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European tech gets political | TechCrunch

European tech gets political | TechCrunch

Venture capital firm Atomico’s annual State of European Tech report is out and it shows investment is trending upwards. But this year’s edition goes beyond the usual assessment of the tech ecosystem; it has become a piece of advocacy that reflects a broader shift: European startups and investors are increasingly turning to lobbying.

“It’s no longer enough to show how far we’ve come. It’s critical, too, that we use those insights to point the way forward,” said the report’s author, Tom Wehmeier, who is also a partner at Atomico and the firm’s head of intelligence. This includes four policy recommendations with fairly self-explanatory names: Fix the friction, Fund the future, Empower talent, and Champion risk.

While Atomico is using answers from a wide range of respondents to advocate for these specific recommendations, it arguably has some authority to speak for more than itself. Founded in 2006 by Skype co-founder Niklas Zennström, its portfolio includes high-profile European companies such as Aiven, DeepL, Klarna, Pipedrive, Stripe, and Supercell.

Taking a page from Big Tech and from legacy industries, as well as from their U.S. peers, European tech companies of that scale are increasingly learning to lobby for themselves — at the company level, with public affairs hires, but also collectively, with open letters that European institutions have paid attention to.

This also explains why many of Atomico’s recommendations align with topics that are already very much in the air, both in the startup community and in the Brussels policy world — whether it is the 28th regime proposed by advocacy group EU-INC to create a pan-European company structure (currently, companies must navigate 27 different national regimes), calls for less regulation, or broader considerations on competitiveness that echo former European Central Bank president Mario Draghi’s 2024 report.

This buy-in at the highest levels is apparent in Atomico’s report, too. For the first time, its 2025 edition features a quote from the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, saying that she wants “the future of AI to be made in Europe.” This high-level attention also explains why European tech lobbying is becoming more sophisticated.

On the 28th regime, for instance, Atomico warns that whether it will be a “regulation” or a “directive” is highly important. “This is the difference between having teeth or not, with the latter representing a continuation of the status quo where rules can be interpreted country to country, instead of the uniformity tech companies need to thrive,” the firm argues. (In EU law, regulations are directly binding across all member states, while directives allow each country to implement rules differently.)

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This level of detail isn’t unprecedented. France Digitale, a French startup and investor association, published a “non-paper” on the 28th regime that wasn’t much different from what other lobbies may produce on other topics — just like publications from ESNA, the Europe Startup Nations Alliance. But Atomico’s take, also packaged as a video and a stage talk at tech conference Slush, is meant to reach both the tech ecosystem and policymakers.

Paradoxically, what might be missing is a sense of the various forces that could oppose efforts such as EU-INC. More broadly, some recommendations may feel out of touch to most people; after all, few Europeans wake up in the morning concerned about the lack of new homegrown trillion-dollar companies. 

The counterargument is that society as a whole is affected by lackluster growth, but arguably, there is still more that European tech’s emerging lobbying could do to win hearts. According to Alexandru Voica, head of corporate affairs and policy at London-based AI unicorn Synthesia, that is one reason why large startups are becoming more vocal.

“Communications and policy are more important than 10 years ago because in Europe, there’s a deep distrust of the tech industry,” Voica wrote to TechCrunch. “A decade ago, [communications] was seen as something you could run out of marketing to help with product growth and brand awareness. Today, the work we do is much more focused on risk mitigation and reputation management, etc.”

European tech’s lobbying push also carries risks. If the movement becomes too closely tied to particular political parties, it could trigger backlash and undermine broader support. Still, regardless of politics, many will likely agree with Atomico’s central point: “Europe effectively stands at a crossroads.”

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#European #tech #political #TechCrunch

Asus launched the Drop Zone program last year, it was seen as a commendable gesture to make repairs less taxing for consumers. Now, keeping in the same vein, Asus is expanding its Drop Zone initiative in India by adding 22 new stores to the network. The program, which allows users to submit laptops for servicing at ASUS Exclusive Stores instead of dedicated service centers, is now being rolled out across multiple regions, including Delhi NCR, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

What is Asus Drop Zone Service?

