AGP Executive Report

Zero-Carbon Tech in Zasavje: Slovenia opened a €32M Centre for Development, Demonstration and Training for Carbon-Free Technologies in Kisovec, aiming to scale battery, hydrogen and other carbon-free solutions after the coal era. HPC Skills Push: HPCTRAIN launched a Europe-wide call for 3–6 month HPC traineeships through 2028, explicitly inviting projects that link HPC with AI and quantum computing. Quantum/Supercomputing Boost: EuroHPC inaugurated SOL (a new EuroHPC quantum computer) and LISA (an AI partition) in Bologna, strengthening Europe’s sovereign compute stack. AI in Healthcare IP: HeartSciences secured a European Patent Office grant for ECG-based assessment of diastolic function, expanding its AI-ECG portfolio. Border Checks Eased: Slovenia will end temporary police border checks with Croatia and Hungary from 12 June, shifting to more flexible inland checks to reduce summer congestion. Severe Weather Response: A 10 June storm hit northern Slovenia hard, damaging 150+ buildings, disrupting power, and forcing drone-based damage assessments. Ancient DNA, Modern Wine: Studies of 2,000–2,300-year-old grape seeds from Tuscany traced long-lived clonal lineages and linked Roman-era viticulture to today’s wine genetics. Slovenia–India Tech Links: Ljubljana hosted talks on new Slovenia–India business collaboration, including plans for a dedicated business council.

Carbon-Free Tech Scaling: Slovenia’s DUBT Centre in Kisovec (near Zagorje ob Savi) opened with a €32M EU-backed push to bridge lab research into industrial scale for advanced batteries, hydrogen, and other carbon-free technologies. AI Infrastructure Push: The World Economic Forum named 100 “Technology Pioneers,” with a clear tilt toward building the software and physical infrastructure needed for autonomous AI at scale, not just new AI apps. Pharma Digital Transformation: SCW.AI formed an Industry Advisory Board to guide its Digital Factory work for modernizing pharmaceutical manufacturing with AI, compliance, and data foundations. Quantum/Supercomputing Boost: EuroHPC inaugurated SOL (quantum) and LISA (AI partition) in Bologna, strengthening Europe’s sovereign HPC and quantum capabilities. Health Tech IP: HeartSciences secured an EPO patent for ECG-based assessment of diastolic function, expanding its AI-ECG portfolio. Local Tech & Logistics: Cosylab and Heron Neutron Medical signed an LOI to accelerate software and market rollout for accelerator-based BNCT cancer therapy. Energy Storage in the Region: Sungrow and Sunotec commissioned a 150MW/600MWh BESS in Bulgaria, supporting grid flexibility and renewables integration. Weather Impact in Slovenia: A severe 10 June storm hit northern Slovenia hardest, damaging 150+ buildings, knocking out power, and hurting crops. Border Policy for Summer Traffic: Slovenia removed stationary police border checks with Croatia and Hungary from 12 June to ease holiday gridlock while shifting to targeted inland checks. Slovenia in the AI Data Debate: “DATAS: The Data and the Sovereign” opened at Galerie Rudolfinum, with Projekt Atol as a Slovenian partner exploring who controls data in the age of AI.

Pharma Digital Transformation: SCW.AI formed an Industry Advisory Board to guide its Digital Factory push for Pharma 4.0—starting with building a data foundation for AI, compliance, and shop-floor modernization. Quantum & HPC in Europe: EuroHPC inaugurated SOL (quantum computer) and LISA (AI partition) in Bologna, strengthening Europe’s sovereign supercomputing and quantum stack. Medical AI Patents: HeartSciences secured an EPO patent for ECG-based assessment of diastolic function, expanding its AI-ECG IP portfolio. Energy Storage in CEE: Sungrow and Sunotec commissioned a 150 MW / 600 MWh BESS in Bulgaria, backed by EU Recovery funding, to boost grid flexibility for renewables. Slovenia Tech & Manufacturing: Cosylab and Heron Neutron Medical signed an LOI to accelerate global deployment of accelerator-based BNCT cancer therapy systems. Slovenian Industry Expansion: TOSLA opened its “Super Factory” TOSLA 3 and new HQ in Ajdovščina, tripling liquid nutraceutical output capacity. Health Research (Slovenia-linked): A multicenter study from Slovenia reports markers that distinguish peanut allergy severity and may predict later tolerance. Local Tech/Logistics: Pošta Slovenije and Ljubljana launched an autonomous last-mile delivery trial. Weather Impact: A severe storm hit northern Slovenia on 10 June, damaging 150+ buildings and crops and causing widespread outages.

