The EIC Scaling Club Podcast on European Deep Tech

In this interview, Hermann Stockinger, CEO & Founder of Easelink, shares how the company is developing automated conductive charging technology for the next generation of electric vehicles.He reflects on the importance of engaging with real industry stakeholders early, building strong mentoring networks, and navigating the journey from deep tech R&D to market adoption.Hermann also highlights the value of the EIC Scaling Club, from gaining access to a highly curated network of investors, ecosystem players, and customers, to increasing visibility and accelerating the company’s growth across Europe.Recorded at the Growth Forum in Paris on 18 March 2026.

In this interview, Teresa Carvalho, EIC Scaling Club Mentor for the New Biotech Platforms market group, shares her perspective on helping deep tech companies bridge the gap between scientific innovation, investor expectations, and long-term growth.Drawing on her experience in academia, the World Health Organization, and startup mentoring, Teresa reflects on the importance of strategic thinking, multidisciplinary collaboration, and understanding market fit when scaling breakthrough technologies.She also highlights the value of the EIC Scaling Club, emphasizing the power of mentorship, networking, and face-to-face interactions in helping companies navigate the path from innovation to commercialization.Recorded at the Growth Forum in Paris on 18 March 2026.

In this interview, Asparuh Koev, CEO & Founder of Transmetrics, shares insights into building AI-powered solutions for the logistics industry and the long journey of achieving true product-market fit. Recorded during the EIC Scaling Club Growth Forum in Paris, Asparuh discusses how Transmetrics evolved over 13 years, reinventing itself multiple times to create scalable enterprise and mid-market AI products for logistics optimization.Asparuh explains why logistics is both a stable and highly challenging industry for innovation, and reflects on the importance of persistence, adaptability, and community in scaling deep-tech companies. He also highlights the value of the EIC Scaling Club in connecting founders with investors, corporates, advisors, and long-term industry relationships that help accelerate growth.This interview was recorded on 18 March 2025 in Paris during the EIC Scaling Club Growth Forum.

In this interview, Giacomo Zenoni, CEO & Founder of Daze, shares the company’s journey from an Italian startup focused on EV charging stations to a rapidly growing clean-tech scale-up expanding into solar energy, batteries, and energy management systems. Recorded during the EIC Scaling Club Growth Forum in Paris, Giacomo discusses the realities of scaling a hardware company, building products customers truly need, and why selling early is one of the most important lessons for any founder.Giacomo also reflects on the value of the EIC Scaling Club, highlighting the importance of networking, founder connections, and cross-European collaboration in helping innovative companies grow faster. He shares his thoughts on Europe’s future competitiveness and why stronger EU-wide innovation ecosystems are essential for startups looking to scale internationally.This interview was recorded on 18 March 2025 in Paris during the EIC Scaling Club Growth Forum.

In this interview, Vesselin Drobenov, CEO of the40f and representative of the DHI Cluster Bulgaria, shares his perspective on building stronger deep-tech ecosystems across Eastern Europe and the Widera regions. Speaking at the EIC Scaling Club Growth Forum in Paris, Vesselin discusses the importance of curated investor networks, strategic partnerships, and helping innovative startups navigate the challenges of scaling deep-tech ventures. From funding gaps and regulatory barriers to the importance of securing the “first 10 clients,” this conversation explores what it truly takes for startups to move from promising technology to commercial success. Vesselin also highlights how the EIC Scaling Club creates a unique environment for open communication between founders, investors, policymakers, and industry experts — helping unlock untapped innovation potential in Eastern Europe. This interview was recorded on 18 March 2025 in Paris during the EIC Scaling Club Growth Forum.

In this interview, Aurélien Gibert, Deputy CEO and Partner at Limatech, shares how the company is developing a new generation of safe lithium battery technologies for aerospace applications. Founded nearly a decade ago, Limatech has become one of Europe’s pioneering deep-tech companies in certified aerospace battery systems, overcoming major industrial, regulatory, and funding challenges along the way.Aurélien discusses the company’s journey from an ambitious startup vision to achieving world-first European certifications for lithium battery applications in aerospace, raising €20 million in funding, and building long-term partnerships with major aerospace players. He also explains how support from the EIC Accelerator and participation in the EIC Scaling Club have helped Limatech connect with the right mentors, investors, and industry leaders at the right time.This interview was recorded on 18 March 2025 in Paris during the EIC Scaling Club Growth Forum.

