the survival capsule that arrives from France

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In these times of geopolitical tensions and natural disasters that are increasingly frequent and in unexpected places, having a refuge from possible catastrophes is an idea that sounds better and better. In fact, the EU recommends have a survival kit to “be able to survive for at least 72 hours.” The French startup Momentum Technologies is developing has detected this need and already has up to three portable survival capsules in its catalog ready to use anywhere, no matter what happens. French survival capsules. They are called LifePods and aesthetically they look similar to the cabins of many attractions, although if you ride what will be outside it will be anything but fun: The B01 is designed to offer ballistic and industrial protection. It is a ground capsule for up to two people, armored against bullets, explosions and fires. The W01 is a floating capsule designed for tsunamis and floods and can accommodate up to four people. The Q01 is still a concept, but it will serve to protect its occupants during earthquakes and will serve up to three people. Why laptops? Building security infrastructures is not something new, but the most interesting thing about these capsules compared to fixed construction bunkers is that they are modular, transportable and standardized, which allows them to be stacked in warehouses, they fit in containers, which facilitates transport by trucks or even helicopters and easy and quick deployment by emergency forces or administrations. In detail. The B-01 has structural armor made of high-hardness ballistic steel and according to the company, its panels have exceeded the international VPAM PM7 standard, a recognized standard for resistance to high-speed military projectiles. As for the W-01, its mechanism to stay afloat does not depend on engines or complex mechanical systems that can fail at critical moments: it is covered with 5083 marine aluminum, Kevlar and polymer and has a hydrodynamically stable design, so it uses its own natural buoyancy. The price range ranges between 29,000 and 40,000 euros, without shipping or installation and these capsules are aimed more at governments, security forces and institutions rather than individuals. The company’s roadmap details that this year they will be at fairs such as VivaTech and Eurosatory, the first deliveries will begin in 2027 and then they will carry out the development of the Q01. Yes, but. The concept of a prefabricated bunker is coherent, it already exists and in fact responds to a real demand, but it still has pending issues such as obtaining complete official certifications for the finished capsules as an integral system and in real conditions. In Xataka | The threat from Russia is taking Europe to something unprecedented: from the bunkers of the Cold War to bunkers anywhere In Xataka | A secret Nazi bunker in Germany hides the most sought-after treasure on the entire planet: hundreds of tons of rare earths Cover | Momentum Technologies

“Karoshi” is the scourge that has been undermining the health of Japanese workers for decades. And the Government does not know how to stop it

