Tag: landscape

New report reveals the growing mental health crisis and global knowledge gaps on the impact of technology use for children

The new child and youth mental health report sheds light on the scale of our global knowledge gaps on the correlation between childhood technology use and childhood mental health impacts.

Over the past decade, mental health conditions in children and adolescents have seen a significant  rise across all countries and incomes. The World Health Organization, estimates one in seven 10-19 year olds worldwide experience a mental disorder, and that a third of conditions emerge by age 14.

“It’s astonishing that we’re not doing more to understand this issue,” says Marija Manojlovic, Executive Director of Safe Online, who released the new findings at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week.

“We know that children’s technology use is increasing, and we’re past the point of no return. Technology is embedded into almost everything we do. But we don’t really know what the long-term impacts are for children and adolescents. Most research on the topic is speculative.

“Most shockingly – there are huge gaps in research on the impact for under-5s when we know children as young as 2 are using phones and tablets. At a time when governments, like the UK, are developing screentime guidelines for pre-schoolers and parents are seeking guidance on technology use – we must have better evidence to help navigate these critical issues.

“We know that mental health conditions for under-18s have been rising for a decade but we don’t have the longitudinal research to understand the relationship with digital technologies in depth. This is a particular area of interest for me,” says Marija Manojlovic.

The Ecosystem Landscape Child & Adolescent Mental Health and Digital Technology report can be found here: https://safeonline.global/weave-wellbeing/

Marija has a strong track record of raising funds for research and developing tools to help prevent thorny issues like these. As Executive Director, she has led Safe Online to raise and deploy over US$100m over the past 10 years for research and tools to prevent online child sexual abuse and exploitation, and she’s on track to do it again, this time with child mental health in mind.

Safe Online is launching Weave Wellbeing, a pioneering fund to mobilize the scale of financing needed to tackle this urgent issue. Marija has already secured US$2m seed funding from Iconiq Impact.

Twelve South launches Curve Mini

Twelve South, a leading designer of stylish and innovative tech accessories, launched the Curve Mini, a sleek, portable stand that elevates tablets and e-readers to the perfect angle at home, work or on-the-go.

Universally compatible with iPad, tablets and e-readers, the Twelve South Curve Mini raises devices up to 6 inches for optimal viewing comfort and usability, whether streaming a show at home, working in a cafe, conference calling or sketching, the precision hinges ensure a smooth transition to any desired angle.

Easily adjustable in both portrait and landscape modes, the stable slip-resistant base and silicone padding ensure sturdiness and prevent scratches.

Curve Mini is made of strong stuff – anodised aluminium – weighs just 0.24kg and folds completely flat so it can slip into the included travel sleeve for easy portability. It’s the perfect travel companion for creatives, remote workers or those who use their tablet for gaming and entertainment.

In addition to its functionality, it also makes a stylish accessory. Available in three different matte colours: dune, slate and coastal blue to complement Twelve South’s Curve Nano Qi2-compatible smartphone stand.

Available now for £49.99 from Twelve South UK.

See our Twelve South Reviews

Twelve South Curve Nano Review

The Twelve South Curve Nano is a new simple accessory which is ideal for those who want to keep their hands free and their smartphone at hand at any angle or in portrait or landscape mode.

This is a premium built product which looks well and comes in several colour and portable and being portable in this case is perfect for those that travel like myself and can be used at home or in the office, it is also ideal for your bedside locker or even your kitchen to watch cooking classes and so on without the need to hold your phone keeping your hands free.

For me it is ideal for travel and home use and can be placed beside my laptop where i can look at social media or emails not disrupting my work flow on the laptop I also can use on my bedside locker to watch media which I have a bad habit of and also easy access to interact with social media videos and podcasts etc without the need to pick the phone up.

This as mentioned works in portrait and landscape but also works at angles and with the hinge being solid it can go to any angle and almost 90 degrees depending on how heavy the phone is.

The base has a rubber footing which also keeps it in place and wont mark your desk or locker, overall this is a nice looking simple effective product that is small and light yet robust and not intrusive to your set up in the office or at home. I tested several devices and MagSafe compatible and Qi2 devices all work fine even with cases on and devices not compatible but have cases with MagSafe will also work.

