Estonia, a small Baltic nation with a population of 1.4 million, has emerged as a leader in the rush to fund defence projects in response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. With heightened security concerns in the region, particularly among the Baltic states that share a border with Russia, Estonia has leveraged its thriving tech sector to fuel investment in defence technologies. The war has created an urgent need for innovation, prompting tech entrepreneurs such as Sten Tamkivi, a former Skype executive, to direct investment towards defence, European sovereignty, and security solutions.
Estonia’s role in supporting emerging defence companies is made possible by the country’s strong network of tech unicorns and wealthy entrepreneurs. With companies like Skype, TransferWise, and Bolt originating from Estonia, local tech executives have the financial resources to invest in critical military technologies. Moreover, Estonia’s proximity to Ukraine allows for rapid collaboration on the frontlines, testing new technologies such as AI-driven defence tools and drones. This has positioned the country as a central player in Europe’s defence tech landscape, with the number of defence-focused funding rounds in Eastern Europe growing sharply since the war began.
Across Central and Eastern Europe, the growing interest in defence tech is evident, with funds like Presto Ventures in Prague also tapping into the sector. The Czech Republic has launched initiatives to support small enterprises in defence, while Estonia has introduced a 100 million euro fund to support the development of its own defence tech ecosystem. Estonia’s longer-term goal is to reach 2 billion euros in defence tech revenue by 2030, focusing on disruptive, offensive technologies.
The region’s defence tech startups are benefiting from a shift in investor sentiment, with venture capital pouring into areas like AI, quantum computing, and cybersecurity. Despite initial doubts about the sector’s growth, the continuing conflict in Ukraine has ensured that defence technology remains a critical priority.
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Chinese universities have launched AI courses based on DeepSeek, a breakthrough AI startup from Hangzhou, which has gained significant attention for its advanced models, DeepSeek-V3 and DeepSeek-R1. These courses are part of a broader effort by Chinese authorities to boost scientific and technological innovation in higher education, aiming to create new growth sources for the economy.
Shenzhen University has introduced an AI course focused on DeepSeek, addressing key technologies as well as ethical and security issues. Similarly, Zhejiang University began offering DeepSeek-based courses in February, while Shanghai’s Jiao Tong University has incorporated DeepSeek to enhance its AI learning tools. Renmin University is applying the technology across various academic and research fields.
This educational push aligns with China’s new national plan to build a “strong education nation” by 2035, aiming to establish a world-class, accessible education system. Liang Wenfeng, founder of DeepSeek, recently attended a high-level meeting with President Xi Jinping and other tech industry leaders, further highlighting the significance of the startup’s contributions.
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Reddit users worldwide experienced disruptions on Thursday, with thousands reporting difficulties accessing the platform. According to NetBlocks, a global internet watchdog, the outage was not linked to any government-level restrictions. Reports on Downdetector spiked to around 56,000 at their peak, with many users taking to social media to express frustration.
Despite widespread complaints, Reddit’s official status page showed no recorded incidents, and the company has yet to provide an explanation. Some users reported that the platform worked fine for them, particularly those using older versions or alternative browsing methods.
By Thursday evening, reports of issues had significantly dropped, and services seemed to return to normal. While the outage was brief, it highlights the growing reliance on online platforms and the disruptions that even short technical failures can cause.
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Google is close to selecting locations for its first physical retail stores in India, marking its first such expansion outside the US. The company views India as a key market and has invested $10 billion in the country. Currently, Google operates only five retail stores, all in the US, selling Pixel phones, watches, and earbuds.
New Delhi and Mumbai are emerging as the most likely choices for the initial stores, with Bengaluru also considered. The planned outlets are expected to be around 15,000 square feet and may take at least six months to open. If successful, Google is likely to expand with more stores across the country.
By launching physical stores, Google aims to adopt a retail strategy similar to Apple’s, which has helped drive massive revenue growth over the past two decades.
Apple opened its first company-run stores in India in 2023 and currently dominates the country’s premium smartphone market. Google, which started manufacturing Pixel phones in India, is looking to strengthen its presence in this segment.
Before opening the stores, Google must navigate regulatory and compliance requirements. The company also faces legal challenges in India, including antitrust cases related to its in-app billing system and smart TV market practices. Despite these hurdles, Google remains committed to executing its retail expansion in India.
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Figure has introduced Helix, a new Vision-Language-Action (VLA) model designed to enhance the capabilities of humanoid robots in complex environments like homes.
The announcement follows the company’s decision to end its collaboration with OpenAI and highlights its growing focus on creating robots that can respond to natural language prompts and adapt to dynamic household settings.
