Startup news for the weekend week 19/26

Funding

OMV invests 65 million euros in innovation center in Schwechat

The energy group OMV is investing around 65 million euros in the construction of a new innovation center at its Schwechat site in Austria. The Innovation Hub, around 55% of whose construction is already complete, is due to go into operation in 2027 and will offer a modern infrastructure for the development and scaling of new technologies - from laboratory research to industrial application. The focus will be on future fields such as green hydrogen, CO₂ utilization and biotechnology. OMV wants to use the project to drive forward its innovation strategy and support the transformation towards more climate-friendly business models.

A-Cube raises 4 million euros for European expansion

Italian regtech company A-Cube has closed a €4 million funding round led by P101 with participation from Sella Direct Ventures. The company intends to use the capital to expand its presence in Europe, further develop its platform technologically - in particular through the use of artificial intelligence - and expand its product offering around digital tax compliance. A-Cube is already active in over ten countries, serves more than 450 customers and has processed over 70 million invoices since 2019. Against the backdrop of increasing regulatory harmonization in Europe and new requirements such as the VIDA Directive, the company aims to expand its role from a compliance solution to a comprehensive infrastructure for integrated digital business processes.

Skeleton Technologies secures 33 million euros in pre-IPO financing

The energy and deep tech company Skeleton Technologies has closed a first tranche of its pre-IPO financing round for 33 million euros, bringing its total financing to 392 million euros. The funds are intended in particular to drive the expansion of energy storage solutions for AI data centers, which are considered a key bottleneck for the growth of AI infrastructure. As part of the round, the company is expanding its circle of investors to include new partners and is preparing for a planned IPO in the USA in 2027, while at the same time expanding its production capacities in Europe and, in the long term, in the USA. We had already reported on a double-digit financing round for Skeleton in 2022.

DIGITALHUB.DE adds Talent2Go as a new portfolio startup for digital training management

DIGITALHUB.DE is expanding its portfolio with the startup Talent2Go, which is developing a digital platform for training management. The aim of the solution is to make training processes in companies more efficient and structured through digital report books, central organization and improved communication between trainees and trainers. Talent2Go is already being used by several companies and is intended to help modernize training and secure skilled workers in the long term. DIGITALHUB.DE is thus specifically strengthening its activities in the field of digital education and HR innovations.

Mergers & Acquisitions

MoleQlar takes over Tomorrowlabs

The Berlin-based longevity company MoleQlar GmbH has acquired key assets of the Viennese biotech and skincare company Tomorrowlabs as part of an asset deal, thereby expanding its portfolio to include the areas of hair growth and science-based skincare. Among other things, the acquired technologies are based on a patented active ingredient platform and are to be integrated into existing product and development approaches in the areas of prevention, regeneration and longevity. With this step, MoleQlar intends to strengthen its position in the globally growing market for consumer health and anti-aging and to further develop and expand the new segments in the future.

Debtist brings Norvestor on board and pushes ahead with European expansion

The Frankfurt-based debt collection startup Debtist has gained a new majority investor in Norvestor to accelerate its growth in Europe. The founders will remain operationally involved, while the existing management will continue the day-to-day business. The aim of the partnership is to further develop the AI-based platform for receivables management and drive expansion into existing and new markets. Debtist relies on a highly automated, data-driven approach to make debt collection processes more efficient and scalable.

Zig and Unik merge to form pan-European PropTech group

Software providers Zig and Unik System Design are joining forces to form a pan-European PropTech group for digital real estate management. Together, the group serves over 1,000 clients across multiple European regions and aims to accelerate the development of an expanded, AI-powered solution portfolio by combining their complementary platforms and products. Backed by Main Capital Partners, the merger aims to further improve efficiency, automation and digital workflows in the real estate industry and drive international expansion.