The Drop Zone initiative is designed to simplify the repair process by allowing customers to drop off and collect their devices at nearby ASUS stores. This eliminates the need to travel to service centers, which can often be inconvenient—especially for users in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

With this expansion, ASUS is clearly trying to address common pain points like accessibility, turnaround time, and service transparency. Customers also get multiple service options, including carry-in support for immediate consultation, on-site servicing by technicians, and the Drop Zone model for easier logistics.

ASUS says it already has a wide after-sales network in India, with over 200 service centers and on-site support covering more than 17,000 pin codes across 761 districts. The Drop Zone expansion adds another layer to this ecosystem, bringing services closer to users. The company also offers 24/7 support through calls, chat, email, and remote troubleshooting. Speaking on the matter, Arnold Su, VP, Consumer and Gaming PC, System Business Group, ASUS India, said

At ASUS, our focus has always been on delivering a reliable and consistent ownership experience that extends well beyond the product itself. The expansion of our Drop Zone initiative into 22 additional stores marks a significant step towards making after-sales support more accessible and transparent for our customers. Guided by our 4A framework, we remain committed to building a service ecosystem that is responsive, convenient, and aligned with evolving customer needs.

#ASUS #Drop #Zone #Service #Cities #IndiaAsus">ASUS Drop Zone Service Now Available in More Cities Across India
	
When Asus launched the Drop Zone program last year, it was seen as a commendable gesture to make repairs less taxing for consumers. Now, keeping in the same vein, Asus is expanding its Drop Zone initiative in India by adding 22 new stores to the network. The program, which allows users to submit laptops for servicing at ASUS Exclusive Stores instead of dedicated service centers, is now being rolled out across multiple regions, including Delhi NCR, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. 



What is Asus Drop Zone Service?



The Drop Zone initiative is designed to simplify the repair process by allowing customers to drop off and collect their devices at nearby ASUS stores. This eliminates the need to travel to service centers, which can often be inconvenient—especially for users in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.



With this expansion, ASUS is clearly trying to address common pain points like accessibility, turnaround time, and service transparency. Customers also get multiple service options, including carry-in support for immediate consultation, on-site servicing by technicians, and the Drop Zone model for easier logistics.



ASUS says it already has a wide after-sales network in India, with over 200 service centers and on-site support covering more than 17,000 pin codes across 761 districts. The Drop Zone expansion adds another layer to this ecosystem, bringing services closer to users. The company also offers 24/7 support through calls, chat, email, and remote troubleshooting. Speaking on the matter, Arnold Su, VP, Consumer and Gaming PC, System Business Group, ASUS India, said




At ASUS, our focus has always been on delivering a reliable and consistent ownership experience that extends well beyond the product itself. The expansion of our Drop Zone initiative into 22 additional stores marks a significant step towards making after-sales support more accessible and transparent for our customers. Guided by our 4A framework, we remain committed to building a service ecosystem that is responsive, convenient, and aligned with evolving customer needs.


#ASUS #Drop #Zone #Service #Cities #IndiaAsus

launched the Drop Zone program last year, it was seen as a commendable gesture to make repairs less taxing for consumers. Now, keeping in the same vein, Asus is expanding its Drop Zone initiative in India by adding 22 new stores to the network. The program, which allows users to submit laptops for servicing at ASUS Exclusive Stores instead of dedicated service centers, is now being rolled out across multiple regions, including Delhi NCR, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

What is Asus Drop Zone Service?

The Drop Zone initiative is designed to simplify the repair process by allowing customers to drop off and collect their devices at nearby ASUS stores. This eliminates the need to travel to service centers, which can often be inconvenient—especially for users in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

With this expansion, ASUS is clearly trying to address common pain points like accessibility, turnaround time, and service transparency. Customers also get multiple service options, including carry-in support for immediate consultation, on-site servicing by technicians, and the Drop Zone model for easier logistics.

ASUS says it already has a wide after-sales network in India, with over 200 service centers and on-site support covering more than 17,000 pin codes across 761 districts. The Drop Zone expansion adds another layer to this ecosystem, bringing services closer to users. The company also offers 24/7 support through calls, chat, email, and remote troubleshooting. Speaking on the matter, Arnold Su, VP, Consumer and Gaming PC, System Business Group, ASUS India, said

At ASUS, our focus has always been on delivering a reliable and consistent ownership experience that extends well beyond the product itself. The expansion of our Drop Zone initiative into 22 additional stores marks a significant step towards making after-sales support more accessible and transparent for our customers. Guided by our 4A framework, we remain committed to building a service ecosystem that is responsive, convenient, and aligned with evolving customer needs.