In this interview, Pablo Fernández, CEO of Basquevolt, shares how the company is advancing solid-state electrolytes for next-generation battery technologies in Europe.He reflects on the importance of aligning technological breakthroughs with real customer needs, and how deep tech companies must focus on their true added value to scale successfully.Pablo also highlights the role of the EIC Scaling Club not only as a powerful networking platform connecting founders, investors, and peers, but also as a key driver in challenging and refining scale-up strategies, from go-to-market to fundraising.Recorded at the Growth Forum in Paris on 18 March 2026.

n this interview, Florent Baudu from Kraftblock shares insights on scaling innovation and how their technology is addressing real-world challenges. He highlights the importance of building strong connections, refining strategy through mentorship, and navigating growth in a complex deep tech landscape.

In this interview, Remo Kuldkepp, CFO of GScan, explains how muon tomography enables deeper, non-destructive inspection of infrastructure to extend the lifespan of the built environment. He also shares how the EIC Scaling Club has supported GScan through mentoring, validation of their technology, and valuable connections with peers facing similar deep tech scaling challenges. This interview was recorded on 3 September 2025, during the EIC Scaling Club Ambition Forum at the University of Latvia in Riga.

In this interview, Roope Takala, Founder and Chairman of Aurora Propulsion Technologies, shares how the EIC Scaling Club supports deep space companies through long-term relationships, cross-industry connections, and access to funding in challenging markets. This interview was recorded on 3 September 2025, during the EIC Scaling Club Ambition Forum at the University of Latvia in Riga.

In this interview, Kim, CEO of QustomDot, shares how quantum dot inks are helping reduce the cost of microLED displays and accelerate market adoption.She also reflects on the impact of the EIC Scaling Club, from sharpening their value proposition through mentoring to unexpected connections that strengthened their leadership team.This interview was recorded on 3 September 2025, during the EIC Scaling Club Ambition Forum at the University of Latvia in Riga.

In this interview, Ivar Kruusenberg, CEO & Founder of PowerUP Energy Technologies, shares how hybrid hydrogen-battery generators are helping Europe tackle energy resilience challenges.He also reflects on the value of the EIC Scaling Club in expanding across Europe, connecting with investors and policymakers, and supporting fundraising and growth for deep tech startups.This interview was recorded on 3 September 2025, during the EIC Scaling Club Ambition Forum at the University of Latvia in Riga.

In this interview, Kaja Vidic, Chief Business Development Officer at Checkpoint Care, shares how their pioneering solution is transforming remote patient monitoring by combining wearable tech, AI, and 24/7 clinical supervision. From real-time vital data collection to building personalised digital twins, Checkpoint Care is setting new standards for home-based healthcare.This interview was recorded on 3 September 2025 during the EIC Scaling Club’s Ambition Forum.

In this exclusive interview, we sit down with H2SITE to explore how they’re revolutionizing hydrogen transport and use with their cutting-edge membrane technology. From their deep-tech origins at research institutions in Spain and the Netherlands to scaling up production with global partners, H2SITE shares their journey, challenges, and ambitious vision for 2030 and beyond.This interview was recorded on 3 September 2025 as part of the EIC Scaling Club’s official video series.

In this interview, Marina, CEO and Co-founder of Mimark Diagnostics, shares her mission to transform women’s health through innovative diagnostic solutions.Founded in 2021 in Barcelona, Mimark Diagnostics is a women-led medtech company developing non-invasive diagnostic tests based on gynecological liquid biopsies. Their first product, a test for early endometrial cancer detection, is now moving into clinical and regulatory validation after completing a national investigational study across 20 sites in Spain, involving nearly 2,000 patients.Marina also discusses the company’s growth journey, highlighting support from EIT Health, the EIC, and private investors. Through the EIC Scaling Club, Mimark has received valuable mentoring and strategic guidance to expand its portfolio into new areas such as endometriosis diagnostics.This interview was recorded on 3 September 2025, during the EIC Scaling Club Ambition Forum at the University of Latvia in Riga.

