Startup News for the Weekend, Week 45/26

Funding & VC

VÆRIDION Secures Over 124 Million Euros for Electric Regional Aircraft

The Munich-based aviation startup VÆRIDION has closed a Series A2 funding round of 30 million euros and has also been selected to receive 94.5 million euros in EU funding. The funding round was led by SHIFT Invest and Invest-NL. Other investors include World Fund, Project A, Vsquared Ventures, and Alexander Rittweger. VÆRIDION plans to use the capital to develop the first certification-compliant prototype of its all-electric regional aircraft, the Microliner. The aircraft is designed to carry nine passengers over a distance of up to 400 kilometers. The EU funding is earmarked for the establishment of an industrial final assembly facility at Oberpfaffenhofen Airport; however, it is still subject to the signing of a funding agreement. According to the company, there are already firm orders for more than 130 aircraft with a total value exceeding 730 million euros.

Stage Two: University Startups Raise More Than 300 Million Euros

The Stage Two initiative of the HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management and RWTH Aachen University has published its first-ever report summarizing the results of its six competition cycles to date. According to the report, the nearly 300 participating university startups have raised at least 300 million euros in capital and funding since 2021. Of this amount, more than 200 million euros came from investments and approximately 90 million euros from public funding. More than three-quarters of the startups received funding, with more than two-thirds of the capital coming after they participated in the competition. At this year’s event on October 22 and 23 in Berlin, over 50 startup teams presented their ideas to more than 70 European investors. In total, investment commitments totaling more than five million euros were pledged. The initiative connects university spin-offs with potential investors from across Europe.

Viridi Receives 2.2 Million Pounds for Sustainable Chemicals Made from CO₂

The British deep-tech startup Viridi has closed a funding round of 2.2 million pounds. The round was led by Odyssey Ventures. Other investors include Alphatron Impact Ventures and TOP Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of the Thai energy conglomerate Thaioil. Viridi is developing a catalyst technology that enables captured CO₂ to be used as a raw material for chemical production. The initial focus is on surfactants, which are used in cleaning products and personal care items, among other things. The technology is intended to partially replace fossil-based and palm oil-based feedstocks and to be compatible with existing production facilities.

Berlin-based fintech Pliant Raises $80 Million in Series C Funding

Berlin-based fintech Pliant has raised $80 million in an oversubscribed Series C funding round. The round was led by Seaya Nova and Speedinvest. Other investors include Illuminate Financial, Motive Ventures, and Molten. Founded in 2020, the company is developing a modular platform for B2B payments that integrates corporate cards, business accounts, currency exchange, and expense management. Pliant plans to use the capital primarily to drive its expansion in the U.S. and Canada and to expand the integration of AI agents into operational payment processes. Standardized interfaces will also enable external AI systems to automate financial processes. According to the company, Pliant has doubled its revenue for three consecutive years and most recently achieved annual recurring revenue of more than $100 million.

Bosch to Invest Around 200 Million Euros in DeepTech Startups by 2030 and Expand Investment Focus

Bosch Business Innovations is expanding its investment focus to include technologies that strengthen critical infrastructure. The Bosch Group’s corporate venture builder plans to increasingly support startups that make energy supply, industrial production processes, and utility systems more resilient to disruptions. Key areas of focus include AI-powered energy management, smart grids, energy storage, predictive maintenance, and water and flood protection. In collaboration with external founders, the goal is to create independent companies that can draw on Bosch’s technologies, patents, and industrial expertise. This initiative is driven by increasing demands for supply security and the stability of industrial supply chains. In total, the Bosch Group plans to invest approximately 200 million euros through Bosch Business Innovations in the development of new DeepTech startups by 2030.

Kabilio Receives 10 Million Euros for AI-Powered Accounting Software

The Spanish fintech startup Kabilio has closed a funding round totaling 10 million euros. The round was led by Picus Capital and Visionaries Club, with the Spanish innovation agency CDTI also participating. Kabilio is developing an AI-powered software platform that helps tax and accounting firms automate invoice processing and reconcile bank transactions. According to the company, the number of firms it serves has risen from 100 to nearly 500 within a year. Kabilio plans to use the capital to introduce a new AI agent for accounting tasks and further develop its “Kabilio Empresas” platform

Mindmax Secures $3.3 Million for AI-Powered Learning Platform

The British EdTech startup Mindmax has raised $3.3 million (2.5 million pounds) in a funding round. The round was led by Concept Ventures. Other investors include Redrice Ventures, Daybreak Ventures, and Lerer Hippeau, as well as several business angels, including former Depop CEO Maria Raga and Helsing co-founder Torsten Reil. Founded by Ed Cooke and Daniel Zohar, the company is developing an AI-based learning platform that provides adults with personalized one-on-one instruction. The software tailors learning content to each user’s individual knowledge level, personal learning goals, and progress. Users can communicate with virtual tutors in real time, ask questions, and have complex concepts explained to them through interactive illustrations.

