Andreas Horn’s Post

Many thanks to my colleague Thomas de Béthune and his team at the European Commission’s Representation in Belgium #EU4BE for hosting the EU #AIOffice’s roundtable with Belgium’s AI ecosystem today! Our discussion, as part of the AI Pact activities, brought valuable insights and engagement with key innovators. AI innovation is at the heart of the AI Office's work. Today’s roundtable was an opportunity to exchange on the AI Act innovation-related aspects and regulatory sandboxes, present AI Office's activities on research and excellence, explain how we work with the European Digital Innovation Hubs and discuss implications for startups and scale-ups.  Yes, the AI Act is an important aspect of our work, but we are equally committed to creating an environment that fosters growth, creativity, and experimentation, allowing startups and scale-ups to thrive and shape the future of AI in Europe. In doing so, we will turn Europe into the AI continent.  Stay tuned for more AI Pact events https://lnkd.in/e8iuaT-S  #AIAct #AIPact #AIinEurope #EDIHs

The UK, Germany and France stand out in the AI funding race While the US and China dominate AI funding globally, several European nations rank highly when looked at individually. The UK ranks third on the list of top countries by AI funding, having invested $4B so far in 2024. It holds this position comfortably ahead of Canada, which is in the next top position, having invested more than twice the amount into AI. Germany and France have also made strong showings, ranking in fifth and sixth place respectively, and each allocating over $1B each to AI companies. These countries demonstrate Europe’s growing influence in the AI race, despite the continent’s broader funding gap with the US.  #VentureCapital #EuropeanStartups #TechEcosystem #StartupFunding #GrowthStage #EarlyStage #USInvestors #GlobalInvestment #VCTrends #InvestmentGrowth #Innovation #ScaleUp #TechFunding

#EU to Boost Deep Tech with $1.5B Investment The European Union is set to inject 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) into the region's deep tech sector next year, a strategic move aimed at keeping pace with tech leaders like the US and China. This significant funding, sourced from the European Innovation Council, marks a 200 million euro increase from previous investments. By prioritizing tech and the rapidly evolving AI sector, the EU seeks to stimulate its economy and foster innovation. With this boost, how will Europe's tech landscape transform in the coming years? #EUTech #DeepTech #Innovation #Saasverse

🇨🇦 Canada Named Country of the Year for Viva Technology 2025! Exciting news! Canada has been named as the Country of the Year for France’s 2025 Viva Technology event, a prestigious recognition of our nation’s leadership in tech innovation and entrepreneurship. This highlights Canada’s growing influence on the global tech stage, especially in areas like AI and digital transformation. At Zenith Venture Studio, we’re proud to be part of Canada’s vibrant tech ecosystem, driving innovation in B2B AI SaaS and supporting the next wave of tech founders. Read more about this exciting announcement here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gqC2p5ED What are your thoughts on Canada’s role in global tech innovation? #VivaTech #CanadaTech #Innovation #AI #B2BAISaaS

🤖 🇫🇷 "France has 800 AI startups—the most in Europe. But at Series B, they need to look overseas for funding, we need to fix this." – Tatiana Jama, SISTAFUND AI & data infrastructure are shaping Europe's investment landscape, but challenges remain. 🔷 Europe needs to build its own AI capability – The "tech cold war" means Europe must develop sovereign AI infrastructure to stay competitive. 🔷 AI infrastructure & data centers remain strong investment themes – Despite concerns over Deepseek’s impact on demand, latency-focused spaces remain compelling 🔷 France leads Europe in AI startups, but funding gaps exist – While France has the most AI startups, Series B funding forces companies to look internationally. 🔷 Talent shortage is a major issue – Compared to India (1.5M engineers) and China (1.3M engineers), France produces only 37K engineers annually, highlighting a key bottleneck. A big thank you to Charles-Edouard Bouée (Adagia Partners), Tatiana Jama (SISTAFUND), Morgan Laughlin (PGIM), and Pauline Thomson (Ardian) for the deep dive into AI & data investing in Europe. Will Europe overcome its funding and infrastructure gaps to compete globally in AI? #AIInvesting #DataInfrastructure #TechColdWar #IPEMCannes2025

