Startup News 2024 - KW 2

Registration open for MedTech start-ups. Albert Schwarzmeier becomes new CEO and partner at enua Pharma GmbH. Startup Association comments on the draft bill of the Bureaucracy Relief Act (BEG IV). Novus publishes Angel Advisor & Ambassador Board. SENovation Award.

refurbed 1 billion euros in external sales since foundation

In 2023, refurbed recorded enormous growth in its product range, turnover and investments. With external sales of 1 billion euros since its foundation, the company reached a significant milestone. The Series C investment round in November raised 54 million euros, the largest financing to date. The company added seven new product categories to its range, gained renowned partners and focused strongly on sustainability, which was underlined by a study on the environmental impact of refurbished electronic items. Looking ahead to 2024, refurbed will continue to focus on profitable growth, improve the customer experience and further expand its leading role in the circular economy. Planned research studies and increased lobbying in Brussels, Vienna and Berlin demonstrate the company's ambition to further strengthen and consolidate its focus on sustainability.

Novus publishes Angel Advisor & Ambassador Board

The company NOVUS(NOVUS Bike) recently introduced its Angel Advisor & Ambassador Board. Board members include prominent personalities from various industries, including Nikolai Schröder from FINN, Michael Wax from Forto, Rupert Stadler, the former CEO of AUDI, and Sophia Flörsch, a talented FIA FORMULA 3 racing driver. Despite challenging economic and social conditions, NOVUS has succeeded in bringing top-class experts on board to define a new category in urban mobility. The first tangible result of this strategy is the acquisition of a lead investor on the way to the seed round. The company is planning further milestones for the current year, including EU type approval and the start of production.

Albert Schwarzmeier becomes new CEO and shareholder at enua Pharma GmbH

Albert Schwarzmeier joins enua Pharma GmbH, a German producer of medical cannabis, as the new CEO and managing partner. The appointment of Schwarzmeier, who was also involved in a financing round, will complement the existing CEO triumvirate. His goal is to develop enua Pharma into a major cannabis manufacturer on the German market and to further strengthen the brand. Under his leadership, the company aims to supply 150,000 patients with cannabis by 2026 and generate annual sales of over EUR 100 million. Enua Pharma, founded in 2018, is based in Cologne and is one of the leading cannabinoid companies in Germany dedicated to the research, production, import and distribution of cannabis.

Registration open for MedTech start-ups

Medical Innovations Incubator GmbH is looking for innovative MedTech start-ups with new product ideas for the healthcare sector. Startups can apply for the 7th round of the 4C Accelerator until January 19. The program offers workshops, coaching and community integration to support startups in developing a successful and regulatory compliant business model. Participants receive training on regulatory thinking, accompanying coaching for a year and access to exclusive networking events. The aim is to make start-ups fit for investors by integrating the 4Cs (Compliance, Clinical, Customer, and Cost) into their business models. The program is supported by Start-up BW of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, the B. Braun Foundation and the Hector Foundation.

SENovation Award honors innovations for the older generation in its seventh year

The SENovation Award is entering its seventh year and is once again recognizing start-up teams that develop innovative concepts for older people. The focus is on the inclusion of older people in the future of the longevity market. Teams from Germany, Austria and Switzerland are invited to submit their ideas. The prize is supported by the SIGNAL IDUNA Group and aims to tackle the challenges of an ageing society. Customer reviews play an important role in the selection process, while workshops and webinars delve deeper into the topic of "offers for older people". The prize includes EUR 5,000 each for a startup and a team in the pre-foundation phase, and the jury consists of experts from organizations such as Bitkom e.V. and VDI-VDE, under the patronage of Mona Neubaur, Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. More information on how to take part is available at www.senovation-award.de.

Aunetic acquires LARI digital to strengthen its governance software suite

Aunetic, a governance software company formerly known as Blika, has announced the acquisition of Swiss provider LARI digital. LARI digital provides a cloud-based legal and regulatory monitoring platform specializing in automated regulatory change monitoring for internal legal and compliance teams. This acquisition marks Aunetic's first acquisition of a Swiss company and strengthens its European presence. The acquisition aims to expand Aunetic's governance software suite, consolidate its market presence in the DACH region and add new regulatory change monitoring solutions to its existing product offering. Both Aunetic and LARI are enthusiastic about the partnership and the opportunities it presents to expand and innovate their services. Main Capital Partners, a software investor, supports this strategic move and emphasizes its commitment to support Aunetic in its growth.

Startup Association comments on the draft bill of the Bureaucracy Relief Act (BEG IV)

In the view of the Startup Association, the draft bill for the Bureaucracy Relief Act (BEG IV) does not make sufficient progress with regard to employment contracts and evidence. Christoph Stresing, Managing Director of the Startup Association, comments as follows:

"Unfortunately, the traffic light does not live up to its goal of "Daring to make more progress" with the draft bill for the Bureaucracy Relief Act. The Evidence Act is still not intended to create the possibility of recording the essential elements of employment contracts in an uncomplicated manner in future. In almost all other areas, the written form is to be dispensed with, thereby facilitating digitalization. For employment contracts, on the other hand, the impractical qualified electronic signature is to be introduced. Such a signature is associated with a great deal of disproportionate effort and does not meet the requirements of a digital working world in the 21st century. Progress is looking down the tube here. As a result, the federal government is holding on to unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles. The other federal government departments are now called upon to further develop the draft in a future-oriented manner. The government draft planned for mid-March should definitely take this point into account."