In case you weren't paying attention, a whole boatload of activity happened across the European tech scene this week. So much so that we had trouble whittling down what to discuss and what to let slide.

In discussion:

- The Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2023 (GSER 2023)
- German autonomous trucking company FERNRIDE announces it has raised $31 million in Series A funding.
- Venture capital firm Molten Ventures has written down its holding in Revolut by 40%, adding to the fintech company’s recent trouble as it struggles to gain a UK banking licence.
- Stock trading app Freetrade is cutting its pre-money valuation by around 65% ahead of a planned Crowdcube fundraise later this month.
- UK payments unicorn GoCardless is to cut 17% of staff in a bid to shave 15% off its cost base and quote unquote rediscover its scrappy startup energy.
- Digital bank Zopa, also based in the UK, is rejigging its leadership team.
- Amsterdam-based cloud banking provider Mambu has announced the immediate departure of its CEO and co-founder Eugene Danilkis for “personal reasons”.
- France is openly courting to become the home of Tesla's next Gigafactory in Europe.
- Earlier this week, Musk met with the Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni as leaders in Europe attempt to woo the Tesla boss into building a new car manufacturing facility in their countries.
- Less than a month old startup Mistral AI raised a seed round of €105 million at a €240 million valuation.
- Wargraphs sells to M.O.B.A Network for €50 million.
- Wayflyer renews debt line of $300 million from JP Morgan.
- EU Regulation Update
- Amsterdam - Framer AI
- Mercedes adding ChatGPT to their cars
- a16z crypto comes to London.
- Pirate Summit scuttles the ship with its last burn.

All this and a whole lot more on this week's Drive at Five!

🎙️ The global startup ecosystem report, fun times for fintech, one big seed round, the EU votes to regulate AI, a16z opens up shop in The Big Smoke