Severe Weather: A supercell storm hit Slovenia on 10 June, tearing roofs off homes and damaging crops across the north, with Komenda among the hardest-hit areas and emergency crews using generators and drones to assess damage. Health & Biotech: Slovenian researchers report that peanut-allergy kids who had anaphylaxis show stronger skin test reactions, higher peanut-specific IgE, and greater basophil activation—markers that may also relate to later tolerance. Medical Tech: Cosylab and Heron Neutron Medical Corp. signed a Letter of Intent to speed global deployment of accelerator-based BNCT cancer therapy by building shared software and market pathways. Education & Industry: The University of Primorska will launch a new bachelor’s programme on innovations in the wood industry for sustainable development, with a digital transformation focus. AI & Society: A new AI-and-data exhibition opens at Rudolfinum, asking “who controls our data?” with Slovenian partner Projekt Atol among the collaborators. Logistics & Climate: Herbert Widmann GmbH begins building a climate-controlled fresh-produce logistics hub near Vienna to strengthen supply across Austria and Central and Eastern Europe. Manufacturing Scale-Up: TOSLA opened its “Super Factory” in Ajdovščina, tripling capacity for liquid nutraceutical co-development. Space: NASA defended the all-male Artemis 3 crew selection, amid public backlash. Connectivity: Starlink’s new 100Mbps tier is rolling out across much of Europe, raising questions about when Kenya will get the same upgrade.

Slovenia Tech & Health: Cosylab and Heron Neutron Medical Corp. signed a Letter of Intent to speed global deployment of accelerator-based BNCT cancer systems, with a focus on joint software integration and market access. Local Education & Industry: The University of Primorska will launch a new bachelor’s programme on Innovations in Wood Industry for Sustainable Development, combining sustainability, digital transformation and industry-linked practical training. Allergy Research: A Slovenia-led multicenter study reports that peanut-allergy children who had anaphylaxis show stronger skin test reactions, higher peanut-specific IgE and more basophil activation than those with milder skin-only reactions—markers that may also relate to later tolerance. AI & Society: A new AI-themed exhibition at Galerie Rudolfinum, DATAS: The Data and the Sovereign, tackles who controls personal data and what that means for freedom and privacy. Green Tech: INDTEGRATE, a Horizon Europe project, aims to integrate solid oxide electrolyser cell tech with green hydrogen for decarbonising hard-to-electrify, high-temperature European industries. Slovenian Business: RCF appointed LAV Projekt as its exclusive distributor for Slovenia, expanding local access to pro audio systems and support. Manufacturing Scale-Up: TOSLA opened its “Super Factory” TOSLA 3 and new Pavlina HQ in Ajdovščina, tripling liquid nutraceutical production capacity up to 100,000 bottles per day.

Local Industry Expansion: TOSLA opened its “Super Factory” TOSLA 3 and new Pavlina HQ in Ajdovščina on June 5, tripling liquid nutraceutical capacity to up to 100,000 bottles a day with automation and faster co-development for global brands. Robotics & Logistics: Pošta Slovenije and Ljubljana launched a pilot for assisted robotic last-mile delivery in the pedestrian zone, starting with a City Hall-to-Soline shop route and aiming to expand to retail, food, and event kiosk services. AI Readiness in CEE: The CEE AI Index 2026 maps AI readiness across Central and Eastern Europe, highlighting governance, talent, and deployment gaps; Estonia leads institutionally mature ecosystems, while Slovenia stands out in open-data governance and demand for AI professionals. Space Tech Link: Vast and ESA (for the Czech Republic) agreed to send Czech astronaut reserve member Aleš Svoboda to the ISS, pending review. Health & Food Tech: Revo Foods rolled out a mycelium-based 3D-structured “whole-cut” chicken fillet line in Austria, Germany, and Italy. Policy & Safety: Europe’s Entry/Exit System (EES) could cut Schengen tourism by up to one-third due to border delays, while more countries move toward bans or restrictions on children’s social media access.

