European Technology Network Raises $1.6 Million to Expand AI-Focused Live Tech Show

The European Technology Network (ETN), a London-based technology media startup that has quickly gained attention for its livestream coverage of Europe’s startup and artificial intelligence sectors, has secured $1.6 million in seed funding as it prepares to expand its operations significantly.

The investment comes less than a year after ETN was founded by Luke Knight and Ronan Chambers, who launched the network in October to provide faster, more conversational coverage of Europe’s technology ecosystem. The show, streamed on X and YouTube, initially aired twice a week and has generated more than five million views since its debut.

The latest funding round includes backing from Powerhouse Capital, media giant Axel Springer SE, one of the co-founders of LADbible, and angel investors associated with OpenAI and DeepMind. The founders say the fresh capital will support the company’s biggest expansion to date, including a move into a larger production studio in London’s King’s Cross technology district, where many AI startups are based.

ETN is also expanding its team, which currently consists of eight people, launching a newsletter and increasing its livestream schedule from two days a week to five. Beginning July 27, the network will broadcast live every weekday, reflecting what the founders describe as the increasing pace of Europe’s technology industry.

Building a daily platform for European technology

The new programming schedule will follow a familiar format while offering considerably more content. Each weekday, ETN will host a three-hour live programme covering the day’s biggest technology stories, investment news and AI developments before transitioning into guest interviews lasting roughly two hours.

Upcoming guests are expected to include venture capitalists, startup founders and political figures, including Sequoia partner George Robson and former U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who now serves as an adviser to Anthropic and Microsoft.

Knight and Chambers said the network has rapidly become a regular stop for founders and investors looking to discuss product launches, fundraising and industry developments. Previous guests have included executives from Synthesia, Legora and Granola, as well as Kanishka Narayan, the U.K.’s first AI minister. Visiting American investors, including representatives from Andreessen Horowitz, have also appeared during trips to London.

Responding to Europe’s accelerating startup ecosystem

According to Chambers, ETN was created because the founders believed traditional technology coverage in the U.K. was unable to keep pace with the rapid changes taking place across Europe’s startup landscape.

He pointed to the strong flow of investment into London, where startups have reportedly raised $14.7 billion so far this year, according to Dealroom. Six companies have secured funding rounds exceeding $500 million, including Wayve, Superintelligence, ElevenLabs, Recursive, Ineffable Intelligence and Isomorphic Labs. Several of those businesses were founded by former DeepMind researchers, highlighting the growing influence of Europe’s AI talent.

Chambers said the scale and speed of investment represent a significant shift for Europe’s technology industry and require media capable of reporting developments as they happen rather than days later.

As ETN’s audience expanded, so did interest from founders, investors and executives hoping to appear on the programme. Chambers said the team was receiving around 70 guest pitches each week while trying to fit as many as 12 interviews into a pair of two-hour shows. Expanding to five broadcasts each week, he said, provides the capacity needed to keep pace with the growing demand.

New formats beyond interviews

Alongside regular news coverage and interviews, ETN plans to introduce debates, roundtable discussions and Shark Tank-style startup pitching sessions. The founders say these additions are designed to make the network a more valuable resource for entrepreneurs, investors and anyone following Europe’s technology sector.

Chambers believes Europe needs more public discussion around artificial intelligence, venture capital and the companies emerging across the continent. He said the goal is to create a platform where founders can explain what they are building while allowing investors and policymakers to engage directly with the ecosystem.

Inspired by TBPN but focused on Europe

Knight and Chambers acknowledge that the success of U.S.-based technology shows TBPN helped inspire ETN’s format. They praised TBPN founders John Coogan and Jordi Hays for demonstrating that livestreamed technology programming could become a destination for founders announcing funding rounds, product launches and executive hires.

Rather than replicate the American model, however, the founders say they wanted to build a distinctly European platform capable of serving a region that spans dozens of countries, languages and startup communities.

Although ETN broadcasts from London, the founders said the network is committed to representing companies from across Europe. In addition to inviting founders into the studio, the team regularly travels to major technology conferences throughout the continent. Recent broadcasts have taken place at the Panathēnea Conference in Athens and the RAISE AI Summit inside the Louvre in Paris.

They also stressed that ETN remains open to guests from outside Europe. Knight said the network supports innovation wherever it happens and wants to celebrate companies building successful businesses regardless of geography.

Working alongside traditional media

Despite its rapid growth, the founders say ETN is not attempting to replace traditional journalism. Instead, they describe themselves as technology insiders interested in understanding why important developments are happening and helping explain them to a wider audience.

Chambers said the network frequently relies on reporting from established media organisations as the starting point for discussions before adding context through interviews with founders, investors and industry experts.

Looking ahead, Knight and Chambers hope ETN can help document Europe’s next generation of technology success stories, from London-based AI companies to emerging startups across Stockholm, Paris, Athens and beyond. They believe increased visibility for successful founders can inspire more graduates to pursue entrepreneurship instead of traditional careers in banking or consulting, strengthening Europe’s position as a global technology hub.