Ditching US Tech: European App Alternatives. Proton, Threema, Element, Vivaldi, Bolt

EuroTech Podcast Weekly Wrap-Up returns with the key European tech stories from 1–10 January 2026. We cover a record start for European markets, Accenture’s acquisition of London AI firm Faculty, major funding momentum with Swap’s $100M Series C and Payhawk’s reported new raise talks, plus climate-tech consolidation as Diginex acquires Plan A. We also look at strong results from AI unicorn Quantexa and Europe’s standout showing at CES 2026, including cutting-edge deeptech and new AI-driven vehicles from BMW and Mercedes-Benz.In the second half, we launch Part 1 of a two-episode series on European alternatives to US consumer apps. Taking a pragmatic approach, we explore realistic substitutes across messaging, social, browsers, search, email, cloud storage, maps, and mobility—highlighting where switching is easy, where it’s hard, and what digital sovereignty really means for European consumers.Music from #Uppbeathttps://uppbeat.io/t/tatami/ride-and-prejudice