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.

Italian Biotech Firm Sends Bone Substitute to International Space Station in Landmark Research Mission

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GreenBone Ortho, an Italian biotech company specializing in bone regeneration, sent its innovative b.Bone bone substitute to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX CRS-34 on May 15-16, 2026. The experiment aims to test how human bone cells adhere, proliferate, and differentiate on the scaffold material in microgravity conditions. The research is a collaboration with San Martino Hospital and University of Genova, with technical partners Kayser Space and Comat providing the specialized equipment. Initial results are expected by end of 2026.

Portuguese holding company Semapa reports 513.3 million euros in Q1 profits from cement division sale

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Portuguese holding company Semapa reported Q1 2026 results showing 513.3 million euros in profits, primarily from the sale of cement company Secil for 1.4 billion euros. Operating performance declined with consolidated revenue at 478.4 million euros (down 14.1%) and EBITDA contracting 40.7% to 70.9 million euros. The company invested 102.9 million euros, including reinforced investment in Gropyus and new investments in CarbonRe and Sybilion through its venture capital arm Semapa Next.

European AI Security Firm Calls for Strategic Autonomy in Cybersecurity at eRadar Conference

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Carlos Carvalho, CEO of Adyta, participated in a panel discussion at the eRadar Conference in Lisbon about cybersecurity challenges posed by AI and Europe’s capacity to respond. Carvalho emphasized the need for European strategic autonomy in AI and digital technologies, warning against dependency on foreign AI models from companies like OpenAI and Anthropic. He advocated for accelerating technological business development within Europe and promoting partnerships between national companies and larger enterprises to build European technological capacity. The discussion also covered cybersecurity threats in the space sector and the importance of digital and spatial sovereignty for Europe.

Portuguese Drone Maker Tekever Demonstrates Rapid Deployment Capabilities by Retrofitting Systems for Ukraine

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Portuguese drone manufacturer Tekever showcased its operational agility by rapidly retrofitting autonomous systems for Ukrainian forces. The company participated in eRadar conference discussing Portugal’s defense industry growth, with drones representing approximately 20% of Portuguese defense exports. Discussion focused on Portugal’s potential to become a national champion in autonomous systems software and the opportunities presented by European defense investments through initiatives like Space Shield and Drone Shield.

Italian Water Treatment Specialist Iride Acque Secures €3 Million Investment from Credem Euromobiliare Private Asset

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Iride Acque, a company specialized in industrial water treatment, received a 3 million euro investment from Credem Euromobiliare Private Asset. The investment marks an important step in building a structured industrial group in the industrial water treatment sector. The company has already acquired Biemme Engineering in 2023 and Bieffe Costruzioni in this operation, creating a vertically integrated group covering design, installation, maintenance and remote management of water treatment plants.

Visabeira Indústria launches mandatory offer to take Martifer private at €2.057 per share

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Visabeira Indústria, in partnership with I’M (brothers Carlos and Jorge Martins) and Mota-Engil, launched a mandatory public acquisition offer for Martifer. The offer period runs from May 18 to June 3, 2026, at 2.057 euros per share. The three parties together control 85.59% of Martifer and are seeking to acquire the remaining 14.41% of shares. If successful, they intend to delist the company from the stock exchange.

Portuguese news agency Lusa defends editorial independence after municipality accusations of manipulation

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Lusa’s Information Department sent a letter to Vila Nova de Gaia’s municipal president criticizing his executive’s accusations of manipulation. The conflict arose after Lusa published a news story based on official information from the Official Journal, reporting on the cancellation of a recruitment competition for 136 employees and simultaneous opening of 93 management positions. The municipality called the reporting a ‘lamentable, lying and despicable’ attempt at manipulation. The Lusa Editorial Board expressed support for the Information Department, stating that the accusations are unjust and disproportionate, emphasizing that journalism can only be exercised in freedom.

Grupo RTP Enters Pod_Scope Rankings as Portugal’s Fifth-Largest Audited Podcast Publisher

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Grupo RTP debuted in Pod_Scope, Marktest’s technical and independent podcast measurement service for Portugal, with 1.09 million downloads in April 2025. The group ranked fifth among audited publishers. By brand, RTP Antena 1 entered the rankings at seventh place with 531,000 monthly downloads, while RTP Antena 3 achieved 49,500 weekly listeners in seventh position. The podcast ‘Portugalex’ from RTP Antena 1 directly entered the individual format rankings at position 22.

Lake Como Venture Lab Opens Applications for Free Deeptech Accelerator in Italy

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Lake Como Venture Lab is a new accelerator program launched in Lecco, Italy, focused on deeptech startups in mechatronics and medtech. The program is coordinated by Confindustria Lecco and Sondrio in partnership with Politecnico di Milano and supported by the Chamber of Commerce Como-Lecco. The program is free and equity-free, offering 12 months of housing, laboratory access, scientific mentorship, business training, and direct access to the industrial ecosystem. Applications are open until June 30.

Grupo Brisa Reports Strong 2025 Growth With €1.23 Billion in Revenue Following Strategic Merger

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Grupo Brisa, Portugal’s highway concessions operator, reported 2025 revenues of 1,231.6 million euros, a 13% increase from 2024. The group completed a merger with Rubicone BidCo effective January 1, 2025, strengthening its financial capacity. Net income was 173.4 million euros (down 44% from 2024 due to accounting effects of the merger). EBITDA increased 5.3% to 860.9 million euros. The group invested 109 million euros in infrastructure maintenance and improvements, a 25.9% increase from the previous year.