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It is not a new or unknown phenomenon, but he karoshi (illnesses or even deaths due to overwork) is gaining ground in Japan. This is suggested by at least the latest data from the Ministry of Health, which reflects that last year the Government recognized a record number of those affected with the right to compensation: 1,310. If we take into account all the requests, the figure is 6,212, another record. State records are only one indicator of a much broader problembut they suggest that Japan is a long way from solving it. And that sets off alarm bells. What has happened? That data from the Ministry of Health reveal that Japan is far (very far) from solving one of its thorniest social challenges: illnesses or deaths from karoshithat is, due to work overload. The latest official balance reveals that the number of employees who received government compensation for this reason rose to a level never seen before during fiscal year 2025. That is alarming in itself, but beyond the numbers what is truly worrying is the trend. As remember The Japan Timesit is the fourth consecutive year that the record has been broken and the flow of applications (whether approved or not) is also at historic levels. What do the figures say? The report of the Ministry of Health reveals that in Japan there are hundreds and hundreds of people for whom the Government recognizes the necessary conditions to receive compensation for excess workload. Specifically, during fiscal year 2025 the record of 1,310 was reached. There are only five more than in 2024, but what is relevant is that the number has not stopped growing in recent years. In fact, it is not the first time that alarms have gone off. At the end of 2024 Nippon I already warned of the escalation in the number of documented cases. As if that were not enough, the ministerial report throws out another figure: perhaps there is 1,310 compensatedbut the number of requests is much higher. During the same period it rose to 6,212, another record figure that exceeds that of 2024 by 1,402. Probably not all meet the requirements demanded by Health, but the Japanese press does not clarify whether the difference between both figures (indemnified and applicants) is due to this disparity or a simple administrative issue. Do we know anything else? Yes. The vast majority of compensated people (1,086) had work-related mental disorders, including depression. The remaining 224 suffered strokes and heart attacks. All attributable to his professional work. In 145 cases the outcome was the most traffic: it ended in deaths or suicides, although this is 14 less than in 2024. Among the applications received at the Ministry of Health, the majority (4,958 out of a total of 6,212) are also related to psychological problems. Not only are they the most common, but their incidence is clearly growing: the Government registered 1,178 more than during fiscal year 2024. Their report also reveals that after many cases of karoshi There are problems with bosses, workplace harassment and sudden changes that affect the workload and quality of the work entrusted to the affected person. Does the sector matter? Yes. Those who are most at risk are professionals in sectors in which overtime regulation is less developed. The Japan Times specific quote to bus and truck drivers, doctors and construction workers, trades that have seen their legal framework gradually improve, but in some cases still have certain exceptions. For example, a driver can work up to 960 overtime hours a year, a workload that is also exceeded 15% of doctors that are used in hospitals in Japan. In 2016 they were 39.2%but even so the data is worrying and there are certain specialized profiles in which overtime hours skyrocket. Why is this something worrying? Because illnesses and deaths related to karoshi They are nothing new. The discipline of strenuous work is very rooted in Japanese culture, although it hardened especially after the Second World War. For a time it helped the country advance, but in the 60s it began to pay its price: heart attacks, strokes and even cases of suicide due to stress, the karojisatu. In recent years there have also been very high-profile cases, such as that of a young girl who took his own life in 2015 after sleeping only 10 hours a week due to his work overload and accumulating around 100 overtime hours a month. How do they face it? Against that backdrop, Japan has begun to regulate issues such as overtime and the maximum number of consecutive days that can be linked. However, the results just released by the Ministry of Health reveal that the problem is far from being solved. In the country there are also those who fear the impact that the conservative government may have. Sanae Takaichiwho does not hesitate call meetings team at three in the morning and brag about not sleeping more than four hours. Images | Beth Macdonald (Unsplash), Vien Dinh (Unsplash) and Joris Beugels (Unsplash) In Xataka | Faced with labor shortages, Japan has taken an unprecedented measure in the last two decades: paying women the same

It was the largest batch of medieval helmets found in Spain

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It was 1990 when the nets of some local fishermen “fished” two large metal blocks off the coast of Benicarló (Castellón), like says the University of Alicante. Inside were dozens of iron helmets that were initially thought to be Roman. After all, all the clues pointed in that direction: they appeared alongside Roman amphorae, Roman anchors and bronze helmets of the Montefortino type, a model used during the Punic Wars. Almost 40 years later, the error has been discovered: They were old but not that old. The discovery. In fact, they were almost 1,500 years more modern than initially thought. This new study has identified at least 43 matted and corrosion-melted helmets as belonging to the Late Middle Ages. The key to identification has not been the metal, but the textile remains that remained inside some helmets, which, thanks to the fact that they were adhered and sealed by the marine concretionsthey held out until they were able to radiocarbon date them. Why it is important. With 43 copies, according to the University of Alicante the set constitutes the largest known collection of medieval helmets recovered in Spanish waters and even in the western Mediterranean. Furthermore, they are a little-known rarity. according to the research team: non-elite infantry equipment, manufactured in smaller workshops and distributed through secondary or regional markets, and prior to the European standardization of plate armor. On the other hand, this correction several decades later serves as an example to illustrate a common problem in archeology: dating by association, that is, if the remains next to it are ancient, this too. However, if this hypothesis is not supported by absolute scientific methods, glaring errors can be made. On the other hand, it is also a poorly documented rarity, according to the research team: non-elite infantry equipment, manufactured in smaller workshops and distributed through secondary or regional markets, and prior to the European standardization of plate armor. Context. The dates of the dating fit with a time of strong instability on the Valencian coast. The study documents that Islamic piracy on the coast went from sporadic attacks to a structural threat since the mid-14th century, which led to fortifying the coast with watchtowers and mobilizing local militias. In this scenario, a shipment of cheap infantry helmets could have been destined for troops from the Kingdom of Valencia, mercenary companies or municipal militias. By type, these helmets date back to just before Europe standardized 15th-century plate armor, when workshops in Lombardy and Milan were beginning to dominate large-scale production. Before that, armor varied greatly depending on the region. In detail. The samples were sent to two independent laboratories for dating, one in Miami and another in Mannheim, where accelerator mass spectrometry was used. Four of the five dates fell between the third quarter of the 14th century and the beginning of the 15th century and the fifth was deviated, pointing to being later (more than 100 years later). As a curiosity, the fabric turned out to be a simple taffeta fabric, with vegetable fiber threads, probably a lining or interior padding. Yes, but. The research team points out that the exact origin of the helmets remains open: they could have been manufactured locally in the Iberian Peninsula or arrived via the trade routes of the western Mediterranean, at that time dominated by the workshops of northern Italy. The Crown of Aragon, with Valencia as a weapons producing and exporting centermaintained intense commercial traffic with Genoese merchants that operated in their ports. This fifth date, which behaves like an atypical value, points more to pollution produced on the seabed than to the helmet being used for a longer period of time and at some point having its inner lining changed. As for the reason for the sinking, the study only points to piracy, which is a reasonable assumption, but not a proven fact. In Xataka | The oldest bone spearhead found in Europe was not created by our species: it had already been there for 30,000 years In Xataka | More than 3,000 years ago Europe was already hosting battles involving several regions. We know it thanks to some arrows Cover | cambridge

