This article is visible for CLUB members only. If you are already a member but don’t see the content of this article, please login here. If you’re not a CLUB member yet, but you’d like to read members-only content like this one, have unrestricted access to the site and benefit from many additional perks, you can sign up here.

The post Weekly funding round-up! All of the European startup funding rounds we tracked this week (Mar 10 – Mar 14) appeared first on EU-Startups.

This week we tracked more than 70 tech funding deals worth over €701 million, and over 15 exits, M&A transactions, rumours, and related news stories across Europe.In addition to this week's top financials, we've also indexed the most important/industry-related news items you need to know about.

If email is more your thing, you can always subscribe to our newsletter and receive a more robust version of this round-up delivered to your inbox.

Either way, let's get you up to speed.

? Notable and big funding rounds

??Employee bike service GoByBike secures €125M

?? Alight secures €46M to expand solar projects in Finland

?? Blackwall raises €45M Series B to protect SMBs from malicious online traffic

?? Alloyed raises £37M for additive manufacturing in aerospace and electronics

??‍?? Noteworthy acquisitions and mergers

??  Quantum Systems acquires AirRobot to boost drone tech for the Bundeswehr and European partners

??  Gleamer acquires Caerus Medical and Pixyl

?? Allegro DVT buys Vicuesoft

??  Euronext acquires Admincontrol

? Interesting moves from investors

?? Vento launches €75M Fund to boost Italy's underserved tech ecosystem

?? Webrazzi Startup-1 Venture Capital Investment Fund started accepting investors

?? Ukraine is launching Diia.City Invest. The initiative will allow to set up a VC fund in one week

?? 125 top European founders unite to fund and mentor the next generation of European founders

?? OTB Ventures expands its reach with the launch of a Luxembourg office

?️ In other (important) news

? Northvolt files for bankruptcy, imploding Europe’s bid to break away from Chinese battery dominance

? February 2025's top 10 European tech deals you need to know about

?? Standing with Ukraine: Cybersecurity startup Periphery donates military-grade security to protect Ukraine’s drone fleets

? Curve halves losses as it puts US expansion plans on hold

? Recommended reads and listens

?? “There is still a lack of investment opportunities in Slovakia,” says Slovak fintech founder

♀️ Startups take on big tech: women’s health companies file EU complaints over digital censorship

? This startup is filling the gap between natural and supplements and big pharma

? Harvesting innovation: xFarm and Checkplant join forces to grow agritech in Latin America

? European tech startups to watch 

?? Legaltech Lexroom.ai secures €2M seed funding

??  Cloud Gateway secures £1.5M and appoints new CEO

?? Wave energy solutions provider Wavepiston bags €900,000

?? Alfa raises £495,000 in pre-seed funding

?? OVIANTA has closed a €540,000 pre-seed round

?? YAi raises £250,000 for AI-driven content creation

For startups looking to secure funding, understanding when they are venture capital-ready and how to attract the right investors can be the difference between growth and stagnation.

This year’s EU-Startups Summit will bring together seasoned investors to tackle this very challenge in the panel ‘How to Get Investment-Ready & Find Investors that Match Your Needs.’

On April 24-25, 2025, we’ll be hosting the 11th edition of the EU-Startups Summit! This event is set to bring together around 2,400 founders, startup enthusiasts, and investors for two days of learning, connection, and inspiration. Packed with inspiring speakers, thought-provoking panel discussions, engaging networking activities, a thrilling pitch competition, and much more, it’s an event you won’t want to miss.

This panel will focus on what makes a startup VC-ready at the Seed stage. The panellists will share insights on the key metrics and KPIs that investors look for, the milestones that startups should hit in anticipation of raising capital, and the different funding sources available, from angel investors to family offices.

Meet the Speakers

The panel features a powerhouse lineup of three leading investors who bring decades of experience in early-stage funding, startup scaling, and strategic investment.

Igor Ryabenkiy, Founder and managing partner of AltaIR Capital, has over 20 years of venture capital experience and has invested in hundreds of tech startups across the US, Israel, and Europe. AltaIR Capital manages €600 million in assets and has been an early backer of several unicorns, including Miro, Deel, PandaDoc, and OpenWeb. With a deep focus on AI, FinTech, SaaS, and Digital Health, Igor understands what it takes for startups to transition from early-stage to high-growth ventures. His track record includes a fund that achieved a 17x return on investment from past funds, highlighting his ability to identify and support promising startups on their journey to success.

Nina Dremelj, President of Business Angels of Slovenia and Vice President of the European Business Angel Network, is an expert in early-stage investments and has backed more than 18 startups as a super angel, achieving an impressive average investment multiple above 5x. She is currently focused on launching Vesna, a €50 million Slovenian-Croatian deep-tech fund that started operations in 2024. Additionally, she played a key role in establishing daFUND, a venture capital fund supported by business angels. Her experience working with Mediterranean and European angel networks makes her an invaluable resource for Founders navigating the early funding landscape.

Thomas Bigagli, Partner at Plug and Play, brings a global perspective to the panel, having invested in over 200 startups and mentored more than 600 entrepreneurs worldwide. At Plug and Play, he helps oversee venture activities across more than 30 offices in EMEA, supporting startups in reaching key milestones and scaling into new regions. Plug and Play is the world’s largest open innovation platform and early-stage VC fund, boasting over 30 unicorns, including PayPal, Google, and Dropbox, in its portfolio. His expertise in working with Fortune 2000 executives and blue-chip corporations makes him well-versed in what investors seek in high-growth startups.

Why You Can’t Miss This Panel

For founders preparing to raise capital, this panel will provide actionable advice from investors who have successfully backed some of the biggest success stories in tech. Whether you are a Seed-stage startup looking to attract your first institutional investors or a scaling company evaluating funding options, these experts will help demystify the investment process and guide you toward securing the right funding for your needs.

Join us on April 24-25, 2025, in sunny Malta to connect with cybersecurity leaders, forward-thinking entrepreneurs, and like-minded innovators. Secure your ticket today and be part of the movement shaping the future of digital security. Stay tuned for more updates, speaker announcements, and event highlights on our event page!

OUR HEADLINE SPONSOR

Malta Enterprise is Malta’s economic development agency, facilitating economic growth, investment, and innovation, by offering a range of support services for local and foreign enterprises setting up a productive presence in Malta. As a key player in Malta’s economic landscape, it contributes to the nation’s prosperity by attracting investments, supporting businesses, and driving innovation, thereby reinforcing Malta’s position as an attractive destination for entrepreneurs and investors alike. Malta Enterprise actively cultivates a vibrant startup ecosystem, playing a pivotal role in fostering a conducive environment for startups and offering tailored support and incentives to empower emerging businesses.

OUR SPONSORS

Scytale is the global leader in compliance automation, helping startups get compliant and stay compliant with frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, NIS 2, HIPAA, PCI-DSS and more, without breaking a sweat. Compliance experts offer personalized guidance to streamline compliance, enabling faster growth and boosting customer trust.