Check the video below for a closer look.

 

Features

  • Holds MagSafe/Qi2 phones securely
  • Adjusts smoothly to any angle
  • Stays stable with anti-slip base
  • Ultra-light and compact

BUY

More Twelve South Reviews 

Video Review

Investment Trends in Casual Gaming: What Soft2Bet Invest Looks for in Startups

The casual gaming sector is experiencing unprecedented growth in 2025, creating fertile ground for innovative startups with fresh ideas. With mobile gaming revenues reaching record levels and user engagement metrics soaring, investment funds are increasingly turning their attention to this dynamic space. Soft2Bet Invest has emerged as a leading player in this arena, establishing a €50 million innovation fund specifically designed to nurture promising gaming entrepreneurs. Since its launch in June 2024, the fund has already made significant impacts, even winning the “Outstanding Contribution to Gaming 2024” award at SiGMA East Europe in September 2024.

The Evolving Landscape of Casual Gaming in 2025

The casual gaming market has transformed dramatically over the past few years, shifting from simple time-fillers to sophisticated experiences that incorporate social elements, progression systems, and innovative monetization models. Today’s casual games blend accessibility with depth, creating experiences that appeal to broader audiences while maintaining impressive retention metrics.

Mobile continues to dominate the casual gaming space, with the Apple App Store and Google Play generating over $80 billion in consumer revenue. This represents steady growth that shows no signs of slowing down. The focus on established genres with proven track records has allowed top publishers to capture significant market share, with the top five casual game publishers generating 62% of total revenue in their category.

Key factors driving the casual gaming boom include:

  • Low barriers to entry for players
  • Short, satisfying gameplay loops
  • Cross-platform compatibility
  • Innovative monetization strategies
  • Social integration features

These elements create games that are easy to pick up but difficult to put down, making them particularly attractive to investors looking for scalable products with strong retention potential.

What Soft2Bet Invest Seeks in Gaming Startups

Soft2Bet Invest has established a clear investment strategy, targeting both growth-stage and mature companies that demonstrate exceptional potential. The fund typically invests between €500,000 and €1 million per project, evaluating each opportunity on a case-by-case basis.

When assessing potential investments, Soft2Bet prioritizes several crucial factors:

  1. Technological innovation – Companies leveraging cutting-edge technologies that enhance player experiences
  2. Market differentiation – Unique approaches that stand out in a crowded marketplace
  3. Scalability potential – Business models capable of significant growth with proper resources
  4. Strong core metrics – Impressive retention, engagement, and monetization figures
  5. Team capabilities – Experienced leadership with proven track records in gaming

Uri Poliavich, Founder and CEO of Soft2Bet, emphasizes the importance of disruptive thinking: “Our journey from startup to major iGaming operator and provider shows how we have been changing the iGaming industry, that we speak the language of innovation, and that our products and success stories are undeniable proof that we excel in driving business growth.”

Technology Trends Attracting Investment Dollars

The casual gaming industry is being transformed by several emerging technologies that are attracting substantial investment. Soft2Bet Invest specifically looks for companies harnessing these innovations:

Artificial Intelligence Applications

AI is revolutionizing game development and player experiences through:

  • Personalized content delivery based on player behavior
  • Dynamic difficulty adjustment to optimize challenge levels
  • Automated testing and quality assurance processes
  • Natural language processing for improved player interactions
  • Advanced analytics for more precise monetization strategies

These AI applications not only improve player experiences but also create more efficient development pipelines, making them particularly attractive to investors focused on operational excellence.

Player-Centric UX Design

User experience has become a critical differentiator in the competitive casual gaming market. Companies implementing advanced behavioral-UX analytics can significantly boost key performance indicators through:

  • Streamlined onboarding processes
  • Friction-free progression systems
  • Intuitive controls and interfaces
  • Data-driven design iterations
  • Personalized gameplay elements

Studios that prioritize these UX principles typically see higher retention rates and stronger monetization, making them prime candidates for investment consideration.