bathe with or without underwear

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The world is divided between people who prefer tortilla with onion and without onionpizza with pineapple or without pineapple, vacations on the beach or in the mountains… None of these choices is dangerous compared to the other. At best, people in the opposing group may think they have no judgment. Sometimes very rightly so. However, there are other polarized decisions in which there is a decision that is worse than the alternative. For example, the option of wearing the swimsuit with or without briefs. Many men prefer to wear underwear under the swimsuitbecause it is more comfortable for them, they avoid friction and everything looks more aesthetically gathered. Furthermore, if the swimsuit becomes transparent when wet, it can become a social emergency. However, every year experts warn of the risk this poses. Although it may seem like the most comfortable option, in the long run it is much less comfortable and, in the worst cases, dangerous. Drying time matters. Swimsuits are generally made of materials that dry quickly. This is important, since Humidity is a perfect breeding ground for infectionswhich can affect both the skin and the genitals. Polyester or nylon are some examples of these materials. Underwear, however, is not designed to dry quickly. It is often made of fabrics such as cotton, which do not have this among their main virtues. In addition, the swimsuit with briefs involves a double layer of fabric. Even if they were quick-drying fabrics, it would still be easier for moisture to accumulate. Swimsuits with briefs also increase friction. Water is not the only thing that accumulates when wearing swimsuits with briefs. It is also possible that sand accumulates and that can cause very annoying friction. It is quite paradoxical, since many people use this combination of clothing to avoid precisely that. What can be done. The solution is simple. Basically, don’t wear a swimsuit with underwear. It is important that the swimsuit fits the size of the wearer, so that it does not cause discomfort or friction. And, of course, you must check that the fabric is not transparent, dry or wet. This way it will not be necessary to resort to underwear. Women suffer too. Women don’t usually think of wearing underwear under their swimsuit. However, humidity is also a problem for the same reasons. In fact, according to the Spanish Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics (SEGO)the risk of suffering from a gynecological infection increases by 50% in summer for obvious reasons. Although women’s swimwear is also made with quick-drying fabrics, it is important to follow a measure applicable to both men and women. When you get out of the water, spend some time in the sun so your swimwear can dry. If we get into it immediately under the umbrellahumidity will be maintained for longer. In any case, if possible, the best option is always to bring a second swimsuit to wear dry. It is not easy to change on the beach, in the pool it is usually a little easier, but if that option exists, it is the best we can do. Images | Magnificent In Xataka | Italy has been privatizing its beaches for years. Now it has taken another step: prohibiting you from bringing your sandwich from home.

