Swedish company LKAB has discovered what’s claimed to be Europe’s biggest deposit of rare earth metals, promising a critical boost in the continent’s trade security and green transition.
“Rare earths” are a group of 17 chemical elements composed of scandium, yttrium, and lanthanides. Contrary to their name, rare earths are actually abundant; their rarity stems from the complexity of their extraction, separation, and refining, which can generate toxic and radioactive waste, negatively impacting the environment.
But despite their environmental hazards, they are crucial for the manufacture of numerous high-tech products. This ranges from household goods (TVs, computers, and smartphones) to medical equipment (X-Ray and MRI scanning) and defense systems (jets and night vision tech, among others).
Most notably, they’re also key for the clean energy transition, as they are components of the magnets used in EVs and wind turbines.
LKAB’s discovery, however, could be a game changer. The state-owned company said that it has found a deposit — named Per Geijer — of over one million tons in the Kiruna area, located in Lapland within the Arctic Circle.
The Per Geijer deposit is in close proximity to existing mining operations in Kiruna. Credit: LKAB
“Electrification, the EU’s self-suffiency and independence from Russia and China will begin in the mine,” Sweden’s Minister for Energy, Business, and Industry, Ebba Busch, said in a statement.
“We need to strengthen industrial value chains in Europe and create real opportunities for the electrification of our societies. Politics must give the industry the conditions to switch to green and fossil-free production,” she noted.
Reducing reliance on foreign supply chains and ensuring access to critical raw materials is an integral focus of the EU agenda as well as Europe’s aim to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.
“Lithium and rare earths will soon be more important than oil and gas,” EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed during a speech in September. “Our demand for rare earths alone will increase fivefold by 2030,” she added, highlighting the imperative to avoid becoming dependent as on oil and gas.
In the same line of thought, EU Commissioner Thierry Breton underlined the need for action. “Take China, with its quasi-monopoly on rare earths and permanent magnets and prices rising by 50-90% in the past year alone,” he wrote. “Supply of raw materials has become a real geopolitical tool.”
While LKAB is already investing heavily in the project to move forward, President and Group CEO Jan Moström emphasized that there’s a long road ahead. He expects that it’ll take several years to investigate the deposit, assess its profitability, and evaluate the sustainability and environmental impact of the mining process. Following that, LKAB can proceed with an environmental review application and a permit application.
“If we look at how other permit processes have worked within our industry, it will take at least 10 to 15 years before we can actually begin mining and deliver raw materials to the market,” Moström explained.
Providing that LKAB finds a way to mitigate the environmental cost entailed in mining, the Per Geijer deposit could provide Europe with the impetus in needs to ensure domestic supply of critical raw materials and facilitate its green transition.
Ioanna is a writer at SHIFT. She likes the transition from old to modern, and she’s all about shifting perspectives. Ioanna is a writer at SHIFT. She likes the transition from old to modern, and she’s all about shifting perspectives.
Finland clocked a 75% increase in wind power capacity last year, boosting the country’s renewable energy cred.
According to the latest statistics from the Finnish Wind Power Association (FWPA), 2022 was a record time for green power. Specifically, 437 new wind turbines were put into operation, delivering a 2,430MW power capacity. What’s more, wind power covered 14.1% of the country’s electricity consumption, rising from 9.3% in 2021, a period in which 141 turbines were installed.
As a result, Finland now has a total of 1,393 wind turbines with a combined power of 5,677MW — raised by nearly 43% in 2022 alone. Some 47% of the total wind power is domestically owned, and the majority of turbines have between 3 and 4.99MW power capacity.
Notably, the projects completed last year brought over €2.9 billion worth of investments into the country. This makes wind power one of the most funded sectors in the Nordic nation.
“No other industry currently brings as many annual investment euros to Finland as wind power. Wind power also brings vitality to many small municipalities, where investment targets may otherwise be few,” Anni Mikkonen, FWPA’s CEO, noted.
“In addition to investments, wind power is now increasing our country’s energy self-sufficiency at a really good pace — just when new and affordable electricity production is most needed. No other electricity generation can be built in Finland as quickly and as cost-effectively right now,” she added.
According to FWPA, the future of Finnish wind energy is looking brighter and brighter. Approximately 1,000MW of power capacity will be completed this year, over 1,200MW in 2024, and around 1,000MW in 2025 — when wind power is projected to cover at least 28% of Finland’s electricity consumption.
If this pace is kept, the country will not only strengthen its energy efficiency, but also increase its competitive advantage in the industry — in effect, attracting more capital in its wind projects and promoting local companies active in the field.
Ioanna is a writer at SHIFT. She likes the transition from old to modern, and she’s all about shifting perspectives. Ioanna is a writer at SHIFT. She likes the transition from old to modern, and she’s all about shifting perspectives.
On Monday, the UK government launched a £7M tech fund aiming to decarbonize the freight industry and improve transport links.
Over the course of three years, the Freight Innovation Fund (FIF) will go to up to 36 SMEs to develop innovative technologies that can make industrial transport more “efficient,” “resilient,” and “greener.”
“Each year in the UK, we transport 1.6 billion tonnes of freight using many different modes of transport, and it has never been quicker or easier,” Nicola Yates OBE, CEO at Connected Places Catapult — the government’s innovation accelerator — said in the associated press release. “The freight sector makes a huge contribution to our economy and contributes significantly to domestic carbon emissions,” she added.
The fund will support the development of ideas and respective technology which will mainly address three persistent issues in the freight sector:
The lack of large-scale, cross-industry data collection and sharing between different modes of freight transport (such as road, rail, and maritime) that could boost efficiency and coordination.
