A new trend is taking shape in the startup world: AI roll-ups. The playbook is straightforward: acquire companies in a fragmented vertical, integrate them into one platform, and use AI to boost efficiency and accelerate growth.

For tech founders, it’s a way to scale by applying better tech and sharper processes to existing assets: client bases, sales networks, and industry know-how. Done well, this move can speed up go-to-market, create new upsell paths, and expand into adjacent segments without building everything from scratch. ​AI roll-ups are already attracting VC attention, especially from larger funds with the capital and operating teams equipped to execute.

However, the model has its critics. A recent Fortune piece argued that roll-ups make a category mistake, assuming that services firms can become software businesses just by layering on AI. While some risks are real, I don’t think the model itself is flawed. My view is that roll-ups don’t need to chase SaaS multiples to work. Embedding AI into services can raise margins, speed up revenue, and, in some cases, create defensible hybrids with proprietary data and AI-powered workflows.

To understand why the model can work, you need to place roll-ups in context. They’ve been tested in private equity for decades — AI has only upgraded the playbook. Let’s look at where it came from and why, in the right hands, it delivers powerful results.

The old playbook, upgraded with AI

The roll-up model is an old tool now powered by sharper tech.

It got serious during the LBO wave of the 1980s, when private equity firms used “buy-and-build” strategies to consolidate fragmented industries. Some of those roll-ups collapsed under debt. Others, with tighter execution, delivered outstanding returns.

Take Gibson Greetings, a mid-sized greeting card company acquired in 1982 through an LBO that became a business school case study, completing a $290 million IPO just sixteen months after the deal, or Hilton Hotels, bought by Blackstone in 2007. Despite the financial crisis, Blackstone walked away with $14 billion in gains, turning Hilton into one of the firm’s best exits. 

In the 2010s, the playbook resurfaced in the e-commerce aggregator trend that reshaped Amazon’s ecosystem and digital retail businesses. Accel Club, a company that acquires, integrates, and scales independent Amazon and e-commerce businesses, illustrates how the trend of the 2010s paved the way for today’s AI-driven roll-ups. 

The logic hasn’t changed. But now, the driver is AI. 

Why founders should pay attention 

AI-native startups are now acquiring slower players to expand faster. With a solid platform and playbook in place, founders can add customers, channels, and revenue lines without burning time on cold starts.

Pioneers, an AI-powered staffing platform, used the roll-up playbook to great effect. They had strong unit economics but a slow sales cycle. After raising capital, they acquired a few traditional staffing firms with major customers but outdated tech. Plugging their AI engine into that customer set increased monthly revenue 5x in just a few months.

Another example is Dwelly, a UK proptech startup, which is using the same approach. In 2024, the company acquired the real estate agency Lime Property and went on to make an additional acquisition in the same year.

These deals demonstrate how even traditional service businesses, such as staffing or real estate firms, can be consolidated and modernised through tech-driven roll-ups. Europe, with its fragmented markets and slow digitisation, is especially fertile ground. Many local incumbents still run on legacy systems, leaving gaps in efficiency and customer experience. Roll-ups can accelerate market entry, letting founders modernise entire verticals faster by skipping the slow ramp of customer acquisition.

However, acquiring a business isn’t about empire-building, and it only makes sense when it strengthens market position, improves value delivery, or removes structural friction. Otherwise, it’s a distraction.

So, is it worth it?

For founders with the right tech, clear vision and operating rhythm, the answer is yes. Fast distribution and speed-to-market are critical today. And roll-ups provide you access to both by plugging into existing customer bases and optimising fragmented operations. If you can get that right, you’re growing fast, creating stronger go-to-market engines.

But the deal is only the starting point. Success depends on what follows: seamless integration, repeatable upsell, and relentless execution. Done right, AI roll-ups create defensible platforms that outlast hype cycles. Done poorly, they become expensive mistakes.

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Paris-based startup Kotcha, co-founded with marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge and the NN Running Team, has raised €3.5 million in pre-seed funding to make professional running coaching available to runners worldwide. The round was led by Racine2, operated by Serena and makesense, with participation from True Global, Motier Ventures and other investors from the consumer, health and sports sectors.

Kotcha uses AI to recreate the athlete and coach relationship, delivering adaptive, personalised guidance that evolves with each runner’s performance. The app aims to bridge the gap between generic training apps, which typically cost around €20 per month, and human coaches, who can cost up to €100 per month. With demand for running races growing rapidly, the London Marathon alone received over 1.1 million entries for 2026, twice as many as in 2024, Kotcha offers a scalable solution to meet the rising interest while maintaining the personal support of real coaching.

“Running is a team sport,” said Eliud Kipchoge, the only person to complete a marathon in under two hours. “Without my coaches and teammates, I would never have pushed human limits. With Kotcha, we wanted to share not just the training structure, but the full support system that made it possible.”

Kipchoge and the NN Running Team were directly involved in the app’s development. “Sharing our knowledge has always been our mission. Creating an app was the next step, but we needed the right partners,” said Marleen Vink-Rennings, Marketing Director at NN Running Team.

The founding team includes Eliud Kipchoge, Ben Dupont (CEO), Michel-André Chirita (CTO), Dimitri Dor (CMO) and the NN Running Team. The team combines elite running expertise with startup experience, having worked together at Kipchoge’s Kaptagat training camp to embed his philosophy into the platform.

“We didn’t want another training plan generator,” said Ben Dupont. “Magazines once offered generic plans, and apps later digitised them with basic personalisation. Kotcha is the next generation of training experience, an AI-powered app you can talk to, recreating the relationship between an athlete and their coaching team. This coaching team is the first step in bringing our vision to life, that running is actually a team sport.”

Validated with over 300 runners, Kotcha delivers a reliable and adaptive experience for athletes of all levels. Unlike most running apps that lock users into rigid 12 or 16-week plans, Kotcha recreates the feel of a real coaching team with four AI coaches: Head Coach, Nutritionist, Data Analyst and Personal Trainer, all trained on NN Running Team methods.

