Startup news for the weekend week 16/26

Awards & Events

Startup Fight Club in Wernigerode for the first time - application phase started

The IBG Startup Fight Club 2026 will take place for the first time in Wernigerode on June 4, 2026; the ninth edition of the pitch competition is aimed at pupils, students, founders and startups who will present their ideas in a boxing ring format in front of a jury of investors and entrepreneurs. Lord Mayor Tobias Kascha is the patron of the event. In addition to the pitches, networking events and workshops on topics such as financing, law and marketing are planned. The aim of the event is to strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit in Saxony-Anhalt and make the regional startup scene more visible; applications can be submitted until May 8, 2026.

Heilbronn positions itself as a European AI hotspot with AI Festival

The IPAI Foundation's AI Festival 2026 will take place in Heilbronn on July 25 and 26, 2026 and will bring together science, business, art and society under the motto "READY? brings together science, business, art and society around artificial intelligence. With over 50 exhibiting organizations - including research institutions, companies and civil society initiatives - and more than 100 program items, the free festival aims to bring AI to life for a wide audience. The focus is on applications ranging from robotics and medicine to agriculture, as well as interactive formats, art installations and educational programs. The aim of the IPAI Foundation is to strengthen Heilbronn as a center for human-centric AI in Europe and to democratize access to technology to a greater extent.

Mannheim presents itself as a growing tech location at Innovation Night

At the Long Night of Innovation and Culture 2026 in Mannheim, over 100 players from the start-up scene, research and industry opened their doors and attracted around 10,000 visitors. The focus was on future technologies such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics and blockchain, which were brought to life in the form of live demos, exhibitions and workshops. Numerous start-ups, research institutions and companies presented practical applications - from AI-supported platforms and industrial software to medtech and sustainability solutions. The event underlines Mannheim's growing importance as a location for innovation in Germany and demonstrates the increasing networking of technology, business and society in the regional ecosystem.

Collaborations

Finom automates compliance processes with AI partner Porters

The European financial platform Finom is cooperating with AI specialist Porters to automate regulated back-office processes more efficiently. The partnership will initially focus on the AI-supported processing of seizure cases, a previously highly manual and document-intensive compliance process. Just a few weeks after the launch, over 7,000 cases were processed automatically, resulting in time and cost savings. In the future, the collaboration will be extended to other areas such as insolvency management and requests for information. The aim is to support Finom's operational scaling in several European markets by having AI take over standardized processes while human employees focus on exceptions and complex decisions.

onesto cooperates with MYFLYRIGHT

Business travel specialist onesto is partnering with legal tech company MYFLYRIGHT to help customers enforce compensation claims for flight delays, cancellations or baggage issues. From May 2026, users will be able to use the service directly via their onesto account, with MYFLYRIGHT taking over the verification and, if desired, the complete processing of claims. The cooperation is aimed in particular at business travelers and medium-sized companies and is intended to significantly simplify access to air passenger rights.

Transatlantic cooperation to advance robotics start-ups

The organizations New York Robotics, TUM Venture Labs Robotics and AI and UnternehmerTUM have agreed on a strategic partnership to promote innovation in robotics and physical AI. The goal is to build a transatlantic innovation network between the New York area and the Munich deep tech ecosystem to provide startups with better access to markets, capital and expertise. Plans include exchange programs, joint events and a virtual "Robotics Startup Studio". In particular, the initiative aims to accelerate the international scaling of robotics start-ups and strengthen the transfer of knowledge between research, industry and venture capital.

Mergers & Acquisitions

DataSpark joins Dataciders

DataSpark GmbH becomes part of the data & AI service provider Dataciders, continuing its focus on AI-supported process automation in a larger network. The aim of the merger is to grow further, particularly in the financial services and industrial business sectors, and to expand complex automation solutions in a scalable manner. DataSpark will contribute its experience in the automation of complex processes and an existing partner ecosystem, while Dataciders will expand its expertise in the data and AI environment. This should result in a broader range of services for customers, for example in the implementation of regulatory requirements or the processing of large volumes of data.

