Startup News for the Weekend of Week 29/26

Funding

hydrop systems Closes Oversubscribed Seed Round

The water technology startup hydrop systems has successfully closed its seed funding round at 779,200 euros, significantly exceeding its original target of 600,000 euros. A total of 213 investors participated, with contributions ranging from crowd investments starting at 100 euros to equity investments of 150,000 euros. With this fresh capital, the company plans to begin series production in September, expand its sales operations, and drive its international expansion. hydrop systems’ goal is to create greater transparency in drinking water consumption through digital solutions.

Project Q Secures 15 Million Euros for Open-Source Defense Platform

The Munich-based DefenseTech company Project Q has closed a Series A funding round of 15 million euros. The round was led by Expeditions, with Project A, HENSOLDT, and Heliad also participating. Project Q plans to use the capital to further develop its open-source platform HYDRIS, which is designed to enable armed forces and government agencies to integrate technologies, data sources, and existing IT systems in a vendor-neutral manner. According to the company, the funding comes entirely from European investors and is intended to strengthen Europe’s technological sovereignty in the defense sector.

SWISSto12 Secures $70 Million for Satellite Technology

The Swiss space company SWISSto12 has closed a Series C funding round of $70 million. The company plans to use the capital to expand its production and integration capabilities to meet the growing demand for satellite and payload solutions for various orbits. Among other things, SWISSto12 develops the HummingSat geostationary small satellite platform, as well as HummingLink payloads and antenna systems. According to the company, SWISSto12 generated revenue of $140 million in 2025 and has orders totaling more than $500 million. In addition, the company recently received funding from the European Space Agency for the further development and testing of the HummingSat platform.

HTG Medical Receives CE Certification and More Than One Million Euros for ICU Technology

The Czech medtech startup HTG Medical has received CE certification under the European Medical Device Regulation (MDR) for its automated urine analysis system, HTG Urogram, and has simultaneously closed a pre-seed funding round. With this latest funding round, the total capital raised has exceeded one million euros. Investors include Garage Angels, Electron Capital Partners, and JIC Ventures, among others. The system automates the monitoring of urine output in intensive care units and transmits the data directly to hospital information systems. HTG Medical plans to use the funding to accelerate its market launch in Europe and prepare for international expansion into markets such as Australia, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia.

microagi Raises $55 Million for Robotics Platform

The robotics startup microagi has closed a seed funding round of $55 million. The round was led by Hummingbird, with additional investors including Northzone, LocalGlobe, Village Global, and redalpine. Founded just about ten months ago, the company is developing “Atlas,” a platform that helps industrial companies implement and optimize robotic systems. With the fresh capital, microagi plans to further expand the platform and accelerate the adoption of robotics in European industry.

Awards & Events

Family Business Career Day Brings Together Over 70 Companies and 700 Talented Professionals

On July 10 in Neckarsulm, more than 70 leading family-owned companies met with approximately 700 pre-selected professionals and executives at the 36th Family-Owned Companies Career Day. The event was hosted by the companies of the Schwarz Group. The focus was on discussions about future-oriented topics such as artificial intelligence, sustainability, and purpose, as well as networking between companies and talent. Participating companies included B. Braun, dm-drogerie markt, and Kärcher, among others. The next Career Day will take place on November 20, 2026, at ABUS August Bremicker Söhne KG in Wetter (Ruhr) and will be complemented for the first time by an “AI Entrepreneur Workshop.”

Demo Day at Startup Village Jülich Honors Green and Deep Tech Startups

At the Demo Day of Startup Village Jülich, 18 startups from the ZEBRA Accelerator and ZEBRA Investment Masterclass support programs presented their business ideas to a panel of experts, investors, and approximately 120 guests. In the Accelerator program, recarbished won with a business model for recycling end-of-life electric vehicles and also secured the audience award. In the Investment Masterclass, blixdata impressed the jury with an AI solution for the automated analysis of construction plans, while the audience award went to SteffiCare. With the completion of both programs, the ZEBRA network now counts around 100 alumni. At the same time, Startup Village Jülich announced the launch of the new ZEBRA Incubator for September 2026, for which applications are already being accepted.