“AI often lacks context and falls short of runners’ expectations,” added Dupont. “We’re building Kotcha to understand each runner’s goals, training load and patterns, so guidance feels like it comes from a coach who truly knows you.”

Key features include weekly personalised training plans that adjust based on performance and feedback, pre- and post-run guidance, and round-the-clock answers to training, nutrition and recovery questions. In the coming weeks, Kotcha will also allow real-time plan adjustments, automatically modifying sessions when users have limited time due to work or personal commitments.

“Our objective is not to replace human coaches, but to make coaching more accessible and to help more people achieve their running goals,” said Marleen Vink-Rennings.

“This is just the starting line,” said Dupont. “We raised this round to bring our vision to life, enhancing physical, mental and social well-being through running.”

Margaux Bussière, Principal at Racine2, added, “Few activities shape both body and mind like running. Kotcha brings that experience into a new era, connecting technology, empathy and precision in a way that feels genuinely human. It’s the youngest company we’ve ever backed, and one we chose to support from day one because its ambition resonates deeply with our values.”

Kotcha is available from 23 October on the App Store worldwide in French and English, designed for runners training for races from 10k to marathon distances.

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France-based startup Kotcha, an AI-powered running coaching app, has raised €3.5 million to make high-quality coaching accessible to all runners. The round was led by Racine² (operated by Serena and makesense), with participation from TrueGlobal, Motier Ventures, and other consumer, health, running, and sports investors.

Kotcha uses AI to recreate the athlete–coach relationship, delivering adaptive, personalised training guidance at scale.

Race demand is rising rapidly, with the London Marathon receiving more than 1.1 million entries for 2026, which is twice as many as in 2024. Despite this growing interest, access to personalised coaching remains limited. Many runners still choose between generic apps that cost around €20 per month and human coaches who charge about €100 per month.

Kotcha aims to close this gap by offering an AI coaching team that adapts in real time to each runner’s needs.

Founded by marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge, Ben Dupont (CEO), Michel-André Chirita (CTO), Dimitri Dor (CMO), and the NN Running Team, Kotcha is built on the belief that running is a team sport and no one should run alone. The three tech founders worked closely with Kipchoge and his team to embed that philosophy in the product.

Running is a team sport. Without my coaches and teammates, I would never have pushed human limits. With Kotcha, we wanted to share not just the training structure but the full support system that made it possible,

says Eliud Kipchoge.

Most running apps restrict athletes to fixed 12 or 16-week training plans. Kotcha takes a different approach by recreating the experience of a real coaching staff with four AI coaches: a Head Coach, Nutritionist, Data Analyst, and Personal Trainer, each trained in NN Running Team methods. Tested with more than 300 runners, Kotcha provides a reliable and adaptive experience for athletes of all levels.

AI often lacks the context to meet runners’ expectations. Kotcha is designed to understand each runner’s goals, training load, and patterns, so guidance feels like it comes from a coach who truly knows you,

shares Ben Dupont.

The vision shows up in everyday features. Each Sunday, Kotcha reviews recent data and feedback to plan the week ahead, automatically adjusting for missed sessions. Before and after each run, it provides briefings and debriefs. Runners can ask questions about training, nutrition, or recovery at any time and get immediate answers.

This pre-seed round will support Kotcha’s launch and help bring its vision to life in Europe and beyond.

London-based Mondra, an AI-powered platform delivering product-level intelligence for supply chain resilience, has closed its Series A funding round, raising £10 million from investors including AlbionVC, Planet A, Swisscom, PeakBridge, Ponderosa Ventures, and Green Circle Foodtech Ventures.

Volatile supply chains and rising climate risks are reshaping the global food industry, influencing both affordability and availability. At the same time, increasing pressure to measure and manage Scope 3 emissions is driving food companies to balance supply resilience with progress toward climate goals.

Mondra addresses these challenges by using digital twin technology to map complex, previously hard-to-trace supply chains and establish a framework for managing product-level performance from farm to fork. The platform provides real-time tracking of carbon and broader environmental impacts, climate-related supply risks, and price volatility across dynamic networks, integrating these insights into the systems used by major retailers, food companies, and their suppliers.

This enables food companies to assess the environmental impact of each product, evaluate potential revenue risks related to climate disruption, generate audit-ready ESG data, analyse sourcing risks and alternatives, and collaborate with suppliers using credible insights and tools. With this intelligence, companies can prioritise actions to reduce emissions, maintain profitability, and strengthen sourcing resilience.

The fundraise builds on Mondra’s Pre-Series A round last year, during which the company also introduced Sherpa, its AI-powered assistant integrated into the platform. Sherpa acts as a co-pilot for business stakeholders, supporting complex decision-making across the supply chain, from climate and social resilience to risk management and financial performance, to help improve environmental outcomes across the food sector.

The new investment will accelerate Mondra’s expansion into key European markets, including the Netherlands, Germany, and France, and support the development of new product capabilities, extending the platform’s focus beyond emissions management to include supply chain disruption and climate risk management.

A prominent European VC firm, which has backed Revolut and Spotify, says it will not raise any new generalist VC funds, undertaking a “strategy shift” which will instead see it focus on raising returns from its portfolio companies such as Helsing and Neko Health.

In a letter posted on its website, Lakestar founder and chairman Klaus Hommels explained the rationale behind the move, saying that the European VC market was undergoing a “profound transformation”, citing structural challenges that demand new strategies.

Hommels said:

"Capturing and delivering exceptional returns to our Limited Partners is a task I want to give my undivided attention. Therefore, going forward both Lakestar’s and my focus will be on maximising the potential of the existing portfolio and we will not raise any new generalist venture funds as we have in the past.

"We will focus on the development of targeted new investment products to help our portfolio companies grow, and seize other emerging opportunities. Lakestar’s future investments will be larger, more concentrated, and made with own capital, allowing greater agility and freedom to pursue the big, visionary bets that have always defined our work."