Robotics & Logistics in Slovenia: Pošta Slovenije and Ljubljana launched a pilot for assisted robotic last‑mile delivery in the city’s pedestrian zone, starting with a route from City Hall to Soline, with plans to expand to retail, food, hygiene and event pick-up services. AI Readiness in CEE: The CEE AI Index 2026 (AI Chamber) maps AI readiness across 11 Central and Eastern European countries; Estonia leads on institutional maturity, while Slovenia stands out for specific strengths in the report’s governance/talent/deployment scoring. Electric Mobility in Construction: LiuGong’s 25‑ton 870HE electric wheel loader is being tested at a STRABAG quarry in Slovenia to prove zero‑emission performance and cut fuel costs as the sector weighs full electrification. EU Policy for the Clean Transition: The European Commission approved Lithuania’s €884m Social Climate Plan (to 2032), funding energy-efficiency upgrades, social housing, EVs and charging, plus advice hubs—an EU template that matters for regional implementation. Cybersecurity Spotlight: A feature notes a small Slovenian team handling about 6,000 cyber incidents per year, underscoring local capacity in the face of rising attacks.

Robotic Logistics in Ljubljana: Pošta Slovenije and the City of Ljubljana have started a real-world assisted robotic last-mile delivery pilot in the pedestrian zone, with early routes running from City Hall to Soline and a plan to expand to retail, food, hygiene and event pick-up services. Space for Slovenia’s Region: The European Space Agency, for the Czech Republic, has signed with Vast to send astronaut Aleš Svoboda to the ISS, pending review and approval—another sign of growing Central European space momentum. AI Readiness in CEE: The CEE AI Index 2026 maps AI readiness across 11 Central and Eastern European countries, highlighting governance, talent and deployment gaps; Slovenia is noted for standing out in open-data governance and demand for AI professionals. Electric Machines in Slovenian Industry: LiuGong’s 25-ton 870HE electric wheel loader is being tested at a STRABAG quarry in Slovenia to prove high-performance, lower-cost electrification for construction operations. Social Media Rules for Minors: A wave of countries is moving to restrict children’s social media access after Australia’s under-16 ban, with Europe and beyond preparing similar compliance steps. Mycoprotein Food Tech: Revo Foods is rolling out 3D-printed mycoprotein whole-cut chicken fillets in Austria, Germany and Italy, using fermentation plus structuring to target higher-fibre, minimally processed protein.

Robotic Logistics in Ljubljana: Pošta Slovenije and the City of Ljubljana started a pilot for assisted autonomous last-mile delivery in the pedestrian zone, with early routes from City Hall to Soline—aiming to complement existing delivery and expand to retail, food, event kiosks, and pick-up services. Space for the Region: ESA, for the Czech Republic, signed an agreement with Vast to send an astronaut to the ISS (subject to panel approval), with Aleš Svoboda set as mission pilot pending review. EU Digital Safety Push: A wave of countries is moving to restrict minors’ social media access after Australia’s under-16 ban, with Europe and beyond preparing similar age checks or limits. Food Tech in Europe: Revo Foods launched whole-cut chicken fillets made with 3D-printed mycoprotein tech in Austria, Germany, and Italy, positioning the products as minimally processed and nutrition-forward. Construction Electrification Test: STRABAG is trialing a 25-ton electric wheel loader from LiuGong at a Slovenian quarry to cut fuel costs and emissions as electrification plans advance. NATO Air Defense Concept: Lockheed Martin UK-led partners unveiled a NATO Ground-Based Air Defense plug-and-play concept, with Slovenia listed among participating nations. EU Policy Roadmap: The European Commission adopted the 2026 European Semester Spring Package, steering member states toward resilience, competitiveness, decarbonisation, housing fixes, and skills.

