Startup news for the weekend week 51/25

Investments & VC

Hesse supports laser fusion with 20 million euros

The state of Hesse is supporting the Darmstadt-based start-up Focused Energy with a further 20 million euros to drive forward the development of laser fusion technology and lay the foundations for the construction of a future fusion power plant. The funding is intended to link research and industrial implementation more closely and position Hesse as a leading location for a European fusion industry. One focus is on the former nuclear power plant site in Biblis, which is to be developed into a fusion research and innovation campus together with partners from industry and science. The aim is to create the conditions for the commercial use of laser fusion and the long-term transition from research to commercialization.

ÄIO receives funding for sustainable fat alternatives from fermentation

Estonian biotechnology company ÄIO has received a €1.2 million grant from Enterprise Estonia for the FERM OIL project, which aims to drive the industrial scaling of its fermentation-based flavored fat technology. The aim is to develop sustainable alternatives to animal fats and tropical oils from regional side-streams of food forestry and agriculture and validate them to industrial maturity. Over the next three years, ÄIO aims to optimize production processes, generate safety and consumer data for market approval and prepare the transition from pilot to industrial production to provide functional and climate-resilient lipid solutions for various applications in the food industry.

Ankar secures 20 million US dollars for AI platform in patent law

London-based startup Ankar has closed a US$20 million Series A funding round led by Atomico with participation from Index Ventures, Norrsken VC and Daphni. Ankar is developing an AI-powered platform that bundles the entire patent lifecycle from idea evaluation to drafting and filing in one integrated workflow. The aim is to make patent processes faster, more efficient and more strategically sound and to support companies and law firms in protecting intellectual property. Ankar intends to use the fresh capital to expand its team, drive forward product development and accelerate international expansion, particularly in the USA.

DYNO wins new investors and further expands digital company pension scheme

DYNO, the provider of digital and commission-free company pension schemes, has received increased commitment from existing investors such as LEA Partners, Haufe Group Ventures, Mätch VC and 468 Capital and has gained a new strategic investor in Christ Capital. The aim is to make occupational pension provision more efficient and increase returns through a fully digitalized, transparent and ETF-based solution. DYNO is thus addressing structural weaknesses in traditional occupational pension models. The additional capital and expertise will support further growth and strengthen the technological infrastructure for modern pension provision.

Awards & Events

Inspiration Days 2025 reach over 161,000 participants in the DACH region

Inspiration Days 2025 connected schools, companies and young people across the DACH region over three days and reached a total of 161,378 participants, including around 500 guests at the live event in Berlin. With the participation of 826 schools, more than 16,000 interactions and an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars, the education festival was very well received. The thematic focus was on artificial intelligence, community and future skills, accompanied by panels and contributions from business, science and civil society. The format was supported by partners such as Amazon Germany and Factory Berlin. The organizers announced that the concept will be continued and expanded in 2026.

Mergers & Acquisitions

Kenbi Academy takes over nursing school in Hamburg and launches Kenbi Campus

Kenbi Akademie GmbH has completely taken over the Hamburg operations of AfP - Akademie für Pflege gGmbH and will continue to operate the site under the name Kenbi Campus GmbH. With this acquisition, Kenbi is expanding its educational offering to include an established training location for the nursing professions, combining traditional classroom formats with digital continuing education programs. Trainees and partners in Hamburg will have access to the entire training portfolio of the Kenbi Academy, while the location is also to be expanded as a regional center for practice supervisor and PDL training in the future. The aim is to interlink training, further education and digitalization more closely and to further strengthen the quality of nursing training.

iDWELL takes over AI financial solution and expands platform for property management companies

The Viennese PropTech iDWELL has acquired the rights to an AI-based financial management system from its development partner domonda and will market the solution exclusively in the real estate sector under the name iDWELL Finance. The software automates central commercial processes for property management companies, achieves a high recognition rate for complex accounting data thanks to industry-specific AI and is already being used by around 100 real estate companies. With the acquisition, iDWELL can further develop the solution independently and is planning additional modules for document management, banking and process optimization, for example.

Personnel

Benita Krahforst becomes COO and member of the management board of nebenan.de

Benita Krahforst has been Chief Operating Officer of nebenan.de since autumn and has now been appointed to the management board of Germany's largest neighborhood network. In her expanded role, she is responsible for finance as well as operational strategy and organizational development. Krahforst has been part of the company since May 2024 and was previously CFO of the finance department. With the expansion of the management board, nebenan.de is strengthening its management structure in order to further develop processes, promote internal collaboration and strategically and operationally secure the platform's next growth phase.

More exciting news

THE WELL opens first holistic longevity club in Frankfurt

THE FLAG Group and entrepreneur François Casanova are creating THE WELL, Germany's first holistic longevity club, which is set to open in Frankfurt's banking district in mid-2026. Covering around 1,000 square meters, the club concept combines medical diagnostics, science-based training, regenerative health treatments and functional gastronomy in an integrated offering. The aim is to establish preventative healthcare as an integral part of everyday life. THE WELL is based on a scientific approach, individual health programs and an exclusive club atmosphere. Further locations in major European cities are already being planned.

Germany is one of the world leaders in quantum technology

A joint study by the European Patent Office and the OECD shows that global patent activity in the field of quantum technology has accelerated significantly over the past ten years. Germany plays a leading role in this: With 534 international patent families between 2005 and 2024, it ranks first in Europe and fifth worldwide. Germany is particularly well represented in the fields of quantum communication, quantum computing and, above all, quantum sensor technology. Germany's increasing share of global quantum patents underlines the high level of invention activity and the importance of the location in an international comparison. At the same time, the study makes it clear that, despite dynamic development, further investment and better framework conditions are needed to drive forward the scaling and commercialization of technologies.

TransferHealthAcademy strengthens healthcare innovation in NRW

DIGITALHUB.DE and the University of Bonn are launching the TransferHealthAcademy, a three-year project funded by the state program Regio.NRW, which supports small and medium-sized companies in the healthcare sector through practical collaboration with science, research and students. The focus is on digital health solutions, sustainability, diversity and equality, with an interdisciplinary panel of experts picking up on company needs and implementing them together with researchers. The aim is to support around 60 SMEs with innovation projects, strengthen their competitiveness, create new jobs and achieve long-term transferable business models as well as positive effects beyond the region.

Start-up association sees Deutschlandfonds as an important step and calls for more growth capital

The Startup Association welcomes the establishment of the Deutschlandfonds as an important signal from the German government to strengthen innovation and growth in Germany, but sees a need for further action. Although the fund provides the right impetus with its focus on the growth phase of startups and scaleups, there is still a considerable financing gap in international comparison. In order to scale successful young companies more strongly in Germany, the association is calling for additional measures to mobilize private and institutional capital, better framework conditions for venture capital and targeted instruments for scaleups and deep tech companies. In particular, initiatives such as WIN, Scaleup Direct and First of a Kind financing are cited as key levers for securing technological competitiveness and industrial value creation in the long term.