Denmark is preparing a colossal artificial island where it wants to connect half of Europe to receive energy

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Europe depends on third parties for strategic resources as valuable as gas or oil, so the energy transition is an absolute priority. Among the essential renewables for this transition is wind energy and there is a place that is a vein: the North Sea. The question is to connect this enormous field of wind turbines with the rest of the continent and you know how: with a new island in Denmark. The Danish artificial island. Denmark wants to build an artificial island in the North Sea that functions as a kind of “giant plug” to connect hundreds of offshore wind turbines from several European countries at the same time. The North Sea Energy Island, as it will be called, will be built about 80 – 100 kilometers off the west coast of Jutland, and will cost about 28 billion euros. according to the International Energy Agency and the company in charge of its management will be the Danish operator Energinet. Although initially will have a capacity of 3 GWthe idea is to expand it to 10 GW by 2040, enough to supply about ten million European homes. The installation will combine electricity, the production of hydrogen is on the table and in the future it may incorporate energy storage. Why it is important. Because according to Energinet, it is the largest infrastructure project in the history of Denmark, but this is a multinational project to accelerate offshore wind deployment and strengthen energy infrastructure between the North Sea countries. Furthermore, grouping the connection of several wind farms at a single point allows us to distribute infrastructure costs and place the turbines further from the coast, where the wind is more constant. On the other hand, this island will produce green hydrogen for ships and airplanes, two industries with complex electrification. Context. This project was born fruit of Denmark’s 2020 climate agreement, when its parliament approved the creation of two energy islands: this one of artificial origin in the North Sea and another minor one of natural origin in Bornholm, in the Baltic Sea. In May 2022, the project was consolidated with the agreement between the energy ministries of Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark, which established the initial capacity and its connections. The project is part of the broader European strategy for marine renewable electrification, which the European Commission promotes since 2019 with the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. In detail. Denmark has the majority participation in this critical infrastructure through Energinet, builder and owner of the network to the country. The rest of the international connections will be established with operators in each country, such as Elia (Belgium) or Amprion (Germany). The island will be connected to Denmark by Gammelgab, in the municipality of Varde, and the connection to the electrical grid will be made at a plant in Revsing, in the municipality of Vejen, as confirmed by Energinet. Yes, but. The production of hydrogen on the island is still a pending issue regarding technological advances in the segment over the next decade: everything is a question of economic viability, or in other words, whether it is more profitable to produce it on the island or on the coast. The decarbonization potential is enormous and so is the political support, but It is already experiencing delays and increased costs: It was originally planned for 2033 and we already know that it will not materialize until at least 2036. It also raises environmental concerns: the design contemplates converting protection structures into artificial reefs and monitoring marine biodiversity, but the relevant environmental permits are still pending. In short, this energy island today is more of a project than a reality. In Xataka | Something is happening with wind energy. Its deployment has slowed while solar energy grows unstoppable In Xataka | Offshore wind seemed to be Europe’s great energy hope: now it faces a murky future Cover | Vindo