Mergers & Acquisitions

Uber Acquires Delivery Hero for 12.7 Billion Euros

The U.S. company Uber is acquiring the Berlin-based food delivery service Delivery Hero for approximately 12.7 billion euros. Uber is offering shareholders 41.50 euros per share and had already secured a significant stake in the company beforehand. Major shareholder Prosus also supports the acquisition. The transaction is one of the largest acquisitions in the European delivery industry and is still subject to shareholder approval and the usual regulatory approvals.

Inflexion Acquires Medical Technology Specialist Primed

The European private equity firm Inflexion has agreed to acquire the Primed Group. The seller is Paragon Partners. Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Halberstadt, the company develops and manufactures single-use medical products and provides sterilization services, employing more than 450 people. With this acquisition, Inflexion aims to drive Primed’s international expansion, accelerate product development, and further grow the sterilization business. The transaction marks Inflexion’s sixth investment in the DACH region and is subject to the customary regulatory approvals.

Ardian Acquires Majority Stake in Nursing Job Platform Pflegia

The investment firm Ardian has acquired a majority stake in the Berlin-based recruiting platform Pflegia. Together with the founders, Ardian aims to drive the company’s continued growth in Germany and Europe, as well as the use of AI in recruitment. Pflegia was founded in 2019 and operates an AI-powered reverse-recruiting platform that connects healthcare professionals with suitable employers. According to the company, more than 900,000 registered candidates and over 10,000 healthcare facilities use the platform. The investment is intended to accelerate technological development and support the company’s international expansion.

Partnerships & Collaborations

Futury Integrates ryon and Strengthens the Deep and Green Tech Ecosystem in the Rhine-Main Region

Futury is integrating the Green and DeepTech accelerator ryon, thereby bringing the region’s key startup activities under one roof. The goal is to strengthen innovation in the Deep and GreenTech sectors and to provide end-to-end support for startups from scientific research through to market readiness. As part of the integration, Futury is taking over, among other things, ryon’s Summer School and its specialized DeepTech startup consulting services. The initiative is supported by partners such as Merck KGaA, the Technical University of Darmstadt, and Goethe University Frankfurt. The merger is intended to further establish the Rhine-Main region as a leading hub for technology-oriented and sustainable startups.

Green Elephant Biotech Participates in EU Project to Optimize CAR-T Cell Production

The Giessen-based biotech company Green Elephant Biotech is a partner in the EU-funded S.O.L.A.R.I.S. project, which is developing new approaches for the production of CAR-T cell therapies. Together with twelve other partners from industry, research, healthcare, and regulatory bodies, the project aims to improve the efficiency, scalability, and robustness of production processes to facilitate access to CAR-T therapies in Europe. Green Elephant Biotech is contributing its expertise in the development of sustainable cell culture technologies. The project, funded under Horizon Europe, aims to reduce manufacturing costs and make innovative cell therapies available to more patients in the future.

Personnel Announcements

Aon Germany Expands Leadership Team with Lukas Nazaruk

The insurance broker and consulting firm Aon Germany is strengthening its leadership team and has appointed Lukas Nazaruk as Managing Director of Aon Versicherungsmakler Deutschland GmbH for the Commercial Risk Solutions division, effective January 1, 2027. At the same time, Nazaruk will assume the role of Chief Specialty Officer for the DACH region and will be responsible for the strategic development of the specialty divisions in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. A fully qualified lawyer, he is joining from Willis Towers Watson, where he most recently led the industrial business for Germany and Austria. With this appointment, Aon aims to further strengthen its position in the industrial and specialty insurance business in the DACH region.

AirHelp Appoints Lisa Conway as Chief Insurance Officer

The Berlin-based TravelTech company AirHelp has appointed Lisa Conway as its new Chief Insurance Officer. The New York-based insurance expert brings more than 25 years of experience in underwriting, product development, and travel and specialty insurance, and most recently worked at battleface Insurance Services. At AirHelp, Conway will be responsible for insurance strategy, the further development of the product portfolio, and regulatory matters. With this appointment, the company aims to expand its insurance offerings and further strengthen its presence in the U.S. and on international markets.