Startup news for the weekend week 49/25

Investments

Eikona secures USD 5 million in seed funding for GenAI-based marketing automation

Israeli AI company Eikona has received USD 5 million in seed funding, led by StageOne Ventures with participation from other international investors. Eikona is developing a generative AI solution for lifecycle marketing that uses reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF) to continuously adapt content to actual user behavior. The approach replaces traditional A/B tests with a learning system that dynamically optimizes emails, SMS, push messages and other campaign formats. Companies from industries such as retail, telecommunications, finance and healthcare are already using the technology to achieve higher sales, engagement and retention rates.

AI startup Gradium receives 70 million US dollars in seed funding

The Paris-based AI startup Gradium has received 70 million US dollars in seed funding. The round was led by FirstMark Capital and Eurazeo, supported by Xavier Niel and Eric Schmidt, among others. Gradium, a spin-off of AI lab Kyutai, develops ultra-low latency language models with multilingual support that are designed to respond in near real time. Founded in 2025, the company is positioning itself in a rapidly growing market for fast and precise AI language solutions.

Awards & Events

LEEF receives German Sustainability Award 2026

LEEF Blattwerk is awarded the German Sustainability Award 2026 in the "Packaging" category. The official award ceremony will take place on 4 and 5 December in Düsseldorf and will honor the company for its plastic-free, compostable and recyclable packaging solutions. The jury particularly emphasized LEEF's holistic approach, scalability and pioneering role in the circular economy. As a provider of sustainable materials and operator of the online store wisefood.eu, LEEF offers over 1,000 environmentally friendly disposable and packaging products for restaurants, events and private customers, combining ecological benefits with social commitment.

Award for three innovative research teams

At the TUM IDEAward, three start-up teams from the fields of biotechnology and nanotechnology were recognized for their promising business ideas. First place went to Verdira Biotech with a bio-based filter technology designed to break down volatile organic compounds from industrial processes. Second place went to FIRsense, which has developed a compact and cost-effective source for terahertz beams that can be used in gas measurement technology and non-destructive testing. ARPOSO Biotech took third place with an edible, water-soluble coating that extends the shelf life of fruit and vegetables and is also intended to be used for other fresh products in the future. The teams receive prize money as well as targeted support from TUM, UnternehmerTUM and the Zeidler Research Foundation on the way to founding their company.

SpinLab Group receives international award for innovation ecosystems

The SpinLab Group, consisting of SpinLab in Leipzig, RootCamp in Hanover and ExciteLab in Dresden, was awarded the Startup Ecosystem Star 2025 in the "Exceptional Industry Support" category in Paris. The internationally renowned award, presented by ICC and Mind the Bridge in collaboration with the OECD and the EU Commission and supported by Microsoft, recognizes the group's integrated model, which combines three specialized innovation hubs in strong technology regions. Recognition was also given to the increasing support for industrial companies in the rapid deployment of new technologies through venture clienting. The award also has political backing: Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer emphasized the importance of the SpinLab Group for the European innovation landscape.

Mergers & Acquisitions

Shiftmove takes over Ocean

Shiftmove has acquired the fleet management division Ocean from Orange Business, expanding its presence in the European market for digital fleet technology. The merger creates a provider with over 500 employees and 27,000 corporate customers, who together manage more than 730,000 vehicles in Europe. The acquisition supports Shiftmove's goal of becoming Europe's leading platform for digital fleet management by 2027. This is due to increasing regulatory and economic requirements, while only around 30 percent of European companies currently use digital solutions. Ocean brings many years of experience in the French market as well as established geo-tracking and telematics solutions, which will be integrated into Shiftmove's AI-supported platform in the future. The acquisition particularly strengthens Shiftmove's position in France, Europe's largest market for commercial vehicles.

Main Capital Partners acquires majority stake in Swiss workforce management provider POLYPOINT

Main Capital Partners has acquired a majority stake in Swiss POLYPOINT AG, an established provider of workforce management software for the healthcare sector. The investment marks Main's first platform transaction in Switzerland and will support POLYPOINT in accelerating its SaaS transformation and developing AI-powered, cloud-based solutions. POLYPOINT has a strong market position, is used by the majority of Swiss hospitals and is also active in Germany, Belgium and Liechtenstein. Together, both partners want to drive product innovation, improve efficiency and automation in personnel and resource planning and enable further growth in the DACH region.

