AGP Executive Report

VLEO Race in Space: York Space Systems unveiled the LX/V-CLASS bus for very low Earth orbit, betting on speed and xenon/krypton propulsion—while rivals push “air-breathing” and atmospheric fuel concepts that could extend missions far beyond propellant limits. Green Building Tech: Kingston University joined a Horizon Europe consortium launching REMADE, aiming to modernize Europe’s inefficient buildings via “Renovation-as-a-Service,” with a cloud-based life-cycle assessment framework to track environmental performance in real time. Payments & Digital Money: A new Payments Newsletter roundup flags regulatory moves across open banking, stablecoins, and card fee transparency—plus ongoing market developments shaping how digital assets and payments are governed. Slovenia Tech & Policy: The 69th IT Press Tour opened in Ljubljana with ExpectedIT pitching a long-aimed-at server-to-server boundary rethink, while the Bled Strategic Forum continues to frame Central Europe’s push for alliances to defend competitiveness and cohesion in EU budget talks. Health Research: A study on cold urticaria finds about a third of patients test negative on standard cold stimulation yet still show convincing symptoms—suggesting clinicians may need better testing approaches. Nature Restoration: Fewer than half of EU countries have submitted Nature Restoration Law plans, with Slovenia among those already publishing for consultation.

Medical IP & Long COVID: AIM ImmunoTech says its Ampligen patent coverage in Europe and the UK will run through June 2041 after a European opposition window closed with no challenges, adding long-duration protection for Long COVID uses. Health Research: A study on cold urticaria reports about a third of patients test negative on standard cold stimulation, yet show distinct symptom patterns and higher clinical burden in those who test positive. Cyber/Server Infrastructure in Ljubljana: The 69th IT Press Tour in Ljubljana featured ExpectedIT pitching “ZeroPoint” tech aimed at removing boundaries between servers, pushing a deep-tech approach to data center design. Circular Economy Skills: The Become project (Erasmus+) is building training for circular economy know-how across Slovenia and other EU partners, using educator and company learning weeks in Bled. Energy & Climate Pressure: Coverage highlights Europe’s drought impacts on rivers and fish, while the EU Nature Restoration Law deadline is being missed by many member states, including Slovenia. Public Health & Invasive Species: A review flags the cold-tolerant Aedes koreicus mosquito as an emerging monitoring challenge across Europe.

Data-Center Innovation in Ljubljana: ExpectedIT’s CEO pitched a “rack-to-rack” boundary rethink at the 69th IT Press Tour, arguing investors increasingly like fully verified component tech over pure licensing. Medical Diagnostics: A large multi-country study on cold urticaria found about a third of patients test negative on standard cold stimulation, yet still show convincing symptoms—highlighting missed cases in routine testing. EU Policy & Nature: Fewer than half of EU states have submitted Nature Restoration Law plans; heat and drought are pushing the deadline into real-world urgency, with Slovenia among those already consulting. Circular Economy Skills: The Erasmus+ Become project is building practical circular-economy training across Slovenia and partners, aiming to close the skills gap behind EU recycling targets. Energy Debate: A new report argues nuclear power may not be as “green” as claimed, while EU discussions keep circling reliability vs risk. Slovenian Tech & Robotics Funding: Veeda AI raised $90m to build virtual worlds for robots, signaling continued momentum for AI robotics in the region. Sports Tech Angle (Local Interest): Tadej Pogačar’s successful collarbone surgery after his Vuelta crash keeps Slovenia’s biggest sports story tied to recovery tech and monitoring.

Bled Strategic Forum: Slovenia’s PM Janez Janša used the independence anniversary to argue that small countries can shape Europe’s future through timely decisions, alliances, and credibility—while stressing NATO’s role and warning that dependencies in energy, semiconductors, and strategic supply chains can quickly become vulnerabilities. Circular Economy Skills: The Erasmus+ “Become” project is building circular-economy training capacity across Finland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Bulgaria, after mapping regional skill gaps and running educator and company-practitioner weeks in Bled. Health Research: A multicountry study on cold urticaria finds about one-third of patients test negative on standard cold stimulation tests yet still have convincing symptoms, with the test-negative group showing different age and disease patterns. Medical Monitoring: European clinicians report that direct monitoring probes for injured spinal cords are feasible and safe in 109 ICU patients, supporting a step toward better critical-care visibility. Climate Impacts on Food Systems: Extreme drought and heat are hitting rivers and fish farms across Central Europe, with losses tied to ecosystem collapse and desertification risks. Sports Tech & Media: Slovenia-born Talking Tom is expanding globally as Amazon Kids+ acquires a new series, adding games and toys across multiple European markets.

