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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

• 📋️ Curated Lists

• 📈 Deep Dive Bites

• 🎙️ Expert Insights

• 🤝 Diversity Spotlight

• 🚀 Startup Of the Week

• 💼 Investor of the Week

• 🤑 Opportunity Radar

📰 Important News

• Cleo, an AI-powered fintech offering budgeting tips, hits $150 million ARR after celebrating $100 million earlier this year.

• Affirm has launched in the United Kingdom, marking its first international expansion outside North America.

• Mistral has launched a content moderation API powered by its Ministral 8B model, capable of classifying text in multiple languages into nine categories.

• French health insurance startup Alan has introduced Mo, an AI health assistant offering AI-driven medical advice with doctor verification.

• ESA and the Paul Scherrer Institute have launched the European Space Deep-Tech Innovation Center to foster innovations for space and industrial applications.

💸 Top Funding Rounds

• CrytocoinMiner completed a $100 million round from investors including Nomad Capital and Sky9 Capital to accelerate decentralized governance.

• Paris-based ZE Energy raised €54 million ($57.24M) to expand its hybrid solar and battery storage projects across Europe.

• UK-based e-commerce fulfillment startup Huboo raised £45 million ($56.7M) in funding, led by Mubadala to support its warehousing and logistics services.

• Kaizen, a regulatory compliance technology provider, has received a £42 million ($52.92M) investment from Guidepost Growth Equity.

• Cintoo has raised €37 million ($39.68M) in Series B funding to enhance its cloud-based platform for managing and collaborating on 3D laser scan data.

💰️ Notable Exits

• Printful and Printify are merging to offer better services by combining Printful’s in-house production with Printify’s partner network.

• Incredibuild has acquired German startup Garden in a $65 million deal to enhance CI pipeline efficiency.

• Normative, a Swedish enterprise carbon accounting company, has acquired Eivee to expand its client base in Denmark.

• Czech media company LiveSport has acquired Spanish football data provider BeSoccer, to strengthen its presence in Spanish and French-speaking countries.

• Relief Therapeutics has signed a non-binding letter of intent to merge with Renexxion, a clinical-stage biotech focused on gastrointestinal disorders.

🏦 About Investors

• French VC Axeleo Capital has launched its €125 million ($134.06M) Green Tech Industry I fund to support industrial green tech startups in Europe.

• Amsterdam-based Pymwymic closed its Healthy Food Systems Impact Fund II at €71.5 million ($76.68M), aiming to support AgriFood scale-ups.

• The Hague-based 4impact Capital closed its second fund at €68 million ($72.93M), backed by the EIF and Invest-NL.

• Emerge has raised a £56 million ($72.36M) fund to back AI-driven education and future of work startups, with plans to invest £500K-2M per company.

• Faber has launched a €60 million ($64.35M) deeptech fund, Faber Tech III, to support pre-seed and seed-stage Iberian startups.

📋️ Curated Lists

Discover Italy's top venture capital firms shaping the future of innovation across diverse sectors. From Milan to Rome, these firms are fueling high-growth startups in fintech, biotech, and sustainable tech, driving Italy’s transformation into a tech-powered hub. Delve into the full article to explore Italy's most active VC firms and their standout contributions to the country's entrepreneurial journey.

🚀 Startup Of the Week

Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆

CrytocoinMiner

CrytocoinMiner, a decentralized cloud mining platform, has raised $100 million in strategic financing from investors including Nomad Capital, No Limit Holdings, Sky9 Capital, UOB-Signum Blockchain Fund, and Interop Ventures. This funding will drive CrytocoinMiner's expansion and support its decentralized governance and public goods financing efforts, powered by its flagship public equity infrastructure, escrow contract protocols, and privacy-preserving mechanisms. Known for simplifying cryptocurrency mining, CrytocoinMiner offers accessible contracts with high returns, making it appealing to both beginners and seasoned investors seeking passive income.

💼 Investor of the Week

Introducing our Investor of the Week 🏆

Axeleo Capital

Axeleo Capital, a French venture firm founded in 2017 by Eric Burdier and Mathieu Viallard, has closed the first round of its €125 million ($134.06M) Green Tech Industry I fund, aimed at supporting innovative green tech startups in Europe. Backed by investors such as Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale, Bpifrance, and Veolia, the fund focuses on sectors including energy, chemicals, agriculture, food, and mobility. With nearly €300 million ($321.74M) in assets under management, Axeleo Capital plans to make 15 to 20 investments, with lead tickets ranging from €3 million to €10 million.

 🤑 Opportunity Radar

Techstars Anywhere Accelerator

Apply to the Techstars Anywhere Accelerator by Nov 20th, 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 Mar 10th, 2025, and culminates in a Demo Day on Jun 5th, 2025. Don’t miss this opportunity to join a dynamic community of entrepreneurs and accelerate your business journey.