European Investment Bank to Allocate €70 Billion for Tech Sector from 2025 to 2027

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The European Investment Bank (EIB) is set to announce plans to invest €70 billion into European technology firms over the next three years, EU officials confirmed. The initiative, called Tech EU, aims to strengthen Europe’s competitive edge against China and the United States in innovative clean and digital technologies.

The EIB, recognized as the world’s largest multilateral lender with a total balance sheet of €556 billion, expects its €70 billion commitment to mobilize an additional €250 billion from private investors attracted by EIB-supported projects.

The allocation breakdown for 2025-2027 includes:

  • €20 billion for equity and quasi-equity investments

  • €40 billion for loans

  • €10 billion for guarantees

This initiative is designed to complement European Commission efforts by supporting high-risk ventures and innovative companies through their entire investment lifecycle—from proof of concept to initial public offering.

Key focus areas for funding include supercomputing, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, critical raw materials, green industries such as offshore wind, healthcare, security and defense technologies, robotics, and advanced materials.

SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son Proposes $1 Trillion Arizona AI and Robotics Hub

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SoftBank Group founder Masayoshi Son is planning a $1 trillion industrial complex in Arizona focused on robotics and artificial intelligence, Bloomberg News reported Friday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The ambitious project aims to revive high-end tech manufacturing in the U.S. and create a hub akin to China’s manufacturing powerhouse, Shenzhen.

Son is reportedly seeking to partner with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) for the venture, codenamed Project Crystal Land, though the exact role TSMC would play and its interest level remain unclear. TSMC is already investing heavily in U.S. chip manufacturing with planned investments totaling $165 billion.

SoftBank officials have engaged in discussions with U.S. federal and state officials, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, to explore tax incentives for companies that build factories or invest in the industrial park.

The project also seeks interest from other tech giants such as Samsung Electronics. However, the plans are preliminary and dependent on support from the Trump administration and state authorities.

If realized, the $1 trillion investment would surpass the scale of the $500 billion “Stargate” project, a U.S. data center expansion funded by SoftBank, OpenAI, and Oracle.

SoftBank and TSMC have declined to comment on the report. The White House and Department of Commerce did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

This proposed initiative follows several major SoftBank investments this year, including its $6.5 billion acquisition of semiconductor designer Ampere and up to $40 billion commitment to OpenAI, part of which may be syndicated to other investors. Recently, SoftBank also raised $4.8 billion by selling shares in T-Mobile.

Trump Extends Deadline for US TikTok Sale to September

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U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday extended the deadline to September 17 for ByteDance, the China-based parent company of TikTok, to divest the app’s U.S. assets. This extension comes despite a law requiring the sale or shutdown of TikTok in the U.S. without significant progress.

Trump signed an executive order delaying the original deadline, which was set for Thursday, by 90 days—a move he had previously indicated.

The Republican president had already granted two extensions earlier, postponing enforcement of a law that mandated TikTok’s sale or shutdown by January, unless significant progress was made toward divestment.

Trump has expressed a desire to keep TikTok operational in the U.S., noting the app helped him gain young voters in the 2024 presidential election. He also voiced optimism that Chinese President Xi Jinping would approve a deal preserving TikTok’s presence in the U.S., although it is unclear how much the issue has been discussed amid ongoing tariff disputes between the two countries.

TikTok released a statement expressing gratitude for Trump’s support in keeping the app available. The company said it is continuing discussions with U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s office.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the extension provides “more time to make a good deal.” She added that legal experts at the White House and Department of Justice support the extension’s legality.

On Tuesday, Trump had indicated he would likely extend the deadline and expressed hope for China’s approval of the sale. “I think President Xi will ultimately approve it,” he said.

The 2024 law required TikTok to cease operations in the U.S. by January 19 unless ByteDance had divested U.S. assets or made substantial progress toward a sale. Trump, who began his second term on January 20, chose not to enforce the law and previously extended the deadline twice: once to early April and again last month to June 19.

Earlier this year, Trump offered to reduce tariffs on China to facilitate a deal for TikTok’s U.S. operations, which currently serve 170 million Americans. A planned deal would spin off TikTok’s U.S. business into a new company majority-owned by U.S. investors but was paused after China indicated it would not approve it amid tariff tensions.

Some Democratic lawmakers argue that Trump lacks legal authority to extend the deadline and question whether the proposed deal would comply with legal requirements.