In the letter, Hommels said that Lakestar's priorities lay in helping portfolio firms reach their full potential, naming Revolut, Helsing, Isar Aerospace, and Neko Health as examples.

He also said he would back "promising ventures" started by the Lakestar team as they "embark on their own entrepreneurial journeys".

Lakestar, which has offices in Berlin, London and Zurich, has raised more than €2bn over the past 12 years, according to the FT. Hommels added: "We are on track to have raised close to $500 million by year end through our newest vintage of funds."

Every Health, Europe's first virtual clinic dedicated to LGBTQ+ healthcare, has closed a €1.1 million Seed round.

The platform offers digital care pathways, including testing, consultations, prescriptions, and medication delivery, serving queer communities and anyone seeking stigma-free health care. While digital health companies like FOLX and Nurx have gained significant traction in the US market, Europe remains largely underserved.

LGBTQ+ individuals represent 9 per cent of the world population with €150 billion in collective annual healthcare spending in Europe, yet face systematic barriers: 46 per cent avoid disclosing their sexual orientation or gender identity to healthcare providers due to fear of discrimination, according to the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights. Gay men face 23 times higher HIV risk than the general population globally, according to UNAIDS data.

"Health is a human right, not a privilege. For LGBTQ+ people, that right has been systematically denied for far too long," said Dimitri Bilyarchyk, co-founder of Every Health.

"We've heard countless stories: gay men travelling hundreds of kilometres every few months to get their PrEP, trans individuals waiting months for affirming care appointments, queer people avoiding doctors due to discrimination. Every Health exists because we refuse to accept this reality."

Beyond LGBTQ+-specific care pathways, Every Health addresses the broader challenges of sexual health access, a category that affects millions but remains plagued by stigma, shame, and accessibility barriers in traditional healthcare settings. 

The platform's digital-first model removes these friction points, offering discreet testing, consultations, prescriptions, prevention, treatment, and medication delivery designed for both queer communities and anyone seeking judgment-free sexual health services.  

The company's approach tackles systemic barriers, including discrimination in healthcare settings, lack of cultural competency among providers, stigma around sexual health, and limited geographic access to specialised care.

Czech Founders VC led the funding, with participation from Atlantic Labs, Nation 1 VC, Ultra Ventures, ZAS Ventures, and Taimi, one of the world's largest LGBTQ+ dating apps.

"Our investment in Every Health was driven by the opportunity to solve a massive, underserved healthcare need affecting tens of millions of Europeans," shared Ivan Kristel, General Partner at Czech Founders VC. 

"Dima and his team are exceptional executors who have proven they can build trust in a market that's been historically stigmatised and often ignored in healthcare.

Every Health is defining an entirely new category in European healthcare. One that provides safety and access to millions who've lacked both."

Taimi's strategic investment marks the dating app's first major move into verticals beyond its core platform, reflecting a broader trend of LGBTQ+ platforms expanding into holistic wellbeing services. "Investing in Every Health is a natural extension of our mission," said Alex Pasykov, founder of Taimi.

"We've always believed that supporting the LGBTQ+ community means going beyond romantic connection. Access to inclusive healthcare is a huge part of that, and Every Health is building something essential."

The round positions Every Health to build out the European LGBTQ+ digital health category, with plans to expand service offerings throughout the region where healthcare systems have been slow to address community-specific needs and sexual health access.

The funding will enable Every Health to expand its care offerings with new remote diagnostics and treatment pathways addressing both LGBTQ+-specific healthcare needs and broader sexual health services. The startup has built a network of partner doctors, pharmacies, and labs serving thousands of users across Germany in its first year of operation.

Lead image: Dimitri Bilyarchyk and Alexander Petrov, co-founders of Every Health. Photo: uncredited

Mondra, a London-based climate tech platform using AI to deliver product-level intelligence for supply chain resilience, has raised €11.8 million (£10 million) in a Series A funding round. The round was led by AlbionVC and Planet A Ventures, with participation from Swisscom, PeakBridge, Ponderosa Ventures and Green Circle Foodtech Ventures.

The investment will accelerate Mondra’s expansion into key European markets, including the Netherlands, Germany and France, while also driving further growth in the UK. Founded in 2020, the company plans to enhance its platform capabilities beyond emissions management to include climate risk assessment and supply chain disruption monitoring.

As volatile supply chains and climate risks continue to reshape the global food industry, food producers and retailers face growing pressure to address Scope 3 emissions while maintaining affordability and resilience. Mondra’s AI-powered platform uses advanced digital twin technology to map complex supply chains, offering real-time intelligence from farm to fork. This helps food companies track environmental impact, anticipate supply disruptions, and model sourcing risks to safeguard both profitability and sustainability.

By integrating this intelligence directly into the systems of retailers and suppliers, Mondra enables businesses to analyse the environmental footprint of each product, identify revenue risks linked to climate impacts, produce audit-ready ESG data and engage suppliers with actionable insights. With this level of visibility, companies can prioritise measures that reduce emissions, strengthen sourcing strategies and ensure long-term resilience.

Mondra’s customer base includes major retailers such as Lidl, Aldi, Tesco and Co-op. The platform was developed in collaboration with the British Retail Consortium (BRC), whose members include leading grocery retailers such as Tesco, M&S, Co-op, Ocado Retail, ASDA, Lidl, Aldi, Pets at Home and Sainsbury’s, as well as suppliers like Avara, Greencore, Pilgrim’s and Cranswick. Together with NGOs and government bodies, this coalition is establishing a unified standard for product-level sustainability measurement across the food industry.

“This investment marks a defining moment for Mondra as we scale our UK success and expand across Europe,” said Jason Barrett, Founder and CEO of Mondra. “Food businesses today must decarbonise, comply with new regulations, and navigate growing supply chain volatility. Mondra empowers them to act with confidence – turning sustainability goals into measurable, resilient outcomes.”

