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Welcome to another edition of 🔍 Startup Researcher - Europe, your essential digest delivering the latest news and premium insights on startups and venture capital across the region 🌍

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📰 Important News

• Big AI moves in France: the UAE unveiled a $51.57 billion investment for a 1GW data center, Bpifrance committed $10.31 billion to AI by 2029, and Mistral launched Le Chat assistant on iOS & Android.

• Meatly partnered with THE PACK and Pets at Home to launch the world's first cultivated meat pet food.

• Keir Starmer hosted an invite-only Downing Street event with AI leaders, investors, and ministers to discuss boosting AI startups in the UK.

• OpenAI has launched data residency in Europe, allowing organizations to process and store data locally, and is set to open an office in Munich.

• Coinbase has received FCA approval to provide cryptocurrency services in the UK, making it the country's largest registered digital assets provider.

💸 Top Funding Rounds

• Froda expanded its partnership with the EIF, securing $154.98 million in lending guarantees to support 10,000 SMEs across all 27 EU member states.

• Solaris closed a $144.65 million Series G round led by SBI Group and Boerse Stuttgart Group, with SBI becoming the majority shareholder.

• Piano secured $120 million in financing, including a $45 million Series D from Updata Partners and a $75 million loan from Runway Growth Capital.

• Wealthon has raised $119.34 million in debt and equity funding to expand its SME-focused financial ecosystem.

• Connected Kerb obtained $80.59 million from the National Wealth Fund and Aviva Investors to expand its UK EV charging network to 40,000 sockets.

💰️ Notable Exits

• BioVersys debuted on SIX Swiss Exchange with a $237.2 million market cap, raising $87.85 million to advance its lead antibiotic BV100 to Phase III trials.

• SURE Mobility and Smart Wheelz merged to create one of the Netherlands' largest leisure e-vehicle rental firms.

• Atlys has expanded into the UK, acquiring Artionis to strengthen its visa services, aiming to enhance global travel accessibility.

• United Fintech has made its largest acquisition to date by acquiring Norway-based CBA, expanding into commercial banking.

• Visma has expanded into France by acquiring Evoliz, strengthening its financial management SaaS offerings for SMEs.

🏦 About Investors

• Cherry Ventures has raised $500 million for its fifth early-stage and opportunity fund, urging European founders to build the continent’s first trillion-dollar company.

• Hitachi Ventures has launched its fourth $400 million fund to invest in early-stage deep tech startups across energy, AI, biotech, and manufacturing.

• Paris-based VC firm Emblem has closed its first fund at $85 million, planning to make 25-30 seed investments across Europe and the United States.

• Haatch secured an additional $12.39 million from British Business Investments, boosting support for UK pre-seed B2B SaaS startups.

• German VC firm HV Capital is opening a London office this spring and hiring a new partner, marking its first expansion outside Germany.

🚀 Startup of the Week

Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆

Froda

Swedish fintech company Froda has expanded its partnership with the European Investment Fund, securing $154.98 million in lending guarantees to support 10,000 SMEs across all 27 EU member states, making it the first EU-wide microfinance partner. This builds on an initial $51.57 million guarantee and extends Froda’s embedded finance solutions beyond Sweden, where SMEs financed through its platform saw an average growth of 131% in their first year. Founded in 2015 by Olle Lundin, Oliver Mohseni, Marcus Mossberg, Martin Roxland, and Kristina Kockum, Froda aims to simplify SME financing with digital lending solutions, ensuring easier access to capital on fair terms.

💼 Investor of the Week

Introducing our Investor of the Week 🏆

Cherry Ventures

Berlin-based VC firm Cherry Ventures has raised $500 million for its fifth early-stage and opportunity fund, aiming to back European founders and foster the continent’s first trillion-dollar company amid rising global competition. Founded in 2012, Cherry Ventures has offices in Berlin, London, and Stockholm, and its investment team includes former entrepreneurs and operators from Zalando, Spotify, and Uber. With previous investments in startups like The Exploration Company, Flink, and Forto, the firm remains committed to strengthening Europe's position in the global tech landscape.

 🤑 Opportunity Radar

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