Invested by Europe
- Folgen
- 36
- Erscheint
- mehrmals pro Woche
- Letzte Folge
- 20. Okt. 2026
Über den Podcast
Invested by Europe explores the forces shaping the European economy. In each episode, we hear from experts tackling the most pressing challenges — from housing and energy to innovation and infrastructure, security and defence. We look at what’s changing, what the solutions are, and how Europe is investing in its future.
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Folgen 36
Invisible Technologies: Amazing space tech you've yet to hear of
Rockets and satellites get the headlines. But what makes them work? Here are five technologies you've probably never heard of, but they're set to have a big impact on how rockets work and, even, on your …
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Rockets and satellites get the headlines. But what makes them work? Here are five technologies you've probably never heard of, but they're set to have a big impact on how rockets work and, even, on your electricity bill. We'll hear from the founders of companies working on: the pressure vessels inside every rocket and satellite; a green propellant to replace hydrazine, which can be stored for ten years and restarted in under thirty seconds; the aerospike engine, theoretically superior for sixty years and never yet demonstrated in flight; onboard software that lets satellites decide for themselves what to photograph; satellite data that helps power lines carry more electricity.
Five technologies. None of them famous. All of them essential.
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How the EU boosts space startups: CASSINI's Tomas Jonsson
Tomas Jonsson leads the Cassini team at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space. It's the EU's space entrepreneurship programme. He describes how Europe's space sector has …
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Tomas Jonsson leads the Cassini team at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space. It's the EU's space entrepreneurship programme. He describes how Europe's space sector has changed since 2019, with many more companies, real commercial growth and significant private investment. He also talks about the careers the sector offers beyond engineering, and about how companies in Poland, the Czech Republic, Scandinavia and the EU's smaller countries are catching up to the traditional big space economies of Germany, Italy and France.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Satellites that make their own decisions: AIKO founder Lorenzo Feruglio
AIKO founder Lorenzo Feruglio explains how automation lets satellites make their own decisions, reducing waste and boosting profits (because right now only 10% of the data gathered by a satellite is monetised) …
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AIKO founder Lorenzo Feruglio explains how automation lets satellites make their own decisions, reducing waste and boosting profits (because right now only 10% of the data gathered by a satellite is monetised). An interview about software, artificial intelligence and...fixing a problem that less original thinkers didn't even know existed.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Finance in space: How Europe funds its space ambitions
Europe's space investment hit a record €1.4 billion in 2025. The first half of 2026 already surpassed that amount. We look at the grants, equity, venture debt and, for the first time, commercial bank lending …
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Europe's space investment hit a record €1.4 billion in 2025. The first half of 2026 already surpassed that amount. We look at the grants, equity, venture debt and, for the first time, commercial bank lending pushing space up the financial agenda. You'll hear from venutre capital investors at Warsaw's OTB Ventures and the European Investment Fund, bankers at the European Investment Bank, and the European Space Policy Institute analyst who tracks where the money goes. Sateliot founder Jaume Sanpera explains why an EU loan is "much more than money". He also names the financial layer Europe needs to build next.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Space is invisible infrastructure: Giancarlo Granero, European Commission
Space is Europe's "invisible infrastructure". Giancarlo Granero, who leads on the space economy at the European Commission, explains how the European Union's Cassini initiative turned €200 million into a …
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Space is Europe's "invisible infrastructure". Giancarlo Granero, who leads on the space economy at the European Commission, explains how the European Union's Cassini initiative turned €200 million into a venture ecosystem that raised €1 billion last year.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The SpaceX insider who went European: Bulent Altan, Alpine Space Ventures
From SpaceX engineer to space investor: Bulent Altan, one of SpaceX's first hires, now leads Alpine Space Ventures. Backed by the European Investment Fund, Alpine Space's first fund invested in some of the …
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From SpaceX engineer to space investor: Bulent Altan, one of SpaceX's first hires, now leads Alpine Space Ventures. Backed by the European Investment Fund, Alpine Space's first fund invested in some of the amazing companies you've met in this series, like Blackwave and Reflex Aerospace. Bulent talks about deep-tech investing and why Europe needs its own space industrial base.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Space and defence: The new frontier of European security