Issues in intermodal transport and ways to improve the division of large shipments into smaller ones, which could reduce emissions and traffic.
Upgrades in freight distribution in ports across different transport modes that could have a positive ripple effect on the predictability, scheduling, and efficiency of journeys.
The FIF will be delivered to SMEs by Delivered by Connected Places Catapult, allowing them access to technical and business support from the organization.
The selected SMEs will also benefit from a freight innovation fund accelerator, which will provide support to innovators and help them access private investment, as well as from a freight innovation cluster — a community of innovators within the sector that organizes networking events and activities.
“Our freight industry is vital to underpinning the economy and keeps Britain moving, so it is crucial we invest in new innovations to make it greener and quicker, Roads Minister Richard Holden noted. “This fund will accelerate new ideas and technologies, helping to develop a future pipeline of innovations that can be rolled out to create jobs and allow everyone to get their goods faster and easier.”
And while wind, solar, and green hydrogen are already on the rise, there are still important steps to be taken the coming year to increase their sustainability — and improve what they’re capable of.
To find out how this will work, TNW spoke with three experts.
Wind power
Floating offshore wind is a “game changer” for the renewable energy industry and a “key technology” against climate change, Felipe Cornago — Commercial Director Offshore Wind, at BayWa r.e. — told us.
That’s because it has the potential not only to take advantage of areas with higher wind intensity, but also to open up markets previously incompatible with bottom-fixed technologies.
Compared to fixed installations, floating offshore wind farms also come with reduced environmental impact in maritime ecosystems, as well lower construction costs.
Illustration of the Hywind Tampen, Norway’s floating offshore wind far. Credit: Equinor
But despite accelerated development in recent years, as Cornago noted, there are still numerous challenges to be addressed.
“This is why industry and government efforts in 2023 should focus on a number of areas, including the establishment of clear regulatory frameworks as well as improving grid connection and grid planning,” he explained.
As per Cornago, focus should also be placed on the standardization of technological and commercial solutions. Currently, there’s a gamut of different designs and manufacturing methods, all of which drives costs up.
Finally, he believes that the lack of expertise in developing floating offshore wind platforms will start being mitigated in the coming year. This will be done “by tapping into pre-existing infrastructure and knowledge from the development of bottom-fixed offshore wind,” as well as “adapting existing supply chains.”
Solar
According to Frank Jessel — Global Director of Solar Trade at BayWa r.e. — 2022 has seen a rapid expansion in the adoption of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and their accompanying energy storage solutions.
Jessel expects this trend to continue in 2023 “with the endorsement of renewables within the residential and commercial PV market higher than ever, and the price of PV systems in particular falling mid-term due to technological improvements, decreasing freight prices, and economies of scale.”
However, there are still challenges that hinder accelerated growth and require solutions, he added. These are disruptions in supply chains and a shortage of skilled workers regarding the installation of PV systems.
Green hydrogen
Green hydrogen, powered by renewable sources such as wind and solar, is a clean and promising alternative to fossil fuels.
But for the industry to achieve efficient production, it’s necessary to recognize the vital role of digitalization, David Hall, VP Power Systems at Schneider Electric UK & Ireland, told TNW.
“The challenges in the scaled production of green hydrogen can be addressed largely by using new digital technologies available today,” he explained.
For starters, digital twin technology and 3D modeling allows the simulation of data throughout the entire lifecycle of a green hydrogen plant, reducing costs, risks, and time.
Secondly, Hall highlighted the importance of an “overarching” Energy Management System that will indicate the optimal times to use electricity from the grid and forecast power generation, to ensure hydrogen’s required volume production on a low-cost basis.
Finally, he noted the need for a Unified Operating Center. This translates to the use of a Pi system — a software that collects and analyzes operational data — that can bring together all the different assets to allow for better decision making, optimal performance, and reduced downtime.
Iberdrola will invest €17 million in a green hydrogen facility to supply energy to vehicles and machinery at the port of Felixtowe in the UK. Credit: Iberdrola
Facilitating the faster adoption of wind, solar, and green hydrogen requires our efforts beyond 2023, but starting to apply some of the above measures definitely marks a significant start.
Ioanna is a writer at SHIFT. She likes the transition from old to modern, and she’s all about shifting perspectives. Ioanna is a writer at SHIFT. She likes the transition from old to modern, and she’s all about shifting perspectives.
The first ever orbital satellite launch from the UK — and Europe — is set for takeoff tonight (Monday, January 9). The so-called “Start Me UP” mission, led by US-based Virgin Orbit, will set out from Spaceport Cornwall at Newquay Airport at around 21: 15 UTC.
You can watch the launch via Virgin Orbit’s livestream below:
“The development of new orbital launch capabilities is already generating growth, catalyzing investment, and creating jobs in Cornwall and other communities across the United Kingdom,” Ian Annett, Deputy CEO at the UK Space Agency, said in a statement.
“I look forward to seeing more launches from other UK spaceports over the next year, putting us firmly on the map as Europe’s leading destination for commercial small satellite launch,” he added.
Amidst the climate and energy crisis, heat pumps have emerged on the housing heating market as a technology that can replace gas and oil, while lowering the energy bills. Yet, their air compression systems require refrigerants to work. These refrigerants, also known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), are amongst the most potent greenhouse gasses.
Founded in 2017 and having raised €5 million, French deeptech startup Equium is seeking to provide a more ecological alternative. With this aim, it has developed a novel, acoustic heat pump core that harnesses the energy of sound.