#ASUS #Drop #Zone #Service #Cities #IndiaAsus">ASUS Drop Zone Service Now Available in More Cities Across India

When Asus launched the Drop Zone program last year, it was seen as a commendable gesture to make repairs less taxing for consumers. Now, keeping in the same vein, Asus is expanding its Drop Zone initiative in India by adding 22 new stores to the network. The program, which allows users to submit laptops for servicing at ASUS Exclusive Stores instead of dedicated service centers, is now being rolled out across multiple regions, including Delhi NCR, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

What is Asus Drop Zone Service?

The Drop Zone initiative is designed to simplify the repair process by allowing customers to drop off and collect their devices at nearby ASUS stores. This eliminates the need to travel to service centers, which can often be inconvenient—especially for users in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

With this expansion, ASUS is clearly trying to address common pain points like accessibility, turnaround time, and service transparency. Customers also get multiple service options, including carry-in support for immediate consultation, on-site servicing by technicians, and the Drop Zone model for easier logistics.

ASUS says it already has a wide after-sales network in India, with over 200 service centers and on-site support covering more than 17,000 pin codes across 761 districts. The Drop Zone expansion adds another layer to this ecosystem, bringing services closer to users. The company also offers 24/7 support through calls, chat, email, and remote troubleshooting. Speaking on the matter, Arnold Su, VP, Consumer and Gaming PC, System Business Group, ASUS India, said

At ASUS, our focus has always been on delivering a reliable and consistent ownership experience that extends well beyond the product itself. The expansion of our Drop Zone initiative into 22 additional stores marks a significant step towards making after-sales support more accessible and transparent for our customers. Guided by our 4A framework, we remain committed to building a service ecosystem that is responsive, convenient, and aligned with evolving customer needs.

#ASUS #Drop #Zone #Service #Cities #IndiaAsus

Successfully flying around the Moon and returning to Earth in a historic 10-day journey? Easy-peasy for NASA’s Artemis 2 astronauts. Now the really hard part that everybody on Earth can relate to begins: sorting out their phone’s camera roll.

Mission specialist Christina Koch and Commander Reid Wiseman had already stunned the public with their epic Earth photos taken from the Orion spacecraft’s main hatch. While they shared a gallery of shots taken with a Nikon DSLR and GoPro action camera, it was their “selfies,” shot with the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s front-facing camera, that captured everyone’s imagination.

How do you top that? On Sunday, Wiseman shared a video of a view that no human has ever shared before. No big deal, it’s just a “cell phone video of Earthset,” showing our humble Blue Planet setting behind the Moon.

See iPhone 17 Pro Max at Apple.com

 

“I could barely see the Moon through the docking hatch window but the iPhone was the perfect size to catch the view…this is uncropped, uncut with 8x zoom which is quite comparable to the view of the human eye,” Wiseman said in a post on X. “Enjoy.”

The footage immediately started going viral as jaws dropped to the floor, and likes, reposts, and comments poured in from around the world.

The video is breaking the internet for good reason—it’s as authentic as it gets. The footage isn’t edited and there’s no music. There’s zero polish to it. Just an astronaut zooming in on the Moon through Orion’s window, blurry autofocusing and all, as the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s 8x optical-quality telephoto locks onto the celestial bodies. 

Wiseman’s honest reaction only added to the moment. “Would you look at that, man? Wowww. Dude… No wayy. Fin,” he said before the view of Earth disappeared behind the lunar surface.

Dude, we would have reacted in the same exact way.

