News week 20 - 2024

reev secures 10 million euros in Series A. Marble Imaging and Reflex Aerospace form partnership. Thomas Brinkhaus appointed CTO. Qwello takes over Park & Charge. Partnership between Dexcom and Perfood. Mindfuel conquers US market with support from German Accelerator. Deel announces partnership with Carta for equity management. Main Capital Partners announces exit of Optimizers to Orisha. Exit for bNear and other news.

reev secures 10 million euros in Series A

The German eMobility software company reev has successfully closed a Series A financing round of ten million euros. Led by Future Energy Ventures and Blue Earth Capital, with participation from N-ERGIE, this investment aims to strengthen reev's position as a leading provider of charging solutions in German-speaking countries and to open up new markets. reev's software simplifies the expansion of charging infrastructure and contributes to the transition to sustainable e-mobility.

Marble Imaging and Reflex Aerospace join forces

Marble Imaging and Reflex Aerospace have entered into a partnership to reshape Earth observation in Europe. They plan to deploy up to 200 satellites to capture high-resolution images of the entire planet on a daily basis. The collaboration leverages Reflex Aerospace's expertise in developing stable and precise satellite platforms to enable very high-resolution satellite imagery. The project is supported by the German Space Agency DLR and aims to address pressing global challenges through real-time Earth observation data. This partnership closes a gap in Earth observation capabilities and strengthens European independence in the provision of such data.

Qwello acquires Park & Charge

Qwello, the European operator of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, has announced the acquisition of the Dutch provider Park & Charge. This merger aims to capitalize on the strengths of both companies and create a pan-European charging platform to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles. With over 12,000 charging points in seven European countries, the combined company will play a major role in promoting electric mobility. This collaboration also offers the opportunity to accelerate growth in the Netherlands and strengthen cooperation with municipalities to meet the demand for charging infrastructure there.

Partnership between Dexcom and Perfood improves diabetes management

Dexcom and Perfood have partnered to improve diabetes management for people with type 2 diabetes without insulin therapy. By integrating Dexcom's rtCGM system Dexcom G7 into Perfood's glucura app, patients can personalize and visualize their diabetes management. Physicians can now prescribe glucura together with Dexcom G7 rtCGM via sample 16 prescription. This collaboration combines monitoring technology with dietary adjustments to provide physicians and patients with valuable insights to better control metabolism and potentially avoid insulin therapy.

Evergreen strengthens leadership team: Thomas Brinkhaus appointed CTO

Evergreen, an embedded wealth management fintech based in Leipzig, has appointed Thomas Brinkhaus as Chief Technology Officer. Brinkhaus, who has been with the company since its inception and previously served as Head of Product, will now drive the technological development and integration of complex API solutions. The appointment underscores the strategic importance of technology and cybersecurity for Evergreen and follows the recent appointment of Dr. Jan Boehm as CFO. Founder and CEO Iven Kurz emphasizes Brinkhaus' contribution to internal development. Brinkhaus himself expresses confidence and motivation to build on the existing technical setup and expand the offering for customers and partners.

Mindfuel conquers US market with support from German Accelerator

The Munich-based startup Mindfuel is expanding its activities to the US market with the support of German Accelerator. Despite the growing startup sector in Europe, entering the US market remains an essential step for many European startups, as the US is seen as a land of opportunity with a vibrant startup ecosystem and an extensive investor network. German Accelerator has been helping German startups enter the US market for more than a decade by providing them with access to a comprehensive program of mentoring, networking and business development. Mindfuel, a data product management company, joins this program and plans to take its innovative approach to the U.S. market after recently receiving significant funding funding. Mindfuel's CEO and co-founder, Nadiem von Heydebrand, emphasizes the importance of the program and is confident that their focus on data and artificial intelligence is a good fit for the US market. As part of the Accelerator program, Heydebrand will be in New York in person to introduce Mindfuel to the US market.

Deel announces partnership with Carta for equity management

Deel, the global all-in-one HR platform, has announced a strategic partnership with equity management platform Carta. The goal of this partnership is to streamline the process of granting stock options to employees worldwide by enabling the automation of equity taxes on a global scale and ensuring compliance with different tax regulations. The integration of Deel's global payroll offering with Carta's equity management expertise is designed to provide a comprehensive solution that simplifies the complexity of international cash transfers and tax compliance. The partnership aims to provide companies with efficient tools to manage a global workforce and facilitate equity administration. In addition, updates to Deel Equity have been announced to expand support for additional share types and provide detailed information for companies.

Exit for bNear

The Cologne-based start-up bNear, provider of a digital office that is integrated into Microsoft Teams, is now part of Solutions2Share GmbH, a Microsoft app specialist in Europe. This acquisition offers bNear the opportunity to benefit from Solutions2Share's expertise and portfolio and to enable further growth. The move marks a successful exit for bNear, which has made solid progress in the two years since its inception, including solid funding and the acquisition of well-known customers from various industries.

Main Capital Partners announces exit of Optimizers to Orisha

Main Capital Partners announced that it has successfully sold the Dutch company Optimizers to Orisha, a French enterprise software provider. The partnership between Main and Optimizers resulted in a strengthening of Optimizers' position as a European e-commerce software developer and a seven-fold increase in recurring revenues. Under Main's leadership, Optimizers significantly expanded its target market and grew its software business both organically and through acquisitions. Optimizers' management and Main Capital Partners were positive about the collaboration and the upcoming transition to Orisha, which is expected to open up new growth opportunities. Orisha sees the acquisition as an opportunity to take a leading role in omnichannel unified commerce in Europe. The transaction is expected to be subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close soon. Financial details were not disclosed.

Holidu acquires Clubrural

Holidu has announced the acquisition of Clubrural, a leading portal for rural vacation rentals based in Madrid. Clubrural, founded in 1997, has established itself as a pioneer in booking rural vacation rentals in Spain, offering over 28,000 accommodations in Spain and Portugal, with more than 15 million website visitors and over 15,000 hosts annually. The acquisition means an extended reach on the Holidu portal for hosts and a wider range of high-quality accommodation for guests, as well as a seamless integration of both platforms. Holidu CEO Johannes Siebers emphasizes the simplification of the rental processes and the increase in visibility for hosts as well as the improvement of the booking experience for guests. Holidu operates a booking portal for vacation rentals with over 100 million users annually and offers a software and service solution for landlords.

TQ Accelerator: Digital Finance launches to promote FinTech innovations in Frankfurt

TechQuartier has launched the TQ Accelerator: Digital Finance to promote innovation in Frankfurt's FinTech ecosystem. The program, run in collaboration with various partners such as Visa, ING Germany and Deutsche Bundesbank, aims to bridge the gap between startups and established companies in the financial sector. The seven-week accelerator will showcase a diverse group of 15 promising startups from Europe. These startups, including companies such as fulfin, Complidata and Teylor, cover areas such as credit optimization, AI-driven data analysis and digital lending.

metergrid gets FREENOW CTO Jan Ramm

Energy startup metergrid has appointed Jan Ramm, former CTO of FREENOW, as its new Chief Technology Officer. Ramm brings a strong track record in technology development and plans to use his expertise to make access to electricity more cost-efficient through new technologies. The appointment marks a strategic move for metergrid to transform the energy industry. Metergrid will also continue to expand its team, including the appointment of Torben Seib as Chief Marketing Officer and Alan Atzberger as Head of Partnerships.