Startup news for the weekend week 47/25

Investments

Donnerstag.ai raises 4.3 million euros in seed financing

The Frankfurt-based startup Donnerstag.ai has closed a seed financing round of 4.3 million euros, led by Speedinvest with the participation of other international investors. The company is developing an AI-based platform for suppliers that detects billing errors in real time, automatically reconciles transactions and prevents payment defaults. Many European suppliers benefit from the solution as it creates transparency in complex payment and credit note processes. The start-up is backed by experienced fintech founders who are now planning to expand in the DACH region and across Europe.

Captain T Cell receives 20 million euros

The biotech company Captain T Cell has completed a financing round and now has a total of 20 million euros to bring its next generation of TCR-T cell therapies for solid tumors into clinical development. The funding comes from new investors, including Springboard Health Angels, Pluton Asset Holding AG, Sintra Limited and Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen, as well as existing backers such as i&i Biotech Fund, HIL-INVENT and Brandenburg Kapital. The budget enables the start of the fully funded Phase I trial TOMATA for the autologous lead program CTC127, which will treat patients with various advanced MAGE-A4-positive tumors at Charité and other leading cancer centers. In parallel, the company's first allogeneic TCR-T platform, which has already demonstrated complete tumor remissions in vivo, is being developed to clinical maturity.

Infinite Orbits secures 40 million euros

Toulouse-based space company Infinite Orbits has closed an oversubscribed €40 million financing round to strengthen its position as European leader in in-orbit servicing. With a backlog of 150 million euros, the company is pursuing a pan-European expansion strategy supported by private investors and the European Innovation Council Fund. The funds will enable the establishment of new sites in several European countries and the accelerated deployment of a satellite fleet for the inspection and life extension of GEO satellites. Infinite Orbits thus sees itself as a key player in strengthening European space sovereignty and developing a resilient, sustainable space ecosystem.

Peec AI closes $21 million Series A

The marketing platform Peec AI, developed for the era of AI search, has closed a $21 million Series A funding round. The round was led by European VC Singular. This brings the Berlin-based company's total funding to 29 million US dollars and marks one of the largest Series A rounds in the AI search space. Peec AI enables marketing teams to monitor and influence the representation, source influence and sentiment of their brand in AI search engines such as ChatGPT and Gemini in real time. Since launching in February 2025, the platform has acquired over 1,300 brands and agencies and achieved an annual recurring revenue (ARR) of over $4 million. The new funding is earmarked for opening offices in New York, hiring over 40 new team members and expanding the platform beyond just analytics to become a comprehensive marketing software for the AI age.

Awards & Events

Research meets technology: Science4Life honors innovative startups

The 28th Science4Life Startup Competition awarded prizes to the best business ideas from the life sciences, chemistry and energy sectors. Out of 124 submissions, teams with solutions in medtech, digital health, energy use and quantum technology were among the winners. Award-winning projects range from AI-supported early detection methods for aortic diseases and cancer diagnostics to rheumatism sensor technology and sustainable superconducting cooling. In the energy sector, autonomIQ won with an AI-based optimization of metal processing that reduces energy consumption and material waste. The jury emphasized the innovative strength and the interplay of research, digital technology and entrepreneurial spirit. Founders can now submit their ideas for the next concept phase until January 12, 2026.

Venture Cup 2026 winners: AngioDiagnostics, BioExoTec, MEDIRION, MucNova, Solidcryo Winner Energy Award 2026: autonomIQ

35th Family Business Career Day at FIEGE

On November 14, 2025, over 50 leading family businesses, including HARIBO, Vorwerk and GOLDBECK, gathered for the 35th Family Business Career Day at the FIEGE Group's new X-Dock in Münster. Around 600 selected talents took the opportunity to gain insights into the diverse career and development opportunities offered by family businesses in over 1,000 individual interviews, stand discussions and presentations. Specialists from the STEM sector, who value the cohesion and corporate culture, were particularly well represented. Host Jens Fiege emphasized the platform function of the event in order to attract young talent for the sustainable further development of the companies. According to a ZEW study, family businesses employ around 18.3 million people in Germany and are considered important drivers of innovation. The next Career Days will take place in 2026 at the Schwarz Group and ABUS.

