The Dutch government plans to cut bureaucracy and increase investment in artificial intelligence to help the country’s tech startups thrive, Prime Minister Dick Schoof announced. His comments follow a report by TechLeap, which revealed a sharp decline in small firms securing significant funding. Despite a 47% increase in venture capital investment in 2024, the number of Dutch startups receiving more than €100,000 fell dramatically, with most funding coming from foreign investors.
Schoof, speaking at TechLeap’s annual event in The Hague, stressed the urgency of creating a business-friendly environment to attract venture capital. He warned that Europe risks being left behind by the US and China if immediate action is not taken. Eindhoven, home to chip giant ASML, has been a key driver of the Dutch economy, but the slowdown in startup growth raises concerns about long-term innovation.
Two Dutch firms, hotel software developer Mews and AI-powered auditing company DataSnipper, achieved unicorn status last year, but industry leaders remain cautious. With the government now vowing to intervene, the hope is that streamlined regulations and targeted investments will help revive the country’s startup ecosystem.
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France has positioned itself as a major player in artificial intelligence, attracting over €100 billion in investment, thanks in part to its reliable nuclear energy. At the AI Action Summit in Paris, President Emmanuel Macron highlighted the country’s clean power supply as a key advantage in luring tech firms. Among recent investments is a $10 billion supercomputer project by UK-based Fluidstack, expected to require 1 gigawatt of electricity, equivalent to one of France’s smaller nuclear reactors.
However, experts warn that delays in connecting power-hungry data centres to the grid could hinder progress. While data centres can be built in under a year, constructing the necessary transmission lines often takes five years due to permitting and public consultation requirements. The United States is seen as having a clear advantage in fast-tracking infrastructure development.
In response, state-owned utility EDF has designated four sites with pre-existing grid connections, potentially cutting project timelines by several years. While these efforts may help, the challenge of scaling infrastructure remains a significant obstacle to France’s AI ambitions.
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Microsoft has deepened its commitment to clean energy by securing a long-term virtual power purchase agreement with EDP Renewables North America. As part of the deal, three large-scale solar projects in the United States will supply Microsoft with 389 megawatts of electricity and renewable energy credits. The agreement aligns with the tech giant’s push to power its expanding AI-driven data centres with sustainable energy sources.
The projects, located in Illinois and Texas, began operations between November and December last year. This includes a 140 MW solar installation in Jacksonville, a 110 MW site near Jerseyville, and a 150 MW park near Austin. EDP Renewables confirmed that this latest agreement brings its total number of operational projects with Microsoft in the US to five.
Big technology firms have significantly ramped up investments in renewable energy as they seek to offset the soaring electricity demand of AI infrastructure. Microsoft’s partnership with EDP Renewables marks another step towards the company’s sustainability targets, reinforcing its ambition to run entirely on renewable energy in the near future.
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Google has entered into a significant deal to buy carbon credits from an Indian project that turns agricultural waste into biochar, a form of charcoal that removes carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and stores it in the soil. This partnership with Indian supplier Varaha is one of the largest of its kind and marks Google’s first venture into India’s carbon dioxide removal (CDR) sector. The tech giant plans to purchase 100,000 tons of carbon credits from the initiative through 2030, as part of its broader strategy to offset emissions.
Biochar, which can sequester CO2 for centuries, is seen as a promising, cost-effective solution for carbon removal, offering immediate scalability using existing technologies. Varaha will use waste from hundreds of smallholder farms in India to produce the biochar, which will also be distributed to farmers as an alternative to fertilisers. The project has the potential to store millions of tons of CO2 annually, with Varaha’s CEO, Madhur Jain, noting that India’s agricultural waste could generate enough biochar to store over 100 million tons of CO2 each year.
While carbon dioxide removal efforts like biochar are gaining traction, some experts caution that such solutions should not replace direct emissions cuts. There are also concerns about the long-term permanence of CO2 storage through biochar. However, Jain emphasised the urgent need to address global warming, stating that even temporary reductions in CO2 are critical in the fight against climate change. As the CDR market expands, it remains a key tool for companies like Google seeking to offset their environmental impact.
Starting 28 December 2024, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, and other electronic devices sold in the European Union must have a USB-C charging port. This new rule aims to reduce electronic waste, simplify device use, and cut costs for consumers, who will no longer need to buy a new charger with each new device.
The European Commission’s decision to adopt a common charging standard comes after years of disagreements with tech giants, particularly Apple, which initially opposed the move. While most manufacturers had already adopted USB-C, Apple continued to use its proprietary Lightning port until late 2023. The new law, first approved in 2022, gives laptop makers until 2026 to comply.
Starting today, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, speakers, keyboards and many other electronics sold in the EU will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C charging port.
With the standardisation of charging ports, the EU expects to save consumers at least 200 million euros annually and reduce electronic waste by over a thousand tonnes annually. The shift to USB-C, which supports faster charging and higher data transfer speeds, is seen as a step toward more efficient and sustainable tech consumption.
Overall, the EU’s new rules are designed to make life easier for consumers by eliminating the need for multiple chargers and benefiting the environment by reducing waste.
