Marco Bianchi 
Destinus, a Dutch defence tech startup founded in 2021, is in talks to raise approximately €200m in a pre-IPO funding round, seeking a valuation above €5bn based on forecast annual revenues of €500m. The company, which develops drones and cruise missiles, recently acquired Swiss autonomous pilot startup Daedalean for $225m to strengthen its AI and autonomous flight capabilities.
Rui Teixeira, CFO of EDP, discusses the challenges of managing a capital-intensive energy business amid volatile geopolitical and macroeconomic conditions. He emphasizes the need for CFOs to be active agents of change in the digital transformation era, particularly regarding AI adoption and employee empowerment. EDP has announced a 12 billion euro investment plan through 2028 and maintains 80% of debt with fixed interest rates.
TackPay is an Italian startup that has developed a digital platform for sending, receiving, and managing tips transparently and customizably. The platform allows customers to leave tips via QR codes, NFC tags, email links, or WhatsApp without downloading an app, while providing businesses with end-to-end tip management infrastructure including digital tip jars, transaction monitoring, feedback collection, and staff distribution management. The company has expanded beyond Italy to serve customers across Europe, Canada, and the United States.
Gruppo Cap, the integrated water utility serving the Milan metropolitan area, approved a major industrial plan update through 2037 with total investments reaching over 1 billion euros by 2033. The plan focuses on infrastructure modernization, climate resilience, emerging micropollutant management, digitalization and cybersecurity. The company reported 2025 revenues of 500.5 million euros with 36.4 million euros net profit.
ARCO art fair celebrates its 10th anniversary in Lisbon with the 9th edition taking place from May 28-31, 2026 at Cordoaria Nacional. The fair has grown from 45 galleries in 2016 to 84 galleries from 18 countries in 2026. The director emphasizes maintaining a human scale and distinct Lisbon identity separate from ARCO Madrid. The edition features 470 artists, seven acquisition awards, and includes special sections like ‘Opening Lisboa’ for new galleries and ‘Arquipélago de História de Arte’ exploring contemporary creation techniques.
YEP Accelerator announced the opening of a new office in California and launched an international track for growth-stage Ukrainian startups seeking to scale into the US market. The five-week residency program includes coliving and coworking arrangements, access to major tech events, and connections with venture funds offering up to $1.8 million in potential investment. The program is supported by the Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Youropa, an Israeli real estate group, inaugurated a new office in Porto’s Boavista area. The company currently manages five projects under construction or delivery valued at 80 million euros, seven projects in commercialization, and over 100 units available for resale and rental. The group plans to complete six projects in 2026 with over 150 units and deliver eight additional projects by year-end, totaling over 280 units. Youropa also expects to secure over 30 million euros in financing by end of 2026.
Anthropic is raising $30 billion at a $900 billion valuation, surpassing OpenAI. The round is led by Dragoneer, Greenoaks, Sequoia Capital, and Altimeter Capital, each investing at least $2 billion. This comes three months after a previous $30 billion round at $350 billion valuation. Anthropic’s revenue is projected to reach $45 billion this year, five times higher than last year’s $9 billion, driven by the success of Claude and its new capabilities like Claude Cowork. The company continues to face scrutiny from European regulators regarding access to its latest Claude Mythos model.
Portuguese investor António Moreira, through UK-based ALM Investment Holding, has made a proposal to acquire 85% of Azores Airlines for 17 million euros with a commitment to invest up to 500 million euros following debt restructuring. The privatization process has attracted 6-8 interested parties including Icelandair and Binter.
Anybrain is a Portugal-based startup that uses AI and machine learning to detect cheating in multiplayer games and esports events through behavioral input analysis. The company analyzes how players interact with input devices (keyboard, mouse, gamepad, touchscreen) to identify abnormal or synthetic behavior patterns indicative of cheating. Founded in 2019 by André Pimenta Ribeiro, who has a PhD in AI, the company has secured patents in the US, Europe, and South Korea and is currently working with major AAA game studios.