Airwallex is a leading global financial platform for modern businesses, offering trusted solutions to manage everything from payments, treasury, and spend management to embedded finance. With their proprietary infrastructure, Airwallex takes the friction out of global payments and financial operations, empowering businesses of all sizes to unlock new opportunities and grow beyond borders. Proudly founded in Melbourne, Airwallex supports over 100,000 businesses globally and is trusted by brands such as Brex, Rippling, Navan, Qantas, SHEIN and many more.

EUROCROWD is an independent network organisation aiming to support and promote crowdfunding as an alternative funding mechanism for small and medium-sized enterprises and innovative projects. EUROCROWD promotes and supports the development of Crowdfunding mechanisms as a viable funding source to European entrepreneurs and funders.

The M. Demajo Group is a leading business player in Malta, with a successful history spanning 115 years. The Group’s growth and diversification have resulted in a wide coverage of business sectors through a commitment to long-term results. M. Demajo Group’s workforce is 500 strong and their various activities have been developed through organic growth, acquisitions, partnerships, and startups. Its strong financial situation and ethical standards, its business reputation, and its renowned track record as a business partner are all key factors in its continued expansion.

The European Innovation Council (EIC) is a flagship initiative of the European Commission to turn disruptive European science into groundbreaking commercial propositions and accelerate the scale-up of “game-changing” innovations. It is a key building bloc of a reinforced European ecosystem and the New European Innovation Agenda, filling the gap between R&D support, private investors, and the market. With a budget of over €10 billion under the Horizon Europe Programme (2021-2027) it seeks to position Europe as a global leader in the current wave of deep tech innovation.

The post Meet the experts joining our ‘Investors’ panel discussion at the EU-Startups Summit 2025! appeared first on EU-Startups.

When I heard about a startup calling itself a "post-chemical pharmacy", my interest was piqued. What does this even mean? Hopefully not homeopathy, which I've always been shocked that it is legal in many countries.  

Lisbon startup Biocol Labs is focused on the next generation of plant-based, science-driven remedies. I spoke to Christian Balivet, co-CEO, to learn more. 

It's an unusual story. Biocol Labs was founded in 2015 as a spin-off from Biocol —a family-run laboratory established in 1977 — by husband and wife Gualdim and Natalia Redol, a self-taught scientist and a self-made businesswoman.

Balivet shared:

"My grandparents founded a natural pharmaceutical company during a time when conventional medicine was becoming heavily reliant on chemical solutions. 

They believed in a balanced approach — leveraging the strengths of both natural and chemical medicine where appropriate." 

The business was originally focused on doctors with a nature-first philosophy, expanding across Europe and into markets where natural medicine remained a core part of healthcare, such as Japan and certain parts of Asia. 

Balivet's parents continued this work, expanding into over 100 pathologies, pet care, and pediatric solutions.

"We are not here to make you feel good, we are here to fix your problem."

Spin-out Biocol Labs aims to create what it calls "ethical remedies modern people need, but no other pharma company dares to address." These include clinically backed remedies for liver detox, hangovers, post-party blues, post-sex bladder infections, immunity, and jet lag.

The company challenges the traditional pharmacy-dominated model by selling its products direct-to-consumer and via retail spaces such as design hotels, concept stores, and bars. 

So what is natural medicine?

Regarding my question about what natural medicine means, Balivet noted that internally, Biocol Labs considers medicine as either natural or chemical, albeit recognising that chemical medicine often originates from natural compounds. 

"The key difference is in philosophy and regulation. Natural medicine is typically categorised as supplements in Europe and the US, while pharmaceuticals dominate the treatment space." 

Biocol Labs identifies medical issues where natural solutions can be superior to chemical alternatives, focusing on efficacy, speed of action, and minimal side effects. 

According to Balivet: 

"We aim to bridge the gap between supplements and prescription drugs by solving medical issues with natural solutions that are scientifically validated. We are not here to make you feel good, we are here to fix your problem."

All of its ingredients must have clinical validation. 

Balivet reassured me:

"We do not work with homeopathy, as its mechanisms lack scientific backing. Similarly, we avoid trendy ingredients like CBD until sufficient clinical data supports their efficacy.

Each product is designed with the best delivery format in mind, whether that's sprays, capsules, or ampoules, ensuring maximum effectiveness."

For example, Biocol Labs' sleep aid Something for Dreaming contains melatonin, passionflower, lemongrass, and Vitamins B6 and B1  to support a sense of calm and promote deep sleep.

The spray delivers active ingredients directly into the bloodstream for faster results. 

From natural OTC medicine to a DTC deep dive on liver health 

The company initially pioneered the concept of natural over-the-counter (OTC) medicine, creating an alternative to conventional drugstore remedies. However, according to Balivet, "economic shifts, inflation, and changes in digital advertising affected our one-time purchase model."

 Analysing its customer base, the company found that its liver detox product — "one we had considered discontinuing" — was gaining traction.

"This led us to a deeper understanding of fatty liver disease, which is a root cause of 70 per cent per cent of global mortality-related conditions, including diabetes, Alzheimer's, and cardiovascular diseases." 

According to Balivet, the liver is essential to overall health, yet fatty liver disease is largely ignored.

"Traditionally associated with alcoholism, it is now a modern epidemic caused by sugar consumption, pollution, and processed foods. 

The liver doesn't distinguish between a tequila shot and a sugary frappuccino. In the US, up to 20 per cent of teenagers already show signs of fatty liver disease. 

Since pharmaceuticals lack an FDA-approved solution, natural medicine is often the only viable approach. We are developing products that both protect and treat liver health, along with diagnostic tools for tracking improvements."

Natural ingredients, high standards: Biocol Labs' pricing strategy pays off in the US

95 per cent of Biocol Labs customers are in the US. Balivet admits that while its products are expensive by European standards they are competitively priced in the US "where people are used to spending more on health":

"We initially launched in Portugal and the UK but found that consumers and retailers struggled to categorise us — neither purely supplements nor pharmaceuticals. In the US, however, consumers immediately understood our positioning."

High-quality natural medicine requires real, naturally grown ingredients rather than synthetic compounds which increases the price. However, the company hopes as it scales to make products more accessible without compromising quality."

Biocol Labs has raised two rounds of funding totaling €3.2 million. Investors include  Paul Michaux (Prose), Eddie Roschi (Le Labo), Alex Zubilaga (Spotify, Glossier), 0.9 founder Eghosa Omoigui, actor Paul Wesley, and Future Positive. 

Balivet  shared:

"Despite economic downturns, we have maintained profitability, growing 3x year-over-year. Unlike many startups burning cash, we believe a sustainable, profitable business is essential for long-term success."

The company's next steps involve launching blood tests to help consumers track their liver health and continuing its work in making natural medicine a viable mainstream alternative.

Lead image: Biocol Labs. 

Curve, the London fintech, has secured £37m in funding, led by a VC firm that invests in early and growth stage startups.