Monetization Models That Attract Funding

In 2025, sophisticated monetization approaches have become essential for casual gaming success. The most promising startups are moving beyond simple ad-based models to implement hybrid approaches that maximize revenue while enhancing player experiences.

The most attractive monetization strategies include:

  1. User-level customization – Tailoring monetization approaches to individual player preferences and behaviors
  2. Hybrid models – Combining in-app purchases, subscriptions, and various ad formats
  3. Gamified progression systems – Creating value through achievement-based rewards
  4. Social commerce integration – Leveraging community dynamics to drive purchases
  5. Limited-time events – Creating urgency and exclusivity around special offers

According to industry analysis, the shift toward user-level customization represents the next evolution in monetization strategy. By leveraging contextual data gathered early in a user’s journey, publishers can dynamically adapt the monetization experience for each individual, optimizing revenue while maintaining positive player sentiment

Social Features Driving Investment Decisions

The integration of social elements has emerged as one of the most significant trends in casual gaming. Multiplayer functionality, leaderboards, and community features transform solitary gaming sessions into shared experiences, dramatically improving retention metrics.

Effective social implementations include:

  • Real-time competitive leaderboards
  • Friend-based progression systems
  • Guild/team mechanics
  • Shared challenges and rewards
  • Cross-platform social connectivity

Games that successfully incorporate these social dynamics typically demonstrate stronger long-term engagement metrics, making them particularly attractive to investors seeking sustainable business models.

The Investment Process with Soft2Bet Invest

For developers seeking funding, understanding Soft2Bet’s approach is crucial. The fund evaluates projects through a rigorous process that assesses both technical innovation and business fundamentals. Martin Collins, Chief Business Development Officer at Soft2Bet, emphasizes their unique perspective: “Essentially what we’ve done is we’ve taken some of the main concepts from casual gaming and built it to enter the casino experience in order to drive levels of engagement that you might not find with any other sports or casino business.”

This cross-pollination of ideas between casual gaming and iGaming creates unique opportunities for startups positioned at this intersection, especially those focused on engagement metrics and retention strategies.

The fund provides more than just capital, offering hands-on support and industry expertise to help portfolio companies scale effectively. This operational assistance, combined with strategic financial backing, creates a powerful platform for growth-oriented gaming startups looking to make their mark in the competitive casual gaming landscape.

Axelspace to Launch Seven Next-Generation Earth Observation Microsatellites

Axelspace Corporation (“Axelspace”), which designs, manufactures and operates microsatellites, and conducts business to promote a society where space is accessible to people around the world, today announced plans to launch seven next-generation Earth observation microsatellites, “GRUS-3,” in 2026. This will expand the company’s microsatellite constellation to include more than ten satellites, enabling observation of broader areas with increased frequency.

Axelspace aims to meet growing demand across a wide range of fields, including environmental protection, financial product development, and real estate management, in addition to precision agriculture, forest monitoring, and map creation, to promote use of Earth observation data.

GRUS-3 will build upon Axelspace’s existing constellation of five microsatellites, “GRUS-1,” which provides services to government agencies and private companies in more than 30 countries worldwide.

The seven GRUS-3 microsatellites will capture images of the Earth’s surface at the same location and nearly the same time every day for locations north of 25 degrees latitude, under stable sunlight conditions year-round from a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 585 km. Each satellite has an effective swath of 28.3 km and a maximum capture length of 1,356km. With a combined daily capture capacity of 2.3 million km² across seven satellites, and our unique tasking capabilities that enables targeted area imaging, Axelspace supports timely information gathering and decision-making.

GRUS-3 satellites feature a spatial resolution (GSD) of 2.2 meters. In addition to capturing visible light, these are equipped with sensors capable of monitoring plant growth conditions, coastal seaweed beds and landscape.

Yuya Nakamura, President and CEO of Axelspace Corporation, said, “With the launch of seven GRUS-3 microsatellites, we will be able to observe a wider area more frequently than ever before. By adopting new observation equipment, the image quality will be improved compared to GRUS-1. We will provide enhanced services to our existing customers and continue developing solutions to meet emerging needs, further expanding the use of space.”