Adam Chirkowski, Partner at AlbionVC, said, “At AlbionVC, we see significant opportunity ahead for Jason and the Mondra team as they build a category-defining digital twin technology to strengthen supply chain resilience across the food and beverage sector. Their progress in creating the UK coalition, securing European partnerships, and gaining access to some of the world’s largest retailers underscores the strong momentum behind their vision. We’re proud to back their continued success.”

Nick de la Forge, General Partner at Planet A, added, “We are at the brink of a global food crisis. From climate change and costs to supply security. Mondra is building the data intelligence that is pivotal in driving the food industry towards greater resilience, sustainability, and long-term competitiveness.”

The Series A follows a £3.4 million (€4 million) Pre-Series A round last year, which supported the rollout of the Mondra platform to UK grocers. It also marked the launch of Sherpa, Mondra’s AI-powered assistant, integrated into the platform to guide business decisions related to climate and supply chain performance. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella described Sherpa as “having great potential to enable food system Net Zero.”

With this latest funding, Mondra aims to continue equipping the food industry with the tools needed to achieve measurable sustainability outcomes while adapting to an increasingly uncertain global environment.

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Oslo-based Riff, the vibe coding platform designed for enterprise-grade applications, has raised €14 million in a Series A funding round led by Northzone, with participation from Skyfall Ventures, Maki.vc, Sondo Capital, Global Founders Capital and new investor Illusian, led by Supercell founder Ilkka Paananen. The round brings Riff’s total funding to €18.4 million.

Founded in 2021, Riff (formerly known as Databutton) is helping non-technical professionals build data-heavy, production-ready applications without writing code. While AI-powered tools have proliferated in recent years, an MIT study found that 95% of AI initiatives still fail to reach production. Most vibe coding tools support experimentation but struggle with the complexity and scalability required for real business deployment. Riff is addressing this by combining intuitive design with robust infrastructure, enabling users from small business owners to enterprise operators to create functional AI applications with templates, expert guidance and pre-built playbooks.

The company’s latest version has already attracted more than 150,000 users. Organisations such as Twilio and Cognite use Riff to optimise internal operations across sectors, including manufacturing, financial services, logistics, healthcare and consumer goods.

To further enhance its offering, Riff is introducing new features aimed at helping businesses launch AI applications, agents and automations more efficiently. These include:

• Fully custom automations built by AI agents, capable of handling tasks such as data synchronisation, alerts and multimedia workflows.
• Native integrations with core SaaS tools like HubSpot, Google Drive, Google Sheets, Mixpanel, Stripe and Notion.
• Background agents that enable users to make larger changes, work directly from their phones and receive real-time updates.
• Domain whitelisting for app authentication improves the security of internal applications.

“It’s really inspiring to see what people are achieving with Riff,” said Trygve Karper, CEO and Co-founder of Riff. “Many come to us after weeks stuck in limbo after having been promised the moon on hyped products. Having created modular building blocks that drive immediate value, our builders taste success out of the gate. This Series A funding is incredibly exciting because it lets us scale that impact to thousands more doers in the real world.”

Michiel Kotting, Partner at Northzone, added, “Vibe coding is ushering in a transformational shift in software development, where anyone can create, launch, and maintain applications without having to be able to code. What makes Riff special in our mind is the relentless focus on providing doers with the ability to build tooling that works in production. We’re excited to be joining Trygve, Martin, and Viral on their journey to create the last mile of transmitting the incredible power of AI to real business impact for everyday users.”

Riff (useriff.ai) enables teams to create internal apps that drive measurable business outcomes, not prototypes. Users can start with ready-to-go templates, integrate with existing tools and iterate to develop tailored AI-driven applications and automations without relying on large IT teams.

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PropTech, short for property technology, is transforming how we buy, rent, and manage places to live, work and use. It covers a broad range of innovations across Property Search, Management, Smart Buildings, Fintech and Real Estate, Construction, Marketing, and Tenant Experience. From smart sensors in buildings to digital mortgage tools and data-driven marketing, PropTech is making the real estate world more connected, transparent, and efficient.

Within this space, Property Search stands out as one of the most active and innovative areas. Startups in this segment are rethinking how people find their next home or investment, using technology to make the process faster, simpler, and more personal. Whether it’s AI-powered recommendations, integrated relocation platforms, or digital marketplaces, these companies are bridging the gap between property owners and seekers with seamless, user-friendly solutions.

In this article, we highlight ten exciting European startups founded between 2022 and today that are leading the way in Property Search. Each one is helping to redefine what finding a property looks like in the digital age, offering smarter and more flexible ways to connect people with the spaces that suit their needs.

Based in Lausanne, Acheteur.ch helps homeowners and buyers make smarter real estate decisions through technology and local expertise. Founded in 2022, the platform offers free online property valuations, combining data analytics with expert input from certified local agents to deliver accurate, fast, and transparent estimates. Beyond valuations, Acheteur.ch connects sellers with the most suitable real estate professionals and guides them through each step of the sales process, from initial pricing strategy to final notary signing.

Designed as a neutral and independent platform, Acheteur.ch blends advanced digital tools with on-the-ground market insight, ensuring that every transaction is informed, fair, and efficient. Its model empowers users to sell at the best price while maintaining control and confidence throughout the process. With growing national adoption and a strong reputation for professionalism and precision, Acheteur.ch is modernising the Swiss property market and setting new standards for accessible, data-driven real estate services. To date, they have raised €559k.

Based in Cannes, A.M.A Selections is a luxury PropTech company offering a curated portfolio of high-end holiday villas and bespoke travel experiences across Europe and the Caribbean. Founded in 2022, the company blends technology with hospitality to provide a seamless villa rental experience. Its digital platform allows travellers to book exceptional properties while accessing world-class concierge services, from private chefs to yacht charters.

Positioned as both a tech-driven platform and a hospitality brand, A.M.A Selections has built a reputation for precision, trust, and exceptional guest care. The company’s in-house concierge team ensures every stay is tailored to individual preferences, while its proprietary technology simplifies search, booking, and itinerary management through one intuitive app. To date, they have raised €2.9 million.