Space has always been strategic, but Russia's invasion of Ukraine made that fact impossible to ignore. We explore how satellites became a frontline of modern warfare, why Europe's dependence on non-European …
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Space has always been strategic, but Russia's invasion of Ukraine made that fact impossible to ignore. We explore how satellites became a frontline of modern warfare, why Europe's dependence on non-European networks is a vulnerability it can no longer afford, and what the continent is doing to protect its assets in orbit. From attacks on commercial satellites to the race to build sovereign European constellations, this is the story of how Europe is learning to defend itself out in space.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Space is critical infrastructure: European Commission's Lorena Boix Alonso
The European Commission owns and runs Galileo and Copernicus, the space systems behind everything from your morning weather forecast to flood rescue operations. We hear from Lorena Boix Alonso, Deputy Director …
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The European Commission owns and runs Galileo and Copernicus, the space systems behind everything from your morning weather forecast to flood rescue operations. We hear from Lorena Boix Alonso, Deputy Director General for Space at the European Commission, about why space is now critical infrastructure, why Europe's strategic autonomy depends on it, and why the new space race is nothing like the old one. With the geopolitical landscape shifting fast and investment urgency growing, Lorena makes a good case for space as the single best argument for why Europe works better together.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sometimes you just have to say, "Wow": Omar Qaise, OQ Technology
Space is important for lots of economic and strategic reasons. But sometimes, while I've been researching this series, I just had to shake my head in wonder and say, "Wow." Because the technology is so amazing …
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Space is important for lots of economic and strategic reasons. But sometimes, while I've been researching this series, I just had to shake my head in wonder and say, "Wow." Because the technology is so amazing. Omar Qaise had a moment like that. He grew up in Baghdad dreaming of space, and went on to build OQ Technology, a Luxembourg-based company putting 5G directly into space and connecting ordinary smartphones and IoT devices to satellites the size of a shoebox, no special hardware required. In this episode, we visit Omar to hear how a boy from Iraq became the founder of a European company changing what connectivity means for the 80% of the world with no mobile coverage. Backed by the EIB, OQ Technology is now scaling from five satellites to fifty and beyond. The story of how Omar knew it was working is one you won't forget.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Satellites: The new infrastructure of...everything
Satellites have become the invisible backbone of modern life, as essential as electricity or running water, yet almost entirely unnoticed. We explore how the next generation of satellite infrastructure is being …
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Satellites have become the invisible backbone of modern life, as essential as electricity or running water, yet almost entirely unnoticed. We explore how the next generation of satellite infrastructure is being built in Europe, connecting space to the phone in your pocket or the Internet of Things devices used by farmers in their fields. Featuring company founders and the institutions backing them, this is the story of how pressing a button in a small office in a European village changes the direction of a satellite in. space.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Reflex Aerospace founder Walter Ballheimer: From blueprint to orbit, fast
This was honestly one of the most fascinating interviews I did for this entire series. Walter Ballheimer founded Reflex Aerospace on a bold idea: the biggest problem in the satellite industry isn't getting to …
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This was honestly one of the most fascinating interviews I did for this entire series. Walter Ballheimer founded Reflex Aerospace on a bold idea: the biggest problem in the satellite industry isn't getting to space, it's how long it takes. His Berlin-based company builds high-performance satellites in 12 to 18 months, when the rest of the industry needs three to five years. He's genuinely one of the most clear-sighted and original thinkers in the European space sector. Don't miss this episode.
From the shifting balance between commercial and defence demand, to what it took to close the largest Series A in European space tech history, Walter gives a frank and fascinating account of what it means to build a hardware company in the New Space era. He makes the case that satellites are already the invisible backbone of modern life and that as autonomous vehicles, rural connectivity, and defence systems grow more dependent on them, the race to renew them faster will never stop.
He also has encouraging things to say about world peace...
