Startup Researcher - Europe: Week 14, 2025

31st March - 6th April

Hello there,

Welcome to another edition of ๐Ÿ” Startup Researcher - Europe, your essential digest delivering the latest news and premium insights on startups and venture capital across the region ๐ŸŒ

If you haven't subscribed yet, now's the perfect time. Don't miss the opportunity to supercharge your understanding and stay ahead in this dynamic world.

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๐Ÿ“ฐ Important News

  • Klarna has postponed its NYSE IPO due to market conditions but may still list soon at a valuation over $15 billion.

  • Isar Aerospace's first rocket test flight ended in a crash after 30 seconds but the startup aims to rival SpaceX with its satellite launch services for Europe.

  • Northvolt has laid off over half its staff after filing for bankruptcy in the US and Sweden, with operations continuing in a reduced form.

  • Builder.ai has undergone a significant restructuring under its new CEO, cutting 270 jobs and appointing BDO to audit accounts from 2023 to 2027.

  • Swedenโ€™s PM Ulf Kristersson urged the EU to boost capital markets to stop European tech firms from choosing US IPOs over staying in Europe.

๐Ÿ’ธ Top Funding Rounds

  • Isomorphic Labs announced the raise of $600 million from Thrive Capital and Google Ventures to advance its AI drug design engine.

  • UK-based surgical robotics startup CMR Surgical raised over $200 million to expand its US presence and compete with Intuitive Surgical.

  • Zepz secured $165 million in financing to enhance transaction speed, optimize fees, and expand its global remittance services.

  • Paris-based Fairmat raised $55.6 million to scale its carbon composite recycling tech, cutting CO2 and costs, with clients like Hexcel and Decathlon.

  • Gradyent closed a $30.69 million Series B round to expand its real-time Digital Twin Platform that optimizes heating and cooling grids.

๐Ÿ’ฐ๏ธ Notable Exits

  • Xconnect has acquired mobile identity leader Sekura.id to enhance its fraud prevention and authentication services.

  • Epic Games acquired Loci, an AI platform for 3D asset tagging, to aid creators and detect IP violations in its ecosystem.

  • French fintech Next Generation acquired Lugh Financial Services to launch a digital payments ecosystem bridging traditional and digital finance.

  • Archax acquired US broker-dealer Globacap PMI to expand its regulated digital asset services into the US market.

  • WPP acquired InfoSum to enhance AI-driven marketing with secure data collaboration and real-time campaign optimization across its ecosystem.

๐Ÿฆ About Investors

  • Revaia, Europeโ€™s largest all-women-led VC, closed its $270 million growth fund to invest in European and Israeli B2B startups at Series B and beyond.

  • The European Investment Fund and partners backed 33N Ventures to drive cybersecurity innovation and strengthen Luxembourg's tech ecosystem.

๐Ÿš€ Startup of the Week

Introducing our Startup of the Week ๐Ÿ†

Isomorphic Labs

Isomorphic Labs, a London-based AI-driven drug discovery company founded by Demis Hassabis in 2021 and a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., has secured $600 million in its first external funding round led by Thrive Capital, with participation from GV and continued support from Alphabet. The funding will accelerate the development of its next-generation AI drug design engineโ€”built on breakthroughs like AlphaFold 3โ€”and advance its internal and partnered therapeutic programs into clinical stages. With a growing presence in oncology and immunology, and collaborations with pharma giants like Novartis and Eli Lilly, Isomorphic aims to redefine the future of drug discovery through cutting-edge AI.

๐Ÿ’ผ Investor of the Week

Introducing our Investor of the Week ๐Ÿ†

Revaia

Revaia, Europeโ€™s largest all-women-led VC, closed its $270 million growth fund to invest in B2B startups in Europe and Israel at Series B and beyond, focusing on sustainability and ESG. Founded in 2019 as Gaia Capital Partners and rebranded in 2021, Revaia is a prominent European venture capital firm specializing in sustainable growth investments, supporting mission-driven entrepreneurs and technology scale-ups. The firm has backed companies like Algolia and Aircall, and plans to invest in 12 companies with ticket sizes ranging from $11-33 million, having already made six investments.

 ๐Ÿค‘ Opportunity Radar

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Thank you for joining us this week! We trust you found value in our latest edition. ๐Ÿš€

Your feedback is invaluable to us, so please don't hesitate to share your thoughts by replying to this email. We're committed to continuously improving and delivering content tailored to your interests and needs ๐Ÿ“ฉ

If you're interested in staying updated on the latest trends, startups, and investments in other regions, don't miss out on:

  • ๐ŸŒ Startup Researcher - Africa: Delve into Africa's thriving ecosystem, uncovering cutting-edge trends, emerging startups, and investment opportunities.

  • ๐ŸŒ๏ธ Startup Researcher - Asia Pacific: Discover the latest innovations and startups in the Asia Pacific region, covering key markets, investment movements, and emerging tech hubs.

  • ๐ŸŒŽ๏ธ Startup Researcher - Latin America: Keep track of Latin America's fast-growing startups, investment trends, and disruptive technologies driving economic growth.

  • ๐ŸŒ Startup Researcher - Middle East: Explore the dynamic landscape of the Middle East, with comprehensive coverage of startups, entrepreneurial endeavors, and venture capital trends.

  • ๐ŸŒŽ๏ธ Startup Researcher - North America & Israel: Stay ahead with coverage of the North American and Israeli startup ecosystems, focusing on cutting-edge ventures, investment insights, and tech advancements.

Additionally, stay connected with us on LinkedIn for more insights and updates ๐Ÿ”—

Looking forward to staying connected and bringing you more exciting content next time!