The so-called Acoustic Heat Pump (AHP) can cover a household’s heating needs without the use of refrigerants. Instead, its operation is based on the phenomenon of thermoacoustics — the convergence of thermics, acoustics, and fluid mechanics.
The core works with a high-fidelity (Hi-Fi) speaker powered by electricity, which generates an acoustic wave in tubes filled with helium — a neutral and non-toxic gas that accelerates the propagation of sound. The acoustic wave causes the gas to compress or expand, producing heat or cold, respectively. It remains confined within the system, which allows the machine to be silent.
Equium’s acoustic heat pump. Credit: Equium
According to Equium, the heat pump isn’t just greenhouse gas-free, but also made from 100% recyclable materials, boasting overall a very low carbon footprint. At the same time, the machine’s ecological mode of operation is claimed to provide the same efficiency of a conventional heat pump, while increasing energy savings and overall cost.
A big part of that is the pump’s modulation, which allows users to increase or decrease the speaker’s volume to achieve the desired power output. Apart from that, the system is easy to install, doesn’t require maintenance and has a lifespan of around 30 years — about twice as long as a conventional heat pump.
Equium’s aim is to sell its acoustic cores to heat pump manufacturers, seeking to develop a French acoustic HP industry. The first integration will be processed by the startup’s strategic partner Arkteos, a regional manufacturer. The company is currently conducting field tests and expects to market its product in 2024.
To date, the young French startup has only one competitor in this brand new market: Netherlands-based BlueHeart Energy. But hopefully, more companies will start tapping into the capabilities of thermoacoustics to revolutionize heat pump technology.
With a global recession impending, Europe’s startups are feeling the pressure. Investment opportunities are dwindling and customer acquisition is getting harder. So what can startups do to survive during this time?
From hiring freezes to spending cuts, founders are making preparations to get through the recession unscathed. There are many ways to cut spending during this time that don’t involve layoffs, it’s just about being a little savvy and thrifty, and looking out for programs that are designed to give startups a boost.
Here’s your go-to checklist for smart ways startups can cut spending and save during the recession:
1. Scrap the office and go fully remote
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Getting to the heart of the European tech and startup scene
Thanks to the pandemic, most people are now accustomed to working remotely and interacting with their teams virtually. Although many businesses have been navigating back towards being in-office at least a few days a week, it costs a lot to hold a space that’s not being used all the time.
Either ditching the office altogether or moving to a co-working space can save a lot of money. Kate Lister, President of Global Workplace Analytics estimates, “a typical employer can save about $11,000/year for every person who works remotely half of the time.” For those that go fully remote, asynchronous working will help employees maintain flexibility during the day, and create a work-life balance that suits them and allows them to be most productive.
If you’re worried about maintaining your company culture, gaining some tips and inspiration from businesses who were operating remote models before the pandemic can be useful. Buffer and Zapier, for example, are both remote-first businesses, with global teams collaborating together from all over the world. Both businesses find that maintaining frequent, open communication is essential for the success of their remote teams.
One important thing to remember is that fully remote companies should always factor in some budget for in person team-building events throughout the year to foster team spirit and connection.
2. Choose your cloud provider wisely
Cloud services are used by many startups for everything from basic tasks like data storage, to the more advanced functions like AI and machine learning. But many also end up in a situation where they accept free cloud credits and end up taking on products and services they don’t necessarily need.
Choosing the right cloud provider can be tricky, especially as the business develops and your needs change. Ideally, you’d want the flexibility to be able to reconfigure your cloud architecture or even switch providers as these needs change, however, many startups get locked into contracts with high egress fees.
Adopting a multi-cloud strategy could be a good solution allowing you to select the services most suited to each of your team’s needs and take advantage of reserved instances and other discounts. There are also some new cost-saving cloud technologies on the market now, such as Serverless technology and Kubernetes autoscaling.
Also be sure to check out Scaleway’s Next 100 Startups Shaping Europe’s Future Program designed to support up and coming startups during the recession. If selected, Scaleway will cover up to 80% of your cloud infrastructure costs over a period of 24 months.
3. Optimize organic reach, rather than paying for a boost
Did you know, around $70 billion was spent on paid search ads in the US in 2021?
Instead of throwing money at ads, focus on organic marketing strategies that will reap the same benefits at no cost.
Best SEO practices to help with organic traffic include staying on top of keyword targeting: monitoring analytics of keyword performance will help you to continuously have oversight of what’s working and what can be improved, so you can keep optimizing your approach and improving your reach.
Another strategy is to optimize the landing page itself: making sure it has a load-friendly design and user experience (UX), that the content provides value to the audience, and that you have backlinks to help the user move across different pages of your site.
All of these factors will improve your search engine ranking. In addition to being a cheaper option, organic marketing has a lot of business benefits over paid ads too. When your content is optimized more strategically, it’s likely to last longer and see a prolonged flow of traffic, unlike paid ads that are only profitable when they’re live. It also helps to build a more loyal following as you’re engaging the audience at every step of the funnel.
4. Cast your net in the freelance talent pool
Most companies are introducing hiring freezes, but what if you have some talent gaps in your team that need to be filled for the business to continue developing?
Instead of hiring full-time, consider contracting freelancers or agencies to take on jobs on a project basis. Consider which positions you need on an ongoing basis and which you only need on an occasional or seasonal basis. Hiring freelancers instead of full-timers can save employers around $11.6 an hour per employee.
In addition to monetary benefits, outsourcing is a great way to access different skill sets, expertise, and strengths tailored to specific projects in a way that’s not possible otherwise.
There’s a wide pool of options to choose from all over the world and, of course, when you find a good and reliable freelancer, there’s no reason why you can’t hire them for additional projects and build up a good relationship as you would with a full-time worker.