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Getting to space: Europe's rocket challenge
Come with us to the factory floor of PLD Space in Spain, where hundreds of engineers and technicians are putting together a rocket in a building that used to make shoes. We look at Europe's plan to launch more …
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Come with us to the factory floor of PLD Space in Spain, where hundreds of engineers and technicians are putting together a rocket in a building that used to make shoes. We look at Europe's plan to launch more of its own rockets in a market now dominated by the US and meet the companies who aim to get that job done.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Financing "Europe's space": Robert de Groot of the EIB
The European Investment Bank financed 100 billion euros in new projects last year, and it's putting that financial muscle behind Europe's space industry. Robert de Groot, the vice president of the EU's …
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The European Investment Bank financed 100 billion euros in new projects last year, and it's putting that financial muscle behind Europe's space industry. Robert de Groot, the vice president of the EU's financing arm responsible for space, explains his aim for an autonomous and resilient EU space sector and how the European Investment Bank is backing it.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The New Space Revolution
When Elon Musk founded SpaceX, he set off a chain reaction that reshaped the global space industry. A former SpaceX engineer turned European investor, a rocket founder in a converted shoe factory in Spain, a …
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When Elon Musk founded SpaceX, he set off a chain reaction that reshaped the global space industry. A former SpaceX engineer turned European investor, a rocket founder in a converted shoe factory in Spain, a banker at the European Investment Bank and the Inspector-General of the European Space Agency explain how Europe is responding.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Rocket science is the easy part: PLD Space founder Raúl Verdú on financing a European space company
Raul Verdú, co-founder of PLD Space in Elche, Spain, tells the story of how two amateur rocket enthusiasts started from scratch in a university cafeteria and spent 15 years building the technology, team, and …
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Raul Verdú, co-founder of PLD Space in Elche, Spain, tells the story of how two amateur rocket enthusiasts started from scratch in a university cafeteria and spent 15 years building the technology, team, and credibility to develop their Miura 5 rocket. Verdú calls on European governments and agencies to back their own launchers with real contracts. With ambitions to reach 30 launches per year and increase payload capacity from half a tonne to 13 tonnes, Verdú sees PLD Space as the foundation of a new European industry that needs to rediscover the value of skilled technical workers, not just engineers and academics.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Euro Space Agency chief Aschbacher: How to close the space investment gap
Dr Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency, explains how Europe's genius for innovation is helping close the gap in space and specifically space investment with the US, and why that's so …
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Dr Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency, explains how Europe's genius for innovation is helping close the gap in space and specifically space investment with the US, and why that's so important for every aspect of daily life, as well as Europe's security and defence.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why space matters so much right now
Europe owns two of the world's most advanced space systems, Galileo and Copernicus, but it spends just 10% of what the US invests in space. Find out why that has to change. Experts from the European Space …
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Europe owns two of the world's most advanced space systems, Galileo and Copernicus, but it spends just 10% of what the US invests in space. Find out why that has to change. Experts from the European Space Agency and the European Commission explain how satellites shape daily life in ways most people never notice. We also look at how Russia's invasion of Ukraine exposed Europe's dependence on foreign rockets, and why closing the investment gap is a strategic imperative.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Euros in Space: Europe and the New Space Race
Euros in Space is the second season of Invested by Europe, from the European Investment Bank. It explores the people, the companies, and the money behind Europe's space economy. Hear from the rocket builders …
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Euros in Space is the second season of Invested by Europe, from the European Investment Bank. It explores the people, the companies, and the money behind Europe's space economy. Hear from the rocket builders, satellite makers, investors, and institutions working to secure Europe's place in the new space race. Subscribe so you don’t miss any of our 30 episodes.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Spain: Four decades in the EU
In 1986, when Spain joined the European Union, it was still emerging from decades of political and economic isolation. Could Spain take its place alongside the great European economies? In this episode, we …
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In 1986, when Spain joined the European Union, it was still emerging from decades of political and economic isolation. Could Spain take its place alongside the great European economies? In this episode, we explore how the European Union helped Spain anchor its democracy, modernise its economy, and build a future its people could believe in. We'll also look at what Spain gave back in return.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
España en la UE
En 1986, cuando España se incorporó a la Unión Europea, aún estaba dejando atrás décadas de aislamiento político y económico. ¿Podría España hacerse hueco entre las grandes economías europeas? En este episodio …
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En 1986, cuando España se incorporó a la Unión Europea, aún estaba dejando atrás décadas de aislamiento político y económico. ¿Podría España hacerse hueco entre las grandes economías europeas? En este episodio analizamos cómo la Unión Europea ayudó a España a modernizar su economía y a construir un futuro mejor para sus ciudadanos. También exploramos lo que España ha contribuido a la Unión Europea.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why deep tech matters for Europe’s economy and everyday life
Deep tech is often described as the opposite of conventional or “shallow” technology. Rather than focusing on incremental improvements in software or business models, deep tech is driven by scientific …
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Deep tech is often described as the opposite of conventional or “shallow” technology. Rather than focusing on incremental improvements in software or business models, deep tech is driven by scientific breakthroughs aimed at solving real-world problems that persist over time.
In this episode of Invested by Europe, Jussi Hätönen, head of European Innovation Council Fund investments at the European Investment Bank, explains:
- what deep tech really means
- how it differs from traditional tech innovation
- why it takes longer and costs more to develop
- why getting deep tech right is essential for Europe’s competitiveness, resilience and sovereignty.
