Startupnews KW 19 - 2025

MARKT-PILOT celebrates five years of growth. Circula secures 15 million euros. LEEF and wisefood merge. MediaTech Hub Potsdam becomes startup center of the state of Brandenburg. DePoly secures 23 million US dollars. Fincite and Harvest merge. FTAPI appoints Guido de Vries as CRO. move+ Accelerator launches application phase. Lab4Land opens application phase 2025. Foreign trade and industrial production with upward trend. allO cooperates with finmid. Elcogen and Casale join forces. Juicy Marbles enters German retail market. Solda.AI receives 4 million euros.

Financing rounds

Circula secures 15 million euros

Berlin-based software company Circula has raised 15 million euros in an extended Series A financing round to further develop its AI-supported solution for expense management. The aim is to drive the change towards autonomous processing in the CFO area of small and medium-sized companies. With over 2,800 customers and strong sales growth, Circula aims to expand its leading role in the German SME sector. The fresh capital will be used in particular for the further development of finance operations functions and AI-supported workflows.

Solda.AI receives 4 million euros to develop voice AI for fintech sales

The startup Solda.AI has closed a seed financing round of 4 million euros to develop AI-supported voice assistants for sales in the fintech and banking sector. The aim is to create automated voice AIs that can independently conduct sales conversations and close deals. The round was supported by Accel and AltaIR Capital. Solda.AI aims to set a new industry standard in AI-supported sales in 2025.

DePoly secures 23 million US dollars for next growth phase in plastics recycling

Swiss cleantech scale-up DePoly has raised 23 million US dollars in an extended seed funding round to advance the construction of its first industrial showcase facility in Monthey (Switzerland). With the participation of MassMutual Ventures and existing investors such as BASF Venture Capital, Beiersdorf Venture Capital and Zürcher Kantonalbank, the total funding amounts to over 30 million US dollars. The new plant, which will be launched in summer 2025, will demonstrate DePoly's technology for converting PET and polyester waste into virgin raw materials without fossil resources on an industrial scale for the first time. The financing also paves the way for a significantly larger commercial plant by 2027 and strengthens DePoly's position as a European pioneer in the circular plastics economy.

M & A

LEEF and wisefood complete merger

The merger of the two sustainable packaging providers LEEF from Potsdam and wisefood from Garching has been officially completed and entered in the commercial register. With the full integration of wisefood GmbH into LEEF Blattwerk GmbH, the companies are pooling their expertise in the development of CO₂-neutral take-away and packaging solutions. While LEEF specializes in palm leaf products, wisefood became known for its edible drinking straws and a wide range of sustainable products. Together, they want to expand their market position, further scale sustainable alternatives and make shipping more efficient, from individual packages to large orders.

Fincite and Harvest join forces

Frankfurt-based WealthTech company Fincite is merging with French market leader Harvest to create a pan-European champion for wealth management software. Backed by private equity investors TA Associates and Montagu, the new "Harvest Group" plans strategic acquisitions across Europe to expand its market share and double group revenues within four years. The merger addresses the growing demand for modular, integrable software solutions in wealth management and aims to comprehensively modernize banks' system landscapes. Both companies will retain their own brands, teams and locations - Fincite-Co founder Ralf Heim will also join the Group's Board.

Cooperations

allO and finmid provide fast access to financing for over 1,000 restaurants

The restaurant platform allO is cooperating with the financial infrastructure provider finmid to offer over 1,000 restaurants in Germany - particularly those from the ethnic gastronomy sector - fast and flexible access to customized financing solutions. Via the allO platform, businesses can now apply for financing directly and without bureaucracy, which is usually disbursed within 48 hours if suitable. The aim is to make it easier for small and medium-sized companies in particular to expand their business. The partnership specifically addresses gaps in the traditional financial system, which often affect companies with a migration background in particular. allO thus underlines its claim to provide restaurants with holistic support in all phases of growth.

Elcogen and Casale join forces for green ammonia production

Elcogen, a European supplier of solid oxide electrolysis technology (SOEC), and Casale SA, a global specialist in plant technology for ammonia and chemical precursors, have signed a letter of intent to work together. The aim of the partnership is to integrate Elcogen's SOEC technology into Casale's industrial processes, in particular for the production of green hydrogen for the manufacture of ammonia. Both companies want to tap into the potential for power-to-X applications and contribute to the reduction of CO₂ emissions in industry. The cooperation is based on the combination of Elcogen's technology platform and Casale's expertise in process design.