China is researching how to have babies in space. And he has bad news

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China has been putting its batteries into the new space race. Apart from test your rockets back and forth as a key element to reduce the cost of missions and to fill the low orbit of satellites of all types (both military as data centers), are taking advantage of the Tiangong. In one of the last shipments sent to its space station via Tianzhou-10, there was a very special package: a cell with embryos of zebrafish, mice and artificial humans. The idea is to experiment with them to try answer the question of whether it is possible to have babies in spacealthough it is by no means the first time that China has experimented with something like this. The problem is that the results of some previous tests have begun to arrive and the outlook does not seem very positive for spatial reproduction. China has been exploring this line of research for a long time. At the beginning of the year we already said that the Asian giant had sent a mouse to have babies on the space station with the aim of analyzing whether radiation and microgravity caused any problems or alterations in the babies. Of the nine that were born, six survived, so the study was considered a success and the decision was made to continue researching, but now with artificial humans. Having babies in space is complicated Don’t think about science fiction yet, those artificial humans are something much easier to understand. As they pointed According to Chinese authorities, these were not complete organisms that could become babies, but rather structures made from stem cells that mimic the very early phases of human development. What was sent to Tiangong corresponded to embryos approximately 14 to 21 days after fertilization. Although early, this phase is crucial because it is where all the organs begin to form and where anomalies could be observed due to the aforementioned space radiation. These samples must be studied, but within the same line of research there are previous works whose results have just been published. And the prospects are not very good despite leaving room for optimism. As they point From the South China Morning Post, researchers from the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Tsinghua University in Beijing note that cells sent on the Tianzhou-6 mission and that were at an early stage did not grow and develop as well as they would have on Earth. In the experiment, the success rate of generating germ cells dropped by about half, while sperm precursor cells multiplied more than 25% more slowly. Guilty? Microgravity and cosmic radiationexactly the main suspects if something went wrong in these tests. That is, it is not only that the cells already formed did not develop at the normal rate, but if you try to conceive in space, the sperm does not work either. As we say, it is not the first time that China has investigated this and, in 2023, a set of automated cell cultures was already studied in the experiment module of the station. When they returned to Earth, they discovered that the success rate of growth of those special stem cells (primordial germ cells derived from pluripotent stem cells induced by humans) was reduced by half. That is, a success of 2% to 6% in the tests compared to the 6% to 15% measured in the terrestrial group. The bottom line is that the more hostile environment in outer space made it much more difficult for primordial cells to become eggs or sperm. However, there is a glimmer of hope, as human-induced ovarian follicle count and activity did not show a notable decrease, so it appears that space radiation has a limited short-term impact on germ cells. Researchers have already indicated that, despite the “slump” in the latest results, they will continue experimenting, since with potential long-duration missions in space, the prospect of pregnancies in space is something worth exploring further and it remains to be seen what happens with the Tianzhou-10 artificial humans. In Xataka | Putting solar panels in space and generating unlimited energy seemed like a pipe dream. China is already chasing her

The highest-grossing superhero movie in history returns to theaters to repeat its success with a longer version

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In 2019, Marvel re-released ‘Avengers: Endgame’ with unreleased footage to take the title of highest-grossing film in history from ‘Avatar’. The crown lasted a year and a half. In 2026 the maneuver is activated again, this time linked to ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. It is the jewel in the crown of the Marvel team and Disney is not going to stop squeezing it. The return Marvel has confirmed that ‘Avengers: Endgame’ returns to theaters on September 25, 2026 under the title ‘Avengers Endgame Encore’. The new version includes a special introduction, additional scenes and a final scene that, for now, will only be seen in IMAX and Infinity Vision screenings, the premium screen system that Disney presented a few months ago. ‘Endgame’ continues to be the ceiling that Marvel Studios has not touched again, neither at the box office nor in the feeling of collective event that surrounded it, and that spirit is what the studio wants to evoke for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. What’s new? Joe Russo has confirmed that the scenes filmed for this re-release are set in ‘Doomsday’, and describes them as a fundamental piece to build a bridge to the new film. Marvel already used this re-release formula, almost identical, with ‘Endgame’ itself: in June 2019, just two months after its premiere, the film would return to theaters with seven minutes of extra footage and an explicit objective: to surpass ‘Avatar’ at the box office before the premiere of ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’. That maneuver worked. On July 20, 2019, during the Marvel panel at San Diego Comic-Con, the studio confirmed that ‘Endgame’ had surpassed the $2.789 million accumulated by ‘Avatar’ until then, thus becoming the highest-grossing film in history. The celebration was short-lived: in March 2021, ‘Avatar’ was released again in China and regained the title in a single weekend. Since then, the distance between both films has not stopped growing: today ‘Avengers: Endgame’ accumulates 2,799 million dollars compared to 2,923 million for ‘Avatar’. There is almost 124 million difference, much more than what separated both films in 2019. Fall without Avengers. The collections of the ‘Endgame’ films have suffered a constant decline. Let’s remember some cases: ‘Eternals’ raised 402 million dollars with a budget of between 200 and 250 million. ‘Black Widow’ stood at 379 million, weighed down by its simultaneous premiere on Disney+. ‘Quantumania’ suffered the worst second weekend drop in Marvel Studios history. ‘The Marvels’ closed that streak without achieving the financial success that the studio expected. The real goal of ‘Avengers Endgame Encore’ is no longer to recover a record that today seems unattainable, but to rebuild the feeling of an event that Marvel lost years ago: to remind the public, just before December and the premiere of ‘Doomsday’, why they cared about this story. What is played in December. ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ hits theaters on December 18, 2026, the same day as ‘Dune: Part Three’, a coincidence that already has generated friction for the distribution of IMAX screens. Ticket sales for Infinity Vision screenings of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ start right now, on July 20. Five days later, at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel will show the first official trailer for the film. Depending on how both events are received, we will see if Marvel is in a position to bottle again that seemingly unrepeatable lightning bolt that was ‘Endgame’ In Xataka | In just one month in office and with 1,000 layoffs, Disney’s new CEO dismantles the art department that built the MCU