HHL honors startups for social added value

On November 18, the Public Value Award for Startups 2025 of HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management and Partners honored young companies that combine economic success with social benefit. With 166 applications, the competition set a new record. The winners are TRIQBRIQ from Stuttgart with a CO₂-storing timber construction system, Perspective Care from Karlsruhe with intelligent care support "aura" and coobi from Hamburg, which provides digital support for the aftercare of addictions. Further awards went to Brighter AI and Unser Schopp. The evaluation was based on the Public Value Scorecard, which takes into account economic efficiency, quality of life, cohesion, task fulfillment and morality. The award underlines the trend that founders are increasingly placing the common good at the heart of their business models.

Mergers & Acquisitions

DPE sells Engelmann Sensor to Rivean Capital

The funds advised by Deutsche Private Equity (DPE) have successfully sold their portfolio company Engelmann Sensor to Rivean Capital. Under DPE's five-year support, Engelmann developed from a German heat meter specialist into an international provider of sub-metering systems, expanded its customer base worldwide, introduced new products and doubled its EBITDA. The company focused on technology-driven growth, internationalization in Europe, Canada and the UAE as well as sustainability initiatives such as a recycling program for electronics. With Rivean Capital, Engelmann is now entering the next growth phase while the management remains involved. The purchase price has not been disclosed and the transaction is subject to approval by the competition authorities.

Cooperations & partnerships

IG expands investment offering in Europe through partnership with Upvest

IG, a trading and investment platform, is partnering with Upvest to launch trading in equities and ETFs in France. Upvest provides the technology infrastructure through its modular investment API that enables rapid product launches, differentiated user experiences and greater efficiency. The collaboration underlines how established trading platforms are responding to the needs of a new generation of retail investors and expanding their product offering. IG emphasizes that Upvest provides the speed and flexibility to expand its long-term investment offering in Europe, while Upvest demonstrates the scalability and reliability of its infrastructure for multiple clients simultaneously.

OroraTech and Earth Fire Alliance partner for global access to space wildfire data

OroraTech and the Earth Fire Alliance (EFA) have partnered to expand global access to space-based wildfire information. By combining their thermal monitoring and detection technologies, the aim is to inform emergency services worldwide about forest fires in real time. The initial focus will be on NGO-led fire management projects, for example in the Kruger National Park in South Africa and in protected areas on the African continent.

Personnel

Parloa brings in marketing expert Latané Conant for global expansion

Parloa, provider of Agentic AI for enterprise customer experience, is strengthening its leadership team with the appointment of Latané Conant as its first Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Conant, previously CMO at revenue AI platform 6sense, brings experience in global marketing, brand building and scaling technology companies. At Parloa, she will expand the AI unicorn's US presence, strengthen its global brand position and drive go-to-market strategies. Conant is considered an expert in creating new market and product categories and is also committed to women in leadership positions. CEO Malte Kosub emphasizes that Conant's expertise will be a decisive factor for Parloa's further growth and market leadership.

Wemolo appoints Cyrill Schöni as Country Manager Switzerland

PropTech scale-up Wemolo is strengthening its management team in Switzerland. Cyrill Schöni, former Google International Growth Lead and McKinsey consultant, is taking over the position of Country Manager. Schöni will be responsible for driving the company's expansion, raising awareness of digital parking management in Switzerland and expanding new and existing business. Wemolo currently operates 150 parking spaces with over 100,000 daily parking transactions. Schöni will lead the Swiss team from Sales to Operations to Customer Success and further integrate the platform into the country's mobility landscape in order to use parking spaces more efficiently and open up new revenue potential for operators.

Further exciting news

ARX Robotics receives major order to expand networked UGV fleet in Ukraine

ARX Robotics has received a major order from Ukraine for the delivery of additional GEREON series unmanned ground systems, leading to the creation of the world's largest networked military robotics fleet with several hundred units. The cooperation is based on the Mithra OS operating system, which enables coordinated missions and scalable fleet management. Part of the production and the supply chain will be localized in Ukraine, thereby expanding local production capacities and technical expertise. The GEREON systems have been in use since the beginning of the year; the new order represents the third expansion of the fleet.