Back in January we noticed a clever little device which claimed to ease seasonal depression – sometimes known as Seasonal Affected Disorder or SAD.

The Finnish Valkee is Sci-Fi style device which literally shines light into your ear canals. Your wear it like a set of headphones on a music player.

Since then however, they’ve now been backed up by scientific research by the University of Oulu, Finland, that suggests the brain may be photosensitive [PDF of research]. The University’s research suggests the brain gets more stimulation from light delivered through our ears (remember this is bright light via this device, not normal daylight) than light delivered through our eyes. Sounds pretty odd but there you go.

Adfonic, the European-based global mobile advertising marketplace, has raised £4.7 million to expand globally. The startup says revenue has grown ten-fold in the last 12 months. The plan is to increase headcount from 40 today to over 100 in 12 months time and open offices across Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific by year end.

It’s an unusual round because its from existing investor Gordon Shields, the successful telecoms and environmental entrepreneur and investor, and a handful of other angels. You might say Super Angels. We understand the company spoke at length to VCs but didn’t go with any. That’s quite a comment on the European VC scene, which we’ve covered at length.

Austrian payment Startup payolution, which has only launched quietly several months ago had just been acquired by Skrill Group, a leading european payment company best known for its core product Moneybookers, for an undisclosed amount.

Seedcamp Week, the annual week-long session run by Europe’s oldest tech startup accelerator, has kicked off in London, and it looks like the biggest yet. In particular, this week sees changes to the way Seedcamp has operated in the past which indicates a clear uptick in how the European tech scene is fairing.

When Seedcamp first started in September 2007 – the same Week TechCrunch Europe launched – it funded six out of 20 companies that pitched.

This week 16 of the 20 Seedcamp companies presenting this week have already received the initial Seedcamp investment. Seedcamp normally invest €50,000 (for 5-10%) as standard but sometimes they invest less for less of a stake, (though these exact terms are not usually disclosed).

The contrast with last year is that 13 companies got the investment and there was no follow-on funding.