See iPhone 17 Pro Max at Apple.com

#JawDropping #iPhone #Video #Earth #Setting #Moon #Rightfully #Breaking #InternetApple,Artemis 2,iPhone,moon,NASA,Space">Jaw-Dropping iPhone Video of Earth Setting Behind the Moon Is Rightfully Breaking the Internet
                Successfully flying around the Moon and returning to Earth in a historic 10-day journey? Easy-peasy for NASA’s Artemis 2 astronauts. Now the really hard part that everybody on Earth can relate to begins: sorting out their phone’s camera roll.
Mission specialist Christina Koch and Commander Reid Wiseman had already stunned the public with their epic Earth photos taken from the Orion spacecraft’s main hatch. While they shared a gallery of shots taken with a Nikon DSLR and GoPro action camera, it was their “selfies,” shot with the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s front-facing camera, that captured everyone’s imagination.
How do you top that? On Sunday, Wiseman shared a video of a view that no human has ever shared before. No big deal, it’s just a “cell phone video of Earthset,” showing our humble Blue Planet setting behind the Moon.
See iPhone 17 Pro Max at Apple.com




Only one chance in this lifetime…
Like watching sunset at the beach from the most foreign seat in the cosmos, I couldn’t resist a cell phone video of Earthset. You can hear the shutter on the Nikon as @Astro_Christina is hammering away on 3-shot brackets and capturing those… pic.twitter.com/8aWnaFJ69c
— Reid Wiseman (@astro_reid) April 19, 2026

 
“I could barely see the Moon through the docking hatch window but the iPhone was the perfect size to catch the view…this is uncropped, uncut with 8x zoom which is quite comparable to the view of the human eye,” Wiseman said in a post on X. “Enjoy.”

The footage immediately started going viral as jaws dropped to the floor, and likes, reposts, and comments poured in from around the world.
The video is breaking the internet for good reason—it’s as authentic as it gets. The footage isn’t edited and there’s no music. There’s zero polish to it. Just an astronaut zooming in on the Moon through Orion’s window, blurry autofocusing and all, as the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s 8x optical-quality telephoto locks onto the celestial bodies. 
Wiseman’s honest reaction only added to the moment. “Would you look at that, man? Wowww. Dude… No wayy. Fin,” he said before the view of Earth disappeared behind the lunar surface. 
Dude, we would have reacted in the same exact way.
See iPhone 17 Pro Max at Apple.com
      #JawDropping #iPhone #Video #Earth #Setting #Moon #Rightfully #Breaking #InternetApple,Artemis 2,iPhone,moon,NASA,Space

returning to Earth in a historic 10-day journey? Easy-peasy for NASA’s Artemis 2 astronauts. Now the really hard part that everybody on Earth can relate to begins: sorting out their phone’s camera roll.

Mission specialist Christina Koch and Commander Reid Wiseman had already stunned the public with their epic Earth photos taken from the Orion spacecraft’s main hatch. While they shared a gallery of shots taken with a Nikon DSLR and GoPro action camera, it was their “selfies,” shot with the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s front-facing camera, that captured everyone’s imagination.

How do you top that? On Sunday, Wiseman shared a video of a view that no human has ever shared before. No big deal, it’s just a “cell phone video of Earthset,” showing our humble Blue Planet setting behind the Moon.

See iPhone 17 Pro Max at Apple.com

 

“I could barely see the Moon through the docking hatch window but the iPhone was the perfect size to catch the view…this is uncropped, uncut with 8x zoom which is quite comparable to the view of the human eye,” Wiseman said in a post on X. “Enjoy.”

The footage immediately started going viral as jaws dropped to the floor, and likes, reposts, and comments poured in from around the world.

The video is breaking the internet for good reason—it’s as authentic as it gets. The footage isn’t edited and there’s no music. There’s zero polish to it. Just an astronaut zooming in on the Moon through Orion’s window, blurry autofocusing and all, as the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s 8x optical-quality telephoto locks onto the celestial bodies. 

Wiseman’s honest reaction only added to the moment. “Would you look at that, man? Wowww. Dude… No wayy. Fin,” he said before the view of Earth disappeared behind the lunar surface.

Dude, we would have reacted in the same exact way.