Axelspace also plans to launch a microsatellite “GRUS-3α” no earlier than June 2025 to verify the performance of the versatile satellite platform, a standardized platform for satellite function and structure across diverse missions, and the telescope used in GRUS-3.

About GRUS-3

Number of satellites: 7

Name: GRUS-3A/3B/3C/3D/3E/3F/3G

Satellite wet mass: Approximately 150kgSatellite envelope: 96cm x 78cm x 126cm

Spatial resolution: 2.2m

Effective swath: 28.3km

Maximum capture length: 1,356km

Band: Panchromatic, Coastal Blue, Blue, Green, Red, Red edge, Near infrared

Orbit altitude: 585km

Orbit type: Sun-synchronous

 

About GRUS-3α

Name: GRUS-3α

Satellite wet mass: Approximately 150kg

Satellite envelope: 96cm x 78cm x 126cm

Orbit altitude: 585km

Orbit type: Sun-synchronous

 

Launch details for GRUS-3α

Date: No earlier than June 2025

Site: Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, USA

Vehicle: Falcon 9

Mission: Transporter-14

Launch Provider: SpaceX

 

To host the missions of GRUS-3 and GRUS-3α, Axelspace’s General-purpose (Versatile) satellite bus is based on results obtained from the following projects subsidized by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). 

Development and Demonstration of General-Purpose CubeSat and Microsatellite Buses (FY2023- 2026)

*This project is implemented by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry from FY2021 to FY2022

 

About GRUS

GRUS is a series of optical Earth observation microsatellites, each weighing 100 kg-class, developed for Axelspace’s Earth observation business, AxelGlobe. The first satellite of GRUS-1 was launched in December 2018, followed by 4 satellites in March 2021, bringing the current total to five satellites in orbit. The name “GRUS” comes from the constellation Grus to symbolize the way satellites orbit the Earth like a flock of cranes.

 

About Axelspace

With the vision of “Space within Your Reach,” we have been pioneering the development of microsatellites since our founding in 2008. We have two businesses: AxelLiner, where we develop and operate microsatellites for customers’ space missions, and AxelGlobe, where we provide Earth observation data through our proprietary optical satellite constellation. Leveraging our unique technology in microsatellite design, manufacturing, and in-orbit operations, we offer solutions to meet the needs in a variety of industries. Through these businesses, we aim to create a society where space is accessible to people around the world.

 

Axelspace Corporation Profile

Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan

President and CEO: Yuya Nakamura

Founded: August 2008

https://www.axelspace.com/en/

.ie Domain Profile Report 2024 shows appeal of owned websites remains strong

The latest .ie Domain Profile Report 2024, launched today, gives glimpse into future economic activity in Ireland, highlighting the value of a strong online presence in response the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
The report reveals that .ie continues to hold majority share of Ireland’s hosted domains (54.2%) followed by .com (29.43%) and .uk (7.33%) with a 16% increase in the total .ie database over the past five years, despite marginal decrease in total database vs. 2023 (0.5%).
Both nationally and globally, changes in the way consumers engage with eCommerce (for instance via social media platforms) highlights the importance of establishing a stable digital presence via a controlled and secure website.
Now in its tenth year, the report is an annual exploration of the .ie database and is published by .ie, the national registry for .ie domain names. It also highlights the challenges and opportunities faced by internet users, businesses and government within Ireland’s online ecosystem.
Digital Intention vs. Digital Growth
 