Sports Medicine & Recovery: Tadej Pogačar’s Vuelta a España ended abruptly after a stage 8 crash left him with a fractured collarbone and concussion; his UAE team says surgery went well Monday and he’ll stay in Barcelona for monitoring before rehabilitation. Local Security & Tech Supply Chains: At the Bled Strategic Forum, Slovenia’s PM argued Europe must shape its own future, stressing NATO’s role and warning that dependencies in energy, semiconductors, and strategic supply chains can quickly become vulnerabilities. Circular Economy Skills: The Erasmus+ “Become” project is building circular-economy training across Slovenia, Finland, the Netherlands and Bulgaria, aiming to close skills gaps for educators and company practitioners as EU recycled-material targets rise. Health Research: Amarin highlighted new REDUCE-IT related findings at ESC 2026, focusing on long-term cardiovascular outcomes and mechanisms tied to icosapent ethyl. Climate Impact on Water & Food: A regional drought story links extreme heat to collapsing river and lake ecosystems, with fish farms and river-dependent businesses from Slovenia to Hungary taking major hits. Ag Tech in Slovenia: Fendt’s 500 Vario won innovation gold at AGRA in Gornja Radgona, spotlighting fuel-saving and sensor-controlled tractor features. Energy Storage Push: JA Roadshow 2026 will tour Europe with integrated solar-plus-storage demos, with battery energy storage systems as a key focus.

Medical Monitoring Breakthrough: A European ICU study reports safe, direct monitoring of injured spinal cords using probes in the fluid space, covering 109 adults across five units and showing good-quality signals without added complications. Agri Tech Spotlight: At Slovenia’s AGRA exhibition in Gornja Radgona, the Fendt 500 Vario won innovation gold, highlighting sensor-controlled power boost and low-speed efficiency tech aimed at sustainable productivity. Energy Storage Push: JA announced the “Journey Ahead: JA Roadshow 2026,” focusing on battery energy storage systems and integrated solar-plus-storage solutions for grid flexibility and resilience. Climate Pressure on Water & Food: Reports from across the region describe extreme drought and heat hitting rivers, fish farms, and ecosystems from Slovenia to Hungary, with major economic losses and growing desertification risk. Cardio Research at ESC: Amarin highlighted multiple REDUCE-IT related presentations at ESC 2026, expanding findings on long-term cardiovascular benefits and mechanistic pathways tied to icosapent ethyl. Sports Tech Angle (Slovenian): The Vuelta’s chaos after Tadej Pogačar’s crash reshaped the GC, with Enric Mas taking the red jersey and Primož Roglič moving into strong contention.

Vuelta a España Tech & Sports: Tadej Pogačar’s Vuelta ended abruptly after a crash on stage 8, with a broken collarbone and concussion sending him to hospital in Barcelona; Enric Mas took the red jersey and then won stage 9 on Alto de Aitana, while Primož Roglič climbed into strong contention after a tough start. Medical Monitoring: A European ICU study reports direct monitoring probes for injured spinal cords in 109 patients across five units, showing safe placement and good-quality signals—an important step toward better critical care for spinal injuries. Marine Cleanup Challenge: Slovenian diver Kristijan Curavić is preparing a Guinness-style underwater plastic-debris extraction from the seabed near Krapanj Island, with an address to world leaders delivered live from beneath the Adriatic. Climate Impact on Food Systems: Extreme drought is drying rivers and lakes across Europe, threatening fish and hitting aquaculture hard, with Slovenia and the wider region feeling the knock-on effects. Maritime Nuclear Push: 25 countries, including Slovenia, launched ATLAS to enable civilian nuclear power at sea via nuclear-powered ships and floating plants. AI & Finance Governance: A Bermuda consultation outlines responsible AI use for financial services, adding to the growing patchwork of AI rules worldwide.

Medical Breakthrough: A European team reports direct monitoring of the injured spinal cord is feasible and safe, using probes placed at the injury site in 109 ICU patients across five countries, with good-quality signals and no cases of spinal cord damage, meningitis, or bleeding. Marine Cleanup & Conservation: Croatian diver Kristijan Curavić is preparing a Guinness-style underwater operation to extract plastic and debris from the seabed near Krapanj Island, with a live address to world leaders from beneath the Adriatic. Climate Stress on Food Systems: Extreme drought and heat are damaging ecosystems and businesses across Europe, with fish farms and river life hit hard, including severe impacts in Slovenia and the Danube region. Vuelta a España Shock for Slovenia’s Tadej Pogačar: After a crash-marred Stage 8, Pogačar abandoned with shoulder and face injuries and a concussion; surgery for a broken C7 vertebra is delayed in Barcelona, while Enric Mas takes the red jersey. Nuclear Shipping Push (Slovenia in the mix): ATLAS, a new IAEA initiative to enable civilian nuclear power at sea, has launched with 25 participating countries including Slovenia.

