Innovation is vital for Europe’s economic growth and competitiveness. Across the continent, tech pioneers are helping solve some of the world’s most pressing problems, from finding ways to build more sustainable cities to searching for a cure for cancer. The AWS Pioneers Project spotlights some of these inspiring European innovators, showcasing their extraordinary work and how they leverage AWS cloud and AI technologies to break new ground.
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There is huge variety in these stories from across Europe, but at their heart they are all about the same thing: how technology is helping to improve lives and build a more sustainable future. From accelerating medical breakthroughs and ensuring the future of farming to tackling food waste and improving social welfare for marginalised groups, all our pioneers are problem-solvers.
Many of Europe’s pioneers have AI at their heart and are using the high performance and flexibility of the AWS Cloud to rapidly scale their businesses outside Europe, create new products or ways of doing things, or drive new efficiencies and productivity previously unimagined.
Discover the stories behind Europe’s innovative breakthroughs at AWS Pioneers Project.
Cruz Roja is helping bring dignity to old age
Cruz Roja, Spain’s Red Cross organisation, is addressing the challenge of an ageing population in new ways using the AWS Cloud and Amazon Alexa (among its supported devices). Their project offers digital services to older people to help combat loneliness and promote safer autonomous living. Last year the project helped more than 180,000 older adults and is expected to support another 250,000 in the future.
The HALO Trust is working to eradicate landmines
The HALO Trust is accelerating the work of clearing landmines in conflict-affected areas to save lives and empower local communities. The non-governmental organisation is using AWS global cloud infrastructure to securely analyse thousands of drone images of minefields using AI, significantly reducing analysis time from days to hours. This allows HALO to work more efficiently in areas around the world that have a high density of landmines, including Ukraine.
Institut Pasteur is building a search engine for life on Earth
Institut Pasteur’s IndexthePlanet project, supported by AWS, aims to create a searchable database of all of the world’s genetic data. Using AWS’s computing power, Institut Pasteur processed 20 petabytes (PB) of genetic data in just 30 hours, which would have taken 3,400 years on a single computer. The resulting DNA search engine, available at logan-search.org, could revolutionise biology, aid in pandemic prevention and preserve Earth’s genetic heritage. This open data will also be an incredible resource for AI researchers worldwide.
Spanish NGO ITWILLBE is helping street children in India
With the support of AWS, ITWILLBE has developed a biometric-based identification solution to provide street children with a unique and verified digital ID so they can be registered and given access to basic services, such as health and education. Benefiting from the scalability of the AWS Cloud, ITWILLBE has been able to help thousands of children more quickly. The solution, called the People’s Protection App (PPa), is currently being verified with Don Bosco YaR Forum in India. This organisation operates a network of care centres that serve 300,000 street children.
Latitudo 40 harnesses satellite data to protect cities
Latitudo 40 uses AI and satellite data to help cities combat climate change. With AWS cloud computing, they process vast amounts of satellite information quickly and securely. Analysis that once took months and required numerous experts can now be completed in just hours. This enables cities to respond rapidly to emerging climate risks and make timely infrastructure planning decisions. Latitudo 40 doesn’t just identify risks like floods, heat islands or environmental degradation—it helps users understand why these risks exist and how they evolve.
Olio’s sharing app is on a mission to end waste with AI
Olio has developed an app, built using AWS, to cut down on waste by allowing people to share surplus food and unwanted household items. Since launching, Olio has grown to 8 million users, saving 200 million portions of food. Olio is also integrating AI to streamline listing creation and enhance community engagement, and sees AI as crucial for innovation and growth.
Qubit Pharmaceuticals is taking a quantum leap into a new era of drug discovery
Qubit Pharmaceuticals is at the forefront of leveraging quantum science and computing to revolutionise the discovery of novel molecules for safer and more effective treatments. More than 70% of the disease targets within the human body remain unaddressed because they’re judged to be too complex—Qubit Pharmaceuticals’ goal is to change that. AWS computing power has allowed Qubit Pharmaceuticals to unlock new possibilities in drug discovery that could benefit millions worldwide.
xFarm uses AI to protect farmers’ crops
xFarm Technologies is looking to digitalise farming with an AI-enabled app that is helping over 500,000 farmers across 100+ countries manage challenges like unpredictable weather and rising costs. Using AWS capabilities, xFarm processes vast amounts of agricultural data securely, enabling real-time decision-making for farmers. AI plays a crucial role enabling features like disease identification through photo analysis, predictive models for crop protection, and insect monitoring. The tech company aims to expand globally and its collaboration with AWS is key to scaling its business and working towards a more sustainable future for agriculture.
Yseop is accelerating the delivery of new medicines with AI
Yseop is revolutionising regulatory medical writing with generative AI, significantly reducing the time it takes to bring life-saving treatments to market. Leveraging Amazon Bedrock and Anthropic’s Large Language Model Claude 3.5, Yseop automates the generation of complex regulatory documents, transforming months of manual work into a streamlined, efficient process.
By maintaining a critical “human-in-the-loop” approach, Yseop ensures regulatory accuracy, expert oversight and compliance with global standards. Its AI-driven solutions have saved pharmaceutical companies thousands of hours in document preparation time—accelerating drug approvals, improving patient access and enabling faster medical breakthroughs.