Partnerships & cooperations

INDIA DESK Germany launches in Berlin as a bridge for German-Indian innovation cooperation

With the official launch of INDIA DESK Germany in Berlin, a new platform has been created to facilitate the structured entry of Indian start-ups, scale-ups and technology-oriented companies into the German market. The initiative of GIIC e.V. German Indian Innovation Corridor and NLND Berlin, supported by Berlin Partner, combines settlement programs, access to infrastructure, prototyping opportunities and the Berlin innovation ecosystem. The aim is to systematically promote market entry, scaling and cooperation between India and Germany and to build a long-term platform for economic and technological cooperation between the two countries.

Main Capital Partners joins CarCollect and drives expansion

The investor Main Capital Partners has entered into a strategic partnership with the Dutch B2B software platform CarCollect to accelerate its international growth. The existing management will remain on board, while Main will support the expansion into new markets and the further development of the cloud-based remarketing platform. CarCollect digitizes central processes in the used car trade and already supports numerous companies in Europe. Together, the partners want to further expand the market position, develop new product functions and drive international scaling.

German armed forces test laser-based drone defense in the "Laserdome" project

The German high-tech company INLEAP Photonics and the Cyber Innovation Hub of the German Armed Forces are starting a six-month trial of laser-based drone defense as part of the "Laserdome" innovation project. The focus is on testing the INLEAP® FASTLIGHT® SHIELD system under real operational conditions on Bundeswehr training grounds, in particular to defend against swarms of drones and to protect mobile units and critical infrastructure. The aim of the cooperation is to evaluate the performance of the technology in practice and to create a possible basis for later use by the Bundeswehr.

Personnel

Signicat appoints Emma Bauer as Chief Product Officer

Signicat, the European provider of digital identity solutions, has appointed Emma Bauer as its new Chief Product Officer. She will be responsible for driving the further development and scaling of the platform, particularly in light of new regulatory requirements such as eIDAS 2.0 and the EU Anti-Money Laundering Regulation. Bauer brings technical expertise and experience in setting up growing product organizations and will focus on product strategy and the increased use of AI in the future. The aim is to further simplify the cross-border use of digital identities in Europe and adapt them to different market requirements.

maincubes appoints Thomas Funke as CFO

The European data center provider maincubes has appointed Thomas Funke as Chief Financial Officer. In his new role, he will be responsible for finance, strategy and central commercial functions and will help shape the company's further growth and internationalization strategy. Funke brings with him more than 30 years of management experience, including as CFO at Unitymedia and ERR European Rail Rent GmbH. The appointment underlines maincubes' focus on further strengthening its financial structures in the growing market for digital infrastructure and strategically supporting the next phase of expansion.

Further exciting news

LAP Coffee opens first location in Cologne and pushes ahead with expansion

The Berlin-based company LAP Coffee has opened its first store in Cologne, continuing its expansion in Germany. The concept combines low prices for specialty coffees with a highly standardized and cost-optimized operating model that focuses on small spaces and high customer frequency. The aim is to establish a new market position between classic coffee-to-go and high-priced specialty coffee. With its entry into the western German market, the company plans to further expand its branch network.

Wasteer brings AI solution for safe waste incineration to France

The Berlin-based company Wasteer is cooperating with the French waste management provider NextWaste to bring an AI-based solution for object recognition and analysis of waste composition in waste incineration plants to the French market. The technology, which is already in use in several European countries, is designed to reduce risks such as explosions caused by hazardous waste while increasing efficiency and operational safety. In light of increasing incidents in France, which cause high costs and safety issues, the solution aims to detect problematic materials at an early stage, optimize processes and improve the traceability of waste shipments.

Europe launches "Internet of Animals" with new ICARUS 2.0 satellite

With the successful launch of the small satellite RAVEN, the international research project ICARUS 2.0 has reached an important milestone. The system, jointly developed by the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and the NewSpace company TALOS, is intended to establish a new European satellite constellation for the global recording of animal movements and environmental data. Supported by the National Geographic Society and the German Space Agency at DLR, among others, RAVEN is the starting point for a planned series of further satellite launches up to 2027. The aim of the project is to collect data from space much more frequently and independently, enabling both scientific research into biodiversity and environmental change as well as potential applications in areas such as agriculture.