Personnel

FTAPI appoints Guido de Vries as CRO

Following a strategic investment of 65 million euros, the Munich-based provider of secure data exchange FTAPI is strengthening its management team: Guido de Vries is taking over responsibility for Sales, Marketing, Customer Success and Revenue Operations as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) with immediate effect. With over 20 years of experience - including at Miro, Navan and EGYM - de Vries will drive European expansion, scale the go-to-market organization and strengthen FTAPI's role as a leading platform for digital sovereignty. CEO Ari Albertini sees him as a key driver for the implementation of the ambitious growth strategy.

More exciting startup news of the week

MARKT-PILOT celebrates five years of growth and innovation in mechanical engineering

The software manufacturer MARKT-PILOT is celebrating its fifth anniversary and can look back on a dynamic development from a university-based start-up to an international industry leader in the field of market-oriented spare parts pricing. Founded in Esslingen in 2020, the company is now headquartered in Stuttgart and has branches in the USA, Scandinavia and Italy. With the combination of AI-based software, consistent internationalization and a strong network of partners, MARKT-PILOT serves around 200 mechanical engineering companies worldwide. Series A financing of 40 million euros in 2024 and its own industry events underline the growth potential of the company, which continues to focus on product development and team building. A great success story from BaWü!

MediaTech Hub Potsdam becomes official startup center of the state of Brandenburg

The MediaTech Hub Potsdam has become an official start-up center of the state of Brandenburg and will receive around 2.5 million euros from ERDF funds to support up to 60 growth-oriented start-ups in the field of media technologies by 2028. The expansion of the existing accelerator will double the number of supported teams, who will benefit from modular programs, free office space and a network that is unique in Europe. As the only specialized MediaTech center in Brandenburg, the MTH Potsdam strengthens the international visibility of the location and plays a key role in the ICT, Media & Creative Industries cluster. The first cohort will start in July 2025, applications are now open at https://mth-potsdam.de/en/application-form/

From idea to scaling: move+ Accelerator launches application phase for new programs

The move+ Accelerator from Friedrichshafen is launching the application phase for two newly designed programs: move+ ignite for prospective founders in the idea phase and move+ scale for startups in the early growth phase. Both programs combine personal coaching by experienced founders with AI-supported tools to provide participants with targeted support in building their business model. Applications can be submitted until May 31, 2025. The three-month programs start on 9 June and are aimed at a maximum of ten teams or individuals who can participate free of charge. The aim is to sustainably strengthen start-ups in the fields of energy and mobility with individual support and a strong network.

Lab4Land opens application phase 2025: Three weeks of focus on ideas for social change

The Lab4Land accelerator is launching the application phase for this year's program, which will take place from 18 August to 5 September 2025 at the DSTATION KreativCampus in Schöppenstedt. The program is looking for start-ups, creative minds and socially committed people with early ideas in the areas of FARM | SOCIAL | CULTURE who want to shape social change with an entrepreneurial spirit, sustainability and a sense of community. During the three-week, intensive program, participants receive access to coaching, a strong network and visibility - including a final pitch event on 5 September in front of stakeholders from politics, science and business. The application deadline is June 1, 2025.

Foreign trade and industrial production in March 2025: positive signals for the German economy

According to the Federal Statistical Office, the German economy showed a slight upward trend in March 2025: adjusted for calendar and seasonal effects, exports rose by 1.1% compared to the previous month to 133.2 billion euros, while imports fell by 1.4% to 112.1 billion euros. This resulted in a trade surplus of 21.1 billion euros. At the same time, production in the manufacturing sector also increased by 3.0% compared to February. This is the strongest increase in a three-month comparison since the beginning of 2022. Particularly strong impetus came from the automotive industry (+8.1%), the pharmaceutical industry (+19.6%) and mechanical engineering (+4.4%). Despite these positive developments, both exports and industrial production were almost on a par with the previous year, indicating a stable but still fragile economic recovery overall.

Juicy Marbles brings plant-based whole-cut meat alternatives to German retailers

The Slovenian company Juicy Marbles, known for its plant-based meat alternatives in the form of whole cuts of meat, is now also launching its products in German food retailers. Following a successful launch in several international markets, the range includes marbled fillet steaks, plant-based ribs and other soy-based products that are based on real meat in terms of taste, texture and freedom of preparation. Produced without 3D printing or cell cultures, Juicy Marbles offers nutrient-rich, natural alternatives with Nutri-Score A using a specially developed process. The aim is to create a convincing, culinary and nutritionally high-quality option for people who want to reduce or eliminate their meat consumption.