.ie’s flagship Digital Readiness Monitor report published last August revealed that one in three (36%) websites in Ireland have a low or very low level of sophistication. A website and the associated technologies it uses, serves as an indicator of how digitally advanced an organisation is. If the website is modern, functional, and user-friendly, it reflects that the overall approach to digital transformation and investment in technology. It is clear from .ie’s Domain Profile Report, and the Digital Readiness Monitor, that there is strong digital intention in Ireland; however websites are under-developed and digital growth is not yet possible.
In last year’s pre-budget submission, .ie called on government to invest in digital skills as an urgent requirement for SMEs and micro-businesses to compete on a global scale. Following the nomination of the current government it is the responsibility of Minister Jack Chambers, Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform and Digitalisation, to make grants and programmes more accessible to SMEs to boost export sales through digital marketing and improve productivity through digitalisation.
CEO of .ie David Curtin, emphasizing the importance of driving digital growth has said, ‘Since SMEs account for 99.8% of the number of companies in the Irish economy, supporting their growth and scaling efforts is crucial for a modern future-proofed Ireland.  The .ie Domain Profile Report shows that while there has been a lot of progress made in digital intent in Ireland, there is still a long way to go to convert this to real digital growth. The government must invest more in infrastructure and supports for SMEs to take them onto the next step of digitalisation.’
Overcoming the Digital Divide
The Domain Profile report also emphasises that digital technologies have the “potential to reduce the death of distance” and bridge the gap between rural and urban areas and unlock new opportunities for Irish businesses, regardless of location.  However, the report identifies evidence of an ongoing digital divide based on location, size and sector, in particular for micro-SMEs with fewer than 10 employees.
According to Eurostat, rural areas are falling behind when it comes to digital literacy across the European Union. In Ireland, 35% of people living in rural areas and 37% of people living in Irish towns and suburbs reported having above-basic overall digital skills, while 46.5% of the Irish population living cities reported having these skills.
The digital divide does appear to be lessening in commuter areas such as Kildare, Meath and Limerick where new .ie domain registrations continue to rise, however Connacht and Ulster largely recorded a decline in new registrations in 2024. .ie want to work with government to lessen this divide and ensure businesses can thrive and prosper online regardless of location.
Importance of a Website and Omni-Channel Approach
There has been a notable decline in domain creations on a global scale. CENTR, the association of European country code top-level domain (ccTLD) registries, has highlighted notable shifts in recent years, particularly post-Covid. One potential reason for domain registration decline may be due to a recent surge in social selling – where social media apps such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok now have eCommerce capabilities on the app.
Reuters reported in December last year that TikTop Shop sales had reached $100million last Black Friday as bargain hunting American consumers spent big online.
While social media presents SMEs with an excellent opportunity to promote products and services, the recent US TikTok ban has revealed just how volatile it can be to use social selling as a business’ sole eCommerce platform.
.ie’s David Curtin advises ‘When it comes to building a credible, trustworthy digital presence, websites should be seen as ‘prime real estate’ for any business online. While social media is an excellent tool for increasing visibility and capturing audience interest, these platforms are limited in their ability to build lasting relationships with customers and, more importantly, convert them to sales. An “omni-channel” approach that offers customers more than one way to engage with business is best – where social media is used as a tool to drive traffic to a secure website. It is crucial that SMEs have control over their own eCommerce channels and are not solely reliant on third party selling platforms such as TikTok Shop which has been proven to be extremely volatile over the past few weeks’
A .ie website also provides reassurance for business owners that their main point of contact with consumers is safe from cyber threats as .ie websites boast significantly lower levels of spam and cyber threats, when compared to other top-level domains like .com.  .ie continuously works to reduce the impact of security threats to the .ie namespace. This includes manually reviewing .ie applications; continuous security scanning the .ie database; and ensuring consumer protection protocols are in line with national regulators and agencies.
Additional Domain Database Findings
 
Leitrim recorded the largest percentage growth (+51%) in new .ie domain registrations compared to 2023, followed by Tyrone (+20%) and Meath (+19%). Fermanagh has the smallest number of total .ie domain registrations in the country as just 191 total domains are registered there.
Keywords used in domain registrations continue to provide insight to public interest as Ireland, Dublin, Home, Design and House were among the top keywords used in registrations last year.
Cork pride appears to be strong as the longest .ie website address at 63 characters is corkcorkcorkcorkcorkcorkcorkcorkcorkcorkcorkcorkcorkcorkcork.ie; and the shortest web address with just 4 characters is 9.ie.
The .ie Domain Profile Report 2024 can be viewed here.
More tech news can be found here