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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 🌍

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.

Let's delve into the core sections of our weekly newsletter:

• 📰 Important News

• 💸 Top Funding Rounds

• 💰️ Notable Exits

• 🏦 About Investors

• 📈 Deep Dive Bites

• 🚀 Startup of the Week

• 💼 Investor of the Week

• 🤑 Opportunity Radar

📰 Important News

• The Royal Academy of Engineering has launched the £150 million ($197M) Green Future Fellowships to support 50 climate tech projects over five years.

• Northvolt, Europe's leading battery startup, is set to cut jobs and sell production sites amid financial struggles.

• Kinetix has launched a $1 million AI-UGC Fund to support game developers in integrating generative AI technology for user-generated content in gaming.

• Ireland's media regulator is reviewing Big Tech platforms' content reporting processes following complaints about difficulties in reporting illegal content.

• Google's appeal against a €2.42 billion ($2.68B) EU antitrust ruling on its shopping service has been rejected.

💸 Top Funding Rounds

• Germany-based Reverion has raised $62 million in Series A funding led by Energy Impact Partners to enhance its production of carbon-negative power plants.

• Berlin-based startup Formo has secured $61 million in Series B funding to expand its sustainable cheese alternatives made from koji protein.

• Form3 has raised $60 million in a Series C extension led by British Patient Capital to enhance its payment infrastructure and drive expansion into key markets like the UK, Europe, and the US.

• Swedish Baseload Capital has raised €53 million ($58.77M) in a Series B funding round led by ENGF to accelerate the commercialization of geothermal energy projects globally.

• Neat, a Paris-based insurtech startup, has raised €50 million ($55.44M) in a Series A funding round after experiencing a remarkable 700% growth in just one year.

💰️ Notable Exits

• Finnish food tech startup Solar Foods went public on Nasdaq’s First North Growth in Finland under the ticker SFOODS.

• GTreasury has acquired CashAnalytics to enhance its cash forecasting capabilities, providing automated, intelligent analysis for over 1,000 organizations worldwide.

• Copenhagen's EasyTranslate has acquired Nordic WorldTranslation to enhance its AI-driven translation services.

• Vector8, a Swiss data and AI transformation partner, has acquired Macedonian Fintech company Nexora.

• Assessio, a leading Swedish assessment company, has acquired Wisnio, an Estonian software development firm, to enhance its market presence.

🏦 About Investors

• Atomico, the London-based venture capital firm, has raised $1.24 billion for two specialized funds aimed at early and growth-stage startups in Europe, significantly boosting its commitment to the region's tech ecosystem.

• AENU, a European VC firm focused on climate technology, closed its inaugural fund at €170 million ($188.49M), surpassing the €140 million ($155.23M) target.

• Outward VC has launched its second fund with €60.5 million ($67.08M) aimed at supporting early-stage founders and driving innovation in fintech and beyond, focusing on addressing significant societal challenges.

📈 Deep Dive Bites

Dive into Austria's dynamic venture capital scene with our in-depth look at the country's most active VC firms. From early-stage investments to scaling high-growth startups, these top investors are at the forefront of driving innovation across diverse sectors. Explore the full article to see the complete list of Austria's leading VC firms and learn more about their investment activity.

🚀 Startup Of the Week

Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆

Reverion

Germany-based Reverion, a pioneer in developing reversible, carbon-negative power plants, has recently secured $62 million in Series A funding. This investment round, led by Energy Impact Partners (EIP) with additional backing from Honda and the European Innovation Council Fund (EIC Fund), will accelerate Reverion's production capabilities. The company, founded in 2015 as a spin-off from the Technical University of Munich, is dedicated to optimizing biogas use to enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. The new funding will support Reverion in meeting the rising market demand and addressing significant pre-orders, positioning it at the forefront of the renewable energy transition.

💼 Investor of the Week

Introducing our Investor of the Week 🏆

Atomico

Atomico, the London-based venture capital firm founded by Skype co-founder Niklas Zennström, has raised a record $1.24 billion for two new funds—Atomico Growth VI and Atomico Venture VI. This represents a significant increase of over 50% from its previous fund. The new funds, totaling $754 million for growth-stage and $485 million for early-stage investments, will support startups across Europe. With a focus on technology sectors like digital work, enterprise data, mobility, and climate technology, Atomico continues its mission to champion European innovation. The firm, which has invested in over 130 companies including Stripe and Klarna, aims to drive growth and scale within the European tech ecosystem.

 🤑 Opportunity Radar

Alchemist Accelerator

The Alchemist Accelerator is accepting applications for its next program cycle, with a deadline of October 11th, 2024. This six-month accelerator is tailored for early-stage startups that focus on enterprise solutions, offering a structured path to growth through mentorship, access to early adopters, and a global network of investors and experts. With hubs in San Francisco, Tokyo, Memphis, and Munich, Alchemist provides diverse resources to support startups across different regions. The program includes seed funding, strategic guidance, and opportunities for visibility at industry conferences.