Hanaco Ventures, which is investing in Curve for the first time and has a focus on Israeli startups, led the round which also features existing Curve investors Fuel Ventures, IDC, Outward VC and Lord Stanley Fink.

Earlier this week new figures showed that Curve, an all-in-one payment fintech, reported a £36m loss in 2023, a 48 per cent improvement on the year before. The fintech says its goal is to break even in the “near term”.

Curve, founded in 2015 by Israeli entrepreneur Shachar Bialick, allows customers to use their banks and loyalty cards through one app, and says it has more than 5.5m customers. 

Curve said its latest funding will help it on the road to make a full-year profit and new product launches.

Curve has partnerships with Samsung, PayPal and Visa and is also planning to launch Curve Pay what it is billing as a rival to Apple Pay, a move in which it claims could save banks “millions of euros” that are paid to Apple in transaction fees.

Tomer Jacob, general partner, Hanaco, said:  

“The Curve team has proven to be resilient and innovative, and we are excited to support Curve as it continues to grow, bringing more choice and flexibility to the digital wallet market, and to its millions of users.”

Securing angel investment is a crucial milestone for most early stage startups. Yet too often in the excitement, passion and drive of telling their company stories, a crucial factor is overlooked – the perspective of the audience (namely the angel investor).

Understanding the psychology of investors is essential in a world where global venture funding has almost halved in the past three years. Being able to walk in the shoes of an investor can give startups the edge in gaining funding in a hugely competitive market.

So before embarking on putting together the first slide of their deck, startups need to first think about the motivations, decision-making processes, and emotional drivers of angel investors. This will dramatically increase their chances of winning funding.

Who are Angel Investors?

To begin with, startups must understand who angel investors are and how they differ from other sources of funding. Angel investors are high-net-worth individuals who invest their personal capital in early-stage ventures. They come from diverse backgrounds, often with experience as entrepreneurs, executives, or professionals in specific industries.

Unlike venture capitalists, who manage funds from external sources, angels invest their own money. This makes their decisions highly personal and influenced by a range of factors beyond pure financial analysis. There are several motivational factors that drive their investment choices.

The emotional connection

Investors are more likely to invest in ventures that resonate with their personal experiences or values. A parent might be drawn to a tech product that makes parenting easier, while someone affected by a specific illness could be passionate about funding related medical research.

Tapping into these emotional connections is crucial when targeting the right angels. If founders have researched their investors well, they should have the information needed to connect with them on a personal level.

Clearly articulating the problem being solved and demonstrating its personal relevance can significantly enhance any pitch. Founders who show a deep, empathetic understanding of a consumer or business pain point will have a much better chance of making their business idea stand out.

Intellectual stimulation

While the potential for high financial returns is crucial for investors, startups must remember that angel investors are often motivated by the opportunity to mentor early-stage companies. In fact, a recent survey of investors in our network highlighted this as a leading motivational factor. Angels are drawn to innovative ideas that allow them to share their expertise.

Founders should actively leverage this by identifying how their angel investors can add value beyond capital alone. Clearly outlining areas where guidance is needed and finding ways to engage their backers will be far more effective than treating them purely as sources of funding.

The power of less: Leaving them wanting more

Providing less information in an initial pitch can often be more effective than overwhelming investors with too many details. The human mind is naturally curious, with a desire to learn more and fill in gaps. By presenting a concise and compelling overview, founders can pique investors’ interest and encourage them to delve deeper.

Certainly, one size does not fit all when it comes to pitching angel investors. Startups should tailor their approach based on the investor’s background and expertise. This means always putting themselves in the investor’s shoes and considering how the pitch will be perceived from their perspective.

For example, when pitching to an investor with deep industry knowledge, founders should focus on the “how”—the technical details and underlying technology—since the investor may well be a subject expert. However, when pitching to a layperson, they should avoid being overly technical too early, as this could confuse the investor and cause them to lose interest.

Developing multiple pitch decks tailored to different investor profiles is a highly effective strategy. By understanding their investors’ interests and areas of expertise, startups can significantly improve their chances of capturing their attention.

The psychology of scarcity and FOMO

When approaching the startup investment process, it’s important to view it as a sales funnel. Too often, fundraising is given an air of mystique when, in reality, it follows the same principles as any sales process.

Investment seekers need to identify a need or pain point and present a solution. Like all humans, investors are susceptible to psychological biases.

One particularly powerful bias is the fear of missing out (FOMO). By creating a sense of urgency and highlighting the potential for significant returns, startups can leverage this bias to their advantage.

• Lead Investor: Securing a lead investor early in the process can significantly boost investor confidence and attract additional angels.
• Deadlines: Setting a reasonable deadline for closing the funding round creates a sense of urgency and encourages investors to make timely decisions. This approach is similar to marketing tactics that use limited-time offers or exclusive deals to drive engagement.

The funding funnel: A strategic approach

The key to a successful startup investment funnel lies in effectively progressing through each stage of the process. Typically, this funnel consists of four key stages:

1. Interest: The initial pitch aims to capture the investor’s attention, spark their interest, and ideally, secure a follow-up call or meeting.
2. Follow-up: Subsequent meetings and discussions provide more detailed information, address specific questions, and build a closer relationship with investors.
3. Consideration: Once founders have answered investors’ questions and provided enough information, they must determine how serious the investors are about making a commitment.
4. Investment: The final stage involves finalising the investment terms and securing the funding.

Each stage requires a tailored approach, with the primary objective being to advance to the next level. It also involves strategically deploying the right team members at the right time. For example, a technical lead may not be the best person for the initial pitch but could add significant credibility during a deep-dive technical discussion.

Ultimately, startups should remember that investors are people with their own motivations, biases, and emotions. By understanding their psychology and tailoring their approach accordingly, founders can significantly increase their chances of securing funding and building successful partnerships. While investment is a financial transaction, people remain at the heart of it.

The post Reading the angel investor’s mind: How to tap into their motivations and win funding appeared first on EU-Startups.

Pan-European deeptech VC fund OTB is expanding its reach with the launch of its Luxembourg office and the hiring of three new team members from the Promus team to support the firm’s efforts in the region: Jeremy Teboul, Estelle Godard, and Kateryna Lopatynska.  

Established in 2017, OTB Ventures specialises in Series A and late seed funding. It currently manages over €350 million and will now have three offices across Warsaw, Amsterdam, and Luxembourg, with a total of 16 staff members.  

The new team members will bring valuable experience covering earlier-stage (Pre-seed and Seed)  investment in robotics, space tech, enterprise automation, and AI, all key OTB focus areas.  

OTB currently invests in various companies, such as Hydrosat and ICEYE. It has also successfully exited companies, including Minit and BabbleLabs to the likes of Microsoft and Cisco, respectively. 

Adam Niewinski and Marcin Hejka, Co-Founders and Managing Partners at OTB Ventures,  commented: 

“We are delighted to welcome Jeremy, Estelle, and Kateryna to the team as we expand our presence with our new Luxembourg office. 