5. Declutter your box of tools and subscriptions
In the digital age, companies are using multiple tools and apps for their business operations. Sometimes we have so many tools and subscriptions that we don’t even remember what they all are or what they’re for. Having a good clear out and canceling subscriptions for anything that’s not being used will reduce unnecessary spending.
There are a lot of tools that have similar functions, so having a browse to compare the offerings might mean that you’re able to find a better deal that suits you and saves a bit of money. Some multi-use platforms and tools additionally consolidate and integrate functions, so you get more bang for your buck rather than having a separate tool for every task/team.
6. Take advantage of funding opportunities
You might be taking all the measures you can to save money, but sometimes an extra helping hand can provide a bit more security. There are several open programs, both EU-funded and privately sponsored, to support startups during the recession and enable them to continue growing and scaling:
The European Innovation Council (EIC) for example, has a range of funding opportunities to back everything from research and mentoring to building business plans to scale and develop for market.
As mentioned earlier, Scaleway’s 100 Startups program is providing cloud funding support for 24 months.
Climate-KIC has a number of grants available specifically for startups that are accelerating the transition to zero-carbon and climate resiliency.
For low-tech SMEs wanting to develop AI techniques, StairwAI is a good option.
Eurosearch is a great place to find a range of funding opportunities, specifically tailored to different types of startups.
There’s no need to panic as the recession approaches. Instead, it’s time to get smart about spending, find the best options and discounts available, and always be on the lookout for the many funding programs and opportunities out there!
For a while, Evernote was on top of the world. The Californian note-taking app surfed the 2000s tech productivity boom to become the leader in its field. But then it fell from grace, becoming sluggish, buggy, and expensive. Users abandoned the platform, heading in droves to other note-taking apps.
On one hand, this could be concerning for remaining users. Evernote will no longer be an independent company, meaning there could be huge changes to its current direction. But on the other hand… good?
I was an Evernote user for close to a decade before I switched last year. Things had simply gotten too bad with the bloated, slow, and cumbersome software, so I turned to Bear, a streamlined and beautiful bit of app.
With a new owner, Evernote now has an opportunity for a clean start. Bending Spoons already has a suite of consumer apps that are modern, powerful, and intuitive, and we have to believe the Italian company will use its expertise to shape a new Evernote.
The question is what should it do? How can Bending Spoons bring Evernote to its former glory? Well, we have some ideas.
Speed up Evernote apps
This was one of the main reasons why I moved away from Evernote. While I used and loved some of the app’s features (such as web clipping and document scanning), the main reason I used Evernote was for, well, notes.
While the speed of writing and searching on desktop was acceptable, the same wasn’t true on mobile devices — especially if they were a few years old.
If Bending Spoons wants to bring the shine back to Evernote, making its range of apps as lightning fast as possible would be a good start.
This is a photo of the old Evernote app from a meetup in Paris. Credit: Heisenberg Media
Remove the bloat…
In the mid-2010s, as Evernote was in the midst of accepting huge amounts of VC funds, the company diversified its offerings in order to open up more revenue streams. What that buzzwordy sentence means in human speak is Evernote jammed a whole load of features into the app and tried to be active on as many stores as possible.
Much of this was poorly planned and tested, leading to the software being infamously described as a “bug-ridden elephant” by Jason Kincaid.
While there have been upgrades to Evernote since that have improved overall performance, it still feels that the app is trying to do too much. Of course, having multimedia capabilities and integration into multiple apps is great for some people, but Evernote’s core mission should be note-taking. Instead, it feels focused on things like chat, calendar, and tasks, despite these areas of its software performing far worse than competitors.
Bending Spoons should either look at shearing back Evernote’s features, or allowing people to easily deselect certain features so the app can act as seamlessly as possible.
…but combine app functionality
Evernote has an array of different apps outside of its core bit of software — and some of these should be folded back into the main product.
Aside from Web Clipper. That’s still an excellent extension and app.
On one hand, combining these apps into Evernote is antithetical to the above point of reducing bloat, but hear me out.
The software has tried to do many of the things you don’t want a note-taking app to do. Why, for example, would I ever want to chat on the same thing I’m writing on?
But look at those apps above again. They include a sketcher, a document scanner, and a handwriting app — all things that are useful to taking notes. Instead of being walled off from Evernote and largely forgotten about, these should be key features to make the process of taking notes as powerful as possible.
Reduce Evernote’s price
Cost was a huge element of me abandoning Evernote. At the time, I was paying €70 a year to take notes. That’s a silly amount of money — especially with how I used it.
I never got anywhere near the allocated 10GB a month of storage, had no need of calendar integration or task management, and never found a reason to connect to Google Drive. So what was I paying €70 a year for?
Bear — my current app — costs me around €14 ($15) for the same period, and I can’t say I’ve missed any of Evernote’s features since my transition.
I understand there will be some power users who want to use a full suite of features, but I guarantee there are scores more who just want to clip sites and store notes. So why not introduce a tier that’s closer to €20 a year? Something that offers all the basic features that people need?
Finally, Evernote must respect users
If Bending Spoons wants to save Evernote and for it to reclaim some its former glory, the first thing it should do is respect users. Stop pushing upgrades on people at every single possible opportunity. Stop being so overly restrictive on the number of devices individuals can use the free version with. Stop ignoring users’ complaints.
Instead, there needs to be a culture of respect and dialogue, treating those who use Evernote like people, rather than walking dollar signs.