You've probably already spotted... it's London Tech Week!  The largest festival of UK tech to date, with 25,000 people expected at Olympia this week, getting up to 45,000 across the entire fringe. This year we’re highlighting the truly impressive growth in the UK's AI and critical technology sectors, demonstrating the UK’s position as a global tech superpower. As part of this, Tech Nation launched its annual report, which found the UK AI sector reached a combined market valuation of $92bn in Q1 2024. The UK has secured its position as number one in Europe for AI investment – now home to 1,800 VC-backed AI startups and 20 AI unicorns. Check out Founders Forum Group & Tech Nation CEO Carolyn Dawson on Bloomberg this morning: https://lnkd.in/eUB9rixj And read the report here: https://lnkd.in/eXPZzKNF Francesca Arese Lucini Emily Miller Marco De Novellis Imogen Granger Ellie Steel Brent Hoberman

It was an honor to meet Slovak President Peter Pellegrini earlier this week to discuss ways of bolstering the innovation economy and AI across Europe. Europe boasts incredible assets, like top talent emerging from the best universities and exceptional startups and developers. Our conversation underscored the importance of supporting these strengths to ensure Europe remains competitive on the global stage. We’re excited to talk with leaders who understand the necessity of ensuring that Europe is ready to lead in the AI era. Innovation is a right for all citizens, and we want European consumers to benefit from AI advancements as quickly and broadly as those in other regions.

✅️ Today in our new series “AI.FUND Explained”: Meet Fabian J. G. Westerheide Introducing Fabian J. G. Westerheide, one of Germany's leading minds in artificial intelligence #AI and a visionary force for Europe's role in the global AI ecosystem. A childhood passion for science fiction has fueled his ambitious goal: making Europe a strong and sovereign player in AI. As the founder and CEO of AI for Humans GmbH, Fabian is not only a strategic advisor to government bodies and Fortune 500 companies but also the convener of the pivotal "Rise of AI" conference. This event is a cornerstone for Germany’s AI community, bringing together key industry players annually. With his involvement as a founding partner of the AI.FUND, Fabian has driven significant advancements by investing in AI companies that are pivotal for integration. His personal investments through the family holding's Asgard Capital since 2014 demonstrate his deep commitment to the field. Quote from Fabian: "Investing in AI startups is more than a capital investment; it is crucial to advancing Europe technologically. As a partner of the AI Fund, my goal is to promote a safe, trustworthy, and sustainable ecosystem that protects our values. Through targeted investments, we are redefining the rules of the game and securing our prosperity." Discover more about how Fabian is shaping the future of AI in Europe https://ai-fund.vc/ #AIForHumans #RiseOfAI #AIInvestment #EuropeanInnovation #StrongPartnership

AI Regulatory Sandboxes are valuable tools, especially in the context of the upcoming #AIAct. Don't miss this round table to gain insights on the topic. Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, Kelly Xintara, Emilia Tantar, PhD, FEDIL - The Voice of Luxembourg's Industry

🎉 Exciting news! ✨ We are thrilled to announce that Challenger Project has recently become a proud member of AI Chamber CEE - a groundbreaking new institution fostering the responsible development of Artificial Intelligence across Central and Eastern Europe. 🌍 As part of this newly-formed network that includes startups, small and medium-sized companies, NGOs, and other organizations, we stand alongside nearly 50 entities committed to shaping a future where AI not only supports achieving business goals but does so responsibly and ethically. 💎 AI Chamber's objectives align perfectly with our daily commitments to pushing the boundaries of what AI can accomplish, while ensuring we adhere to the highest standards of innovation and integrity. 💡 The future of AI is bright, and with the AI Chamber, we are poised to lead the charge in ensuring it's also a future marked by socially thoughtful and dynamic growth. #AIChamber #ChallengerProject #ArtificialIntelligence