Climate & Water Stress: Extreme drought and heat are drying rivers and lakes across the region, with fish farms and river traffic hit hard; in Serbia’s Danube side channels, water has shrunk to ponds where juvenile fish may die at once if temperatures keep rising. Health & Research: New melanoma and prostate-cancer reporting highlights how screening choices can drive overdiagnosis, while cardiovascular “legacy” effects are being explored after stopping icosapent ethyl in highly adherent patients. Energy & Maritime Tech: Slovenia is among 25 countries backing ATLAS, a new push to regulate civilian nuclear power for ships and floating plants, aiming to accelerate a shift away from fossil fuels. Local Tech/Policy Watch: Slovenia’s public broadcaster RTV Slovenija faces a liquidity squeeze tied to delayed state co-financing, with management seeking commercial funding as longer-term financing remains stalled. Sports Tech Angle (Slovenia in focus): Tadej Pogačar’s Vuelta run ended after a stage 8 crash and abandon; UAE staff say the priority is his wellbeing as Enric Mas inherits the lead.

Climate & Water Stress: A new AP report links extreme drought and heat across Europe to mass fish losses, including in Slovenia’s lakes and in Serbia’s Danube side channels, with damage running into the millions of euros and raising fears for future ecosystems and food supply. Maritime Nuclear Push: The IAEA-backed ATLAS initiative has kicked off with 26 countries signing support to accelerate civilian nuclear tech for ships and floating power plants—Slovenia is among the initial signatories. Health Research: New REDUCE-IT® legacy analysis presented at the ESC Congress 2026 suggests cardiovascular benefits can persist after stopping icosapent ethyl in highly adherent patients. AI & Networks: A commentary on autonomous telecom networks says most operators have roadmaps, but true high-autonomy deployments remain rare—data quality is the bottleneck. Slovenia in Focus: Slovenia’s government issued a decree setting mandatory contributions to promote fruit and boost competitiveness for 2027–2029. Tech/Business Signals: A Slovenia & Colombia “On Our Radar” item and a Slovenia–Kyrgyzstan investment meeting highlight ongoing interest in cross-border projects and modern technologies.

Vuelta a España (Slovenian spotlight): Tadej Pogačar kept extending his GC grip with a Stage 6 win in Castellón, despite a surprise catch by Enric Mas on the Puerto de El Bartolo climb and a scary moment off the road on the descent; Pogačar still sprinted to victory and pushed his lead to 3:34 over Mas. Vuelta drama (Stage 7): Stage 7 played out with a breakaway and UAE Team Emirates-XRG managing the race as Andreas Leknessund took the win for Uno-X Mobility, while Pogačar’s gains stayed modest. Nuclear tech for ships: The IAEA-backed ATLAS initiative launched with 26 countries backing a push for civilian nuclear power at sea, including nuclear-powered ships and floating nuclear power plants—Slovenia is among the initial signatories. Health research: New melanoma and prostate cancer analyses highlight the ongoing push to improve screening and reduce overdiagnosis, with IARC stressing careful, risk-stratified approaches. AI + telecom operations: A report argues autonomous telecom networks are still held back by messy, scattered network data, even as many operators plan phased moves toward higher autonomy. Slovenia business abroad: A Slovenian firm (RIKO) met Kyrgyzstan’s investment agency to explore energy and other cooperation projects, including modern technology partnerships. Policy/tech governance: Slovenia’s government issued a decree setting mandatory contributions to promote the fruit sector for 2027–2029, aiming to boost competitiveness and consumption.

Cardiology Research: A new REDUCE-IT® post hoc analysis at the ESC 2026 Congress reports about a 30% relative risk reduction in major cardiovascular events for highly adherent patients staying on icosapent ethyl long enough, and a “legacy” effect after premature stopping. Slovenia Watch: A Slovenian company, RIKO, met Kyrgyzstan’s National Investment Agency to explore cooperation—especially in energy—and identify projects for modern technologies. Telecom & Automation: A commentary on autonomous networks says operators are moving toward self-configuration and closed-loop optimisation, but highlights a data-quality gap that slows real Level 4 autonomy. AI in Business: ClearPath AI, backed by £1m, chose Birmingham for a UK launch with an AI-native operating system aimed at professional services workflows. Nuclear for Shipping: The IAEA-led ATLAS initiative launched with 26 countries backing civil nuclear applications at sea, including advanced small modular reactor concepts. Climate & Agriculture: The EU’s JRC warns heat and drought are stressing summer crops and fodder across western and central Europe, with Slovenia among affected regions. Sports Tech Angle (Local Interest): Tadej Pogačar extended his Vuelta lead after Stage 6, despite being caught by Enric Mas on a gravel climb and nearly crashing on the descent.