Based in Basel, Azuro is reimagining second-home ownership through technology, co-ownership, and elegant design. Founded in 2025, the company is building Europe’s first user-owned portfolio of compact luxury homes, offering buyers the freedom to enjoy multiple residences across the continent through a single investment. Its properties are located in Europe’s top leisure destinations, from the Alps to the Mediterranean, blending contemporary comfort with local authenticity. Azuro’s model gives members consistent access to high-quality homes while eliminating the uncertainty and hassle of short-term rentals.

Having raised €5 million in funding from Infinitas Capital and Bronk Venture Capital, Azuro is preparing to launch its first developments in Mallorca and the Alps by 2026. The company’s approach replaces traditional ownership and vacation rental systems with a fair, flexible structure that promotes year-round occupancy. Compact by design and powered by an in-house real estate development arm, Azuro merges lifestyle and investment, creating a new category at the intersection of property technology, travel, and hospitality.

Based in Barcelona, Cabe is a Spanish PropTech company redefining urban self-storage through technology, accessibility, and design. Founded in 2022, the company offers a fully digital experience where users can rent, access, and manage storage units directly from their phones. With smart locks, 24/7 access, and instant contracts, Cabe brings the concept of self-storage into the digital age. Its network of urban storage spaces is expanding rapidly across major Spanish cities, including Barcelona, Madrid, Zaragoza, and Palma de Mallorca, catering to both individuals and businesses seeking flexible and secure storage solutions.

Combining convenience with innovation, Cabe integrates features such as a digital key system, CCTV-monitored facilities, and an in-app space calculator that helps customers find the perfect unit size before renting. The company’s customer-centric approach extends beyond storage, offering services like moving assistance and packaging materials. With €40 million in funding, Cabe is positioning itself as a leader in Spain’s growing PropTech market by transforming traditional storage into a seamless, tech-driven experience for modern urban lifestyles.

Based in Sofia, Flataway helps property managers and vacation rental owners build their own direct booking websites through AI automation. The platform enables users to create fully functional, SEO-optimised sites within 72 hours, eliminating the need for traditional web developers or plugins. Founded in 2022, the company raised €500k to launch Staycy, its new AI-powered website builder designed specifically for the short-term rental industry.

Flataway’s suite of tools empowers hosts to reduce dependence on online travel agencies while maximising direct bookings and revenue. It integrates seamlessly with major property management systems, offers global listing distribution, and provides built-in payment processing and AI search optimisation. By combining automation, design, and distribution in one platform, Flataway is giving property managers more control over their brand, customers, and profits.

Based in Limassol, Moving Doors offers a network of fully serviced, design-led apartments across Europe and the Middle East. The company provides flexible mid- to long-term rental options for professionals, digital nomads, and relocators seeking stylish, ready-to-live homes. Founded in 2022, they have raised €1.8 million to accelerate expansion in markets such as Greece, Cyprus, and the United Arab Emirates, and to enhance their end-to-end digital booking and tenant management system.

Moving Doors delivers a seamless rental experience through a fully digital journey, from online booking to keyless entry and ongoing tenant support. Each property comes furnished and fully equipped, combining premium design with practicality for long stays. With hundreds of apartments in locations like Athens, Larnaca, Limassol, and Paphos, and an expanding international footprint, the company is redefining serviced living by blending the comfort of home with the flexibility of hospitality.

Based in Valencia, Parkiduo has created an innovative way to share and rent garage spaces through a digital platform that connects drivers and owners. The service allows users to find or offer parking spots for shared use, helping reduce costs, save time, and make better use of urban space. The company has raised €45k to develop its platform further and expand its reach across Spain. With more than 3,000 registered users in Alicante, Elche, Valencia, and Madrid, Parkiduo simplifies every step of the process, from search and communication to digital contract signing, all managed through its website and mobile platform.

The company aims to address parking inefficiency in busy cities by enabling the flexible, peer-to-peer sharing of underutilised spaces. Its model benefits both drivers, who gain affordable and convenient parking, and garage owners, who earn passive income. With excellent user reviews and growing adoption in Spanish cities, Parkiduo is turning an everyday urban problem into a collaborative, tech-enabled solution that promotes smarter and more sustainable mobility.

Based in Stockport, Property Sense provides technology-driven marketing solutions for the build-to-rent (BTR) sector, helping developers, agents, and operators swiftly fill new developments with pre-approved, high-quality tenants. Founded in 2022, the company caters to developers, new home builders, private landlords, and residents, offering an end-to-end digital platform that streamlines marketing, leasing, and tenant management. Property Sense has raised €2.85 million to expand its services and strengthen its technology across the UK rental market.

Since its launch, Property Sense has raised €2.85 million and supported the lease-up of more than 1,000 units across multiple developments within months of operation. Its PropTech platform connects residents, agents, and operators, simplifying the rental process from listing to move-in. With a focus on efficiency and customer satisfaction, the company continues to redefine how build-to-rent properties are marketed and occupied across the country.

Based in Luxembourg, StaysCo simplifies corporate and individual housing through a global network of serviced apartments, co-living spaces, and hotels. The company provides an end-to-end solution for relocation, business travel, and extended stays, ensuring safe, compliant, and high-quality accommodation for employees and professionals. Founded in 2022, StaysCo has secured €150k in pre-seed funding through the Fit 4 Start accelerator programme to enhance its platform and strengthen its technology integrations.

By combining a tailored booking system with API connectivity, StaysCo allows companies to manage employee accommodation efficiently and transparently. Its process includes supplier screening, quality checks, and continuous evaluation to guarantee reliable housing options. With integrations such as its two-way connection to Apaleo, StaysCo is building a connected infrastructure for corporate housing, making relocation and travel management faster, more efficient, and data-driven.