Their addition strengthens OTB’s ability to support breakthrough innovation across Europe. With their presence and capabilities, OTB Ventures further  solidifies its position as a leading pan-European deep tech investor.” 

Jeremy Teboul, new Partner at OTB Ventures, on behalf of the three new joiners, added: 

“Luxembourg is rapidly emerging as a critical hub for deep tech innovation, offering a strong ecosystem supported by institutional backing and a thriving space sector.

We are excited to contribute to the launch of OTB  Ventures’ Luxembourg office as the firm expands its reach into key markets such as the Benelux  and France.”  

Merx, a London-based startup building the “world’s first” AI-powered conversational platform to connect brands with consumers via WhatsApp, has today announced a €1.1 million pre-Seed funding round.

The round was led by VentureFriends, the European early-stage VC firm, with participation from Ascension, the London-based early-stage VC firm.

Pietro Cammerini, Co-founder of Merx, comments, “We believe the days of email marketing and website-centric digital commerce are over. In an AI-first world, brands will need to engage customers more directly, and provide hyper-personalised experiences wherever customers already are. This funding marks a pivotal moment for Merx as we continue our mission to revolutionise conversation commerce through AI and empower brands to engage with their customers in more meaningful ways.”

Founded in 2023 by Pietro Cammerini and Mohamed El Shaer, Merx has built a conversational commerce platform. Using its AI, brands are able to engage with customers through WhatsApp and similar messaging platforms, helping them find products or answer questions on product care.

Cammerini and El Shaer met during a Founder residency in London run by Antler, an early-stage VC firm.

Cammerini has over ten years of experience working with multi-billion euro brands around the world. He led large-scale digital transformation projects at Accenture, specialising in digital commerce and customer experience solutions.

El Shaer has a background in computer science and has spent his career working in software development and AI technologies. He is a former Product Marketing Manager at Microsoft and has also founded a number of startups in Egypt.

Jed Rose, Partner at Antler, comments, “Pietro and Mohamed have deep expertise building and scaling AI-powered solutions in commerce. They are rightly recognised as leaders in this space and are laser focused on transforming the way brands interact with customers through conversational commerce. We are delighted to have backed Merx from day zero and have every confidence in their long-term future success.”

According to Merx, as businesses face increasing challenges with diminishing returns from traditional digital marketing channels, such as email and paid ads, brands are turning to ‘conversational commerce’ solutions to introduce hyper-personalised, AI-driven customer interactions.

Conversational commerce, a new pillar of commerce that allows customers to engage directly with brands through messaging channels, is experiencing rapid growth.

According to Statista, global spending on conversational commerce is expected to increase from €37.7 billion in 2021 to €266 billion this year, a sevenfold increase in just four years.

WhatsApp, a key platform in this space, is the second largest social platform globally with nearly three billion users. According to figures provided by Merx, in the UK alone, 74% of the population uses WhatsApp – a figure that increases to 82% in Germany and 90% in Italy. On average, users spend 17 hours a month using the app. Open rates on WhatsApp exceed 95%, compared to 10% to 40% for email. Compared to the billions of sales that are attributed to Facebook (1st) and Youtube (3rd largest) globally, WhatsApp can be considered an untapped market that is expected to grow significantly with the rise of AI.

Merx targets the enterprise consumer goods and retail market and is reportedly already operating at significant scales handling high volumes of interactions, enabling thousands of purchases for customers.

The pre-Seed funding will be used to attract top-tier software engineering talent, accelerate product innovation, refine AI models to enhance personalisation and support enterprise platform integration.

Apostolos Apostolakis, Venturefriends founding partner, comments, “Over the years we have seen an increased difficulty for consumer facing companies to effectively engage with their audience and better serve their needs. WhatsApp can offer a very effective way to drive engagement as well as sales. We are excited to partner and support Pietro and Mohamed who have a deep understanding of the space and with Merx can help companies harness the WhatsApp channel.”

The post AI startup Merx raises €1.1 million to connect brands with consumers via WhatsApp appeared first on EU-Startups.

Bristol-based sensor technology startup, Zero Point Motion has successfully closed a €4.7 million pre-Series A funding round to transform positioning and navigation in Defense, AgriTech, autonomous vehicles, consumer electronics and industrial logistics.

They are backed by investors SCVC (the official funding arm of Science Creates), Foresight Group and Verve Ventures, with seed round investor u-blox AG remaining a key strategic partner and customer.

“Our mission is to harness light to redefine the future of sensing,” says Dr Lia Li, Founder and CEO of Zero Point Motion. “We’re working with two of the world’s leading foundries to push MEMS performance beyond its limits. With top-tier investors and partners behind us, we’re laser-focused on delivering our inertial sensors to customers who demand the highest precision and reliability.

“We’ve also brought more integration and packaging R&D in-house, cutting iteration times from eight weeks to just one day . This agility, combined with our expanding patent portfolio and multiple newly granted patents—ensures we stay ahead of the curve. Our next milestone: product qualification and customer deployment.”

Founded in 2020, Zero Point Motion is pioneering sensor technology through the integration of silicon photonics and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). They leverage gravitational wave detection principles to develop ultra-sensitive, low-cost, miniaturised accelerometers and gyroscopes.

These sensors could potentially transform industries such as Defense, AgriTech, autonomous vehicles, consumer electronics and industrial logistics.

This investment fuels the company’s rapid scale-up and team expansion as the company emerges from stealth mode, where they have been working on a scalable, volume-manufacturable process for Zero Point Motion’s next-generation positioning and navigation sensors.

Their gyroscopes are reportedly 100x more sensitive than conventional MEMS sensors – delivering “unprecedented performance” and resilience in environments where there is no GPS.

Chris Wiles, Director, Foresight’s Ventures team, says: “Foresight initially invested in Zero Point Motion in 2021 to help Lia and the founding team bring this breakthrough sensing technology into the public domain. We are encouraged by the progress the team has made and the growing market need for accurate navigation and positioning in challenging environments. We are delighted to support the business in this recent funding round and welcome SCVC onboard.”

As navigation threats intensify, Zero Point Motion believes their technology will enable military operations to function accurately in contested environments – while in space exploration, where every mission is a high-value asset, inertial sensors are crucial for positioning and landing spacecraft.

Closer to home, Zero Point Motion’s sensors unlock autonomy in off-highway vehicles, drones, and industrial applications, allowing improved operation in tunnels, underground networks and other remote locations.

u-blox AG Co-founder and executive director, Andreas Thiel adds: “While satellite positioning technology delivers the highest accuracies in open environments, sensor-based dead reckoning is crucial for resilient performance in dense and obstructed urban scenarios. u-blox is known for its advanced positioning and wireless communication technologies, and we see significant potential in Zero Point Motion’s innovative sensor technology.”

Zero Point Motion has also secured major government and EU funding, including €1.5 million from the UK’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous​Vehicles (CCAV) in 2023, followed by a €2.4 million grant from the European Innovation Council Accelerator programme.

