Startup and product news week 36

Signicat expands its portfolio. Likeminded takes over whylab. Woltair strives to enter the German market. OvulaRing wins award again. Finstep launches fintech app.

Signicat adds SPID to its portfolio, enabling seamless digital identity verification across Europe.

Signicat, a leading digital identity company in Europe, has successfully integrated the Italian e-ID system SPID into its range of electronic identity services. As the first international aggregator to offer SPID, Signicat enables businesses and public administrations across Europe to seamlessly interact with SPID users for customer onboarding and authentication purposes. This move makes it easier for European companies to integrate SPID into their onboarding processes and creates a bridge between Italian citizens and businesses across Europe. Signicat remains at the forefront of the electronic identification revolution, driving digital identity verification to enable a more efficient and user-friendly future for businesses and public administrations.

Likeminded strengthens group formats with acquisition of whylab

Berlin - The B2B workplace mental health company Likeminded recently acquired Berlin-based startup whylab, which specializes in smart group formats and peer coaching. This acquisition strengthens Likeminded's capabilities in group formats and positions the company as a leader in the workplace mental health market. Likeminded provides employees with access to psychological support and personal growth, while whylab brings its expertise in smart group formats to Likeminded's platform. This merger is expected to help realize Likeminded's vision to comprehensively promote mental health in the workplace, with group formats as a forward-thinking approach. Major clients such as Jack Wolfskin, Oliver Wyman and sennder have already benefited from Likeminded's solutions.

Czech start-up Woltair aims for German market with comprehensive range of heat pumps

Czech start-up Woltair has set its sights on conquering Germany with a comprehensive range of heat pumps. The company, already known in Europe as an expert in renewable energy, plans to install heat pumps within 30 days and aims to become the market leader in Germany within three years. The expansion will be supported by the digitalization of the trade, including its own digital platform. Woltair has already attracted well-known investors and reported sales of €20.6 million in the first half of 2023. With a comprehensive service offering that includes planning, installation, government subsidies and a 24-hour express service for repairs, Woltair offers its customers a complete solution. Since its inception, the company has specialized in promoting renewable energy in the residential sector and has already saved thousands of tons of CO2 emissions.

The German company Woltair Group is based in Munich, where it is currently building its 3,000-square-meter headquarters. In parallel, it is forming its core management team for Germany.

OvulaRing wins award for the second time in a row

The OvulaRing medical product from Leipzig has once again won the German Health Award in the 'Cycle Computer/Tracker' category. The award was based on a customer survey with around 45,000 votes cast. The German Health Award is presented by the German Institute for Service Quality and ntv and recognizes outstanding achievements in healthcare, including healthcare products. OvulaRing, a biosensor for fertility diagnostics, precisely measures core body temperature every five minutes and creates an image of the female cycle. This product helps women and healthcare professionals with family planning, and some health insurers already cover the cost of its use.

Hamburg-based startup Finstep launches free educational app for youth financial independence

Hamburg-based Finstep Solutions GmbH announces the official launch of its new educational app, "Finstep," which is targeted at teens and young adults. After a successful beta test period, the free and registration-free app is now available in the iOS App Store. Finstep enables basic financial education through interactive learning, personal finance features such as the Goal Tracker and Spending Analysis, and a wide range of financial topics. Youth engagement is encouraged through gamification and progress tracking, while linking to a bank account is not required. The goal: a financially well-educated young generation for a better financial future.