Based in Annecy, Toploc helps travellers find and book authentic nature stays across France and beyond. Founded in 2022, the platform connects guests with local hosts offering cottages, chalets, eco-lodges, and other nature-inspired rentals in regions such as Brittany, Provence, and the Alps. Designed to make sustainable travel easy and accessible, Toploc allows users to search, communicate, and book securely online while promoting local tourism and environmentally conscious experiences.

Toploc’s focus extends beyond accommodation to creating meaningful connections between people and places. Through curated recommendations, cycling itineraries, and cultural or outdoor activities, it encourages visitors to discover France at a slower pace. With over 50,000 travellers already using its platform, the company continues to grow as a trusted destination for those seeking genuine, nature-centred getaways. To date, they have raised €450k to expand their services and strengthen their position in France’s growing market for sustainable getaways.

By the way: If you’re a corporate or investor looking for exciting startups in a specific market for a potential investment or acquisition, check out our Startup Sourcing Service!

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Paygentic, an all-in-one billing and payments platform for AI-native and agent-driven products, has completed a $2 million pre-seed round led by MiddleGame Ventures, with participation from Anamcara Capital, Aperture, Alan Morgan (Chairman at Adfisco), Angel Invest, and others.

Founded by Susan O’Neill and SamuelAlarco Cantos, Paygentic addresses a core challenge for AI-native companies: highly variable compute costs paired with billing systems that default to fixed monthly SaaS fees, constraining upside and increasing exposure to downside risk.

The platform provides tooling and infrastructure for hybrid pricing, including subscriptions, usage-based, and outcome-based models, helping companies align revenue with actual consumption and results. Built for the speed and complexity of modern AI, Paygentic converts agent activity (prompts, outcomes, and usage events) into revenue, unifying billing, payments, and pricing in a single agent-focused stack that is quick to launch and easy to scale.

Operating in stealth since its founding earlier this year, Paygentic has been working with a select group of early adopters.

The investment will support team growth and faster product development, with a focus on advancing agentic billing capabilities and strengthening the payments infrastructure to serve a growing customer base.

OpenAI is offering UK customers, including the government and businesses, the option of storing their data in the UK for the first time, as it unveils an extension of its partnership with the UK government.

The move comes as the ChatGPT developer says the number of people using it products in the UK has quadrupled in the past year, though it did not disclose specific numbers.

The government today announced a further roll-out of its deal with the $500bn-valued OpenAI, aimed at helping Ministry of Justice civil servants benefit from ChatGPT. It supports the department’s plans to provide its employees access to OpenAI's business offering, ChatGPT Enterprise, aimed at boosting productivity.

As part of the deal, UK retail customers, businesses, developers and government departments will be able to store their data in the UK for the first time.

The move is designed to boost security and safety amid a rise in cyber attacks as well as meeting data protection requirements. The Ministry of Justice will be given the first option on data storage.

The move comes as OpenAI looks to drive up enterprise usage of its products. The government's current use of OpenAI tech, includes civil servants using Humphrey, the Whitehall AI assistant, to boost productivity.

Meanwhile, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the number of people using OpenAI products in the UK had increased fourfold in the past year.

Altman said: "It's exciting to see them using AI to save time, increase productivity, and get more done. Civil servants are using ChatGPT to improve public services and established firms are reimagining operations. We're proud to continue supporting the UK and the Government's AI plan.” 

Deputy prime minister David Lammy said:  “Our partnership with OpenAI places Britain firmly in the driving seat of the global tech revolution – leading the world in innovation and using technology to deliver fairness and opportunity for every corner of the United Kingdom.”

London-based Rightcharge has secured €1.8 million (£1.6 million) in a seed funding round to expand its fleet EV charging payment solution across Europe. The round was led by Soulmates Ventures, with participation from Blackwood Ventures, Unruly Capital and Purple Ventures.

Rightcharge has experienced over 10x ARR growth in 2025 and already counts major UK fleets such as The Automobile Association (AA) among its customers. The new funds will support the company’s international expansion through a partnership with Octopus Electroverse, which will white-label Rightcharge’s home payments solution for use in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and Ireland.

Businesses currently account for more than half of all EV purchases in the UK, but managing and reimbursing home charging remains a major challenge. Fleet managers often rely on spreadsheets and manual reporting, which can lead to mistakes, delays and fraud. Existing systems designed for traditional fuel expenses are ill-suited to the complexities of electric vehicle charging. As a result, many companies rely on public charging, which can cost up to ten times more than home charging.

Rightcharge addresses this problem by automating home charging reimbursements. The platform links directly to a driver’s energy account, ensuring payments are credited straight to their bill instead of their bank account. This method keeps reimbursements accurate even when tariffs change, prevents fraud, and maintains a clear, tax-compliant audit trail.

Fleet vehicles can also be linked through Rightcharge, with AI-driven validation to detect anomalies and guarantee accuracy. Drivers receive a public charge card providing access to over 70% of the UK’s public charging network, while all costs are consolidated into a single HMRC-compliant monthly bill. Fleets using the platform report savings of up to 90% on charging costs and carbon reductions of around 30%, while significantly reducing administrative workloads.

“We’re building the payments infrastructure that will make EV charging effortless for fleets,” said Charlie Cook, Founder and CEO of Rightcharge. “The home is the quiet giant of electrification. Over 70% of charging already happens there. Accurate, automated payments give businesses confidence to electrify faster, while cutting costs and carbon. Thanks to our investors and our partnership with Octopus, we’re now bringing that capability to fleets across Europe.”

Hynek Sochor, Founder and Managing Partner at Soulmates Ventures, added, “Rightcharge has scaled at an impressive speed, combining rapid growth with virtually zero churn and a product that removes a key barrier to electrification. For fleets, the savings are so significant that adoption becomes an obvious choice. Europe offers a vast opportunity. In Germany alone, 80% of new high-end cars are company vehicles. Rightcharge is uniquely positioned to become the backbone for European fleets – all this while also delivering clear benefits for the planet.”

