Upside #27 - You say to NATO, EU defence up in arms, UK growth rhetoric vs reality, Deepseek deep dive.

Hosts: Dan, Andrew, Mads and Lomax

The Future of Defence in Europe - Show tRump the monnaayyyy
- NATO defence spending push: Lithuania and Estonia commit to Trump's 5% target.
- Europe's over-reliance on US defence infrastructure – time to build independent capabilities?
- Startups and venture capital in defence: The next big opportunity?
- Should Europe follow the US model of defence tech innovation? Can it go private?

UK's Wonky Economic Growth Strategy
- Rachel Reeves' "turbocharging growth" plan – is it more rhetoric than reality?
- The role of the National Wealth Fund and the Office for Investment in boosting UK infrastructure.
- The Heathrow third runway debate – long overdue, too far away, or plane misguided?
- Unlocking UK pension funds for investment – real impact or just political showmanship?
- How the UK can actually foster innovation and become the "next Silicon Valley." Oxford <> Cambridge Arc.

Europe's AI and Investment Updates - Is Quantum back?!
- OpenAI launching ChatGPT Gov: What does this mean for government AI adoption?
- Apple’s position in the AI race – overlooked but strategically poised?
- 11Labs raising $250M at a $3B valuation – Europe's AI voice technology rising.
- Quantum computing’s resurgence: Alice & Bob, Quantinuum IPOs, and Europe's role.

The DeepSeek Disruption - The numbers just don't add up
- China's DeepSeek AI model making waves – is it a game-changer or just a media frenzy?
- Claims of IP infringement vs. technological innovation – how much did they really borrow? The 'distillation' woogabooga
- The efficiency leap: What cost $5 billion for OpenAI cost DeepSeek only $5 million?
- The geopolitical impact: US-China tech war escalates, export restrictions, and AI as a national security concern.
- What this means for European AI: Why wasn’t a European company leading the charge?

The Rise of Political Discontent - Young'uns want us to be like China
- 52% of Gen Z in the UK favouring dictatorship – a reflection of frustration or a dangerous trend?
- Elon Musk’s AFD rally appearance in Germany – should we be worried?
- The broader implications of political shifts on global investment and innovation.

The team close reflecting on the balance of optimism vs. realism in European tech and investment. What they're up to this week and to be more.... Merrricaan!

Thanks for tuning in! See you next week.

06:00 The Role of Startups in Defence
12:00 Pension Reforms and Investment Opportunities
18:10 AI and Innovation in Government Spending
38:24 The Urgency of AI Implementation
46:12 The Implications of DeepSeek's Innovations
57:10 Funding Trends in European AI Startups
01:02:32 Gen Z's Political Sentiments and Future Outlook