EDITORIAL This Saturday morning I indulged in one of my favourite moments: reading several newspapers worldwide to try and shape my own views on geopolitics, economics, technology, and
more. On the Wall Street Journal I read with interest this article: "It’s Waymo’s World. We’re All Just Riding in It". It describes how automated vehicles are progressing in the U.S.: there is a... |
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WEBSITE OF THE MONTH The "Website of the Month" is a spotlight
feature in our email newsletter, where we showcase a standout website, recognising its exceptional tools, valuable resources or content. |
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| Sifted 100: UK &
Ireland investor ranking (2025)Alongside the Sifted 100: UK & Ireland 2025 Leaderboard, which ranks the 100 fastest-growing startups by revenue growth, they have identified the investors backing the region’s most successful companies.
Investors are ranked by the number of portfolio companies on the leaderboard in the first instance, followed by the average two-year revenue CAGR of those companies. This list highlights the 125 investors with at least two companies on the leaderboard. |
IESE Cities in Motion Index 2025 This new edition of the IESE Cities in Motion Index (CIMI) —the tenth since its launch— marks a decade dedicated to the study of the multiple parameters that shape
the complexity and dynamism of cities in a global context of constant transformation. Hybrid eVTOL makes "world first" fan-in-wing mid-air transition from vertical to winged flight Horizon Aircraft achieved a major milestone when its large-scale Cavorite X7 demonstrator became the first to transform between vertical lift and
high-speed cruise modes using a fan-in-wing design. Horizon, a Canadian aerospace engineering company, is targeting various civilian and defence applications in the emerging regional air mobility market.
Its hybrid eVTOL aircraft will take off like a helicopter, but then convert into a plane, with projected speeds up to 450km/h and operational ranges over 800km with fuel reserves. Integrated into the wings are 14 lift fans that provide the required thrust for vertical take-off. Upon reaching a safe altitude and speed, sliding panels hide the fans, and the X7
flies like a normal plane.
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UK driverless cars coming in 2027 - but Uber says it's ready now Uber has said it is "ready to go" now with driverless taxis in the UK - but the government has put back the date it expects to approve fully
self-driving vehicles. The previous administration said fully autonomous cars were "set to be on roads by 2026", but the new government says it is now more likely to happen in the second half of 2027.
While limited self-driving technology is already permitted on UK roads, a human driver must be at the wheel and responsible for the vehicle, even if automated technology is being used. Changes proposed to the Congestion Charge to keep London moving Proposal to set the daily charge at £18 from January 2026 to ensure it remains effective – the first increase since 2020.
TfL is also proposing that, from March 2027, and for new applicants only, the Residents’ discount will be available only for electric vehicles.
Proposal to move to incremental annual increases to the Congestion Charge as with public passenger transport fares was also submitted. These new proposals, launched in a public consultation open until 04 Aug 2025, will work to continue managing traffic effectively in central London, and contribute to the Mayor’s long-term vision for a cleaner, greener London, through increased uptake in electric vehicles and more journeys taken by public transport.
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