Awards & Events

Public Value Award Honors Five Startups of the Decade—Starting in 2027, Also for Scaleups

To mark the 10th anniversary of the Public Value Award for Startups, HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management and its partners honored five companies as “Startups of the Decade.” At the awards ceremony on November 5, 2026, in Leipzig, Skyseed, Too Good To Go, Coffee Circle, Coldplasmatech, and Triqbriq were honored for their contributions to society. Coldplasmatech also received the People’s Choice Award. The award evaluates companies based on five criteria, including solving societal problems, economic viability, social cohesion, and quality of life. Since the competition was founded in 2016, approximately 2,000 applications have been received. According to the organizers, about 85 percent of past finalists remain successful in the market. Starting in 2027, the award—now called the “Public Value Award for Entrepreneurship”—will also be open to high-growth scaleups.

IASP World Conference 2026 Brings Together Over 1,000 Innovation Stakeholders from 63 Countries

The 43rd IASP World Conference took place from October 27 to 30, 2026, in Sophia Antipolis, France. More than 1,000 participants from 63 countries discussed the societal significance of technological innovations under the theme “Tech for Humanity.” The focus was on responsible artificial intelligence, international technology collaborations, health innovations, climate protection, and the repurposing of former industrial sites. The event, organized by the International Association of Science Parks and Innovation Centers (IASP), included more than 16 specialized sessions and numerous networking opportunities. In addition, the establishment of a new MedTech center in Sophia Antipolis was announced. The technology park is home to approximately 2,700 companies. The next IASP World Conference will take place in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, in 2027, followed by Melbourne in 2028.

German Innovation Award 2027 Opens Submission Period for Innovative Companies

The German Design Council has opened the submission phase for the German Innovation Award 2027. Companies can submit innovative products, technologies, services, and business models through February 5, 2027. The award is presented in the Business-to-Business and Business-to-Consumer categories, as well as in the special categories of AI Methods, Circular Impacts, and Transformative Solutions. This initiative follows a study by the Bertelsmann Foundation, which found that by 2026, only 13 percent of German companies will be considered particularly innovative, while the share of companies with low innovation levels has risen to nearly 40 percent. An independent jury comprising representatives from research and industry—including experts from Otto, Bosch, Festo, and Fraunhofer—will select the winners. The award has been presented since 2017 and aims to highlight practical innovations.

Saxony Startup Award 2027 Opens Application Period for Innovative Startups

The Free State of Saxony has opened the application phase for the Saxon Startup Award 2027. Founding teams and young companies with an existing or planned headquarters in Saxony can submit their business ideas by February 17, 2027. The award will be presented for the first time as part of the Saxon State Prize for Business and includes the categories “Newcomer of the Year,” “Startup of the Year,” and “Scale-up of the Year.” In addition, the “NextGen” special prize will be awarded to founders aged 21 or younger. The competition is organized by the innovation platform futureSAX on behalf of the Saxon Ministry of Economic Affairs. In addition to prize money, participants gain access to a network of more than 12,000 contacts from business, academia, and politics. The winners will be honored on June 5, 2027, at the Saxon Innovation Conference in Leipzig.

Mergers & Acquisitions

Conrad Electronic Acquires Berlin-Based Startup Hivebuy – Haufe Group Ventures Secures Exit

The Conrad Electronic Group has acquired the Berlin-based procurement software provider Hivebuy. With this transaction, Haufe Group Ventures—the corporate venture capital arm of the Haufe Group—has achieved an exit from one of its earliest investments, made in 2023. Hivebuy was founded in 2021 by Bettina Fischer and Stefan Kiehne and develops software for digitizing corporate procurement processes. The platform supports companies from purchase requisition through approval procedures to invoice verification and is currently used by around 70 companies. Conrad plans to make the technology available to a broader customer base in the future. Following the acquisition, Hivebuy will remain an independent company based in Berlin and will continue to be led by its founding team. In addition to Haufe Group Ventures, previous investors included Cusp Capital, SIVentures, and Tiny Supercomputer Investment Company. Financial details were not disclosed.