Electricity Crunch Watch: Europe is starting to “ration” power as data centres surge, with Slovenia already feeling the pressure and the EU weighing responses from nuclear to smarter demand management. EU Economic Resilience: The European Commission’s 2026 European Semester Spring Package pushes reforms and investment on competitiveness, innovation, decarbonisation, housing, and skills. Schengen Friction: Brussels urges several countries, including Slovenia, to phase out internal border checks using targeted controls and border-tech instead. Pay Transparency Deadline: A study says most EU states are missing the June 7 pay-transparency deadline, with Slovenia named among those with no legislative draft or timeline. Local Tech & Industry: STRABAG in Slovenia is trialling a 25-ton LiuGong electric wheel loader to cut quarry emissions and fuel costs. Cyber Ops (Slovenia): A small Slovenian team reportedly handles about 6,000 cyber incidents a year. Health & Research: A Slovenian clinical study finds healthier hospital vending options shift purchases toward better choices, even if total sales drop. EU Legal Action: The Commission refers Slovenia to the Court of Justice over incomplete Birds Directive protections in marine areas. NATO Air Defence: Lockheed Martin UK-led partners unveiled a plug-and-play GBAD concept for NATO, with Slovenia among participating nations.

EU Economic Policy: The European Commission adopted the 2026 European Semester Spring Package, pushing a roadmap for EU resilience—more competitiveness, faster innovation, decarbonisation, fewer strategic dependencies, plus housing and skills focus. EU Mobility & Borders: Brussels urged Germany and other Schengen states to phase out internal border checks, arguing conditions now allow a gradual return to normal passport-free movement using targeted controls and new border-management tools. Slovenia in EU Court: The Commission referred Slovenia to the Court of Justice over incomplete Birds Directive protection for the Mediterranean Shag in marine areas like Osrednji Tržaški zaliv. Cyber & Security (Slovenia angle): A small Slovenian team reportedly handles about 6,000 cyber incidents per year, highlighting local capacity in a fast-moving threat landscape. Health Tech: A Slovenian university clinical study found healthier hospital vending options can shift purchases toward better choices, even if total sales drop. Industry & Sustainability: Resand (foundry sand recycling) expanded its Norion Bank loan facility to €25m to scale “sand as a service” and new reclamation machinery. Diplomacy: India’s Jaishankar congratulated Slovenia’s new Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer and invited cooperation, as Slovenia signals a more pragmatic foreign-policy tone.

AI Security: OWASP released “Agent Memory Guard,” an open-source runtime defense that screens AI agent memory reads/writes to reduce risks like memory poisoning. Cyber & Skills: A new interview highlights how data discovery gaps still surprise enterprises, while another explains how “zero trust” for physical security can make safer trust decisions at the edge. Slovenia in Tech: Nvidia has acquired Kumo AI, a startup co-founded by Slovenian computer scientist Jure Leskovec, reportedly for at least $400m. EU Policy (Work): The European Labour Authority’s executive director says fair mobility and coordinated enforcement are key as digitalisation and AI reshape European jobs. EU Policy (Pay): Cyprus is among the majority of EU states missing the pay transparency directive deadline, with Slovenia listed as having no legislative draft or timeline. Environment/Compliance: The European Commission has referred Slovenia to the Court of Justice over insufficient Birds Directive protection for the Mediterranean Shag in marine waters. Defense Tech: A Lockheed Martin UK-led NATO consortium unveiled a plug-and-play GBAD concept for short- to medium-range air defense, with Slovenia among participating nations.

