Tags: European market

Customer‑service AI firm Sierra announced Thursday that it has bought French startup Fragment, a Y Combinator‑backed company that helps businesses embed artificial‑intelligence tools into everyday workflows. The deal marks Sierra's third public acquisition in as many weeks, following purchases of Japan's Opera Tech and voice‑agent firm Receptive AI. Fragment co‑founders Olivier Moindrot and Guillaume Genthial will join Sierra's engineering ranks. Financial terms were not disclosed, though PitchBook estimates Fragment raised about $2 million in seed funding. Sierra, founded by former Salesforce co‑CEO Bret Taylor, now counts Casper, Clear and Brex among its clients and is valued at roughly $10 billion. Read more

Parallel, a Paris‑based startup founded in 2024, announced a $20 million Series A round led by Index Ventures. The funding will accelerate the rollout of its AI agents that automate hospital administrative workflows such as medical coding, billing, and admissions. By operating on top of existing hospital software rather than requiring deep integration, Parallel claims hospitals can deploy the solution within a week. The company already has agents in use at several dozen public and private hospitals in France and plans to expand across the Netherlands, Belgium, and other European markets. Read more

Uber has partnered with Chinese autonomous‑vehicle firm Momenta to launch a robotaxi pilot in Munich, Germany. The service, slated for 2026, will use Momenta's Level 4 self‑driving technology integrated with Uber’s ride‑sharing platform. Safety drivers will initially be on board while the companies seek German certification for geofenced operations. The move follows a wave of autonomous‑vehicle testing across Europe and reflects Uber’s shift toward partnerships after ending its own self‑driving car program. Read more

TCL introduced the NXTPAPER 60 Ultra at IFA 2025, marking its first phone to feature the latest generation of its NXTPAPER eye‑comfort screen technology. The device blends e‑paper and OLED benefits, offering blue‑light filtering, a matte anti‑glare layer, and an Ink Mode that mimics e‑ink. Powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7400 chipset, 12 GB of RAM, and a 5,200 mAh battery, it also includes a 50 MP periscope camera with 3× optical zoom. The phone will launch in Europe, Latin America and Asia with pricing in euros for 256 GB and 512 GB models. Read more