Rightcharge’s technology is already being used by The AA and other major UK fleets across construction, healthcare and government sectors. The AA has reported annual savings of over £1,000 per vehicle and achieved 64% renewable energy usage through the platform.

Through its partnership with Octopus Electroverse, Rightcharge is localising its technology for several European markets, with more regions to follow. The company estimates that by 2035, over 100 million drivers worldwide will need reimbursement solutions for home-charged work vehicles, and aims to serve at least 10 million of them.

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This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, we sit down with Vidya Peters, CEO of DataSnipper, the Dutch unicorn automating document-heavy audit and finance processes with enterprise-grade, traceable AI!

DataSnipper is used by over 600,000 professionals across more than 2,000 customers in 175 countries, including the Big Four (Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC) and enterprises such as Volkswagen, Morgan Stanley, Paramount, Siemens, and Baker Tilly. In 2024, DataSnipper raised $100 million Series B led by Index Ventures at a $1 billion valuation, was named the fastest-growing company in the Netherlands for two consecutive years, and completed its first acquisition (UpLink). Founded in 2017 with multi-language support and industry-specific automation, DataSnipper focuses on what auditors actually need: speed with a regulator-ready audit trail.

In this conversation, Vidya shares her background, the importance of auditors in society, and how DataSnipper is transforming the auditing landscape by automating tedious tasks and enhancing efficiency. The discussion explores the future of auditing with AI, the significance of trust in the auditing process, and the impact of partnerships, particularly with Microsoft. We also dive into what “traceable AI” looks like for regulators, the one process that makes auditors smile by Friday, and much more!

Video version of episode 141:

Audio version of episode 141:



Key Takeaways:

• Traceable AI = evidence, not guesses: every extraction, match, and check leaves a breadcrumb.
• Automate reality, not theory: start with evidence collection and tie-outs (the fastest “auditors smile by Friday” win).
• Agents own the repetitive; humans own the judgement: let agents prep, reconcile, and validate; keep materiality and risk with people.
• Trust beats speed when it’s close: preserve human sign-off where stakes are high.
• Platform vision: industry-specific automation + partners + app ecosystem → repeatable outcomes at scale.

The post EU-Startups Podcast | Episode 141: Vidya Peters, CEO of DataSnipper appeared first on EU-Startups.

Europe’s cleantech sector attracted €1.1 billion in funding across 112 deals in H1 2025. While this represents a small share of the €33.7 billion raised across 1,941 European tech deals overall, the scale and ambition of recent cleantech rounds highlight the sector’s growing strategic importance in Europe’s transition to net zero.

The largest funding rounds spanned clean mobility, renewable energy, circular materials, and green industrial innovation. Investment activity remained strong across the continent, with Germany (21 deals), the UK (18), Switzerland (13), Spain (10), and the Netherlands (9) emerging as key hubs of climate innovation.

From waste-to-hydrogen pioneers to smart-energy leaders, European founders are turning deep-tech solutions into scalable climate impact, cementing cleantech as one of the continent’s most dynamic and promising investment frontiers.

The following are the ten largest funding rounds in the European cleantech industry during the first half of 2025.

Amount raised in H1 2025: €118M Aegis Energy is a UK-based clean mobility infrastructure company accelerating the decarbonisation of commercial transport. It develops and operates multi-energy refuelling hubs designed for van and truck fleets, combining high-speed electric charging with hydrogen, HVO and bio-CNG fuels. Backed by major institutional investment, Aegis is building a nationwide network of sustainable transport hubs offering bookable charging, driver amenities and fleet-friendly logistics solutions, supporting businesses in their transition to net-zero operations. In January, Aegis Energy secured €118 million in funding to develop clean energy hubs across the UK and drive the decarbonisation of commercial transport.

Amount raised in H1 2025: €110M Enpal is a renewable energy company dedicated to making green, affordable energy accessible to homeowners. Enpal offers a complete “all-in-one” solution that includes rooftop solar panels, battery storage, an EV wall box and a smart app for monitoring, and gives customers the flexibility to either rent or buy the system, typically without upfront payments. By integrating installation, financing, maintenance and energy management under one roof, Enpal aims to reduce dependency on conventional utilities and accelerate the transition to decentralised, clean energy. In April, the company received €110 million in investment.

Amount raised in H1 2025: £62M Pulpex is a sustainable packaging technology company that pioneers fibre-based bottles, replacing glass and plastic. It's patented, single-mould paper bottle is made from FSC-certified, responsibly sourced wood pulp and is designed to be widely recyclable in the paper stream. Pulpex licenses its technology and works with a global partner network to manufacture at an industrial scale, enabling brands to cut single-use plastics without sacrificing distinctive shapes or on-pack branding. Pulpex’s mission is simple: deliver sustainability at scale through renewable packaging and help shape a plastic-free future. Pulpex secured £62 million in February, which will be used to construct its first commercial-scale manufacturing facility near Glasgow.

Amount raised in H1 2025: €71.2M Fastned is a charging company building a European network of ultra-fast charging stations powered by 100 per cent renewable energy. Founded in 2012, Fastned designs, builds, and operates architecturally distinctive, people-centric stations along high-traffic routes to make long-distance electric travel easy and reliable. The company’s mission is to accelerate the transition to electric mobility by delivering the most convenient, joyful charging experience in Europe. The company raised a total of €71.2 million through two separate bond issuances in February and in June.

Amount raised in H1 2025: €60M GravitHy is an industrial startup focused on decarbonising the iron and steel sector. The company aims to replace traditional coal-based iron production by using renewable or low-carbon hydrogen to produce Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) and Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI). By enabling low-CO₂ iron feedstock, GravitHy helps meet rising demand for greener steel in construction, automotive, wind power and other sectors, while aligning with Europe’s industrial decarbonisation goals. In March, GravitHy secured €60 million to advance low-carbon iron production and steel decarbonisation

Amount raised in H1 2025: €51.5M FAIRMAT is a deep-tech materials company that turns carbon-fibre waste into high-performance, recyclable composites. Using proprietary robotic processes, FAIRMAT transforms end-of-life CFRP into the “Fairmat Chip,” the building block for laminates, panels, and parts used across sports, energy, mobility, and electronics. The company operates an end-to-end, closed-loop ecosystem, from waste recovery to manufacturing, powered by in-house software, AI-driven layouts, and quality control. In April, Fairmat secured €51.5 million to close the loop on material recycling.