Harry Destecroix MBE, Founder of Science Creates, and Co-founder/managing partner of SCVC, says: “We’re thrilled to back Zero Point Motion as they develop a truly category-defining technology. By applying cutting-edge quantum approaches to motion sensing, Lia and the team are unlocking massive potential for industries like autonomous vehicles, robotics, and consumer electronics.

“Lia is an exceptional founder—her technical brilliance, vision, and leadership make her exactly the kind of entrepreneur we love to support. This is also a great fit for our partner John Williams, who led the deal and will be working closely with the company. With his experience building Kudan, he knows first-hand the challenges in this space and how transformative Zero Point Motion’s technology could be. We can’t wait to see what they achieve.”

The post Zero Point Motion emerges from stealth with €4.7 million to transform motion sensing appeared first on EU-Startups.

Tallinn-based Blackwall, an AI-enabled security and web infrastructure company, today announced that it has raised a €45 million Series B round, rebranding from their previous name BotGuard.

Led by Dawn Capital, with participation from existing investors MMC, Blackwall’s Series B funding will be used to double headcount and accelerate growth as the company expands further into the U.S. and APAC, and strengthens global channel partnerships.

Nikita Rozenberg, Co-founder & CEO, commented: “With Blackwall, we are taking our mission to the next level—delivering gold-standard infrastructure protection to SMBs that have traditionally been overlooked. This funding enables us to scale globally and continue innovating for the businesses that need it most.”

Founded in 2019 by Nikita Rozenberg (CEO) and Denis Prochko (CTO), Blackwall defends web ecosystems from malicious automated threats, being already in use across more than 2.3 million websites and applications.

According to Blackwall, around 50% of all global web traffic stems from bots, 66% of which is malicious. Traditional solutions are priced and designed for enterprises, leaving SMBs – subject to 43% of all cyber attacks – potentially vulnerable.

Blackwall partners with Hosting Services Providers (HSPs), Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and eCommerce Platforms, which typically host thousands to hundreds of thousands of websites. This in turn protects the SMB customers that use Blackwall via their service and hosting providers.

Norman Fiore, General Partner, Dawn Capital commented: “It is rare to see a business targeting SMBs which has such a broad offer, of which each component is best of breed. Blackwall’s innovative technology provides exactly that.

“Nik and Denis have devised a winning, channel-first strategy for their excellent product, and relentlessly executed on their bold vision. Blackwall has only scratched the surface of the expansive opportunity in North America and APAC, and we are confident that the company is uniquely positioned to transform how SMBs access advanced security solutions. We’re thrilled to be supporting the team as they further scale and pioneer a new approach to infrastructure protection.”

Unwanted bot traffic throttles networks, and AI is driving the volume and sophistication of attacks HSPs and MSPs have to manage. This increases their costs while slowing down end customers’ sites. While big providers can afford to spend millions on in-house product development, many HSPs and MSPs need external support to deal with the problem.

Blackwall’s flagship product, GateKeeper, is a reverse proxy fortified with next-generation bot and attack detection mechanisms. It proxies requests to hide servers from bots and hacker attacks, allowing HSPs and MSPs to reduce operational costs by up to 25% as they maximise server farm user density, and helps maximise revenue for these providers which underpin operations for millions of SMBs worldwide.

Mina Samaan, General Partner, MMC Ventures, said: “We have been impressed by Nik and Denis’s vision and execution from the start and we’re excited to back them again in this latest funding round. Blackwall’s approach—tackling malicious and useless traffic at the infrastructure layer—addresses a critical gap in the market, providing much-needed protection to hosting providers and smaller businesses.

“With the rise of AI-driven threats, Blackwall’s products have never been more essential, and we believe it will become a leading force protecting against bots and other digital threats.”

Blackwall also welcomes Norman Fiore, Co-founder & GP at Dawn Capital, to its board, as well as Shamillah Bankiya, Principal at Dawn Capital. Roi Carthy, Co-founder & CEO at Hudson Rock, will also join as Executive Chairman.

The post First line of defence: Blackwall raises €45 million to protect SMBs and rebrand appeared first on EU-Startups.

Turin-based Vento, a private early stage venture capital fund, announced today the launch of its second fund – committing €75 million over the next five years to find the “boldest” Italian startup founders globally.

The fund is the flagship investment vehicle from the organisers of Italian Tech Week, a global event designed to support the growing tech ecosystem in Europe and inspire the next generation of Italian tech entrepreneurs.

“We believe Italy’s technological and entrepreneurial potential has been underserved for too long,” added Diyala D’Aveni, CEO of Vento. “Through our three-pronged approach combining direct investment, venture building, and our annual tech conference, we are committed to changing this narrative and positioning Italy as a major European tech hub.”

Since its inception in April 2022, Vento looks to be a pivotal force in Italy’s fast-growing venture capital and tech ecosystem, with a mission to identify, support, and scale the next generation of Italian entrepreneurs globally.

Vento’s fund is chaired by John Elkann, with an Investment Committee including tech industry veterans Diego Piacentini, Mike Volpi, and Jean de La Rochebrochard. It is part of a three-pronged approach to building Italy’s underserved tech ecosystem and helping to foster a growing tech sector that is capable of rivalling Italy’s biggest global industries.

Vento has now invested in 100 startups including Bee, JetHR and Qomodo, reportedly making it one of the country’s largest early-stage portfolios in Italy. Its investment strategy focuses exclusively on Italian founders based in the country and around the world, with the US and the UK in the lead, followed by Germany and France. Fund II expects to invest in 375 investments over five years.

The platform has evaluated over 3,500 startups, resulting in about 100 investments in Italian Founders worldwide, maintaining a highly selective 2.5% conversion rate with a standardised €150k ticket size. Select follow-on investments are also made, helping the strongest Italian founders on their global scaling journey.

Core to Vento’s mission is its ambition to inspire the next generation of Italian founders, while encouraging global investors to understand the potential of the Italian tech ecosystem. Italian Tech Week – the annual tech gathering that has hosted Sam Altman, Reid Hoffman, Brian Chesky, Daniel Ek and Elon Musk in recent years –  is a focal point for Vento’s ambition to connect Founders with international investors and build the next generation of globally successful tech companies with Italian founders.

“Almost three years after launching Vento,” said John Elkann, Chair of Vento. “We’re proud to renew our commitment and back top Italian entrepreneurs with a new fund. The passion behind their innovative ventures and our shared successes so far drive us to pursue even more ambitious goals together.”

Besides the fund and Italian Tech Week, Vento also operates a 5-month venture building programme which has created 26 startups from three cohorts.

The post VC Fund Vento launches €75 million Fund II to back the “boldest” Italian founders appeared first on EU-Startups.

SoftBank-backed German challenger bank Vivid Money is switching its focus to business banking with a report in German media saying it is winding down its retail banking business altogether.

The Berlin-based challenger bank, valued at €750 million at its peak, was originally built as a retail challenger bank, looking to take on the likes of German rival N26 and Revolut in the retail banking space.

