Avatar photoMarco Bianchi

Marco covers Southern Europe's vibrant and fast-growing startup landscape. Based in Milan, he reports on funding rounds, product launches and ecosystem developments across Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Malta and Cyprus, with a keen eye for foodtech, mobility and consumer innovation.

European Fintech Shifts Focus: From Banking Apps to Integrated Financial Operating Systems for SMEs

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The article explores a new wave of European fintech companies moving beyond sleek user interfaces to build integrated financial operating systems for small and medium-sized businesses. Wamo, founded in 2021, exemplifies this shift by focusing on connecting banking, invoicing, payroll, and other financial tools into one seamless platform. The company aims to reach 100,000 companies across Europe and €50m ARR by 2027, leveraging AI for underwriting, risk assessment, and personalized services rather than using AI merely as a chatbot feature.

Manchester Biotech Imperagen Raises €5.7 Million to Scale AI-Powered Enzyme Engineering Platform

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Imperagen, a Manchester-based biotech company using AI and quantum physics to engineer enzymes, raised €5.7 million in Seed funding led by PXN Ventures. The company combines quantum physics simulation, AI model training, and automated robotics in a closed-loop system to improve enzyme designs. It brings total funding to €9.8 million and announced Guy Levy-Yurista as new CEO. The company plans to expand R&D, scale wet lab capabilities, and grow its go-to-market function.

Dutch Public Transport Operator Qbuzz Launches AI Assistant Quby to Streamline Customer Service

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Qbuzz, one of the first public transport operators in the Netherlands, launched Quby, an AI assistant that provides immediate answers to travelers and supports customer service staff during conversations. The assistant retrieves real-time travel information, supports multiple languages (Dutch, English, German, French, Arabic, Turkish), and intelligently routes complex issues to human agents while automating administrative tasks like transcriptions and summaries.

KickstartAI Extends Partnership with Dutch Giants Through 2029, Doubling Down on AI Implementation

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KickstartAI, founded in 2019 by Ahold Delhaize, ING, KLM and NS, extended its partnership agreement with these founding members until 2029. The organization focuses on accelerating AI adoption in practice across various sectors, with successful implementations including baggage detection for NS, package volume prediction for Bol, digital financial guidance for ING, and food waste reduction planning for KLM. The new phase aims to broaden the partner network to additional sectors and organizations.

KPMG Portugal Launches Managed Services Division to Scale Enterprise AI Implementation

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KPMG Portugal announced the launch of its Managed Services division focused on helping organizations transform AI adoption from isolated pilots to scalable, governed operations. The launch is aligned with an IDC study showing 98% of business leaders consider AI implementation critical, 91% see Managed Services as relevant for agentic AI delivery, and 87% have integrated these models into their digital transformation strategies.

Portuguese Development Bank Deploys €1.15 Billion in Storm Relief as Recovery Efforts Accelerate

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Portuguese development bank BPF has disbursed 1.15 billion euros to 6,000 companies affected by devastating storms in January-February 2026, with plans to reach 2 billion euros in total support across 90 municipalities. The bank is also introducing new instruments for exports, investment, growth, and quality job creation.

Iran Launches Bitcoin-Powered Maritime Insurance Platform to Bypass International Sanctions

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Iran launched Hormuz Safe, a digital maritime insurance platform paid exclusively in bitcoin, to issue compliance certificates for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The platform aims to circumvent SWIFT sanctions and international financial systems. The product is described by experts as a ‘political toll’ rather than traditional maritime insurance, covering geopolitical risks like inspections and ship seizures rather than standard maritime damages. International maritime lawyers warn the practice may violate the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea regarding freedom of navigation.

Portuguese Development Bank Distributes €72 Million in Advance Payments to Over 1,100 Companies

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Banco Português de Fomento made advance payments of 72 million euros to 1,113 companies under the IFIC program covering reindustrialization, defense and security, and AI sectors. This represents 30% of approved support, with remaining 70% to be paid upon validation of expenses during investment execution. The bank has approved projects for nearly 3,000 companies totaling over 2.2 billion euros in investment, with approximately 1,500 contracts currently in execution representing 436 million euros in eligible investment.

Portuguese Retail Giant Sonae Posts 11% Profit Growth in Q1 2026, Achieves Record Quarterly Revenue

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Sonae, the Portuguese retail conglomerate, reported strong Q1 2026 results with 47 million euros in profits (up 11% YoY) and record quarterly consolidated revenue of 2.7 billion euros. The company achieved improved profitability with EBITDA margins expanding from 9.8% to 10.4%, driven by growth across all retail operations and store expansion. Net debt decreased to 1.7 billion euros, reflecting strong cash flow generation and continued deleveraging.