In this interview, Sune Lilebæk, CEO of Dynelectro, explains how his Danish scale-up is redefining the green energy landscape by making hydrogen production more efficient and sustainable.Founded in 2018, Dynelectro develops solid oxide electrolyser (SOE) technology that converts renewable electricity into hydrogen with over 90% efficiency — reducing the levelized cost of hydrogen by 20% compared to existing solutions.The company has demonstrated its breakthrough AC/DC conversion method, eliminating key degradation issues that previously limited commercial deployment of electrolyser systems. Now, Dynelectro is scaling up for its first large demonstration plants, with the goal of enabling industrial-scale Power-to-X applications.Dynelectro joined the EIC Scaling Club following the award of an EIC Accelerator Grant, gaining access to mentors and investors who are helping the company bridge the gap between megawatt-scale pilots and gigawatt-scale industrial adoption.This interview was recorded on 3 September 2025, during the EIC Scaling Club Ambition Forum at the University of Latvia in Riga.

In this interview, Torbjørn Blom-Hagen, CFO of N2 Applied, shares how the Norwegian agri-tech company is revolutionizing fertilizer production using plasma technology to create on-site, near-zero-emission fertilizers from air and organic waste. Tackling inefficiencies in a $200B fossil-fueled industry, N2 Applied’s system delivers close to 100% nitrogen efficiency compared to the standard 40%, while also significantly reducing carbon emissions and ammonia pollution. Backed by extensive field trials, a strategic partnership with GEA Group, and recognition through EIC funding, the company is scaling up globally to offer a holistic solution for sustainable agriculture.

In this interview, Nick Kanopoulos, Founder and CEO of Brite Solar, introduces the company’s breakthrough AgriPV technology—semi-transparent, nano-coated solar panels designed specifically for agricultural applications. Headquartered in Thessaloniki, Greece, Brite Solar enables the triple use of farmland: crop protection, water management, and clean energy generation, without sacrificing yield. Their patented nanomaterials convert harmful UV light into photosynthetically active light, increasing crop productivity while reducing water usage by up to 40%. With a globally unique manufacturing line, a growing international team, and a recent €9M Series A round backed by EIC blended finance, Brite Solar is scaling fast to address the global food-energy-water nexus.

In this interview, Bostjan Bozic, representing Trapview, shares how the Slovenian company is leading the way in automated pest monitoring and forecasting to help reduce pesticide use and grow healthier food. Operating in over 60 countries with thousands of smart traps deployed across virtually every crop type, Trapview combines AI-powered image analysis and machine learning to forecast pest development and help farmers apply crop protection only when and where it's needed. With a diverse, multidisciplinary team, the world’s largest pest image database, and five international subsidiaries, Trapview is scaling up to become a global agri-tech leader.

In this interview, Aina Hegrestad, CFO of Nordic Electrofuel AS, shares how the company is advancing green aviation with its innovative electro-based sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF). Headquartered in Norway, Nordic Electrofuel is developing a patented reactor technology that converts water, CO₂, and renewable electricity into drop-in compatible jet fuel, meaning it can be used in today’s aircraft without new infrastructure. With €15M raised, a €40M EU Innovation Fund grant, and 100% off take agreements already secured for its first commercial-scale pilot plant, the company is on track to begin fuel production by late 2027. As it prepares for global expansion, Nordic Electrofuel sees the EIC Scaling Club as key to increasing visibility, connecting with investors, and reinforcing its position as a European leader in clean aviation fuel.

In this interview, Nis Benn, Co-Founder and CCO of Hyme Energy, discusses how the Danish company is tackling one of the biggest decarbonization challenges: industrial process heat, which accounts for nearly 30% of global energy use, 90% of which is still fossil-fueled. Hyme Energy has developed an innovative molten salt-based thermal energy storage system that captures low-cost renewable energy and dispatches it as heat on demand, enabling industries to shift away from fossil fuels. With proprietary corrosion-resistant storage media, a growing international team, and a fully commissioned technology demonstrator, Hyme is now scaling up operations and raising new capital. As part of the EIC Scaling Club, they’re building connections with investors and peers while working toward making clean, reliable, and competitive industrial energy a European strength.