Amount raised in H1 2025: €30M tado° is a German smart-home technology company that specialises in intelligent climate-control solutions for residential buildings, offering smart thermostats, radiator controls, heat-pump optimisers and associated cloud-based services. tado°’s systems use geolocation of residents, weather forecasting, and building-characteristic data to reduce energy consumption while maintaining comfort. The company reports having saved approximately 2.5 million tons of CO₂ to date. By combining hardware (thermostats) and software intelligence (app control, analytics), tado° enables homeowners to automate climate control, integrate dynamic electricity tariffs, and optimise energy use, thereby contributing to lower bills and lower emissions. In March, tado° secured €30 million to transform the way heating and cooling systems operate in buildings.

Amount raised in H1 2025: €29.5M Plagazi is a cleantech company turning non-recyclable waste into circular, fuel-cell-grade hydrogen. Its patented Plagazi Process® uses high-temperature plasma gasification to convert municipal and hazardous waste, capturing CO₂ and yielding hydrogen plus recyclable by-products, offering an alternative to landfill and incineration. Plagazi develops turnkey plants, handling engineering, permitting, commercial set-up, and operations, and is scaling through flagship projects such as Gävle Circular Park, designed for carbon-negative hydrogen production. In May, Plagazi officially secured a €29.5 million grant from the EU Innovation Fund to support its flagship project, Gävle Circular Park (GCP).

Amount raised in H1 2025: €28M Gradyent is a company that powers the decarbonisation of district- and industrial-heating systems through its real-time Digital Twin Platform. The technology creates a virtual replica of heating, cooling, steam and CO₂ grids by fusing geospatial, weather, sensor and physics-based data to enable operators to optimise performance, cut CO₂ emissions by up to 10 per cent, reduce operational costs and lower CapEx by up to 20 per cent. Gradyent’s mission is to enable energy-operators to optimise, decarbonise and grow their systems, delivering reliable, flexible and sustainable grid operations and contributing to the broader transition toward integrated, low-carbon energy systems. In April, Gradyent secured a €28 million funding round to accelerate platform development and global expansion.

Amount raised in H1 2025: $32M BeZero Carbon is a global carbon-credit ratings agency for the voluntary carbon market. Built by a team that blends environmental science, geospatial analysis, and capital-markets expertise, BeZero’s platform combines project ratings, market data, and research to guide credible climate decisions. The company also publishes tools and insights, including portfolio ratings, a market risk report, and a policy tool, to give users structured visibility on quality, exposure, and regulatory context across project types and geographies. BeZero Carbon raised $32 million in January to expand global carbon ratings services.

Oslo-based Riff (formerly Databutton), the platform operators use to build and launch high-impact applications, has raised $16 million in Series A funding, bringing their total raised to $21 million. The round is led by Northzone, with backing from existing investors Skyfall Ventures, Maki.vc, Sondo Capital, Global Founders Capital, and new investor Illusian. 

Riff focuses on practitioners at all levels within organisations, enabling them to create AI applications and agents to improve productivity and output.

The company aims to solve a widespread challenge in AI app development, where the rapid growth of AI tools has not been matched by real business impact, and many initiatives still fall short of success. Riff’s platform extends beyond typical vibe coding tools by providing native data connections and integration with secure, production-grade infrastructure. Users can also draw on starter apps, templates, and guidance from Riff’s team.

This approach allows users to build applications that combine complexity, real data, and security to solve practical business problems. In turn, this supports higher customer satisfaction and retention, and better project completion rates.

Riff reports adoption across industries such as financial services, logistics, healthcare, manufacturing, and consumer goods.

The Series A funding will be used to expand Riff’s reach, enabling the company to empower thousands more professionals to build and deploy impactful AI solutions.

London-based Rightcharge, the startup that simplifies fleet EV charging payments, has raised £1.6 million in seed funding. The round was led by Soulmates Ventures, with participation from Blackwood Ventures, UnrulyCapital and Purple Ventures.

In the UK, businesses purchase more than half of all EVs, but public charging remains fragmented and reimbursing employees for home charging is often slow and error-prone. Many fleet managers still use spreadsheets and driver-submitted paperwork, which increases the risk of inaccuracies.

Existing payment systems, built for conventional fuel expenses, are not set up to handle EV home charging. Consequently, some companies rely more on public charging, which can be up to ten times more expensive than charging at home. These gaps in process and infrastructure are delaying fleet electrification at a time when adoption needs to accelerate.

Rightcharge removes this barrier by automating reimbursements for home charging. The platform links directly to a driver’s energy account, allowing payments to be credited to their electricity bill instead of their bank account. This approach maintains accuracy even when energy tariffs change, minimises the risk of fraud, and provides a transparent audit trail for tax compliance, all while preventing drivers from being left out of pocket.

Fleet vehicles can be connected as well, with AI-driven validation and anomaly detection to reduce fraud and improve accuracy. A paired public charge card gives drivers access to over 70 per cent of UK public chargers, while all costs are consolidated into a single HMRC-compliant monthly bill. Fleets using Rightcharge can reduce charging costs by up to 90 per cent and cut carbon emissions by roughly 30 per cent, while reducing administrative work for managers and giving drivers confidence that reimbursements will be accurate and fair.

The Automobile Association (AA) and other major UK fleets already use Rightcharge’s technology to manage both home and public charging. Customers in sectors such as construction, healthcare, and government are adopting the service to cut administrative work, support drivers, and accelerate their EV transition.

Rightcharge will use the funding to accelerate its expansion across Europe, supported by a new partnership with Octopus Electroverse.