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How sustainable liquid fuels will decarbonise aviation and shipping
Gasoline prices are rising, and while drivers can switch to electric cars, other sectors face fewer alternatives. Aviation, shipping and heavy transport still rely on liquid fuels — and electrification is not …
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Gasoline prices are rising, and while drivers can switch to electric cars, other sectors face fewer alternatives. Aviation, shipping and heavy transport still rely on liquid fuels — and electrification is not yet a realistic option for many of these fleets.
In this episode of Invested by Europe, Tiago Lopes, a senior engineer at the European Investment Bank, explains:
- what sustainable liquid fuels are
- why they are critical for aviation and maritime transport
- what is preventing them from being produced at scale in Europe
- what is at stake for Europe’s energy security and strategic autonomy.
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How Cleantech is Driving Europe’s Energy Transition
Cleantech is no longer a niche sector. It is at the heart of a full‑scale industrial transformation, shaping how Europe produces energy, decarbonises industry and builds a more resilient economy. In this …
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Cleantech is no longer a niche sector. It is at the heart of a full‑scale industrial transformation, shaping how Europe produces energy, decarbonises industry and builds a more resilient economy.
In this episode of Invested by Europe, Sofia Viola, an investment officer at the European Investment Bank, explains:
- What cleantech is today — a clue: it’s more than just renewable energy
- Why energy storage is critical to balancing renewable supply and demand
- Why batteries are crucial to stabilising the power system
- Why industrial decarbonisation is essential for competitiveness
- How the EIC Fund supports cleantech startups and scale‑ups
- Why access to long‑term capital remains a key challenge in Europe
- What makes her optimistic about the future of cleantech
The conversation also explores why cleantech represents a major economic opportunity — and why scaling these technologies will be decisive for Europe’s energy transition.
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Why Biotech is Vital to Europe’s Economy as well as its Health
Biotechnology is one of Europe’s most important — and most challenging — innovation sectors. From vaccines and drugs to medical devices and digital medicine, biotech underpins Europe’s health systems …
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Biotechnology is one of Europe’s most important — and most challenging — innovation sectors. From vaccines and drugs to medical devices and digital medicine, biotech underpins Europe’s health systems, competitiveness and economic sovereignty.
In this episode of Invested by Europe, Antoine de Lachaux, head of the life science and biotech unit at the European Investment Bank, explains:
- What biotech means — from pharmaceuticals and vaccines to medical devices and digital health
- Why life sciences are strategically important for Europe
- Why biotech innovation takes time, carries high risk and requires patient capital
- How Europe’s fragmented market makes scaling more difficult than in the United States
- What the proposed Biotech Act could change for European companies
- How the EIB supports the sector, including its early investment in BioNTech
- Why artificial intelligence is set to accelerate drug development, diagnostics and regulatory processes
The conversation also looks at why Europe needs a truly European investment ecosystem to help biotech companies grow to global scale — and why this is a sector Europe cannot afford to outsource.
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Why Critical Raw Materials Are Key to Europe’s Future
Critical raw materials are everywhere — in your phone, in solar panels, in wind turbines, and in the batteries that power the energy transition. But where do these materials come from? Why does Europe depend so …
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Critical raw materials are everywhere — in your phone, in solar panels, in wind turbines, and in the batteries that power the energy transition. But where do these materials come from? Why does Europe depend so heavily on them? And how can we build more secure, sustainable, and diversified supply chains?
In this episode of Invested by Europe, Lerato Kotelo, critical raw materials specialist at the European Investment Bank, explains:
- What is a critical or strategic raw material
- Why technologies like batteries, solar panels and wind turbines depend on them
- How Europe can diversify its supply and reduce dependence on fossil
- Why recycling and innovation are so important
- How do new approaches like extracting lithium from geothermal brines work
- How responsible partnerships with global producers can create win‑win outcomes
Lerato also shares insights on Europe’s mining history, today’s rapidly changing extraction technologies, and how innovation is making mining safer, more efficient, and more sustainable.
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Why Nuclear Fusion Could Change the Future of Energy
Nuclear fusion is the process that powers the sun. If it can be made to work efficiently on Earth, it could reshape global energy systems — offering a clean, abundant and stable source of power.In this episode …
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Nuclear fusion is the process that powers the sun. If it can be made to work efficiently on Earth, it could reshape global energy systems — offering a clean, abundant and stable source of power.
