Air taxi firm raises $110M, plans to launch commercial service in 2026

Apr17
by on April 17, 2024 at 9:27 am
Posted In: Insider


A British drone maker plans to launch air taxis in 2026 after raising a whopping $110mn. Skyports has already flown electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft on delivery and monitoring trials. The new funding brings commercial air taxis closer to the services on offer. The first flights are slated to take off in the United Arab Emirates. Earlier this year, Skyports inked a deal with authorities in Dubai to build four vertiports ahead of the launch of air taxi services in 2026.  Skyports intends to then bring air taxis into other markets. The company is currently developing the UK’s first…

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Climate tech heavyweights EQT, Contrarian launch investment ‘playbook’

Apr16
by on April 16, 2024 at 7:00 am
Posted In: Uncategorized


More than 50 European VCs and startups have joined forces to launch Climate Brick — a new community designed to fast-track investment in green technologies.  Climate Brick launched today along with what its founders claim to be one of the most comprehensive climate tech studies ever conducted. The report, featuring interviews with 100 climate experts and 3,000 companies, offers a roadmap for climate tech startups looking to scale.  “We really needed a common vocabulary and playbook for climate tech, and now with Climate Brick — we have it,” said Rokas Peciulaitis, partner at Contrarian Ventures and one of Climate Brick’s…

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Digital displays and the end of the ‘screen age’

Apr15
by on April 15, 2024 at 10:20 am
Posted In: Uncategorized


While it’s commonly said we live in the information era, I like calling it something else: the screen age. Over the past seventy years, we’ve seen displays seep into almost every aspect of our lives. We had televisions arrive in our homes, reshaping news and entertainment. Hot on their heels came smartphones, which changed communication and how we interact with the world at large. This tech altered the globe in ways we continue to grapple with, but it still doesn’t tell the full story of digital displays. Alongside these epoch-defining examples, there are a myriad of smaller ways screens have…

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New hope for VanMoof as troubled ebike maker resumes sales

Apr12
by on April 12, 2024 at 3:04 pm
Posted In: Uncategorized


Dutch ebike maker VanMoof has begun selling ebikes on its own website once more, following an almost year-long hiatus after it went bankrupt in July last year.   The models on offer are refreshed versions of the S5 and A5, which were first released in 2022. Although the upgraded ebikes look exactly the same, they’ve been re-engineered in almost every aspect, says the company’s co-CEO Eliott Wertheimer. While this is just the beginning of VanMoof’s lengthy relaunch, the ability to sell bikes directly once more “represents an enormous milestone for us as a company,” Wertheimer told TNW. Before declaring bankruptcy, VanMoof…

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Why enhanced rock weathering promises carbon-capturing fields of dreams

Apr12
by on April 12, 2024 at 11:43 am
Posted In: Uncategorized


A weird technology has emerged as a leader in the quest for net zero. But this form of carbon capture, called Enhanced Rock Weathering (or ERW for short), still requires innovation — and government oversight. Society has a knack for embracing new technologies, often driven by a blend of vanity, curiosity, and a desire to be ahead of the curve. Whether it’s being the first to own the latest gadget or pioneering eco-friendly initiatives like EV charging ports, early adopters pave the way for progress—despite the initial hurdles of high costs and imperfect implementations. From the infancy of the internet…

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