drone designed to destroy enemy drones by ramming into them or blowing them up. BLAZE is deployable on the battlefield in less than a minute. It comes in a small briefcase which doubles as a launchpad and charging dock.  Powered by computer vision, BLAZE has been trained to spot the difference between different aircraft types and distinguish them from other objects, such as birds. It combines this system with traditional radar to track aerial targets with high precision.      Once it locks onto an enemy unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV),…

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Five standout scaleups from the Baltics have made it into TECH5 — the “Champions League of Technology.”  Representing Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia, the quintet will now challenge rivals from six other regions for the title of Europe’s hottest scaleup. To earn their place in TECH5, the Baltic contenders have already had to fend off stiff competition. For a combined population of just over six million, the region is the birthplace of a remarkable range of innovations, startups, and scaleups. Collectively, the three states are renowned for strong digital infrastructure, tech-savvy populations, global mindsets, and government policies that support innovation. Individually,…

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