In this interview, David Pistoni, CEO of Zeleros, shares how the Spanish startup is leading the charge in developing Hyperloop technology—a high-speed, low-energy, and sustainable 5th mode of transportation. Originating from wins at Elon Musk's Hyperloop competition, Zeleros has since evolved into a major player, backed by €150 million in investment and partners like Capgemini, EIT InnoEnergy, and Aena. With multiple patents, tested prototypes, and expansion into electric mobility and battery systems, Zeleros is bridging long-term Hyperloop goals with short-term industrial applications. As a member of the EIC Scaling Club, the company is engaging with fellow deep tech innovators, investors, and policymakers to advance Europe’s leadership in next-gen transportation.

In this interview, Stephan van Sint Fiet, CEO of Vivici, shares how the Dutch startup produces real dairy proteins without animals through precision fermentation. Headquartered in Delft, Vivici has taken its lab-developed whey protein, beta-lactoglobulin, to full industrial food-grade scale, now commercially available in the United States. Backed by a seasoned leadership team and now raising a Series A round, Vivici aims to scale globally and secure regulatory approvals in Europe and Asia. With a focus on nutrition, sustainability, and functionality, Vivici is redefining how the world consumes protein no cows, no compromises.

In this interview, recorded on October 21, 2024, Olivier Lebeau, CFO of Agriodor, shares how the company is pioneering biocontrol solutions to protect crops without pesticides, offering farmers a sustainable way to combat insect pests while preserving biodiversity and human health. Using biomimicry and patented scent-based repellents, Agriodor develops customized blends that push harmful insects away from fields, providing a safe, effective alternative to chemical pesticides. With a major distribution deal for sugar beet crops launching in 2025, Agriodor is scaling its impact in Europe, the US, and Brazil, despite regulatory hurdles slowing down biocontrol adoption in Europe. Backed by strong investor confidence, the company is working to accelerate market adoption and regulatory change for a greener future in agriculture.

In this interview, Ivar Kruusenberg, CEO and founder of PowerUP Energy Technologies, explains how their hydrogen fuel cell and battery-based hybrid energy solutions are addressing one of the biggest challenges of our time energy resiliency. Headquartered in Estonia, with offices across Europe and the US, PowerUP designs lightweight, efficient, and scalable power systems to replace outdated grids and diesel generators. With partnerships including the European Space Agency and a presence in the defense sector, PowerUP’s technology offers silent, low-heat, clean energy, even in the most demanding environments. Backed by an experienced team and a certified product ready for mass production, PowerUP is on a mission to help the world move beyond the 19th-century energy systems into a clean, digitalized future.

In this interview, Alberto Bucci, CEO of Jolt Solutions, shares how the company is revolutionizing green hydrogen production with advanced electrochemical coatings for electrolyzers. Based in Spain, Jolt Solutions has developed a scalable, cost-effective, and highly durable coating technology that improves stability, efficiency, and mass production for electrolyzers—key to unlocking the future of clean hydrogen. With a €6.5M Series A investment, the company has built a pilot production line capable of producing 20,000 square meters of electrodes, making it one of the few companies in the world with such capabilities. Now scaling towards TRL 9, Jolt is seeking strategic partnerships and industry synergies to expand its applications beyond hydrogen.

In this interview, Matthijs Soede, CEO and Co-Founder of Battolyser Systems, explains how their unique hybrid electrolyzer-battery technology is revolutionizing the clean hydrogen and energy storage industry. Combining iron-nickel battery chemistry with hydrogen production, Battolyser enables renewable energy storage and on-demand hydrogen generation, making it a game-changer for the energy transition. With a megawatt-scale demonstration unit launching in Rotterdam, and a new product generation in development, the company is scaling fast to help Europe achieve energy independence and decarbonization. Backed by venture debt from the European Investment Bank, Battolyser is on a mission to create an integrated clean energy system for a sustainable, low-cost future.

In this interview, Julie Sufana, CMO of ContextFlow, shares how the company is revolutionizing radiology AI to improve the early detection of lung cancer, interstitial lung diseases, and COPD. A spinoff from the Medical University of Vienna, ContextFlow uses comprehensive AI to assist radiologists by reducing workload, improving reporting accuracy, and detecting lung cancer up to one year earlier. With €17M in funding, regulatory approval under Europe’s new MDR framework, and a potential reimbursement code in Germany, ContextFlow is leading the way in scaling AI for medical imaging.