Cooperation and partnerships

CLARK and Hypoport intensify cooperation in the digital insurance market

CLARK and Hypoport InsurTech AG are strengthening their partnership by allowing CLARK to process its existing business centrally via Qualitypool and the systems of Smart InsurTech AG. The two companies have also agreed an extended development partnership focusing on automated workflows, standardized processes and improved data quality. The aim is more efficient digital value creation, faster exchange processes with insurers and end-to-end user experiences. The cooperation is intended to drive the scaling of digital platforms and set new standards for automated services in the insurance market.

ATechX wins Supernova Group as new partner for startup support

ATechX, Aroundtown's innovation & venture platform, is expanding its partner network to include the Supernova Group. The real estate company complements the existing partner portfolio with market knowledge, retail properties in Central and Eastern Europe and practical testing opportunities for start-ups. This will provide founders with expanded pilot spaces, scalable test environments and valuable industry experience to further develop digital, technological and sustainable solutions for the real estate world.

Personnel

Change at the top of JUNIQE

Hans Theimann took over the management of JUNIQE on October 1, 2025, replacing Anna Ruhland. The former Head of Product will be responsible for the strategic development of the brand within the ALL IN GROUP, with a particular focus on data-driven processes, customer proximity and efficient growth. Theimann, who previously worked at AutoScout24, among others, played a key role in the platform relaunch in 2024 and in setting up the product organization. The ALL IN GROUP sees him as a strong driving force for the next growth phase of JUNIQE, which is increasingly developing from a provider of modern wall art into a creative marketplace with over 30 customizable products and more than 200,000 designs.

More exciting news

Opening of Campus Founders GRAVITY in Heilbronn

GRAVITY, a 7,000 m² start-up and co-innovation space, has officially opened in Heilbronn, which will connect founders, science, business and industry in a central location in the future. The new building on the Bildungscampus offers over 200 workstations, numerous meeting and workshop rooms as well as event spaces and is intended to serve as a hub for co-creation and technology-based innovation. Representatives of the Dieter Schwarz Foundation, the state of Baden-Württemberg and Campus Founders emphasized the importance of the project for the regional and European innovation landscape. Following the opening, 21 start-ups presented their solutions in areas such as AI, sustainability and enterprise software at the Demo Day "A New Era Begins".

OroraTech launches flexible satellite platform for research and technology testing

OroraTech has successfully launched the first GENA-OT satellite together with the University of the German Armed Forces in Munich. The new, modular 16U CubeSat platform serves as a "mini-laboratory in space" and provides research institutions, universities, start-ups and companies with simple, fast and cost-effective access to space. The satellite, which was developed as part of the ESA GSTP program and with the support of DLR, was launched on board the SpaceX Transporter-15 mission. GENA-OT offers space for various payloads, including modules for the resumption of the ICARUS animal tracking system and technology demonstrators from the SeRANIS program. It also allows scientific experiments and technology validation without the need for a satellite mission. The platform is intended to strengthen Europe's innovative capacity and technological independence and serve as a basis for further national and international projects.

Femi-ON becomes a new portfolio startup of DIGITALHUB.DE

DIGITALHUB.DE is expanding its commitment to female founders and adding Femi-ON, another FemTech startup, to its portfolio. The company is part of the first round of the new accelerator program Investment SHEroes, which supports female and diverse start-up teams on their way to funding. Femi-ON is developing a hormone-free medical product suitable for everyday use to alleviate menstrual cramps, thereby addressing a key gap in women's health care. The team emphasizes the importance of the program for knowledge transfer, network building and visibility in the male-dominated start-up scene. Femi-ON is planning a pilot project and the further expansion of its community as its next steps.

N26 joins the pan-European payment platform Wero

Mobile bank N26 has announced a partnership with Wero, the digital wallet and instant payment solution of the European Payment Initiative (EPI). The integration will offer customers in Germany, France and the Netherlands a simple, secure and IBAN-free payment option, including real-time peer-to-peer payments, from the second half of 2026. The collaboration supports N26 in simplifying the European payment experience and strengthens the digital payment infrastructure in Europe.