Yes, Evernote has taken a fall, but it still has a strong enough brand and enough fans to become special again. The days of the unbridled tech boom are done, but there’s still a place for excellent apps doing simple things well. Let’s see if Bending Spoons can make that happen.
Did you know that the world is predicted to produce more than 50 million metric tons of e-waste this year? And, according to the latest statistics, less than 20% of this is recycled properly, meaning that huge amounts end up in landfills.
Gadgets play a big part in this. Just consider that 5.3 billion smartphones are expected to be thrown away in 2022.
But here’s the good news: gadgets will get more sustainable in 2023, and that’s all thanks to the emerging trend of circularity.
“In major markets such as Europe, consumers are looking for more durable, long-lasting products,” Stanton Thomas, Senior Vice President, Sustainability Solutions at o9 Solutions, told TNW.
More durable products will likely result in fewer sales over time due to “lower replacement rates.” This is something that manufacturers will need to accommodate in their business models, as these types of economic trade-offs — Stanton explained — are expected to mark “the transition to a sustainable, circular economy.”
According to Matthew Cockerill — an innovation consultant — manufacturers are already starting to focus on making their tech products last longer. And that’s because of three reasons: pressure from advocacy groups, changes in customer behavior, and recent legislation regarding the right to repair in Europe.
“Moving forward, these forces will start to shape the very architecture of our technology products and how they are sold, maintained, and regenerated, whilst also changing our attitudes to some of our established technology products,” he told TNW.
This, he believes, will turn some of “our established tech products” into “product classics,” which will maintain their “validity” and “desirability” for up to ten years — instead of being disposed of, or prematurely recycled.
The further we get into next year, the more we’ll see these sort of schemes picking up, with companies trying to design their devices to last as long as possible.
But beyond durability and repair, there’s another big trend that will make gadgets more sustainable in 2023.
The opportunity in refurbishing
“Reselling gadgets to refurbishers elongates the life of technology, as they can then be professionally repaired and re-sold,” Thibaud Hug de Larauze, CEO and co-founder of Back Market — a Paris-based marketplace for refurbished devices — told TNW. This is because “recycling isn’t advanced enough yet” to save every part of a device.
In fact, consumer interest in refurbished devices is growing. A recent survey by Keany found that 28% of more than 5,000 consumers across Europe and North America would opt for a high-quality refurbished product over a lower-quality brand-new product. And the global refurbished electronics market is forecasted to advance at an annual 12.1% rate of compound growth between 2022 and 2031.
The French Revolution’s motto from a “refurbished” perspective. Credit: Back Market
But while startups such Back Market and Swappie are among those that are currently leading the transition, big tech manufacturers are expected to follow suit.
So far a mindset focused on constant updates, new launches, and profit-making has kept such companies back, de Larauze explained. But this is changing.
“As the climate crisis continues, we are starting to see major players investing more in refurbishment, as sustainability starts to become a lynchpin for success,” he noted.
Making gadgets more sustainable in 2023 with remanufacturing
Beyond refurbishing, Peter Bragg — Canon’s EMEA Sustainability & Government Affairs Director — believes that remanufacturing is the “missing link” in circular economy practices.
While there’s a rising trend in refurbished tech products, consumers are still hesitant due to optimal performance expectations and the simple feeling of wanting something “new and shiny,” he told TNW. And this is where remanufacturing comes in.
Remanufacturing maintains as much of the old device as possible and it rebuilds it so as to perform as a new product, Bragg explained. It’s an improvement on refurbishing “through its focus on performance and extensive testing which ensures that consumers are receiving what is essentially a new product, as opposed to simply extending the life of an existing one.”
That way, it can also address consumer demand for new, high-quality products, while reducing their environmental impact.
Nevertheless, the responsibility for more sustainable gadgets falls on users as well. And the ways to contribute to limiting the amount of e-waste are simple: consider second-hand products, invest in those that are durable, and take care of your device so you can hold to it for longer.
Just imagine that by extending the life of our smartphones by a single year, we would save Europe as much CO2 emissions as taking two million cars off the road annually.
And, hopefully, with companies making more durable devices, the rise of refurbishing, and a renewed focus on remanufacturing, we can make our gadgets more sustainable in 2023.
The European Union is on a mission to curb the power of big tech. In recent years, the bloc has doled out vast antitrust fines to Silicon Valley giants, set global standards for data privacy, and proposed a raft of digital regulations. Yet critics say the rules have been ineffective.
Analysts claim the legislation has failed to protect competition, while giving companies routes to avoid enforcement. In 2023, the bloc has grand ambitions to change that.
A key component of the plans is the new Digital Markets Act (DMA). The landmark legislation prohibits platforms from ranking their own products more favorably than those of third parties, and from processing data collected from different services. Fines for single infringements can reach 10% of the offenders’ global turnover, and up to 20% for repeated violations. In May 2023, the new rules will start to apply.
The act is the cornerstone of two complementary objectives for the EU: reducing big tech’s dominance and fostering European challengers.
To find out how these plans will unfold next year, TNW asked an array of tech experts for their predictions for 2023.
Building competition
The impact of the DMA was a common topic in our experts’ forecasts. Amandine Le Pape, COO of secure messaging and collaboration app Element, and Matthew Hodgson, technical co-founder of the Matrix open standard, both lobbied for the regulation. The duo is optimistic about the impact on competition.
“Big tech is being forced to embrace interoperability, which will unleash a new era of innovation,” said Le Pape. “Consumers and businesses will have more choice, better features, and improved privacy. Messaging is finally catching up with the openness of the web and email.”
Amandine Le Pape, COO of Element.
Hodgson, meanwhile, pointed to the effects on opening up access.