How to watch Spain – Argentina: date and time of the 2026 World Cup final, and where you can watch it on any device

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Let’s explain to you How and where you can watch Spain’s match against Argentina. This is the grand final of the 2026 World Cup, in which our team has the option of getting the second star, the second World Cup in its history. But in front of them they will have an Argentina with Messi in a state of grace. Let’s make the article simple. First we are going to tell you the date and time to which this match is played. And then, we will tell you what your options are to be able to watch it from any device. Date and time of Spain – Argentina Spain’s match against Argentina will take place tomorrow, Sunday, July 19. Both teams will face each other at the New York New Jersey Stadium, a field where the New York Giants and the New York Jets of the NFL American football usually play. The grand final will be played at 9:00 p.m. in Spanish peninsular time8pm in the Canary Islands. And with this match we will know which of the two teams finally takes the world cup home. Where to watch Spain – Argentina As we have explained to you when we told you where you can watch the 2026 World Cupas it is a match for the Spanish National Team, you will be able watch it for free live through La1. This will allow you to see it both on DTT and on mobile phones or browsers through RTVE Play. Obviously, the party It will also be issued in the payment options that you could have to watch all the World Cup matches. It will be broadcast on DAZN and you will be able to watch it on any device if you have it contracted. You can also see it on the DAZN Mundial channel, available on both Movistar Plus and Orange TV. In Xataka Basics | Apps for football results: the best 14 applications to receive notifications and see match statistics

We have been drinking beer on the beach all our lives to cool off. Science warns of great danger to our body

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On any summer afternoon, the beaches and terraces are filled with people seeking refuge from the high temperatures, and the instinct of the vast majority is to order a cold beer. This classic drink in Spain gives a false sensation of immediate coolness and temporary relief, but here the question we must ask ourselves is: is it really useful to drink it to alleviate the sensation of heat? A myth. Given this classic scene, science suggests that it is a bad idea to have a beer to quench thirst, since alcohol causes exactly the opposite by triggering a response that dehydrates us. And this is explained by a fundamental hormone called vasopressin or antidiuretic hormone. As its name indicates, its function is to retain water in the kidneys when the body needs it because it is dehydrated, and alcohol suppresses it almost immediately. And it is something proven, since studies show that ethanol blocks the release of vasopressinpointing out that after ingesting alcohol, an acute drop in this hormone is observed in the bloodstream. This causes the kidneys to stop reabsorbing fluids and begin to expel water at a rapid rate to promote the production of urine and, therefore, the loss of fluids. an experiment key here demonstrated that the subjects studied lost up to 0.9 kg of water weight in just two hours. That is, for every beer you drink to “hydrate” your body expels more liquid than it consumes. And this is a context of heat and high sweating; It is a one-way ticket to a state of dehydration if you do not also drink water. The broken thermostat. The second big problem with drinking alcohol in the sun is thermal. Alcohol is a powerful vasodilator and this means that it widens the blood vessels, bringing more blood to the surface of the skin, which produces that typical facial flushing and sudden feeling of heat when we drink. And although at first the breeze on the skin may make us feel cooler, we are actually compromising our ability to regulate internal temperature. A model published in International Journal of Legal Medicine demonstrated that drinking alcohol before facing a high temperature environment drastically worsens the body’s response. Alcohol literally “hacks” the brain nuclei responsible for thermoregulation, activating abnormal responses of the body to heat. Water is the best. Drinking a cold beer has logically become socially rooted in our society, but when you are thirsty and have been sweating for a long time, it is best to hydrate with water first. And this also confirms that there is no alcohol that is “safe” from a medical point of view. Non-alcoholic beer can be an option since, since it is composed mainly of water and lacks alcohol, it does not have an effect on our antidiuretic hormone. Images | Nicolas Postiglioni In Xataka | Generation Z is reinventing the way they drink alcohol, but there is something that remains untouched: the stigma of teetotalling

