7 October 2025: The EU's renewed AI strategy; EIT gives out €1bn amid unstable future; defense tech sector continues to heat up; and much more

Welcome to the bi-weekly “Inside European Deep Tech” newsletter, compiled by Robin Wauters, founder of boutique communications agency Profoundo, COO and board member of the European Startup Network, co-driver at EU–INC and formerly founding editor and CEO of Tech.eu.

There are more than 75,000 subscribers to this newsletter; I invite each and every one of you to provide feedback so I can upgrade it over time. 💪🏻

Periodic reminder that I'm always up for a chat about how to upscale your communication and media strategy, so do hit me up if you want to have a conversation.

Must-reads

• EU pushes new AI strategy to reduce tech reliance on US and China

• The AI Threat to Europe's Most Valuable Software Company

• Europe's New Industrial Challenge

• Billions gone: No funds for EIT under new European Union budget

• "Investors are ditching climate tech for AI hype, says CEO: Founders are 'pissed off’ "

• EU Competitiveness Fund will not finance research activities

• "AI and Europe’s quest for a $1tn company"

• 'Busier than I’ve ever seen it’: VCs pile into companies squeezing every inch of performance out of compute

• Why private investors are pouring billions into Europe's defense tech sector

• EIT governing board approves €978M for European innovation and skills

• German government pledges more than €2 bln for nuclear fusion

Insights: data, research, interviews and profiles

• Where is the EIC Fund investing?

• "The State of Defence Tech 2025" report by Dealroom

• Emerging High-Growth Tech Sectors in Europe in Q3 2025: Under-the-Radar Innovators Poised for Breakout Momentum

• "The 46 most promising impact startups in Europe, according to investors"

• EUVC interview with Stephan Wirries, Ventech: "Announcing Fund VI: €175M for AI, Industrial Software & Europe’s Sovereignty"

• A record number of proposals submitted for the EIC Transition call

• Europe’s fastest-growing defence startup teams in 2025

• "🚀 Launching “Venture & growth capital in Europe” report. 🔗 Pension funds, hear us out!"

• From lab to London Stock Exchange: six lessons for quantum tech founders who want to change the world

• Five tips for succeeding in deep tech

Opinions worth reading

• Bpifrance Chief Warns U.S. And China Are Outpacing Europe in Quantum and Deep Tech

• Deep tech can become a driver of growth for Germany

• From alps to algorithms: Why Asia must wake up to Switzerland’s Deep Tech Surge

• Auditors urge greater links between regional and EU innovation strategies

• Welcome to the era of greenhushing: the perfect time to invest?

• Deep tech requires 40% more capital - and a product mindset

Major European deep tech startup and scale-up news

• AI infrastucture provider Nscale secures $1.1bn in Series B funding; and then closes a $433M round right after

• Milan's Domyn eyes €1B raise to build Europe’s AI gigafactories

• German AI start-up Black Forest Labs in funding talks at $4 billion valuation

• Einride Valuation Tops $1 Billion as Truck Startup Raises Funds

• Swiss robotics developer ANYbotics raises over €127 million for its four-legged workforce

• Auterion Raises $130 Million, Aims to Be Microsoft for Drones

• EV charging startup Waat raises €100m, bucking climate tech downturn

• Amsterdam-based HyET Solaris secures €60M to build flexible solar foil plant in the Netherlands

• Cornish Lithium raises £35m equity funding to advance UK lithium and geothermal projects

Major European deep tech investor news

• Verdane Raises €2 Billion for Latest European Growth Fund

• Former Sequoia Partner Seeks to Reinvent VC With $400 Million Evantic Capital

• Supernova Invest launches a new €300 million late-stage deep tech fund

• Amsterdam’s FORWARD.one launches €200M Fund III to fuel Europe’s industrial tech startups

• Paris-based Serena raises €200 million to back applied AI and energy transition

• Denmark launches the world’s largest quantum fund (55 North, €130 million first close)

• C4 Ventures launches €100M Fund III to back Europe’s next generation of AI and Deep Tech leaders

• Verne Capital Unveils €100M Fund Devoted to European Defence

• Expeditions II raises €100M to fund deep-tech security and defence startups

• Oliver Kicks: "I’m beyond excited to announce the launch of Concept Ventures Fund II, our new $88m fund dedicated solely to Pre-Seed"

• UK-based Creator Fund raises $41M to back Europe’s deep tech PhD founders

In other links

• ‘Virtual shares’ build trust for university spin-outs

• Commission considers ‘lottery’ awards for Horizon Europe

• EPIC-X: Excelling deep tech through place-based innovation and connected ecosystems for women-led startups

• Start-ups in Widening countries struggle to access finance

• Finland to launch campaign to lure deep-tech talents from abroad

• Einride breaks barriers with world’s first cabless autonomous border crossing

• Imperial engineers honoured by Royal Academy

• The NATO Innovation Fund Doubles Down on Industrial Growth and Innovation Leadership

• Breaking the Technical Validation Loop: How Deep Tech Founders Turn Endless POCs Into Actual Revenue

• Builder.ai founder Sachin Dev Duggal plots new AI startup

• Defense Tech Valley 2025: The Frontline of Defense Innovation

• New CEO for nanotechnology centre imec

• King's Hosts Dialogue On UK's Deep-tech AI Sector

• EXCLUSIVE: The Commission’s plans for a 'virtual' AI science institute

• Venture Vibe Deep Tech Summit Brought Together Over 300 Innovators in Berlin

• A solid infrastructure and some moonshots to fire Dutch innovation

• "Investors don’t understand AI, says founder of OpenAI safety adviser"

• EIC: "Deep-tech startups in widening countries — this one’s for you!"

• Amazon hires Lukasik for VC investment role -

• "Global Impact: LBS Incubator 2025 ventures in health, AI, housing & education"

Upcoming events in Europe for your calendar

• 8-9 October - World Summit AI - Amsterdam, The Netherlands 🇳🇱

• 8-9 October - Sifted Summit - London, UK 🇬🇧

• 14-15 October - SaaStock Europe - Dublin, Ireland 🇮🇪

• 20-24 October - Oslo Innovation Week - Oslo, Norway 🇳🇴

• 22-23 October - VDS - Valencia, Spain 🇪🇸

• 27-29 October - Deep Tech CEE summit - Warsaw, Poland 🇵🇱

The scrolled-all-the-way-down extra(s)

• AI is killing the web. Can anything save it?

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