“The DMA stipulates that big tech must open up its APIs to enable widespread interoperability,” he said. “It’s a huge step forwards, but the best interoperability comes from a widely adopted open standard rather than a tangle of bridges — as demonstrated by both the web and email.”
“The DMA will force a change in behavior.
Supporters and opponents alike agreed that the DMA will have deep repercussions.Geoff Blaber, the CEO of analyst firm CCS Insight, envisions its influence extending far beyond European borders.
“We predict that the DMA will force a change in behavior from large tech players in Europe that is likely to ripple through business operations globally,” Blaber wrote in a recent report. “It will also further motivate US politicians keen to avoid a scenario in which Europe defines the antitrust agenda without US involvement. A degree of harmony and consistency between US and EU legislation would be a clear advantage but is by no means assured.”
Making business plans
Increasing competition could leave gaps for European challengers to enter. The EU, however, has historically struggled to turn its world-leading research into big tech companies.
One barrier is the notoriously slow and inefficient transfer of IP from academia to the economy. This problem is illustrated by the EU producing more research papers than the US, but turning far fewer into commercial applications.
According to Luigi Congedo, a venture capitalist and Innovation Advisor at marketing firm Clarity, this weakness can be reduced by changing the EU’s investment framework. This, he argues, could stimulate a more effective technology transfer — and prevent promising startups from being acquired by Silicon Valley giants.
“We need to create our Google, Facebook, and Microsoft, and, in order to do it, create a better environment to compete and do business across the continent,” he said. “If we fail in creating a real European platform for innovation and instead maintain the current ‘country-based model,’ all our emerging businesses will end up becoming M&A targets for American multinational companies.”
“I expect more openness.
Another issue for tech businesses in the EU is integration across member states. Companies have long complained about the complexity of navigating the union’s tax and employment requirements. Congedo predicts the bloc will address these challenges.
“I expect more openness to make recruitment and hiring easier across states, and also for foreigners like American businesses to hire in the EU,” he said.
Luigi Congedo, a venture capitalist and Innovation Advisor at Clarity.
Deeper tech
In its effort to nurture homegrown businesses, the EU has targeted legislation at specific areas of tech. A notable example is the European Chips Act. Proposed in February 2022, the framework aims to encourage semiconductor production in the union.
As of 2022, Europe accounts for less than 10% of the global production of semiconductors. The European Commission wants to ramp that up to 20%, by plowing €43 billion into the sector.
Mark Lippett, CEO of chip specialist XMOS, has mixed expectations for the legislation. While he welcomes the investment, he’s worried that the bloc will wrap the sector in red tape.
“Providing funding for businesses in a supply-threatened environment offers some obvious fail-safes in times of trouble,” he said. “However, EU projects can become somewhat mired in bureaucracy, and the velocity can be sucked out as a result.”
“This will help fuel innovation.
Another focus area for the EU is artificial intelligence. The European Parliament is currently finalizing its flagship AI Act, which will place stringent rules on high-risk artificial intelligence systems.
IT companies hope the legislation boosts European innovation. Matt Peake, Global Director of Public Policy at Onfido, an ID verification firm, believes it could provide regulatory clarity, without the burdens of excessive compliance and operational costs.
“This will ultimately help fuel innovation in AI, which helps to reduce bias, and drive more inclusive online services,” he said.
Ultimately, the EU hopes to stimulate innovation by leveling the playing field. It’s an approach that’s attracting imitators around the world.
“The question is whether innovation is best fostered broadly through open competitive marketplaces or determined by a minority of platforms operating at significant scale,” said Geoff Blaber, CEO of CCS Insights. “Consensus has undoubtedly shifted to the former.”
The European Union has an unusual IT strategy. While the US prioritizes the development of global tech giants, the EU focuses on becoming the sector’s leading regulator.
In 2022, the bloc launched two sweeping sets of stringent new rules: the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which seeks to bolster competition in online services, and the Digital Services Act (DSA), which aims to protect people from online harm. Analysts expect the regulatory drive to accelerate next year.
“The only thing we can be certain about is that there will be more regulation next year, and increased enforcement of it,” said Alan Calder, CEO of GRC International Group, a global provider of IT governance, risk management, and compliance solutions.
To gauge the details, TNW asked IT experts across the bloc what they predict from the EU’s policies in 2023. All expect significant changes in legislation, with certain technologies particularly prominent in their forecasts.
Tighter security
Our experts expect significant developments in cyber security regulation. Kostas Rossoglou, Shopify’s Head of Public Policy and Government Affairs for EMEA and International, highlighted the importance of the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA).
The recently-adopted regulation aims to harmonize the financial sector’s approach to cybersecurity. To comply with the rules, organizations will need to review legacy IT systems and potentially invest in new software potential investment in new software. This may be costly in the short term, but Rossoglou is optimistic that it will pay off. He expects levels of security to increase, thereby limiting attacks, reducing downtime, and saving cash.
“Although it will be a couple of years before mandatory compliance, it will eventually put financial organizations in a much stronger position for handling outages, leaks, unauthorized access, and data loss,” he said. “Within the highly sensitive information that the financial sector holds, this is incredibly important.”
“It’s never too soon to be aware.
Another proposal working its way through the EU is the Cyber Resilience Act. This regulation will establish cybersecurity requirements for connected devices, which will provide consumers with transparency on practices, testing, and general functions.
The legislation is currently going through a consultation process. Rossoglou recommends organizations keep a close eye on its progress next year.
“It is likely to be a year or two before it is finalized and then organizations will be given a 24-month transition period to comply,” he said. “However, it is never too soon to be aware of upcoming changes. Regularly monitoring for updates will ensure that businesses are prepared for the changes in good time.”