In this interview, Julian Melchiorri, CEO and founder of Arborea, shares how his company is transforming food production with biosolar leaf technology. This breakthrough converts sunlight and CO₂ into high-quality protein without using land or water-intensive resources. 150 times more protein-efficient than soy, Arborea’s net-zero, nature-positive ingredients are already being integrated by the world’s largest food corporations, offering a sustainable, scalable, and affordable alternative to traditional protein sources. With $20M in funding and a new Series B round launching, Arborea is poised to revolutionize the future of food.

In this Tech.eu interview, Matthew Schmidt, Head of Partnerships at Sakowin, discusses how the company is pioneering methane plasmalysis to produce clean hydrogen and solid carbon, offering an energy-efficient alternative to electrolysis. With five times the energy efficiency and zero CO2 emissions, Sakowin is helping industries decarbonize at scale. Having raised €11M+ in funding and now opening a €25M round, the company is expanding across Europe and the US, securing pilot projects and regulatory support. As a participant in the EIC Scaling Club, Sakowin is focused on connecting with investors, navigating regulatory frameworks, and attracting top talent to accelerate its mission.

In this interview, Benjamin Lager, CEO of Protealis, shares how his company is revolutionizing sustainable protein production in Europe. With a mission to localize soybean cultivation, Protealis tackles major global challenges—sustainability, farmer resilience, plant-based food security, and Europe’s protein import dependency. By developing climate-adapted soybean varieties and microbial inoculants for nitrogen fixation, the company is making soybean cultivation viable in European climates while reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizers. With six soybean varieties already on the market, Protealis is now transitioning from an R&D-driven company to a commercial scale-up, aiming to disrupt the protein supply chain with high-tech breeding solutions.

In this interview, Maxime Lemiere, Head of Corporate Development at Cailabs, explores how optical ground stations are solving critical challenges in satellite communications, including spectrum congestion, security threats, and low data rates as satellite numbers surge. He explains how Cailabs’ advanced laser technology enables high-speed, highly secure data transmission by mitigating atmospheric turbulence, ensuring reliable satellite-to-ground communication. Maxime shares insights into Cailabs’ recent breakthroughs, such as a world-first stable optical link demonstration in collaboration with the French Defense Innovation Agency, and discusses the company’s strategic vision for growth.

In this interview, Fabio Rosa, Co-Founder and Head of Research at Asgard Therapeutics, discusses their groundbreaking cancer therapy, AT108, which reprograms cancer cells into immune cells. Asgard has raised €30 million in Series A funding and is preparing for clinical trials by 2027. With strong scientific validation and key publications, the company is now focused on partnerships, production scaling, and investor relations to drive its innovative therapy forward.

Introducing one of the EIC Scaling Club Cardiovascular Therapies group members – Anaconda Biomed, a Barcelona-based scale-up revolutionizing stroke treatment with its cutting-edge technology. Their mission statement is ambitious yet simple: to provide the best thrombectomy system to health care professionals. And since its foundation, Anaconda Biomed has been on track to accomplish just that. Listen to the interview with the company's Co-Founder and Managing Director, Dr Ofir Arad, and Chief Medical Officer, Hendrik Lambert.

In this episode, we sit down with Keith Sequeira, Head of the European Innovation Council Unit at the European Commission, during the Scale 100 Forum in Athens, Greece. Keith shares insights into the challenges and opportunities for European scale-ups, highlighting the role of the EIC Scaling Club in closing the scale-up gap. He discusses Europe's strengths as a scaling environment, the rise of promising sectors like quantum technology, and the exciting introduction of the first-ever EU Commissioner for Startups. Tune in to explore how Europe is evolving in the right direction to create global leaders and address major societal challenges.

A podcast interview with David Cohen, the co-founder and CEO of Techstars, the startup accelerator, which has backed thousands of startups. In the episode, Cohen addresses recent criticism about its corporate culture and discusses startup trends in Europe and beyond in 2024.

