Good news from around Europe
Etched fields funding offers at $40B+ valuation, sources say Just a couple of months after its last big raise, the AI chip startup is already being plied with investment offers at double or more its current value, sources tell TechCrunch. Powered by WPeMatico https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/05/etched-fields-funding-offers-at-40b-valuation-sources-say/
OpenAI will start watermarking ChatGPT’s text in the EU OpenAI will watermark ChatGPT and Codex text in the EU to comply with the AI Act. Editing can make the invisible marks harder to detect, it says. Powered by WPeMatico https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/05/openai-will-start-watermarking-chatgpts-text-in-the-eu/
Lucid Motors’ EV output falls to lowest level in almost 2 years The company is deliberately limiting production after years of struggling to find mass-market demand for its EVs. Powered by WPeMatico https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/05/lucid-motors-ev-output-falls-to-lowest-level-in-almost-two-years/
Why a $100m Series B startup decided to test the LSE’s new private market Powered by WPeMatico https://sifted.eu/articles/veremark-pisces/
After Factory’s public spat with Khosla, Menlo proudly invests Days after Vinod Khosla called Factory a struggling also-ran, Menlo has shown up with a check and a glowing blog post. Powered by WPeMatico https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/05/after-factorys-public-spat-with-khosla-menlo-proudly-invests/
Reflection debuts Beam, an open-weight AI model to rival Chinese models at lower compute cost Reflection is aiming Beam and future models at enterprises and sovereign nations. The pitch is to build “AI factories,” a product that would let institutions build their own customized, local AI system by training Reflection’s
Germany funds tens of thousands of interceptor drones as Quantum Systems scales in Ukraine German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz has announced financing for several tens of thousands of Quantum Systems interceptor drones for Ukraine as part of Germany’s military aid package for the winter of 2026/2027. Quantum Systems is an
ARX Robotics and Roboneers step up UGV collaboration for Ukraine’s battlefield German defencetech ARX Robotics has agreed to an intensive collaboration with Ukrainian defencetech company Roboneers by establishing a strategic partnership for unmanned land warfare. Both parties signed a corresponding agreement in Kyiv over the weekend, in the presence of
TechCrunch Mobility: Reining in robotaxis Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your hub for the future of transportation and now, more than ever, the role AI is playing in it. Powered by WPeMatico https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/04/techcrunch-mobility-reining-in-robotaxis/
Can ‘super intelligence’ and a non-binding safety pact solve AI’s image problem? On Equity, we discussed the Trump administration’s attempts to rebrand AI. Powered by WPeMatico https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/04/can-super-intelligence-and-a-non-binding-safety-pact-solve-ais-image-problem/