This is a picture of Kostas Rossoglou, Shopify’s Head of Public Policy and Government Affairs for EMEA and International.
Indeed, these preparations could become increasingly crucial. Calder predicts new EU rules to be accompanied by stricter enforcement.
“The whole area of cyber security will, in particular, experience a ratcheting up in terms of regulation, and regulatory enforcement as the EU Commission moves to force organizations to take cyber security steps they’re failing to take voluntarily,” he said.
Algorithmic accountability
The EU is also developing new regulation for artificial intelligence, which is based on the technology’s potential to cause harm. Named the AI Act, the legislation will force anyone who wants to use, build, or sell AI products and services within the EU to follow the rules.
“It is expected that the legislation will set a precedent for other jurisdictions to evolve or follow,” said Matt Peake, Global Director of Public Policy at ID verification firm Onfido. “The framework is designed to be risk-based, so that the level of regulation will depend on the level of risk.”
According to a global survey by Accenture, the rules will have a deep impact. Some 95% of respondents said at least part of their business will be affected by the EU regulations.
Accenture’s researchers expect a risk management framework to become necessary for compliance with the AI Act. They also predict the regulation will be adopted before the end of 2023, with a two-year grace period before the rules come into force. That timetable, however, may be less generous than it appears.
“Our experience working with large organizations on major enterprise-wide compliance programs (e.g. GDPR, Responsible AI) suggests that it could easily take as long as two years to establish all the necessary controls they will need to be compliant,” the research team wrote in a report.
Follow the money
Cryptocurrencies are becoming a focal point of tech regulation. In the EU, a growing range of controversies has led the bloc to develop new legislation for the sector.
“I think 2023 will be a landmark year for crypto regulation,” said Ivan Liljeqvist, cofounder and CEO ofMoralis, a Web3 API provider.
Liljeqvist highlights the importance of the Market in Crypto Assets (MiCA) bill. In February, the European Parliament is expected to vote on the bill — the first comprehensive crypto regulation in the continent.
Ivan Liljeqvist, cofounder and CEO of Moralis.
With Big Tech getting into Web3 and the metaverse, competition is likely to heat up over the next few years — which could invite more regulatory scrutiny. The European Union recently introduced its Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) legislation, but even insiders from the EU Commission agree some of the phrasing around NFTs is ambiguous and even straight-up inaccurate.
The proposals could become integral to the European Commission’s future digital finance strategy. In addition, they may provide a reference point for other regulatory bodies.
“While the bill is unlikely to be rolled out until the end of the year, whenever we are dealing with legislative firsts I think the expectancy is for legislators to be cautious and over-regulate rather than under-regulate,” said Liljeqvist.
“What I want to see, and what I think others in the market want to see, is regulation that is sensible rather than stifling, protecting the principles of innovation and competition. I believe the most important thing is for the bill to be open-minded and flexible enough to be revised depending on how markets develop.”
Liljeqvist wasn’t alone in expressing caution. Jake Stott, CEO of Web3 creative agency Hype, is concerned about the impact on the market.
“As tech behemoths like Meta, Reddit, Google and Apple continue to venture into Web3 and NFTs, the regulatory situation could quickly escalate, triggering even more uncertainty in the market.”
“They must move at a faster pace.
Some critics, however, argue that the EU needs to be quicker to regulate the sector. Martin Magnone, co-founder and CEO of credit company Tymit, believes the new legislation will only start to make an impact in 2024.
“If the EU is to successfully take a stronger stand, they must move at a faster pace in line with industry movements,” he said.
Opening access
The payment sector, meanwhile, is preparing for the European Commission’s review of the PSD2, an EU regulation for online transactions.
Industry insiders have high hopes for the review, which is slated for 2023. They believe it could lead European SMEs and consumers to receive better payment outcomes — at a better price.
Under the current rules, only credit institutions can access European payment schemes. As a result, non-banks and more innovative firms must go through traditional banks to benefit from the schemes.
“This creates dependencies on credit institutions and their legacy systems; single points of failure; and increases the cost of payment services offered by non-credit institutions to European SMEs and consumers,” said Elanie Steyn, Director of Operations at payments platform Modulr.
“Should the PSD2 review include consideration on which institutions can directly access and settle European payments, the impact could be seismic. Opening access has the potential to level the playing field, create greater competition, and lower payment costs for all Europeans.”
Indeed, many of the experts we spoke to expect the EU to prioritize open access.
“The EU’s main focus for 2023 will still be the Big Tech platforms and achieving their goal of making them more open and interoperable,” said Tymit CEOMartin Magnone.
“The measures introduced so far to moderate the monopoly of large tech companies, from labor laws to taxes, have only been partially effective and not yet produced the desired effects. In 2023, we will see the EU make further strides to remedy this and achieve its open access goals.”
Few could have predicted the economic and geopolitical landscape that confronted the mobility sector in 2022. With the industry still reeling from materials shortages — particularly semiconductor chips — caused by COVID-19 lockdowns, the invasion of Ukraine has further tested the sector’s resiliency.
This has led to companies scrambling to wean themselves off Russian oil. The outcome of this has created a strong focus on renewable energy, including preservation, optimization of operational efficiency, and electrification, topics that’ll extend across all areas of mobility in 2023.
But there’s a lot more we can expect from the sector next year, and here are a few of those predictions.
Greater subsidized public transport
2022 saw countries like Spain and Germany subsidise public transport and these initiatives will extend into 2023.
