Hello there,

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

• 🤝 Diversity Spotlight

• 🚀 Startup of the Week

• 💼 Investor of the Week

• 🤑 Opportunity Radar

📰 Important News

• Newcleo has relocated its headquarters to France to leverage the country's nuclear energy expertise and closed the UK tranche of its Series A to bolster its growth and innovation plans.

• Julie Huguet has been appointed as the new director of Mission French Tech, succeeding Clara Chappaz.

• TIER-Dott, Europe's leader in shared micro-mobility, will now operate solely under the "Dott" brand by early 2025 after the completion of the merger.

• Munich-based flying taxi startup Lilium warns it faces insolvency unless it urgently raises more capital after reporting a net loss of €87m.

• Starling Bank has been fined $39 million by the FCA for allowing high-risk accounts to open despite a prior directive to stop such practices.

💸 Top Funding Rounds

• Poolside raised $500 million to advance AGI, aiming to democratize software creation and enhance AI capabilities with innovative methods.

• Paris-based Lockall secured €155 million from Starwood Capital for self-storage expansion, aiming to open 15 sites by 2026.

• Carmoola secures £100 million debt from NatWest to enhance direct-to-consumer car financing.

• UK-based Dexory secures $80 million in a Series B round consisting of 70% equity and 30% debt to scale its autonomous warehouse robots in the US.

• Submer raised a $55.5 million growth round to expand sustainable immersion cooling solutions for data centers.

💰️ Notable Exits

• Podimo acquired Danish podcast agency Podads to enhance monetization for creators and diversify revenue streams.

• Mastercard acquired Minna Technologies to enhance global subscription management with greater control over recurring payments.

• CAMBOSS acquired Novaheal to enhance its nursing education platform in Germany.

• Quoroom acquired Investory.io to enhance its capital-raising platform, enabling startups to manage equity and debt fundraising more effectively.

• Huma has acquired eConsult to enhance its digital healthcare offerings in the UK, aiming to provide seamless digital-first care.

🏦 About Investors

• Kurma Partners has closed €140 million in the first round of funding for Biofund IV, targeting €250 million, to invest in innovative therapeutics.

• EIona Star LP has closed its second fund's initial funding round, attracting a £10 million commitment from Frasers Group and Castelnau Group.

• Invest-NL has invested €5 million in the VCC Deep Tech Fund while looking to launch a new fund-in-fund initiative with pension funds.

• Final Frontier has launched Denmark's first VC fund focused on defense, aiming to raise €150 million to support European security.

• IW Capital has launched a new growth fund aimed at investing tens of millions in high-growth UK SMEs following a management buyout.

📈 Deep Dive Bites

Discover the vibrant venture capital landscape in Serbia, where dynamic firms fuel the startup boom and drive technological innovation. From ICT Hub Venture to South Central Ventures, explore how these key players provide essential funding, mentorship, and strategic support to emerging companies. Dive deeper into the full article to uncover the complete list of active VC firms transforming the country's startup ecosystem and fostering long-term growth.

🚀 Startup Of the Week

Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆

Poolside

Poolside, an AI coding startup founded in 2023 by Jason Warner, former CTO of GitHub, and serial entrepreneur Eiso Kant, has successfully raised $500 million to advance its mission of achieving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). This significant funding will enhance Poolside's capabilities in software creation, utilizing innovative methods such as Reinforcement Learning from Code Execution Feedback. Originally based in the U.S., Poolside has relocated to France, focusing on developing AI models that assist in software development, including tools for code autocompletion and bug fixing.

💼 Investor of the Week

Introducing our Investor of the Week 🏆

Kurma Partners

Kurma Partners, a prominent European venture capital firm specializing in healthcare and biotechnology, has successfully closed €140 million in the first round of funding for its latest investment fund, Biofund IV, which aims to reach a total target of €250 million. This fund represents the largest venture capital initiative by Kurma to date and plans to make between 16 to 20 new investments in innovative therapeutics. Founded in Paris in 2009, Kurma Partners is dedicated to enhancing human health by financing innovation across the healthcare sector, from early-stage biotechnology to growth capital.

 🤑 Opportunity Radar

Techstars Anywhere Accelerator

Apply to the Techstars Anywhere Accelerator by May 22nd, 2024, to elevate your startup from anywhere in the world. This innovative remote-first program, designed for companies across various industries, offers access to top-tier mentorship, funding of up to $120,000, and a worldwide network of investors. With three in-person meetups throughout the Americas, you'll gain valuable insights and connections to help you succeed. The accelerator kicks off on September 9th, 2024, and culminates in a Demo Day on December 5th, 2024. Don’t miss this opportunity to join a dynamic community of entrepreneurs and accelerate your business journey.