the richest man in Germany and owner of Lidl

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The name “Dieter Schwarz” may not sound familiar to you right away, but if we talk about Lidl, things change. Well, Dieter Schwarz is the head of the family emporium of Lidl and Kaufland. And it is normal that neither the name nor the face is familiar to you, because the “German Juan Roig” He is extremely jealous of his privacy in a globalized and permanently connected world like the one we live in thanks to big tech like Google, Meta or Amazon. Precisely at that table is where the group wants to sit. Schwarz Digitsits technological side responsible until now for the IT of the almost 15,000 supermarkets that the chain has around the world. As synthesize Bernd Wagner, their sales manager: “If you don’t sit at the table, you end up being part of the menu.” From the supermarket to the cloud. It seems like a huge leap because in fact it is, but the Schwarz have been making their first steps for years. In 2018 they began developing their own internal cloud (called Stackit) to manage the critical infrastructure of its supermarkets independently. In 2021 they acquired the Israeli cybersecurity company XM Cyber ​​for about $700 million. In 2023 the group announced the creation of Schwarz Digits combining the cloud, cybersecurity and e-commerce and at that time they already had 7,500 people on staff. Originally this infrastructure was designed for internal use, but the next step has been to open it to external clients. A specific type of client: who seeks digital sovereignty. Companies and public institutions that want to process their data exclusively in Europe, with high standards of data protection and legal control. And now has important clientssuch as the government of the Netherlands, some German ministries, the KPN telecom or the Dutch Central Bank. Why is it important. This step forward comes at a time when Europe is missing the boat on artificial intelligence and the United States, the official supplier of the old continent, is converting its most valuable asset (the most advanced AI models) into export technology subject to controls, such as we have already seen with Claude Mythos. In fact, the CEO of Mistral has already warned that Europe only has two years to catch up if it does not want to be a vassal. In short, Europe has to put the turbo in models, but also chips and infrastructure such as data centers. And it’s in it. The institutional plan is ambitious and considers private collaboration as essential, but the fact that it is one of the largest retailers in Europe and not a newly arrived startup provides a plus: own capital on a large scale and without depending on external investors, as Stackit herself emphasizes by presenting itself as a company “without external shareholder interests, without changes in ownership.” Context. Currently, three American companies hold 70% of the European cloud infrastructure market, according to Synergy datacompared to a paltry 15% from European suppliers. In short: the market that Stackit is targeting is succulent and its room for growth is enormous. And your work in the old continent and the country that has historically been the engine of Europe, more than welcome: in the words of the German Minister of DigitalizationKarsten Wildberger: “Germany needs processing capacity if it wants to compete in the first division in artificial intelligence.” In detail. Today Stackit manages several data centers in Germany and Austria and has relevant alliances: it hosts models from the German AI firm Aleph Alpha (where the Schwarz group has invested) and has a system called AuditGPT that uses Deutsche Bahn. Additionally, Google Workspace has been hosted since 2024 in data centers operated by Schwarz. Its most visible upcoming project is the Lübbenau data center, built on a former lignite thermal power plant. With 11 billion euros of investment and a first phase planned for the end of 2027, it is designed to work with renewable energy and will have the capacity to house 100,000 GPUs. Yes, but. Although the vision and business and industrial capacity of the Schwarz Group is beyond doubt, the big bet of the richest man in Germany is a complicated adventure because it has hyperscalers such as Google, Amazon or Microsoft in front of it, which implies economic muscle at another level, decades of advantage in software and technological experience that the German company does not yet have. Furthermore, American big tech companies are not willing to give up ground on the old continent: in November 2025 Google announced a €5.5 billion investment in Germany, including a new data center in Dietzenbach. And although digital sovereignty is a very strong claim, Stackit still depends on open source technologies and partners like CrowdStrike or Aleph Alpha for its catalog of services, so it is more aspirational than a reality. In Xataka | Who can do more, Google or seven small Dutch companies together? Europe is on the verge of discovering it In Xataka | To become technologically “independent” from the US, the European Union already has a plan: four desperate measures Cover | Xataka with Magnific

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