With its one-stop “super-app” offering, Vivid Money has raised around $205m in total including a $114m funding round in 2022, with backing from Greenoaks Capital, Ribbit Capital and SoftBank Vision Fund 2, valuing it at $885m (€750 million).

Vivid Money put out a press release earlier this week, saying it was extending its business banking offering, which has 30,000 SME customers, beyond German to France, Spain, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. 

It has also made several new executive recruits. Vivid Money first got into business banking at the start of 2024.

Vivid Money is thought to have over 500,000 retail customers but will no longer support its retail offering with new products and marketing, a Vivid Money spokesperson said. 

The move comes amid a highly competitive retail German banking market, with incumbents and new fintechs battling it out.

The news of Vivid Money’s switch to focus on SME was first reported by Manager Magazine.

Alexander Emeshev, co-founder (pictured), Vivid Money, said: “By combining B2C and B2B banking in one platform, we are creating a seamless financial ecosystem that supports both individuals and businesses.”

Emeshev said that Vivid Money was the “fastest-growing SME financial platform in Germany" and that it had onboarded more new clients than the competition in March.

Vivid Money’s retail customers will continue to have access to all its services but, moving forward, the fintech’s focus will be on developing products and investment for the SME market.

Oxford University spinout company Alloyed, a developer and manufacturer of advanced metallic components for aerospace and electronics, has raised £37 million Series B funding.

The company is focused on automated design and manufacturing through additive manufacturing, or industrial-scale 3D printing, which combines many functions into one metal part.

 Alloyed’s UK base in Abingdon is already home to one of the largest fleets of Additive Manufacturing machines in Europe. 

High-performance metallic alloys will have a significant role to play in future industries and the energy transition, as companies seek to deploy ever stronger and lighter metals to meet the demands of next-generation technologies. 

 Its current customers include Boeing, Microsoft, Anglo American and BMW, with its applications spanning a wide range of industries – including lightweight antennas and structural components for satellites, high-temperature-resistant alloys for jet engines, as well as precision parts for jewellery, wearables such as virtual reality headsets, and smartwatches. 

Japanese investors SPARX and the Development Bank of Japan, led the round, with participation from Aviva Investors and Future Industry Ventures (a Redstone and SBI fund).

Michael Holmes, CEO of Alloyed, said: 

“After 5,000 years, metal remains the material of choice for the toughest jobs, and our mission is to harness our digital platforms to make metal components lighter, stronger, and more precise, all while reducing costs and maximising sustainability. 

Automated design and manufacturing is an industry where the UK, with our expertise in materials science and world-class engineering capability, has the potential to lead on the global stage and Alloyed is at the forefront of this transformation.”

Takaki Demichi, Director and Head of Investment for Next-Generation Growth Division at SPARX Asset Management, said:

 “Additive manufacture has great promise for the energy transition and future products across a range of industries, but has been held back by a range of engineering challenges which we believe are directly addressed by Alloyed’s materials, processing, design, and production technologies and its highly data-driven approach.”

Yuki Takemori, General Manager of Innovation Promotion Office at Development Bank of Japan, shared:

 “Japan has a well-established ecosystem of small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises in alloy production and our collaboration with Alloyed will enhance the sector even further. 

With this new partnership, we will create a model case for commercialising technology - cultivated in one of the world’s leading academic institutions.”

The fundraise will be used to expand Alloyed’s manufacturing facilities in Abingdon, UK, and Seattle, USA, as well as accelerate the development of its digital platforms for the design and processing of improved alloys and alloy components.

Lead image: Alloyed. Photo: uncredited. 

Berlin-based TastyUrban, an asset-light digital-first restaurant franchise, has raised €6.5 million in funding to roll out additional brands, with an international expansion planned.

The lead investor was IBB Ventures, with participation from Fulcrum, Monte Carlo Capital and existing investors Earlybird-X and Cardumen Capital.

“We are not only solving a real issue for restauranteurs by optimising their kitchen performance and processes, generating significant incremental revenue for them, but are enabling small business owners to access and license our brands with minimal investment,” says Felix Chrobog, CEO and Co-founder of TastyUrban.

TastyUrban was founded by Felix Chrobog, Marc Hansell, and Gerry Pidgeon in 2022. All three have in-depth industry expertise and have either Co-founded or held senior management positions at companies such as Gorillas, Tier, and Deliveroo.

TastyUrban develops and licenses out innovative food brands to underutilised restaurant and retail partners, reportedly generating monthly incremental revenue for them without incurring additional costs. In an increasingly competitive sector, TastyUrban has tapped into a significant opportunity of turning low-capacity spaces into host kitchens for its digital-first brands model.

Driven by the rapid growth of online food delivery operators, brick-and-mortar restaurants struggle. As per TastyUrban, 60% of new restaurants fail within year one, and 80% are insolvent within 5 years.

According to TastyUrban, restaurant owners face significant challenges. First, their space is underutilised with a shrinking in-house business while fixed and variable costs continue to increase. In addition, many lack innovation, are unable to differentiate from competitors, and lack digitalisation and brand-building know-how. With TastyUrban’s end-to-end platform, restaurants can potentially optimise their cost structure and operate profitable businesses.

Through TastyUrban’s dual market research approach – identifying both international trends and analysing missing local cuisine gaps – the company has rolled out multiple consumer brands including Birdie Birdie, Nanuh, and Fly Dumplings. Additional ones in the development phase range from fast-casual to fresh and health-centric concepts across Europe.

The company partners with 80+ restaurants across 25 cities in Germany which offer consumer access to its brands via delivery platforms such as UberEats, Wolt, and Lieferando.

TastyUrban is built around four key areas of impact:

1. It partners with international chefs to develop best-in-market, delivery-first food concepts.

2. Host kitchens, using pre-existing personnel and infrastructure gain access to exclusive brands and can generate new revenue channels through TastyUrban’s scalable licensing model.

3. Small gastronomy business owners can procure licenses to operate TastyUrban brands with investments “significantly below” traditional franchise market standards.

4. Consumers benefit from innovative brands that are specifically designed for delivery.

Roman Pimonov, Investment Manager from IBB Ventures says: “We believe that TastyUrban’s multi-brand approach falls perfectly in line with current consumer and food trends. By enabling restaurant owners to massively boost their revenues and accelerating time-to-market for new products as well, especially in underserved geographies, Felix, Marc and Gerry will define a new understanding of consumer benefits and we are more than happy to support this exceptional team on their mission.”

The post TastyUrban raises €6.5 million to create the largest digital-first restaurant franchise appeared first on EU-Startups.

Productivity can seem like an elusive goal at work, but actually, it’s a measurable equation of input (time and labor) compared to output (goods or services produced). And, by many accounts, global productivity has skyrocketed over the past 25 years, in part due to advances in technology and automation. 

However, when you’re struggling to get through your to-do list, spending too many hours in meetings that don’t actually accomplish anything and wasting time on miscommunications within your team, you might feel less productive than ever. 