At the recent EIC Summit, we caught up with Jean-David Malo, Director of EISMEA, the European Commission’s executive agency for the European Innovation Council and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).It was a timely encounter, coinciding with the release of the EIC Impact Report 2023, which highlighted that the total value of the overall portfolio of EIC-supported companies has now reached almost €70 billion (download the PDF here) and our own unveiling of the first 48 deep tech scale-ups to be supported by the EIC Scaling Club from earlier this week. We asked him about the purpose of the annual EIC event, which was part of the fifth edition of the European Research and Innovation Days. and some of the key take-aways for him both in terms of the impact report and the learnings from meeting several hundreds of stakeholders on-site in Brussels.Malo didn't shy away from highlighting the things that can be improved and accelerated within the EIC itself, while also taking stock of the achievements to date.Of course, we couldn't resist asking him about the EIC Scaling Club as well, to give more colour on why this initiative fits into the overall E(I)C plans.Enjoy!

The EIC Scaling Club team sat down with Fabrizio Del Maffeo on the sidelines of the recent Tech Tour Growth 50 Europe event in Paris. As the co-founder and CEO of Axelera AI, Del Maffeo kicked off the interview pitching his company as a 'small, fast-growing Nvidia'.That's intriguing enough on its own, but the entrepreneur of course told us a bit more about the backstory of Axelera AI, and what the team is busy building over in its HQ in Eindhoven and its many other offices located all across Europe.In essence, Axelera AI is developing a powerful and efficient AI-native hardware and software platform to accelerate computer vision on edge devices (such as cars, computers, medical devices and whatnot).As a capital-intensive business, the company has raised close to $65 million in funding according to Dealroom, and is also backed by the European Innovation Council through the EIC Accelerator program.Del Maffeo also talked about the importance of the EIC (and the EIC Scaling Club) for the European (deep) tech ecosystems, the ability to find enough talent to hire in Europe, events that bring innovators and investors together in person, and what keeps him up at night.Enjoy the interview!

Dr. Christian Nagel is a co-founder and partner of Earlybird, a technology investment powerhouse with more than €2 billion under management. Founded in 1997, Earlybird invests in all development and growth phases of tech companies, and has nestled itself among the largest and most experienced venture investors operating in Europe today.We caught up with Christian at the recent Tech Tour Growth50 Europe event in Paris, to gain some more insights into the firm's investment strategy and hypotheses. Aside from that 'VC elevator pitch', we delved into a number of topics, including what's hot in deep tech today, particularly attractive sectors (and geographies) for Earlybird, the ongoing pressure on the market, what is holding Europe back at the moment, and whether today is a good time to start a new company or not.Enjoy!

Amadeus Capital Partners has been investing in technology-enabled products and services for nearly three decades. Founded by Anne Glover and Hermann Hauser in 1997, Amadeus has backed more than 190 companies and raised over $1 billion for investment to date.When we had a chance to sit down with Anne on the sidelines of the recent Tech Tour Growth 50 Europe event, we seized the opportunity to ask her some questions about the state of the European deep tech entrepreneurship and investment ecosystem(s).After sharing some facts and figures about Amadeus Capital, we talked about how to navigate the current investment downturn (and use it to your advantage as a founder), the ongoing maturation of the European tech scene, the issue with the late-stage funding gap in these parts and the political reality sometimes hindering growth.On top of that, we discussed where deep tech innovation tends to happen in Europe, the availability of relevant talent and capital clusters and network, what the European tech ecosystem(s) needs to reach the next level, skills development both on the company and the investor side, and much more.

At the recent EIT Summit in Brussels, we sat down with the organisation's Director, Martin Kern, to discuss what's cooking over at the European Institute of Innovation & Technology.Kern, who's been part of the EIT leadership for almost a decade after a long career stint at the European Commission, told us more about the EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities (the so-called KICs), which are essentially Europe-wide networks centered around addressing a specific societal challenge, from sustainable energy to climate change, healthy food and green transport. Keen observers will have noted that this is not dissimilar to our approach in defining 10 market sector opportunities in the deep tech space.In the 14 years since it was started, the EIT has supported and helped grow more than 8,000 startups, and built up an innovation network with more than 2,400 partners from top business, research and education organisations across Europe. Kern discusses the work the EIT is doing in more detail. In the interview, we cover more ground, including the EIT Deep Tech Talent initiative that aims to train 1 million people in various deep tech areas, the European Solar Academy that was launched at the event, and the EIT's evolving relationship (and the difference) with the European Innovation Council (EIC). Also make sure to check out our interview with EIT Urban Mobility CEO Maria Tsavachidis!

