Startup Researcher - Europe: Week 18, 2024

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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

• 🤝 Diversity Spotlight

• 🚀 Startup of the Week

• 💼 Investor of the Week

📰 Important News

• Polestar unveiled the world's first EV prototype to charge in just 10 minutes, utilizing StoreDot's silicon-dominant battery technology, setting a new standard for rapid charging in electric vehicles.

• Getir, Europe's leading speedy grocery startup, exits markets outside Turkey, including the US, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK.

• IBM sued Zurich-based startup LzLabs, alleging unlawful use of its mainframe technology. LzLabs denies the claim, stating compliance with EU and UK law in developing their migration tools.

• Daniel Ek's healthtech startup Neko Health, backed by a €60m Series A, expands to the UK after success in Sweden. The body scanning system aims to detect diseases earlier and reduce healthcare costs.

💸 Top Funding Rounds

• London-based fintech unicorn SumUp secured €1.5B from Goldman Sachs and other private credit lenders.

• Tallinn-based Bolt, the Uber rival, secured a €220M credit facility to enhance its transportation platform, offering ride-hailing, micromobility, and food delivery across Europe.

• Capify, the UK-based alternative finance company, secured a £100M credit facility from Pollen Street Capital.

• Copenhagen's Ageras raised €82M in an oversubscribed private placement to aid European small businesses in streamlining their administration, bringing their total funding to €200M.

• Turkish game developer Spyke Games secured a $50M investment from Moon Active, adding to its $55M seed funding in 2022.

💰️ Notable Exits

• Rotterdam-based Floorplanner acquired ARspar Technologies to enhance its digital space planning platform.

• Cin7, a provider of inventory management software, acquired Czech Inventoro, known for AI-driven sales forecasting.

• Kinderheldin and keleya, two femtech platforms, merged into keleya, offering comprehensive women's health services including AI-powered 24/7 midwife support.

• Thematic investment firm Summa Equity has acquired a majority stake in Munich-based FAST LTA GmbH, known for its secure data storage solutions

• Arnhem-based agritech startup Agcurate acquired Dr. Agro, a key player in Azerbaijan's agriculture sector, known for its agronomy expertise and online assistance for farmers

🏦 About Investors

• Belgium-based imec.xpand unveiled a €300M fund in collaboration with imec to drive the advancement of semiconductor and nanotechnology innovations.

• Novo Holdings, parent company of Novo Nordisk, invested €188m in Denmark's quantum startup ecosystem, leveraging the country's robust research sector and government support.

• Rotterdam's Infinity Recycling closed its €175M Circular Plastics Fund to invest in young recycling firms, backed by partners like the European Investment Fund.

• Ventech sold its 12% stake in Believe for a 36x return, totaling €175M, as part of a consortium-led buyout.

• Copenhagen's The Footprint Firm launched Fund I, closing its initial round at €50.2M, focusing on climate-positive innovations and sustainable solutions.

📈 Deep Dive Bites

Dive into our latest article highlighting the top venture capital firms fueling innovation across Germany. From Berlin to Munich, these dynamic players are shaping the future of technology and business. Get insights into notable portfolio companies and investment strategies driving growth.

Don't miss out—read the full article now to stay informed!

🤝 Diversity Spotlight

Check out our latest feature on the inspiring women shaping Germany's venture capital scene. From experienced investors to entrepreneurs focused on making an impact, these trailblazing female VC partners are driving innovation and empowering startups across the country. Read about their backgrounds, areas of expertise, and contributions to Germany's thriving startup ecosystem. Don't miss the full article for insights and inspiration!

🚀 Startup Of the Week

Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆: SumUp! This London-based fintech unicorn just raised a whopping €1.5 billion led by Goldman Sachs.

SumUp offers user-friendly payment solutions for small businesses worldwide, serving over 4 million merchants across 36 markets. With this funding, SumUp aims to accelerate its global expansion and solidify its position in the fintech sector.

💼 Investor of the Week

This week's standout investor 🏆 is imec.xpand, unveiling a new €300 million fund to propel semiconductor and nanotechnology breakthroughs. Aligned with imec, a premier R&D center, the fund prioritizes AI, photonics, and medical biotech startups. With a proven record of nurturing unicorns like Celestial AI and PsiQuantum, Imec.xpand is a force in driving innovation.