Main Capital Partners Acquires Majority Stake in Dutch Software Provider 21south

Software investor Main Capital Partners has acquired a majority stake in the Dutch company 21south. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Barendrecht, the company develops 21QUBZ, a cloud-based ERP platform for waste management and environmental services. The software helps municipal and private waste management companies manage their operational and administrative processes. Customers include the cities of Amsterdam and Groningen, as well as the companies Saver and Rens Recycling. With the support of Main Capital Partners, 21south plans to further develop its software, tap into new international markets, and expand its market position.

Upwork Subsidiary Lifted Acquires Berlin-Based HR Startup WorkMotion

The Berlin-based HR service provider WorkMotion has been acquired by Lifted, a wholly owned subsidiary of the U.S. company Upwork. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 2020, the company offers employer-of-record services and enables firms to employ workers abroad in compliance with local laws without having to establish their own companies there. Through the acquisition, Lifted is expanding its direct international employment offerings to more than 30 countries. WorkMotion will continue to operate as an independent company headquartered in Berlin and will remain under the leadership of CEO Felix Steffens. The brand, the platform, and existing customer contracts will also be retained.

CirQono Acquires ORA and Expands into Saxony for the First Time

The CirQono Group, part of the investment firm Deutsche Private Equity (DPE), has acquired ORA Ostrauer Recycling und Abfallwirtschaft GmbH, based in Grimma. With this acquisition, the group—which specializes in demolition, deconstruction, hazardous material remediation, and recycling—is expanding its operations beyond the Berlin-Brandenburg region for the first time. ORA employs approximately 25 people and has many years of experience in demolition work as well as rail and infrastructure projects, particularly in the dismantling of bridges. The company also operates its own recycling and processing facility as well as a container service. With this acquisition, CirQono aims to strengthen its presence in the Leipzig and Dresden areas and create additional capacity for larger infrastructure projects. ORA’s existing points of contact and operational structures will remain in place.

CO3 Acquires Norwegian Software Company Kinver and Expands Logistics Platform

The Berlin-based technology company CO3 has fully acquired the Norwegian software provider Kinver. With this acquisition, CO3 is expanding its data platform for road freight transport and the construction industry to include functions for analyzing freight costs, service agreements, and CO₂ emissions. While CO3 processes real-time data from more than 350,000 vehicles, trailers, and pieces of equipment in 35 countries, Kinver enables the automated verification of freight invoices and contractually agreed-upon services. The combined platform is designed to help companies better track transportation costs and identify discrepancies early on. Kinver founder Lars Fredrik Eriksen will assume the role of VP Commercial at CO3. Financial details were not disclosed.

Collaborations & Partnerships

CloudSEK Partners with German Cybersecurity Provider AERAsec for DACH Expansion

CloudSEK, a company specializing in AI-powered cybersecurity, has entered into a strategic partnership with the German IT security service provider AERAsec. The company, based in Hohenbrunn near Munich, will serve as a sales and technology partner to offer CloudSEK’s security solutions in Germany and support their integration for enterprise customers. The focus is on an AI-based platform that analyzes external IT vulnerabilities, cyber threats, and risks within supply chains. With the help of Nexus AI technology, potential attack vectors are to be identified early on, and security measures prioritized more effectively. The collaboration is initially aimed at medium-sized and large enterprises, particularly in the manufacturing, financial, healthcare, and critical infrastructure sectors.

Facts, Figures & Highlights

Destatis: Labor Costs Vary Widely by Region – Industrial Orders Rise by 4.4 Percent

According to the latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office, the German economy is showing mixed trends. In 2024, average labor costs stood at 44.32 euros per hour worked. They were highest in Hamburg at 49.41 euros and lowest in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania at 36.40 euros. At the same time, new orders in the manufacturing sector rose by 4.4 percent in September 2026 compared with the previous month, after adjustment for price, seasonal, and calendar effects. The automotive industry (+10.5 percent) and mechanical engineering (+8.3 percent) contributed particularly to the increase. In August, industrial orders had still declined by 10.1 percent. The service sector also recorded a real increase in revenue of 0.9 percent in August 2026 compared with the previous month. Growth was particularly pronounced in the information and communication sector, at 3.7 percent.