European AI policy, Microsoft data‑center spend and multiple AI startup fundings in 2026
2026 saw the EU roll out its AI Continent Action Plan, Microsoft commit $80bn to AI‑focused data centres, and several AI‑driven startups secure seed and growth capital, while GenePlanet raised strategic funding for genomics expansion.
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Artificial Intelligence
Microsoft announced a fiscal‑year‑2025 capital plan of roughly $80 billion to expand its global data‑centre network, with the majority of spend earmarked for the United States. The investment is aimed at bolstering the computing power required for training and deploying advanced AI models and to support the company’s partnership with OpenAI. In the first quarter of FY 2025, Microsoft’s capital expenditure rose 5.3 % to $20 billion, and analysts project total capex of about $84.24 billion for the year, underscoring the firm’s commitment to AI‑driven cloud services [3].
Ellis AI emerged from stealth after raising a $10 million seed round backed by First Round Capital, 645 Ventures, Harlem Capital, Khosla Ventures, Thrive Capital, Slow Capital, Kearny Jackson and Ariel Alternatives, whose CEO Mellody Hobson also participated. Founded by Ryan Williams, co‑creator of the Cadre platform, Ellis AI builds artificial‑intelligence agents that automate back‑office workflows for private‑credit managers, integrating with legacy systems to handle document management, spreadsheet reconciliation and portfolio monitoring while keeping a human‑in‑the‑loop for final decisions. The funding will be used to expand the product suite and scale engineering resources to serve financial institutions seeking AI‑enabled operational efficiency [2].
Genetic Engineering
GenePlanet, the Ljubljana‑based genomics platform, secured a strategic investment from Lauxera Capital Partners after BlackPeak Capital partially exited its stake. The deal follows GenePlanet’s expansion to more than 50 markets, four bolt‑on acquisitions and the launch of a Pan‑European laboratory network with hubs in Zagreb, Sweden and Hungary. Lauxera, which closed its €520 million Growth II fund in May 2026, will provide healthcare expertise and market access to help GenePlanet broaden its proprietary testing portfolio into oncology and rare‑disease panels and accelerate entry into Western Europe and the United States. The company aims to pursue further organic growth and acquisitions, targeting a liquidity event for early investors within three to five years [1]. [3]