Slovenia–Kyrgyzstan Business Links: Slovenia’s RIKO met Kyrgyzstan’s National Investment Agency to explore investment projects, with a focus on energy and other priority sectors, aiming to deepen cooperation and study local business conditions. Autonomous Networks & Data Quality: A telecom automation piece highlights the gap between plans for autonomous operations and real Level 4 deployments, arguing that trustworthy network data is the key bottleneck. AI for Professional Services: ClearPath AI, backed by £1m, launched an AI-native operating system for document-heavy workflows, targeting the professional services tech market. Maritime Nuclear Ambitions: The IAEA-led ATLAS initiative gathered 26 countries to back innovative civil nuclear applications at sea, including advanced small modular reactor concepts. Climate Stress on Crops: The EU’s JRC warns heat and drought are hurting summer crops and fodder supply across western and central Europe, including Slovenia and Croatia. Tech Policy Watch: New Zealand’s bill would set a 16+ minimum age for social media and harmful AI companions, following Australia’s under-16 ban.

EU Streaming Habits: Eurostat data shows Ireland leads the EU in paid film/TV/sports streaming uptake, with 63.9% of internet users subscribing in 2025—nearly double the EU average—highlighting how quickly “always-on” entertainment is becoming mainstream. AI for Business Workflows: ClearPath AI, backed by £1m, is launching from Birmingham with an AI-native operating system aimed at professional services that still rely on document review and manual handoffs. Slovenian Robotics Funding: Veeda AI, led by Slovenians and building virtual worlds for robots to learn tasks before real-world deployment, raised over $90m in seed funding. Climate Pressure on Food: The EU’s JRC warns heat and drought are hitting summer crops and fodder hard, with forecasts down and stress concentrated across central and western Europe, including impacts noted for Slovenia and Croatia. Remote Military Tech: Patria remotely drove an armored vehicle in Finland from a control desk in Tokyo using drive-by-wire and secure 5G, showing how distance is becoming a feature in defense systems. Social Media Age Rules: New Zealand’s bill would set a 16+ minimum age for access to harmful social media and AI companions, following Australia’s earlier under-16 ban. Tech-Linked Travel Routes: United announced major international expansion for 2027, including new routes that reach Ljubljana and other secondary destinations.

AI & Robotics Funding: Slovenians behind Veeda AI (Toronto) raised over $90mn to build virtual worlds where robots can learn tasks before operating in the real world. Climate & Agriculture: The EU JRC warns persistent heat and low rainfall are cutting summer crop and fodder expectations across western and central Europe, with Slovenia and Croatia hit via reduced maize yields and stressed pastures. Circular Economy Skills: A Slovenia-linked Erasmus+ project is training educators and companies on circular economy know-how, aiming to close Europe’s recycling and materials-use gap. Child Safety Online: New Zealand’s bill would set a 16+ minimum age for social media and harmful AI companions, following Australia’s under-16 social media ban. Tech Policy Watch: The EU is pushing CAP resilience measures like efficient irrigation and water-saving tech as drought pressure rises. Travel Connectivity: United Airlines plans major 2027 international growth, including nonstop service to Ljubljana, signaling more tech-enabled mobility for the region. Sports (Local Interest): Tadej Pogačar and Primož Roglič continue to dominate the Vuelta a España, with stage wins and GC shifts driving headlines.

Robotics Funding: Slovenian-raised AI researcher Sanja Fidler has left Nvidia to launch Veeda AI, a Toronto startup that builds virtual environments so robots can learn tasks before operating in the real world; the company raised over $90M in seed funding. Circular Economy Skills: A Slovenia-linked Erasmus+ project, Become, is training educators and company practitioners on circular-economy know-how, after mapping skills gaps across Slovenia, Finland, the Netherlands and Bulgaria. Climate & Agriculture: The EU’s Joint Research Centre warns heat and drought are cutting summer crop and fodder forecasts, with impacts reported across France, southern Germany, Italy, Austria, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and western Romania; in Benelux, Slovenia and Croatia, maize yields are hit and pasture availability is falling. AI & Ads: Criteo expands its ChatGPT Ads integration across 31 European markets, aiming to connect conversational AI product discovery with advertisers’ commerce platforms. Tech Policy: New Zealand proposes a bill setting a minimum age of 16 for access to social media and certain AI companions, targeting platforms with recommendation feeds and other high-risk features. Connectivity: Kyivstar launches a Travel SIM eSIM for roaming data in 38 countries, including Slovenia. Aviation Routes: United Airlines announces major 2027 international expansion, adding Ljubljana among new nonstop destinations.