How can you remove the barriers to productivity so you can collaborate better and get more done? Unsurprisingly, the answer may lie with AI. McKinsey research estimates that generative AI’s impact on productivity could add between $2.6 trillion and $4.4 trillion in value to the global economy annually.

What’s getting in the way of productivity?

Disengagement at work

According to Gallup, employees who are not engaged or are actively disengaged with their work account for $8.9 trillion in lost productivity worldwide.

Not focusing on what matters

75% of employees reported spending more than one hour a day on administrative tasks, but only 35% felt this would be meaningful to success in their role.

Toggling between tools

Leaders who use more than 10 apps were up to 15 percentage points more likely than those who used fewer apps to experience consequences related to ineffective collaboration.

The impact of bad collaboration

Collaboration is a big part of our workday. When teams struggle with working together effectively, it can lead to a host of challenges that hinder productivity.

Our 2024 Global Collaboration in the Workplace report found that leaders, in particular, spent a significant amount of time (three or more hours) on meetings and email. Nearly half of leaders said they spent more time on these tasks than they wanted to.

What’s more, 57% of leaders felt that if a meeting was canceled, their alternative use of time would be more productive. This may indicate that many leaders could be spending too much time in meetings that they feel are unproductive or unnecessary.

Ineffective collaboration can have far-reaching effects. According to the report, a third of leaders said they spend an hour or more resolving challenges related to bad collaboration, like participating in meetings and chats with no clear outcome, resolving misunderstandings or miscommunication between teammates, or following up with colleagues on the status of a project. Wasting just one hour on any of these tasks could cost organizations up to an estimated $16,491 per manager in inefficient productivity.

When you look at these stats, it’s clear that collaboration and productivity influence each other — when one is ineffective, the other suffers, too. Some of the strategies discussed in the next section are designed to help your employees work together more effectively and improve their individual productivity, too.

3 steps to greater productivity

So, how do you increase productivity? Addressing inefficiencies brought on by tool overload, low-impact tasks, and disengagement can help you create a better, more collaborative employee experience. When employees have the tools and environment they need to do their work successfully, they can be truly productive.

1 - Improve employee experience through technology

When comparing employee engagement levels, Gallup found that the best-engaged workforces had 18% higher levels of productivity over the lowest-engaged workforces. By improving employee engagement, you could reap the benefits of better productivity, not to mention higher levels of profitability, better retention, and lower absenteeism — other trends Gallup found in highly engaged workforces

The concept of employee engagement has changed in recent years as teams have gotten more dispersed and work arrangements have become more flexible. It’s evolved from simply engaging employees to delivering a positive employee experience through a focus on people, processes, and technology.

IT leaders have an increasingly important role to play in employee experience. If your employees are constantly filing IT support tickets or using third-party apps instead of the tools they’re given, they might feel like they don’t have the tools they need to succeed. If they’re struggling to collaborate with team members in different locations, they might feel like they’re spinning their wheels and not actually getting things done. These pain points naturally affect their experience at work and can all contribute to disengagement — not to mention, a dip in productivity

On the other hand, if employees have tools that make it easy to communicate and collaborate however they need to (whether it’s a quick phone call, an impromptu video meeting, whiteboard, shared document, or chat channel), they’ll be able to build stronger relationships with teammates and get more done with less friction. All that can contribute to a positive experience, a feeling of connection, and a higher likelihood of engagement.

2 - Enable time savings with AI

Time is an essential part of the productivity equation, and how you spend it matters. Finding ways to save time on rote or repetitive tasks allows you to allocate those minutes or hours toward activities that contribute to productivity.

According to a 2024 AI survey commissioned by Zoom and conducted by Morning Consult, 48% of employees who use AI say it saves them one or more hours a day on researching and organizing information, and 46% say it saves them the same amount of time on automating repetitive tasks.

When asked what they’d use the time savings for, 40% of employees said they’d improve their processes and workflows, and 38% said they’d engage in uninterrupted focus time to complete their work, tasks they also viewed as most meaningful to success in their role. By using AI to automate or get assistance with some of their more routine tasks, employees can focus their efforts on different activities that help increase output, drive revenue, and otherwise move the needle, thereby improving their productivity.

So, how can employers successfully implement AI? Providing AI tools isn’t enough — employees also need training and education to help them understand the capabilities and how to incorporate them into their work. Additionally, organizations should focus on identifying the areas where AI can help them, and creating custom workflows or clear use cases for their employees to adopt.

3 - Simplify your tech stack

Toggling between multiple tools and apps may take a fraction of a second, but when you’re constantly moving from your team chats to your meeting notes to your calendar and back, all that context-switching can add up. Our collaboration report found that 37% of leaders and 42% of employees who use more than 10 apps take 15 minutes or longer to refocus when switching tasks.

For companies, that’s a lot of potential productivity and real dollars wasted. And for employees, that’s a lot of precious time squandered.

Start with re-evaluating your company’s tech stack and consolidating multiple point solutions to a few core applications. You may find that consolidating to a single platform like Zoom Workplace is more efficient and cost-effective than having separate apps (and licenses) for chatting with colleagues, making phone calls, scheduling meetings, creating video clips, and whiteboarding. Adding to that, tight integrations across Zoom products and a flexible ecosystem of apps allow you and your employees to build more seamless workflows — meaning less context-switching and fewer seconds lost to toggling.

With this in mind, implementing AI can’t be a cobbled-on solution. Look for AI tools like Zoom AI Companion that are built into the applications your employees use every day to help streamline their workflows even more.

Next steps to boosting productivity

If you’re exploring how to improve productivity within your organization, see how Zoom Workplace, your AI-first work platform, can help.

AI Companion is seamlessly woven into Zoom Workplace at no additional cost*, helping your teams incorporate the time-saving benefits of generative AI across their meetings, chat, phone, email, and productivity tools while helping improve your ROI.

By consolidating with Zoom, your IT team can benefit from streamlined management, fewer contracts, reduced TCO and less time spent on training and support.

The VentureBridge: Startups & Corporates Connect event in Barcelona successfully brought together EU-backed startups, corporate venturing leaders, and VCs, creating a dynamic environment for collaboration and growth. 

Key Highlights from the Event 

A major highlight of the event was the keynote by Orla Browne, Head of Insights at Dealroom.co, who presented the Impact of EU-backed Startups report. This report provided valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges faced by EU-backed startups. The findings emphasized the significant role EU programs play in supporting startup growth across Europe. Download the full report here. 

The pitch sessions allowed several innovative EU-backed startups to showcase their solutions to potential investors and industry leaders, creating new opportunities for growth and investment. 

The panel discussion, titled “Corporate Venturing: Unlocking EU Startup Potential”, provided a space for key players from both the public and private sectors to discuss partnership opportunities, scaling challenges, and advice for entrepreneurs. The balanced representation led to meaningful conversations that will help foster future collaborations. 

What’s Next for Innovation Radar Bridge? 

