Startup News for the Weekend of Week 27/26

Awards & Events

demoDAY 2026: Nine Startups Showcase Innovations in Aachen

At digitalHUB Aachen’s demoDAY 2026, nine startups from the aixLAB, aixBOOST, and digitalACCELERATOR support programs presented their solutions to more than 100 guests from the business community, the investment sector, and the regional innovation ecosystem. The innovations presented ranged from industrial AI and smart enterprise to aviation and 3D printing. During the event, prize money totaling 6,000 euros was awarded: The winners were FCTRY CLD (aixLAB), Sourcera AI (aixBOOST), FairUp (digitalACCELERATOR), and H2ALL, which received the Audience Choice Award. In addition, partners of digitalHUB Aachen awarded nine HUB scholarships to selected startups, which, in addition to membership in the network, will receive access to infrastructure, workshops, and support services. The demoDAY also marked the conclusion of the current funding programs and highlighted the diversity and innovative strength of the regional startup scene.

Mergers & Acquisitions

Zig Acquires PropTech Provider Provadie and Expands Its Real Estate Valuation Services

The Dutch PropTech provider Zig is acquiring Provadie, a SaaS provider specializing in real estate valuations and appraisal software, thereby further expanding its position along the real estate value chain. Founded in 2019, Provadie digitizes and automates valuation and appraisal processes and, according to its own figures, serves more than 1,650 clients and accounts for over half of the Dutch valuation market. With this acquisition, supported by majority shareholder Main Capital Partners, Zig is expanding its portfolio to include solutions for real estate valuation and compliance and is continuing its buy-and-build strategy. For Zig, the acquisition marks its seventh complementary acquisition since 2021 and is expected to open up new areas of application in the social and institutional housing sectors in the future.

Personnel Announcements

HTGF Names Axel Nitsch and Johannes Weber as New Partners

High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) is expanding its partnership and appointing long-time investment managers Axel Nitsch and Johannes Weber as partners effective July 1, 2026. Nitsch will assume responsibility for the Digital Tech & AI division and brings experience from more than 100 funding rounds at HTGF and T-Venture. Weber, himself a former founder and investor, will be responsible for the Industrial, Climate & Deep Tech sectors and has been involved in investments in companies such as traceless materials, Instagrid, and Proxima Fusion, among others. With the appointment of both partners, HTGF is relying on investors with operational and technological expertise who will support founders from the seed phase through to international scaling and further strengthen the fund’s position as an active early-stage investor in AI, climate, and deep tech companies.

Leadership Change at Fynbiz: Dirk Günther Takes the Helm

At Fynbiz, a digital SME financing intermediary, André Lichner is stepping down as managing director effective July 31, 2026, to take on a new professional role. Going forward, the company will be led by Dirk Günther and Markus Kuchnia. Under Lichner’s leadership, the company successfully completed a financing round with investors from the Genossenschaftliche FinanzGruppe, as well as the acquisition of COMPEON and the subsequent integration under the Fynbiz brand. According to the company, it serves approximately 50,000 business customers and intends to continue its growth trajectory in the market for digital business financing.

Unzer Appoints Isabelle Bénard as Chief Product & AI Officer

The European payments and software provider Unzer has appointed Isabelle Bénard as its new Chief Product & AI Officer (CPAIO). In her new role, she will be responsible for the company’s product strategy and will work to further integrate the use of artificial intelligence into product development, decision-making processes, and merchant solutions. Bénard has more than 15 years of international experience in product management, retail technology, and digital transformation, and has previously worked for companies such as Amazon, Lightspeed, and, most recently, Mirakl. According to the company, Unzer currently serves more than 90,000 merchants in Europe.

More exciting news

NexDash Begins Rollout of Its Electrified Fleet with First Electric Trucks

The Berlin-based logistics startup NexDash has put the first battery-electric trucks in its fleet into service, thereby beginning the operational expansion of its business model. The first vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 LS, was picked up at the Mercedes-Benz facility in Wörth and is being used by the first freight forwarder acquired by NexDash in Rheinbach. The electrified fleet is set to grow to ten vehicles by September, and the company says it plans to expand to more than 20 electric trucks by the end of the year. NexDash follows a model in which existing diesel-powered trucking companies are acquired, gradually electrified, and managed via the company’s proprietary AI platform, NexOS. For further fleet expansion, the company is adopting a manufacturer-neutral approach and intends to use whichever vehicles are available on the market.

bunch invests in Luxembourg-based fund service provider LFS and expands its presence in the private markets sector

As part of a strategic partnership, the Berlin-based fintech company bunch is acquiring a stake in the Luxembourg-based fund administrator Luxembourg Fund Services S.A. (LFS). Together with founder Massimo Longoni and the CFE Finance Group, bunch’s AI-native platform will be integrated with LFS’s fund and administrative expertise. For bunch, the transaction marks an expansion of its presence in Luxembourg, Europe’s largest fund hub. The goal is to offer fund managers a technology-driven infrastructure for complex private markets investments in the future. Subject to regulatory approvals, the transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026.