On the sidelines of the recent Tech Tour Growth 50 Europe event, we caught up with Jean Schmitt, Managing Partner at Jolt Capital, a growth capital investor in European B2B deep tech companies.Having been part of the predecessor programme of the EIC Scaling Club, Jean shared his views on the evolving deep tech scale-up creation and financing landscape in this part of the world, which barriers he considers are holding back the European tech ecosystem(s), and how they could potentially be overcome.Enjoy the listen!

Azeem Azhar has had a rich career as a journalist, entrepreneur, author, speaker, analyst, consultant, but now bills himself as an 'independent academic'. These days, he's perhaps best known for Exponential View, which offers weekly deep dives on AI and breakthrough technologies to a vast audience of investors, C-suite execs and global leaders who like to be challenged on thinking about the future. More than a newsletter, Exponential View has become a platform and community for those who are keen to learn about the exponential technologies that are shaping tomorrow.We caught up with Azeem on the sidelines of the recent DLD Conference in Munich, where he delivered a fast-paced talk on how to better understand the past, present and future of the digital transformation. For a summary of Azeem's presentation, and some additional insights on deep tech and the current technological transition we're in, have a listen to the interview and make sure to sign up for the Exponential View newsletter for much more of this!And while you're at it, you should subscribe to our monthly newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn and X if you aren't already.

We recently attend the EIT Summit in Brussels, where we had a chance to catch up with Maria Tsavachidis, CEO of EIT Urban Mobility, one of the organisation's so-called KICs.What is a KIC, you ask? As the EIT explains on its website, the acronym stands for "Knowledge and Innovation Communities" and they are essentially Europe-wide networks centred around addressing a specific societal challenge; from sustainable energy to climate change to healthy food and green transport.EIT Urban Mobility is among the earliest such communities, started in January 2019 to "encourage positive changes in the way people move around cities in order to make them more liveable places". EIT, which is a body of the European Union, provided co-funding of up to €400 million for the period 2020 to 2026 to make some moves (pun intended).In the interview, Tsavachidis provides some further background on EIT Urban Mobility and its raison d'être, the size of the problem that needs tackling and the three main initiatives that it's outlined to do so, examples of interesting startups and partners it's working with, and much more!

We had a very interesting conversation with the co-founder and CEO of clean energy scale-up Proxima Fusion at the recent DLD Conference in Munich, and fortunately for you we recorded it!Have a listen to this interview with Francesco Sciortino, whose deep tech company aims to build an entirely new generation of fusion power plants, using QI stellarators.Proxima Fusion is the first-ever spin-out company from the Max Planck Society Institute for Plasma Physics, which happens to have built and operates the most advanced stellarator on the planet, W7-X. Research over the past decade or so has now set the stage for the Munich scale-up to leverage modern optimisation tools and design capabilities, and accelerate fusion. To achieve that, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Tesla and Google X scientists and engineers have already joined the Germany-based company, and Proxima Fusion last year raised €7.5 million in a round led by Plural and UVC Partners and joined by High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) and the Wilbe Group.Have a listen to the interview to learn more about why Germany is fertile ground for innovation in the field of stellarators, how the design of a new generation of - continuous - fusion power plants could (and should) be accelerated in the current and next decade, and how the technology can be scaled in (and for) the future.Sciortino also talks about the need to build an ecosystem around fusion power, why Proxima has recently applied to receive funding from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator, his insights on the public and private funding landscape in Europe and on the availability of and access to key talent in this part of the world.

