Tech
Ukraine bans Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries
Wildberries' assets to be blocked in Ukraine and it will be prevented from moving goods through the country.
Slovenia and Croatia backed by EIF launch technology transfer platform worth €40mn
The EIF estimates universities and research institutes targeted by the platform will generate more than 350 patent applications and 100 spin-off companies in the next five years.
Canadian blockchain developer ChainSafe acquires Croatia's Node Factory
Toronto-based blockchain development and engineering solutions company bought blockchain R&D firm based in Zagreb after collaborating on Lodestar project.
Shares of Romanian startup Air Claim nearly double in price on BVB after listing
Air Claim helps passengers get compensation for flights that are canceled or delayed.
Russia temporarily disconnects from the World Wide Web
Russia has been considering the concept of a "sovereign internet”, namely cutting itself off from the World Wide Web.
Bulgaria's Maxcom, Austria's Pierer to build €30.7mn e-bike plant in Plovdiv
Caretaker Economy Minister Kiril Petkov says Bulgaria has the chance to become 'number one in the whole of Europe' in e-bike sector.
Georgian e-commerce market more than tripled in 2020 report says
E-commerce in Georgia increased more than threefold year-on-year in 2020 to nearly $45mn, a new Galt&Taggart report states.
US blockchain company Guilded mulls investment in Serbia
PM Ana Brnabic says Guilded interested in Serbia’s data storage capacities and data centre in Kragujevac.
The SPAC wave hits Russia
Could a Russian tech company ever be targeted by a SPAC, the special purpose acquisition companies that raise money with a list and only then try and acquire a promising company. Russia is about to see its first SPAC.
Bulgaria’s Dronamics to supply delivery drones to DHL in deal worth up to €1.86bn a year
Dronamics' Black Swan unmanned aircraft can carry 350 kg of cargo for 2,500km at up to 80% lower cost than any aircraft.
Slovenia appoints ex-Uber executive as first minister for digital transformation
Mark Boris Andrijanic pledges to turn digitalisation into a national priority in Slovenia.
Montenegro's central bank sets up fintech hub
Hub to provide support to startups and banks active in the fintech field.
EU to grant Croatia's Rimac Automobili €200mn to develop driverless taxi
Electric supercar producer to receive funding under €6.3bn Recovery and Resilience Plan for Croatia.
Glorious story but modest exit for online fashion pioneer KupiVIP
Yandex.Market is in the process of acquiring KupiVIP, one of the most established e-commerce brands in Russia, founded back in 2008 by German entrepreneur Oskar Hartmann.
Estonia’s Wise valued at €9.3bn on London Stock Exchange debut
Fintech formerly known as Transferwise has won customers during pandemic lockdowns as people sought alternative ways of transferring cash.
Western Balkans scrap roaming tariffs
Politicians say lifting of roaming tariffs is just the first step as cooperation efforts deliver financial benefits for citizens of the EU-aspiring region.
Russian game maker Nexters upgrades financial forecasts for 2021 ahead of Nasdaq listing later this year
Nexters, best known for its game “Hero Wars”, upgraded its financial outlook from existing and new titles in 2021.
Dream Games completes hat trick of Turkish technology unicorns
Following successes of Peak Games and Getir, Istanbul startup crosses the $1bn threshold with Series B funding round.
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Leta Capital eyes “17,000 Russian-speaking tech entrepreneurs” based in the West
The Russian VC firm Leta Capital aims to invest in Russian-speaking tech entrepreneurs across the world. This is a huge pool of talents who left their home countries to work in the West, where they outperform their peers.
M.Video uses high tech to automate CRM, raise service level and track employee attendance
M.Video, a part of the M.Video–Eldorado consumer electronics retail group, now processes nearly half of customer calls via a virtual assistant called Alyona.