Looking ahead, the Innovation Radar Bridge (IRB) initiative will be featured at the StepUp Startups Stage during the EU-Startups Summit in Malta on April 24 -25. This stage offers a unique platform for startups to showcase their innovations to a wider audience of investors, corporate leaders, and industry experts. 

To stay up to date on upcoming opportunities, join our Slack channel for the latest news and developments. 

The post VentureBridge: Event Highlights & What’s Next appeared first on EU-Startups.

Lithuania’s tech ecosystem is one of the fastest-growing in Central and Eastern Europe, driven by innovation, strong government support, and a dynamic startup culture.

According to the Tech.eu 2024 Annual report, Lithuanian tech companies raised nearly €600 million in 2024, with major deals including unicorn Vinted (€340 million) and Green Genius (€100 million). A recent Lithuanian Startup Ecosystem 2024 report highlights that the ecosystem’s valuation has surpassed €16 billion—an impressive 39x growth in just a decade— establishing Lithuania as a regional leader.

Cities like Vilnius and Kaunas are emerging as key tech hubs, attracting global investors, top talent, and major international companies. Lithuania’s success is fueled by a business-friendly environment, world-class digital infrastructure, and ambitious startups scaling to global markets.

Here are 10 companies to watch in 2025.

Amount raised in 2024: €340M Vinted is Europe's largest online C2C marketplace dedicated to second-hand fashion, boasting millions of registered members across over 20 markets in Europe and North America. Founded in 2008, Vinted has grown significantly over the years, aiming to make second-hand the first choice worldwide. The platform enables members to buy and sell a wide range of second-hand items, from clothing to pet care products, thereby extending their lifecycle and promoting sustainable consumption. In 2024, Vinted raised €340 million in a secondary share sale, bringing its valuation to €5 billion.

Amount raised in 2024: €100M Green Genius is an international renewable energy company specializing in the development and operation of solar, biogas/biomethane, wind, hydrogen, and energy storage projects. Operating in eight European countries, Green Genius actively promotes the transition to renewable energy. In October 2024, Green Genius secured a €100 million equity investment from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to support its European expansion plans.

Amount raised in 2024: €50M HeavyFinance is a climate technology company specializing in sustainable finance and investment solutions for the agricultural sector. The company operates an investment marketplace that connects global investors with European farmers who are transitioning to regenerative agriculture practices. The platform offers collateralized agricultural loans, allowing investors to earn double-digit returns while supporting sustainable farming initiatives. HeavyFinance's mission is to remove 1 gigaton of CO₂ emissions by 2050 through the promotion of regenerative agriculture practices such as no-till farming, crop rotation, and cover cropping. In 2024, the company secured €50 million to boost sustainable farming in Europe.

Amount raised in 2024: €35M Finbee is a peer-to-peer (P2P) lending and crowdfunding platform, connecting individuals seeking loans with investors looking for diverse investment opportunities. The platform offers competitive alternative financing solutions for both personal and business needs, facilitating loans with low interest rates and manageable monthly payments. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Finbee provides business loans tailored to support various financial requirements, including working capital, business expansion, new equipment acquisition, and invoice financing. In 2024, the company secured €35 million in funding from Pollen Street Capital, which will be used to support over 1,500 businesses.

Amount raised in 2024: €20M Ovoko is one of Europe's largest online marketplaces dedicated to used car parts, connecting over 3,000 professional sellers from 15 countries with tens of thousands of B2B and B2C customers. The platform hosts a catalog of more than 23 million used auto parts, offering fast delivery across Europe and a 14-day money-back guarantee. Ovoko's mission is to promote a circular economy in the automotive industry by giving car parts a second life and changing the way used car parts are purchased today. In 2024, the company raised €20 million in Series B funding to drive product development, expand into new markets, and grow its team, reinforcing Ovoko’s ambition to lead Europe’s used car parts e-commerce industry.

Amount raised in 2024: €6.5M Biomatter is a synthetic biology company specializing in the design of novel proteins and enzymes for health and sustainable manufacturing applications. The company employs a "bottom-up" approach to protein engineering, utilizing generative artificial intelligence to create de novo enzymes. This method allows for the development of customized enzymes tailored to specific industrial needs, including chemical bioproduction, agriculture, the food industry, and medicine. Through its pioneering work in AI-driven protein design, Biomatter aims to transcend the limitations of natural enzymes, contributing to advancements in biotechnology and promoting a sustainable future. In 2024, Biomatter secured €6.5 million in a seed funding round, aiming to further advance its Intelligent Architecture™ platform.

Amount raised in 2024: €6.5M Bourgeois Bohème (BoBo) is a bespoke financial services provider catering to affluent, high-net-worth, and ultra-high-net-worth individuals across Europe and the UK. BoBo offers an integrated suite of digital tools and exclusive services designed to streamline complex financial management and enhance lifestyle experiences. Through strategic partnerships with luxury brands, BoBo enhances customer experiences by hosting exclusive events and promotions that align with the sophisticated lifestyles of its members. By combining advanced financial tools with personalized lifestyle services, BoBo empowers clients to manage their wealth efficiently while enjoying unparalleled convenience and luxury. In 2024, the company raised €6.5 million.

Amount raised in 2024: $3.5M Spike API is a technology company that provides a unified API to access real-time health and productivity data from over 300 wearable and IoT devices. This enables developers to integrate diverse data sources into their applications seamlessly. By simplifying the integration of wearable and IoT data, Spike API empowers developers to enhance user experiences with personalized, data-driven insights. Spike API's commitment to data privacy and security is evident in its compliance with regulations such as HIPAA, ensuring that health data is processed securely and in accordance with legal standards. In 2024, the company secured an oversubscribed $3.5 million seed investment to develop regulatory-compliant Generative AI products and expand its support for medical, wearable, and IoT sensor data.

Amount raised in 2024: €3.2M Unmanned Defense Systems (UDS) is a leading provider of advanced unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies, specializing in loitering munitions and autonomous systems. As a comprehensive kill chain ecosystem provider, UDS designs and manufactures automated systems that integrate detection (ISTAR), engagement (loitering munitions), and command (C2) phases into a cohesive swarm ecosystem. UDS's commitment to delivering battle-tested technology ensures that its products are optimized for rapid deployment, operator convenience, and mission success in contested environments. The company raised €3.2 million in 2024 to scale battlefield-tested UAVs and advance AI-based swarm integrations with contemporary battlefield management systems.

Amount raised in 2024: €3M Ligence is a pioneering health technology company specializing in AI-powered echocardiography solutions. Their flagship product, Ligence Heart™, is a web-based, fully integrated analysis and reporting software designed to enhance cardiovascular diagnostics. Ligence's mission is to revolutionize cardiovascular care by improving diagnostic accuracy, streamlining clinical workflows, and enabling cardiologists to focus more on their patients through automation of routine tasks. In 2024, Ligence secured €3 million in seed funding, aiming to expand its operations and prepare for FDA clearance in early 2025.