In this episode of Invested by Europe, Franz Derler from the European Investment Bank explains how fusion works, why even a small amount of mass can produce an enormous amount of energy, and why fusion has so far only been achieved at laboratory scale. He discusses the two major technological approaches — magnetic confinement and laser fusion — and the rapid rise in private investment, with more than $10 billion committed in just five years.
If fusion becomes a reality, the implications for the climate, the economy and even global geopolitics would be profound.
Invested by Europe looks at the forces shaping the European economy — and how breakthrough technologies might define the future.
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Why Quantum Computing is Crucial for Europe
Quantum computing is not about making today’s computers faster. It represents a fundamentally different way of solving problems — one that could unlock breakthroughs that are currently out of reach.In this …
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Quantum computing is not about making today’s computers faster. It represents a fundamentally different way of solving problems — one that could unlock breakthroughs that are currently out of reach.
In this episode of Invested by Europe, Nikolay Dimov, a European Investment Bank investment officer, explains what makes quantum computing different from classical computing, why its impact on everyday life will be indirect but significant, and how it could accelerate innovation in areas such as medicine, energy and advanced materials.
The discussion looks at quantum from an investment and strategic perspective: why early, patient capital matters in a deeply capital‑intensive sector, how Europe can remain in the global race, and why quantum computing is not only a technological capability but also a geopolitical lever linked to Europe’s strategic independence.
Invested by Europe explores the forces shaping the European economy — and how long‑term investment is helping Europe prepare for the technologies that will define tomorrow.
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How Climate Action Boosts Europe’s Competitiveness
Climate investment is often seen as a cost. But it’s a powerful driver of competitiveness, resilience and long‑term growth for Europe.In this episode of Invested by Europe, Fotios Kalantzis, senior climate …
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Climate investment is often seen as a cost. But it’s a powerful driver of competitiveness, resilience and long‑term growth for Europe.
In this episode of Invested by Europe, Fotios Kalantzis, senior climate economist at the European Investment Bank, explains why investing in climate is not only about cutting emissions. Climate action reduces Europe’s dependence on fossil fuel imports, improves energy efficiency, creates jobs and strengthens economic security.
The conversation explores how the green transition opens new markets and how public investment and EU climate policies are driving demand for clean energy solutions. We also look at the importance of energy efficiency for smaller firms, and how tools such as the EIB’s Green Checker help companies identify and finance green investments.
Invested by Europe explores the forces shaping the European economy — and how investment can turn climate ambition into economic opportunity.
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Why Space is the Backbone of Europe’s Economy
Space is often associated with rockets and missions to the Moon. But space technology underpins many of the services we rely on every day — from navigation and weather forecasting to communications, agriculture …
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Space is often associated with rockets and missions to the Moon. But space technology underpins many of the services we rely on every day — from navigation and weather forecasting to communications, agriculture and secure financial transactions.
In this episode of Invested by Europe, Pierre Limouzin, senior investment officer at the European Investment Bank, explains why space has become a strategic sector for Europe’s economy and security. He discusses how falling launch costs and new technologies have transformed the industry, what makes investing in space different from other tech sectors, and why strengthening Europe’s space ecosystem is essential for competitiveness and sovereignty.
We also explore how satellite manufacturing is changing, the dual‑use nature of space technologies, and how space data could shape daily life in the years to come — from Earth observation to more futuristic applications such as manufacturing and healthcare research that’s carried out in space.
Invested by Europe explores the forces shaping the European economy. In each episode, we hear from experts working on some of Europe’s most important long‑term challenges — and how investment is helping turn innovation into impact.
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How to Play Defence Against Climate Change
Climate action is about more than cutting emissions. Even if mitigation succeeds, societies and economies will continue to face climate risks for years to come. Climate adaptation is how those risks are …
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Climate action is about more than cutting emissions. Even if mitigation succeeds, societies and economies will continue to face climate risks for years to come. Climate adaptation is how those risks are managed.
In this episode of Invested by Europe, we speak with Roman Röhrl, climate change specialist at the European Investment Bank, about what climate adaptation really means and how it works in practice. The conversation explores how adaptation helps protect people, infrastructure and economic activity from climate hazards such as flooding, heatwaves and drought.
The episode looks at why adaptation needs to be built into investment decisions across sectors, how long‑term finance and clear standards can help scale up resilience, and the role that institutions, policymakers and the financial sector play in supporting climate‑resilient development.
🎧 Invested by Europe is the European Investment Bank’s video podcast exploring how Europe invests in its future — from climate and energy to housing, infrastructure and social cohesion.
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