AI & Business Tech: Nvidia has acquired Kumo AI, a startup co-founded by Slovenian computer scientist Jure Leskovec, in a reported deal worth at least US$400m, aiming to boost tools for businesses to analyze internal data. Energy & Industry: Resand, a Slovenian foundry-sand recycling firm, expanded its Norion Bank equipment financing from €14.5m to €25m to scale “sand as a service” and new reclamation machinery. Health Tech: A Slovenian university study suggests healthier hospital vending options can shift purchases toward better choices (healthy share up from 22% to 39%), even if total sales drop. EU Policy & Mobility: The European Commission urges Schengen countries, including Slovenia, to phase out internal border checks gradually, using targeted controls and tech instead. Environment & Compliance: The Commission has referred Slovenia to the Court of Justice over Birds Directive non-compliance, citing missing protected areas in marine waters for the Mediterranean Shag. Nuclear Governance: Slovenia’s Nuclear Safety Administration hosted an IAEA workshop to promote broader adherence to the Joint Convention on nuclear and radiation safety. Diplomacy: Slovenia’s new foreign minister Tone Kajzer received congratulations from India’s Jaishankar and invited him to visit.

AI & Business: Nvidia has acquired Kumo AI, a startup co-founded by Slovenian computer scientist Jure Leskovec, in a deal reported at $400M+—a sign Slovenia’s AI talent is landing in major global stacks. EU Policy & Environment: The European Commission has referred Slovenia to the Court of Justice over non-compliance with the Birds Directive, saying key marine areas for the Mediterranean Shag weren’t properly designated. Slovenia Foreign Policy: Tone Kajzer was sworn in as Slovenia’s Foreign Minister, with India’s Jaishankar publicly congratulating him and Slovenia signaling a shift toward “quiet diplomacy” and closer ties with the US and NATO. Health Tech & Research: A Slovenian study suggests healthier hospital vending options can shift what people buy (healthy share up, sales down), pointing to practical ways to nudge better choices. Industry & Sustainability: Resand (foundry sand recycling) expanded its Norion Bank financing to €25M to scale “sand as a service” and new reclamation machinery. Security Tech: A Lockheed Martin UK-led NATO consortium unveiled a GBAD concept aimed at plug-and-play air defense interoperability across member states, with Slovenia listed among participants.

Slovenian Foreign Policy Shift: Slovenia’s new government signals a break from its predecessor’s pro-Palestinian posture, with Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer saying Slovenia will stop public moral condemnations of Israel and instead pursue “quiet diplomacy,” restore dialogue with Israel, and deepen ties with the US and NATO. NATO Air Defense Tech: A Lockheed Martin UK-led consortium unveiled a NATO Ground-Based Air Defense concept aimed at plug-and-play interoperability across member states, with Slovenia listed among participating nations. AI Deal with Slovenian Roots: Nvidia acquired Kumo AI, co-founded by Slovenian computer scientist Jure Leskovec, in a reported $400m+ deal focused on using foundation models for internal business data analysis. Health Tech Research: A Slovenian university clinical study suggests healthier hospital vending options can shift purchases toward healthier items (even if total sales drop). Nuclear Safety Outreach: Slovenia’s Nuclear Safety Administration helped organize an IAEA workshop to promote adherence to the Joint Convention on nuclear and radiation safety. Schengen Border Rules: The EU Commission urged Slovenia and other Schengen states to phase out internal border checks, arguing systems like EES reduce the need for controls. Local Industry & Sustainability: Resand expanded its Norion Bank loan facility to €25m to scale foundry sand reclamation and recycling.

AI & Startups: Nvidia has acquired Kumo AI, a startup co-founded by Slovenian computer scientist Jure Leskovec, in a deal reported at $400m+—a sign that Slovenia-linked AI talent is getting global scale. Slovenia Tech & Policy: Slovenia’s Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre (PMAC) officially opened in Ljubljana as part of the Unified Patent Court system, aiming to speed up resolution of complex international technology disputes. Cybersecurity: SI-CERT (Slovenian national cyber response center) says it now handles about 6,000 incidents a year, using three triage lines to sort fraud, phishing, and more serious cases. Energy & Industry: Resand (Nuutajärvi-based, foundry sand reclamation) expanded its Norion Bank equipment financing to €25m to scale “sand as a service” and sustainability-driven recycling capacity. EU Tech Infrastructure: At an EU-Moldova investment conference, the Commission outlined up to €641m for Moldova across energy, digital infrastructure, education, and sustainable agriculture. Environment & Shipping: A study links increased South African shipping traffic to higher whale strike risk, urging urgent measures where rerouting isn’t yet possible.