See iPhone 17 Pro Max at Apple.com

#JawDropping #iPhone #Video #Earth #Setting #Moon #Rightfully #Breaking #InternetApple,Artemis 2,iPhone,moon,NASA,Space">Jaw-Dropping iPhone Video of Earth Setting Behind the Moon Is Rightfully Breaking the InternetJaw-Dropping iPhone Video of Earth Setting Behind the Moon Is Rightfully Breaking the Internet
                Successfully flying around the Moon and returning to Earth in a historic 10-day journey? Easy-peasy for NASA’s Artemis 2 astronauts. Now the really hard part that everybody on Earth can relate to begins: sorting out their phone’s camera roll.
Mission specialist Christina Koch and Commander Reid Wiseman had already stunned the public with their epic Earth photos taken from the Orion spacecraft’s main hatch. While they shared a gallery of shots taken with a Nikon DSLR and GoPro action camera, it was their “selfies,” shot with the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s front-facing camera, that captured everyone’s imagination.
How do you top that? On Sunday, Wiseman shared a video of a view that no human has ever shared before. No big deal, it’s just a “cell phone video of Earthset,” showing our humble Blue Planet setting behind the Moon.
See iPhone 17 Pro Max at Apple.com




Only one chance in this lifetime…
Like watching sunset at the beach from the most foreign seat in the cosmos, I couldn’t resist a cell phone video of Earthset. You can hear the shutter on the Nikon as @Astro_Christina is hammering away on 3-shot brackets and capturing those… pic.twitter.com/8aWnaFJ69c
— Reid Wiseman (@astro_reid) April 19, 2026

 
“I could barely see the Moon through the docking hatch window but the iPhone was the perfect size to catch the view…this is uncropped, uncut with 8x zoom which is quite comparable to the view of the human eye,” Wiseman said in a post on X. “Enjoy.”

The footage immediately started going viral as jaws dropped to the floor, and likes, reposts, and comments poured in from around the world.
The video is breaking the internet for good reason—it’s as authentic as it gets. The footage isn’t edited and there’s no music. There’s zero polish to it. Just an astronaut zooming in on the Moon through Orion’s window, blurry autofocusing and all, as the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s 8x optical-quality telephoto locks onto the celestial bodies. 
Wiseman’s honest reaction only added to the moment. “Would you look at that, man? Wowww. Dude… No wayy. Fin,” he said before the view of Earth disappeared behind the lunar surface. 
Dude, we would have reacted in the same exact way.
See iPhone 17 Pro Max at Apple.com
      #JawDropping #iPhone #Video #Earth #Setting #Moon #Rightfully #Breaking #InternetApple,Artemis 2,iPhone,moon,NASA,Space

Successfully flying around the Moon and returning to Earth in a historic 10-day journey? Easy-peasy for NASA’s Artemis 2 astronauts. Now the really hard part that everybody on Earth can relate to begins: sorting out their phone’s camera roll.

Mission specialist Christina Koch and Commander Reid Wiseman had already stunned the public with their epic Earth photos taken from the Orion spacecraft’s main hatch. While they shared a gallery of shots taken with a Nikon DSLR and GoPro action camera, it was their “selfies,” shot with the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s front-facing camera, that captured everyone’s imagination.

How do you top that? On Sunday, Wiseman shared a video of a view that no human has ever shared before. No big deal, it’s just a “cell phone video of Earthset,” showing our humble Blue Planet setting behind the Moon.

See iPhone 17 Pro Max at Apple.com

 

“I could barely see the Moon through the docking hatch window but the iPhone was the perfect size to catch the view…this is uncropped, uncut with 8x zoom which is quite comparable to the view of the human eye,” Wiseman said in a post on X. “Enjoy.”

The footage immediately started going viral as jaws dropped to the floor, and likes, reposts, and comments poured in from around the world.

The video is breaking the internet for good reason—it’s as authentic as it gets. The footage isn’t edited and there’s no music. There’s zero polish to it. Just an astronaut zooming in on the Moon through Orion’s window, blurry autofocusing and all, as the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s 8x optical-quality telephoto locks onto the celestial bodies. 

Wiseman’s honest reaction only added to the moment. “Would you look at that, man? Wowww. Dude… No wayy. Fin,” he said before the view of Earth disappeared behind the lunar surface.

Dude, we would have reacted in the same exact way.

See iPhone 17 Pro Max at Apple.com

#JawDropping #iPhone #Video #Earth #Setting #Moon #Rightfully #Breaking #InternetApple,Artemis 2,iPhone,moon,NASA,Space

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