Startup Researcher - Europe: Week 19, 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

• Cloud provider Coreweave is investing £1 billion in expanding its UK operations, with plans to open two data centers in 2024 and further expansions in the future, a move welcomed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

• Bill Gates flew to Berlin to discuss Germany's climate tech future, including potential solutions for financing challenges, such as a €1 billion fund to address the industry's first-of-a-kind financing gap.

• FabricNano and Veolia collaborate on carbon capture technology trials, aiming for more efficient CO2 conversion into solid form, heralding a significant step in combating climate change.

• Lactocore's AI-driven drug discovery platform highlights the potential of LCGM-10, a short peptide found in cow's milk, for depression treatment, showing stimulatory effects comparable to caffeine.

💸 Top Funding Rounds

• UK autonomous vehicle startup Wayve has secured a monumental $1.05 billion Series C round, led by SoftBank and joined by prominent investors including Nvidia and Microsoft.

• UK fintech startup Abound secured €0.9 billion to expand access to fair credit through AI and open banking, bringing total funding to €1.5 billion.

• France's Stonal, a real estate data management platform, secured up to €100 million in strategic investment from Aareon after launching its GenAI solution.

• London-based Fintech Farm secured $32 million in funding from Nordstar and Bank of Georgia.

• London-based online jewelry marketplace Nivoda has raised €27.9 million in its Series B funding round.

💰️ Notable Exits

• Freepik expands its AI capabilities and global reach with the acquisition of Magnific, a Spanish-based AI image upscaler, and enhancer.

• Dutch-based Solvari expands its portfolio through acquisition, buying Amsterdam-based Offerte.nl as part of its buy-and-build strategy.

• Corlytics expands its regulatory intelligence offerings by acquiring Deloitte UK's regtech platform.

• Regtech CUBE acquired its competitor Reg-Room, enhancing its regulatory compliance platform.

• Access Legal, a division of the Access Group, has acquired UK legaltech app inCase, aiming to enhance client communication and productivity.

🏦 About Investors

• Luxembourg's Ocean 14 Capital Fund I, dedicated to the 'blue economy,' has closed with €201 million, supporting sustainable ocean health solutions.

• Munich-based venture capital firm Armira Growth, specializing in tech-enabled growth companies, has secured €200 million for its inaugural Armira Growth Fund I.

• Bucharest's Early Game Ventures (EGV) launched a new €60 million fund, Fund II, backed by the European Investment Fund's Recovery Equity Fund, to invest in CEE startups.

📈 Deep Dive Bites

Discover the key players fueling France's vibrant startup ecosystem, including Bpifrance, Kima Ventures, and Partech, in our latest article on the most active startup investors in France. Read the full article for insights into their investment strategies and success stories.

🤝 Diversity Spotlight

Discover the trailblazing women shaping the Dutch startup landscape as venture capital partners. From sustainability to digital innovation, they're driving impactful investments and fostering inclusive growth. Read the full article to learn more about their remarkable contributions and the diverse expertise they bring to the table.

🚀 Startup Of the Week

Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆: Wayve, a UK-based leader in autonomous vehicle technology. Recently securing a monumental $1.05 billion Series C funding round led by SoftBank, with participation from Nvidia and Microsoft.

Wayve aims to advance AI solutions for self-driving cars, employing an innovative learning-based approach. They're shaping the future of transportation, solidifying their position as Europe's top player in the autonomous vehicles market.

💼 Investor of the Week

This week's standout investor 🏆 is Ocean 14 Capital, leading the charge with its new €201 million investment in ocean health.

Specializing in the blue economy, the Fund backs initiatives combatting overfishing, plastic pollution, and ecosystem preservation. Under the leadership of co-founder Chris Gorell Barnes, Ocean 14 Capital Fund champions a mission crucial for humanity's future. With support from renowned investors like Nestlé and Schroders, they're driving transformation in ocean conservation, aiming for environmental impact alongside financial returns.