Personnel

nebenan.de strengthens management team with new CTPO

As of January 15, 2026, the neighborhood network nebenan.de has appointed Adam Mullen as Chief Technology and Product Officer, who will be responsible for the areas of technology and product and lead the strategic development of the platform. Mullen brings extensive experience from positions at companies such as Booking.com, Vinted and Smoobu and will be responsible in particular for driving forward scaling and product optimization. nebenan.de, which reaches several million users in Germany, wants to continue to position itself as an alternative to traditional social networks with a focus on local communities and real-life encounters. Plans include stronger networking of local businesses, improved accessibility and faster development cycles. At the same time, protecting the community from misuse remains a central component of the platform strategy.

New & exciting start-ups

Norta launches as a new fintech for financial stability

Berlin-based startup Norta is the first German portfolio company of venture builder 0TO9 to launch and is developing a digital solution to support people in financial distress. The focus is on an AI-supported companion that analyses income, expenditure and liabilities and derives specific action steps for stabilization. In doing so, the company is addressing a target group that has hardly been considered by many fintech offerings to date. Founder Lara Planet's aim is to tackle financial problems early and in a structured manner before they escalate. Norta is already active with its first test users and, in addition to its launch in Germany, is planning to expand into other European markets and cooperate with debt collection companies and employers, for example.

stroya scales tenant electricity model to a nationwide platform

The energy start-up stroya is developing from a regionally tried-and-tested solution into a scalable platform for tenant electricity across Germany, thereby driving forward the direct use of solar power in apartment buildings. Together with corporate venturing studio amberra, the originally locally developed business model has been developed into a digital full-service offering that integrates the planning, financing, implementation and operation of tenant electricity projects. The aim is to significantly simplify the previously complex and not very widespread use of photovoltaics in residential buildings and roll it out nationwide. Supported by cooperative banks and regional partners, stroya is already supplying the first households and now wants to tap into the market potential of decentralized energy supply in Germany.

Other exciting news from Startup Week

Trade Republic launches 24/7 customer service with real people and celebrates itself for it

Trade Republic has come up with the idea of service. The neobank is introducing a new, round-the-clock customer service via telephone and live chat, where users can communicate directly with service agents. Extensive investments in infrastructure, product development and a team of more than 1,000 employees have been made in recent months for the expansion. In addition, the company is releasing an app update with more than 30 new functions, including enhanced tax reporting, additional analysis tools for investors and improved security options. Trade Republic is also expanding the involvement of the community, for example through a newly established customer advisory board and additional exchange formats, in order to incorporate feedback more strongly into the further development of the platform.

Vyoma expands ESA project to include miniaturized sensors for space monitoring

Munich-based space startup Vyoma has been selected as part of a consortium led by Kepler Communications for ESA's HydRON Element 3 program to demonstrate new services for space domain awareness and space security. The aim is to use miniaturized SSA sensors to complement the existing capabilities of the so-called Flamingo satellites and enable faster and more frequent observation of objects orbiting the Earth. The data is to be processed with low latency and used for automated analysis and tracking processes, for example to detect satellite maneuvers. Vyoma plans to further expand its satellite network by 2029 in order to significantly improve the monitoring of low-Earth orbit and strengthen security in space.

BISON launches premium program for active crypto traders

The crypto platform BISON is launching "BISON Select", a new customer program for particularly active investors. The offer is aimed at users with higher trading volumes and bundles additional services such as personalized conditions, extended support, exclusive community formats and new tools within the app. These include a holding period tracker for tax guidance, cashback models, commission-free trades and personal account managers. The program, which is divided into several levels, is intended to strengthen the loyalty of the growing group of intensive traders and at the same time create new incentives for greater engagement on the platform.