Helix integrates visual data and language commands, enabling robots to understand tasks and execute them in real time. It demonstrates advanced object generalisation, allowing robots to handle thousands of unfamiliar household items simply through verbal instructions.
Designed to control multiple robots simultaneously, Helix can coordinate complex tasks, such as transferring items between robots and organising objects within a home.
While home robotics presents unique challenges due to unpredictable layouts and varying environments, Figure aims to overcome these hurdles through Helix’s adaptive learning capabilities.
By moving away from time-consuming manual programming, the company is working towards making humanoid robots more accessible and practical for domestic use. Although the project remains in its early stages, the Helix model represents a significant step towards bridging the gap between industrial robotics and home applications.
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Australia’s Federal Court has ruled that telecom giant Telstra misled customers about downgrading the upload speed of its broadband plans. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) initiated legal action in December 2022, accusing Telstra of downgrading the upload speeds for nearly 9,000 customers in 2020 without informing them or adjusting charges accordingly.
The ACCC argued that Telstra’s failure to notify customers deprived them of the chance to decide whether the altered service met their needs. The regulator is seeking penalties, compensation for affected customers, and other measures, with a final decision to be made by the court later.
Telstra expressed disappointment in the ruling but acknowledged the court’s decision. A spokesperson said the company would review the judgment before deciding on further steps.
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US energy regulators have ordered the country’s largest grid operator to clarify how it manages co-located data centres, a growing trend allowing facilities to connect directly to power plants.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) directed PJM Interconnection to explain why its current rules are sufficient or propose updates within 30 days.
Tech firms, facing long waits for electricity connections, see co-location as a faster alternative to accessing large amounts of power. However, FERC believes the lack of clear guidelines makes it difficult for companies to navigate the process effectively.
Commissioner David Rosner highlighted the urgency, citing PJM’s forecast of 30 gigawatts of added peak load within five years—equivalent to powering an entire city the size of Philadelphia.
Constellation Energy recently filed a complaint against PJM, arguing that unclear regulations have allowed utilities to block data centre projects at nuclear facilities.
FERC’s intervention aims to ensure fair and transparent policies as electricity demand continues to surge.
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Brazil‘s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has fined social media platform X, owned by Elon Musk, 8.1 million reais ($1.42 million) for failing to comply with judicial orders. The ruling, made public on Thursday, follows a legal case from 2023 where the court had instructed X to remove a profile spreading misinformation and provide the user’s registration data.
X’s failure to meet these demands resulted in a daily fine of 100,000 reais, and the company’s local legal representative faced potential criminal liability. The court order required the immediate payment of the fine, citing the platform’s noncompliance. X’s legal team in Brazil has not commented on the matter.
In 2024, X faced a month-long suspension in Brazil for not adhering to court orders related to hate speech moderation and for failing to designate a legal representative in the country, as mandated by law.
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OpenAI’s weekly active users exceeded 400 million in February, marking significant growth in AI adoption. The company had 300 million weekly users in December, and its paid business subscribers have more than doubled since September, surpassing 2 million.
Competition in the AI space remains intense, with China’s DeepSeek claiming its new model can rival or outperform Western alternatives at a lower cost.
Surging demand has led to service outages for the startup, while questions persist about its access to Nvidia’s H800 chips despite US export restrictions.
OpenAI also reported a sharp increase in developer traffic for its AI models, with usage of its latest o3 model rising fivefold since its January launch.
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Chinese tech stocks are experiencing a major surge, inspiring catchy nicknames as they rival the United States ‘Magnificent Seven’ tech giants. Driven by excitement around AI startup DeepSeek and perceived state backing following President Xi Jinping’s meeting with business leaders like Alibaba founder Jack Ma, the Hong Kong market has climbed significantly.
The Hang Seng index now ranks among the best-performing major markets this year, with leading firms stepping into the spotlight.
Brokerages have dubbed rising Chinese companies the ‘Seven Sisters,’ likely emerging from sectors like AI, chip-making, and high-end manufacturing. Companies such as Tencent, Alibaba, Xiaomi, and BYD are top contenders.
Another group, the ‘Terrific Ten,’ has also gained attention, with firms like JD.com, Geely, Baidu, and SMIC included, boosting the Hang Seng Tech index by nearly 70% over the past year—outpacing Nasdaq’s 27% gain.
The rivalry pits China‘s rising stars against the US ‘Magnificent Seven,’ a term coined by Bank of America, representing giants like Apple, Meta, and Nvidia.
Meanwhile, UBS has identified eight AI-driven Chinese stocks as the ‘VENUS Eight,’ and DeepSeek features among the ‘Little Dragon’ startups in Hangzhou, signalling China’s growing tech ambitions in the global market.
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