On the sidelines of the recent Tech Tour Growth 50 event in Paris, we recorded a short but sweet interview with Jennifer Schenker, founder and editor-in-chief of The Innovator, which she describes as a "pan-European publication with global aspirations".Having covered the European technology sector for 30+ years, the veteran journalist started The Innovator in late 2016 to cover digital transformation and sustainability, educating its readers - mostly senior executives at large corporates and SMEs - on how tech will impact their businesses.In the interview, Schenker notes that she's always been impressed with Europe's scientific and technological excellence, but frustrated at how little of that gets commercialised and turned into scale-ups, let alone global tech leaders. Acknowledging the progress that has been made of late by deep tech-focused accelerators and programs, the EU institutions and how universities are starting to work with startups and scale-ups, Schenker posits that the growing funding gap is an enormous issue hampering further growth. Schenker recently joined the EIC Scaling Club as Council Member to make an active contribution to levelling up the European tech ecosystem(s), and discusses in the interview how media companies can add value to our programme as stakeholder members.Do you also want to be part of the EIC Scaling Club? Express your interest in becoming a member, or sign up as a mentor (before 13 March).

On the sidelines of the recent Tech Tour Growth 50 Europe event in Paris, we had a chance to sit down with Timo Toikkanen, an early investor and advisor to, and these days chief executive officer of Finland-based professional mixed reality company Varjo.Toikannen talks about the origins and early, R&D-focussed years of the deep tech scale-up, lessons learned on the road to commercialisation, and the ongoing transition into a period of finding solid product-market fit and scaling the business in various verticals.Varjo's CEO also talks about making contrarian technology and business choices that turned out to be the right ones, the heated competition with giants like Apple and Meta through focus and specialisation.Keep listening after that, though, because Toikannen also talks about Europe's potential to build global, category-leading deep tech companies. Spoiler alert: he is skeptical about it.Enjoy the listen!

We jumped at the opportunity to sit down with Jennifer Webb, an Investment Director at Swisscom Ventures who leads investments in sustainable technologies. She joined from LGT Lightrock in London where she spent five years building the innovative sustainable technology investment vehicle with investments in B2B SaaS, healthcare and education.On the sidelines of the recent Tech Tour Growth 50 event in Paris, we recorded a quick interview with Jennifer in which she shared how Swisscom Ventures originally came about and what it has since become, insights in the Swiss (deep) tech ecosystem, why she made the move from London to Zürich, why she believes Europe needs more capital to generate scale-ups in the deep tech sector and other issues hindering the ecosystem(s) to level up.Take note, European Innovation Council, as Jennifer and Swisscom Ventures would love to build stronger relationships with the EIC and learn more about its programs!

Deep tech company Soter Analytics was started in 2016 to reduce workplace ergonomic injuries in warehouses and factories, drive-down claims costs, boost productivity and improve worker retention using smart safety wearables and AI-driven technologies.At the most recent OTB Ventures Summit, we caught up with the company's CEO, Matthew Hart, who explained what the company is building - and why it matters.Soter Analytics serves customers globally in the warehousing, manufacturing and logistics sector, but also has clients in the healthcare, construction, mining and oil & fas industries.The London, UK-headquartered safety tech company sells hardware devices at a low cost, but the majority of its revenue comes from subscriptions.With Soter Analytics' solutions, the company claims customers can get up to 86% of reduction in back and shoulder injuries, and achieve up to 67% of reduction in workers compensation costs.Hart also talks about how injuries can affect workers' personal lives, which is a big part of the reason why Soter Analytics aims to create a safer, healthier, and more productive work environment.In the interview, Hart also commented on the availability and quality of deep tech talent in Europe, and Eastern Europe in particular.

Managed by the European Investment Fund, the European Tech Champions Initiative (ETCI) has allocated nearly €1 billion to four strategic funds in its first year, including Atomico and Keensight Capital, in an effort to propel forward the EU tech sector with potential leverage of up to €6 billion.The ETCI fund-of-funds was inaugurated in February 2023 with an initial pledge of €3.75 billion from the European Investment Bank Group and five EU member states (Spain, Germany, France, Italy and Belgium). The ETCI aims to bolster the European Union’s digital transformation and assist leading-edge scale-ups by focusing investments on deep tech firms in their late-stage growth phases, especially those seeking to raise over €50 million.Earlier this week in Brussels, the EIF gave an update on the initiative, and we had a chance to sit down with its deputy chief executive, Roger Havenith, to talk about the announcements, future plans, and its relationship with the EIC (Fund).