Starting Saturday, all small- and medium-sized portable electronic devices sold in the EU must use USB-C ports for charging, a move aimed at reducing waste and increasing convenience for consumers. Devices like smartphones, tablets, cameras, and headphones will now share a standardised charger, eliminating the need for multiple charging cables.
The new rule follows a 2022 vote by the European Parliament and member states to phase out alternative charging methods. Consumers can also choose to opt out of receiving a charger with new devices, further cutting down on waste. Laptop manufacturers will be required to comply with similar standards starting April 28, 2026.
Anna Cavazzini, chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, hailed the change as a victory for sustainability and cost savings. The measure is expected to save EU households €250 million annually and significantly reduce the waste generated by discarded chargers. The Parliament has pledged to closely monitor manufacturers as they implement the new rules.
Major firms including Google, Stripe, and Shopify have pledged $80 million to support innovative carbon capture technologies, targeting emissions from paper mills and sewage plants in the US. This investment is part of the Frontier coalition’s strategy to develop cost-effective solutions for reducing atmospheric carbon.
Two start-ups, CO280 and CREW, will benefit from the funding. CO280 plans to deploy carbon capture technology adapted from the oil industry to trap emissions from paper mills. Meanwhile, CREW will enhance wastewater treatment processes with limestone to absorb carbon dioxide, leveraging rocks’ natural CO2-attracting properties.
The coalition’s aim is to drive down the cost of carbon removal to $100 per metric ton in the US, a significant reduction from current prices. Frontier’s head of deployment, Hannah Bebbington, highlighted the potential to integrate these technologies into older industries, paving the way for large-scale, affordable carbon removal in the near future.
The US Commerce Department has finalised $406 million in grants to Taiwan’s GlobalWafers to boost silicon wafer production in Texas and Missouri. These funds will support the first large-scale US production of 300-mm wafers, critical components in advanced semiconductors. This initiative is part of the Biden administration’s effort to strengthen the domestic supply chain for chips.
The grant will aid GlobalWafers’ nearly $4 billion investment in building new manufacturing facilities, creating 1,700 construction jobs and 880 permanent manufacturing positions. The company plans to produce wafers for cutting-edge, mature-node, and memory chips in Sherman, Texas, and wafers for defence and aerospace chips in St. Peters, Missouri.
GlobalWafers’ CEO Doris Hsu expressed enthusiasm about collaborating with US-based customers for years to come. Currently, over 80% of the global 300-mm silicon wafer market is controlled by just five companies, with most production concentrated in East Asia.
This funding is part of the $52.7 billion CHIPS and Science Act, aimed at expanding domestic semiconductor manufacturing. Recent grants include $6.165 billion for Micron Technology and significant subsidies for Intel, TSMC, and GlobalFoundries.
Türkiye ranks as the 17th largest producer of electronic waste globally but grapples with a notably low e-waste recycling rate of just 10 percent. This shortfall results in an annual economic loss of approximately 1 billion euros from the 700,000 tons of e-waste generated yearly.
Ali Rıza Öner, head of a waste-to-energy association, emphasised the need to integrate e-waste into the country’s economy for economic and environmental benefits. Highlighting efficiency, Öner noted that while one kilogram of iron requires processing 200 kilograms of rock, the same amount can be extracted from just two kilograms of electronic waste, indicating potential resource savings through improved recycling practices.
The primary sources of e-waste in Türkiye include small household devices such as toasters and vacuum cleaners, which comprise 37 percent of the total e-waste. Major household goods account for 20 percent, heaters contribute 17 percent, while laptops, computers, and notebooks comprise 15 percent. Mobile phones and lighting products contribute 9 percent and 2 percent, respectively.
That categorisation suggests that targeted recycling initiatives could significantly improve e-waste management in Türkiye. Öner also warned of the cybersecurity risks posed by abandoned technological waste, citing the importance of secure disposal methods to prevent data breaches, as evidenced during Israel’s recent attacks on Lebanon.
Why does it matter?
The slow rate of e-waste recycling underscores the urgency of improving Türkiye’s e-waste recycling practices, addressing economic losses, resource recovery efficiency, cybersecurity risks, and environmental hazards.
The Indian government plans to follow the European Union’s lead and make USB-C the standard charging port for smartphones and tablets starting in June 2025. All new smartphones and tablets sold in India must have USB-C charging ports once the policy takes effect. India had previously indicated its intention to introduce similar regulations following the EU’s decision, with the original deadline set for March 2025.
The implementation of the EU law is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. Its main goal is to enhance user convenience and decrease electronic waste by eliminating various charger requirements. For instance, Apple has adhered to this regulation by transitioning from its exclusive Lightning connector to USB-C for its iPhone 15 devices.
India has implemented new regulations to simplify charging solutions, minimise electronic waste, and align with global standards, mirroring the legislative actions previously undertaken by the EU. According to a report by Mint, these regulations initially encompass smartphones and tablets, with plans to include laptops by 2026 while excluding basic phones and wearables.