France has banned short-haul domestic flights, reducing the cost of rail tickets along the way. We’ll likely see more countries investing in public transport to reduce citizens’ reliance on gas.
Solar electric vehicles (sEVs) will hit roads for the first time
This is the Sono Motors Sion car.
We can expect big things for solar EVs in 2023. Sono Motors’ €25,000 solar electric hatchback, Sion, is expected to go into production in the second half of year. According to CEO Laurin Hahn, the company will begin fulfilling pre-orders within the EU after that. Although, the company is going through some issues.
Lightyear’s €250,000 Model “0” solar electric vehicle — which is developed in the Netherlands — will probably hit the roads alongside the Squad Solar City. Over in California, Aptera may also release its two-seater solar electric vehicle.
According to Sono Motor’s CEO, Hahn, the availability of technologically-advanced, safe, energy-producing solar electric vehicles — as opposed to simple energy-consuming EVs — represents a great leap forward in the electric vehicle industry to date.
He added: “Each of these companies are pioneers in an emerging industry that is committed to delivering on the dream of truly zero-emission mobility, which has evaded us for too long.”
Bidirectional charging to have its moment
Bi-directional charging is the ability for your car battery to receive energy from the electricity grid, as well as sharing the power it generates.
Currently, EV bidirectional charging is a nice-to-have feature, but, in 2023, it will become far more sought after.
EV owners will want to reduce home and office energy costs, and using their EV as an alternative power source could be just the ticket.
Bidirectional charging usually requires a hardware investment. But according to Hahn, Sion could be among the first European car makers to offer consumers the ability to charge other vehicles or put energy back into a public or private grid (e.g. home grid) — without any additional hardware.
Ebikes are at a point of inflexion
2022 has been a great year for ebikes, with the hardware even outselling cars in the US. In much of Europe, they are becoming the ubiquitous mode of transport for urban dwellers.
Tanguy Goretti — co-founder and CTO of Cowboy — predicts a wider adoption amongst families who will continue to ditch their second car as it becomes too expensive to run. Ebikes provide families with “a more affordable, practical transport option that the whole household can share.”
TNW has reviewed many great ebikes for their great design and utility, but there’s also a considerable amount of software innovation that Goretti expects to grow in 2023.
He believes ebikes will have their iPhone moment, explaining that in the last 10 years, two significant hardware moments occurred: electrification and connectivity. He continued: “This is precisely what happened with iPhone or Tesla; hardware differences became less relevant, and software became the main element, and soon the ebike industry will follow suit.”
Micromobility will expand, but will struggle with profitability
2022 has been another big year for micromobility, as operators focused on expanding fleets and entering new markets. But the challenge of profitability has loomed large, leading to the layoffs we’ve seen across the entire tech ecosystem. This year major operators of shared micromobility services like Voi, Bird, and Tier have all significantly downsized.
A Lime escooter being driven around Paris.
There’s also speculation that Paris may ban escooters in response to parking challenges and accidents, despite a boost in both ownership and ridership. The city’s contracts with Lime, Dott, and Tier are all up for renewal in February 2023, so expect to see the dangers of escooters dominating the French media.
Parking and sidewalk riding remain notable pain points, so expect to see more attention given to the technology that manages how escotoers are ridden and parked. Docking (and charging) solutions may become a critical part of city infrastructure in some public spaces to reduce clutter.
And then there’s Berlin. Beginning on Jan 1, bikes, escooters, scooters and motorcycles (rental or otherwise) can be parked in regular spaces free of charge. While I like the elevation of their status in the parking food chain, I’m just waiting for the hordes of angry car owners to drive over them.
There’s also good news in the UK with the Department for Transport extending trials of hire escooters until May 2024. This will be a litmus test as to whether vendors can improve rider behaviour and increase user numbers. That said, it’s unlikely we’ll see the ban lifted on private escooters, which are currently restricted to private land use.
The rise and rise of circular design
I predicted last year that circular design would be a key feature of 2022 — and this will continue.
As a reminder, circular design completely reimagines product creation, from the original blueprints to various lifecycle stages, and what happens to each element after it has fulfilled its original purpose.
Next year kicks off the expansion of global regulations for batteries and the origin of critical, but not infinite, materials like cobalt and lithium.
New EU Battery Regulations have created a series of mandatory incremental requirements. These force battery makers (and users like carmakers) to consider the battery lifecycle, from R&D to mining source materials, closing material recycling loops, and end-of-life battery management.
In practice, in 2023, we’ll see car and bike makers focused on closed-loop circularity where end-of-life parts are reused to make new designs. We can also expect an expansion of R&D in battery innovation from materials design to the development of reusable and repairable batteries.
Greater manufacturing of sustainable materials
In 2023, innovation will continue to grow in terms of the materials used to build our vehicles.
the first electric trucks from Volvo with fossil-free steel are now being delivered to customers.
This year, Swedish Volvo became the world’s first truck manufacturer to begin using fossil-free steel in its electric trucks. The steel is made by using a completely new technology with green electricity and hydrogen. The result is a significantly lower climate impact and an important step towards a net-zero emissions value chain.
Additionally, startup Roetz is working on a modular bike called Life, something made up of swappable parts. Modules will be repaired or remanufactured, ready for the next lifecycle. Roetz’s modular ebike will be launched in 2023.
Also, German company igus and Dutch company MTRL have partnered to create igus:bike, and what makes it so special is the fact that it is made from 90% recycled plastic waste, including the frame, bearings, brake levers, pedals, and belt.
So there we have it, just a few predictions for 2023. We know that even with challenges, the mobility sector is forever improving and evolving product offerings and changing how we move people and products for the better.