Rising inflation, higher interest rates and a decoupling of ecosystems due to unstable geopolitics caused global investment in start-ups to plummet in the past year

Governments are walking a thin line between naivete and protectionism in the fight against technology espionage and the theft of intellectual property. A recent edict in Sweden illustrates how this is threatening academic freedom

Barriers being put up by the US, China and the EU could hinder scientific progress at a time when it is most urgently needed, according to OECD’s latest report on the global R&D outlook

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to the US results in agreement to a ‘transparency dialogue’ over incentives given to the clean tech industry, in a move to prevent huge US subsidies luring companies from Europe

Open strategic autonomy will be one of Spain’s priorities when it takes up the EU presidency in July. The aim will be to define a strategy for the EU to end its dependency on imports of strategic technologies and resources

The move mirrors similar strategies announced by the US and governments in Europe since Russia invaded Ukraine

The fund is a signature project by which Commission president Ursula von der Leyen aims to underpin EU technology prowess. But a leading MEP from the European People’s Party thinks there is plenty of money already and it needs to be better spent

International economist Luc Soete, a key advocate of open science, explains and reflects on the EU’s growing support for ’strategic autonomy’ in science and technology

Like it or not, democratic countries are bound by economic reality to work together rather than put up barriers to cross-border collaboration. Companies must spearhead the R&D cooperation, argues the lead for a new Fraunhofer USA initiative

The EU’s push for ‘strategic autonomy’ overlooks its longtime underinvestment in military and civilian R&D, and a need for broad market reforms, argues US innovation scholar Charles Wessner