Startup news for the weekend week 8/26

Funding

factorymaker receives EUR 1.1 million for AI-supported factory planning

The DeepTech startup factorymaker has closed a pre-seed financing of 1.1 million euros, led by the Berlin-based VC 2bX with the participation of XISTA Science Ventures. The platform uses AI to automate the planning of industrial plants and production layouts and can analyze up to 100,000 design variants within minutes. Companies report significantly shorter planning times and lower construction and operating costs. The solution is already being used by Siemens Energy, Schaeffler and Hilti, among others. The company, which emerged from a research project at Vienna University of Technology and was founded by Maria Zahlbruckner and Julia Reisinger, intends to use the capital to accelerate product development and market expansion in Europe.

Copla secures 6 million euros in Series A financing

The compliance tech startup Copla has closed a Series A round of 6 million euros. The financing was led by Iron Wolf Capital, with Operator Stack Fund also participating. Since the last round, Copla has grown to over 100 regulated customers and achieved a seven-figure ARR. With the fresh capital, the company plans to further expand its product development, grow the team and accelerate its expansion in Europe and beyond.

KNAPP AG acquires stake in robotics startup ARTI Robots

The Graz-based robotics company ARTI has gained its first strategic investor in KNAPP AG, deepening an existing collaboration. ARTI was founded in 2019 by four graduates of Graz University of Technology after they met as part of the student team TEDUSAR at the international robotics competition series RoboCup. The company develops software modules for autonomous mobile robots and has grown entirely self-financed to date before bringing KNAPP on board as a partner to enable international scaling, industry access and technological synergies. The two companies have already worked together on projects in the field of mobile robotics, most recently on the AeroBot system for intelligent warehouse automation, and now want to strategically expand their cooperation.

Cognee raises 7.5 million US dollars for "memory layer" of AI agents

The Berlin-based AI startup Cognee has closed a seed financing round of 7.5 million US dollars. The round was led by Pebblebed, with participation from 42CAP and Vermilion Ventures as well as angel investors from the Google DeepMind environment. Cognee is developing an infrastructure that enables AI agents to learn permanently via structured, self-updating knowledge memories instead of only processing contexts in the short term. The technology is already being used by more than 70 companies, including Bayer, and is to be scaled as a cloud platform and further developed for edge and on-device applications with the fresh capital.

Awards & Events

data:unplugged March 26 & 27, 2026 in Münster

The data:unplugged festival, which has established itself as a European platform for data and artificial intelligence applications, will take place in Münster on March 26 and 27, 2026. More than 10,000 participants, over 200 speakers and around 150 exhibitors from business, research and SMEs are expected at the Messe und Congress Centrum Halle Münsterland. The program includes lectures and discussions with Uli Hoeneß, Markus Lanz, Mona Neubaur and Jarek Kutylowski, among others. In addition to keynotes, masterclasses and networking formats, new themed areas will focus more strongly on the practical use of data and AI. The event is supported by technology and industry partners such as Microsoft and BASF, while the regional research landscape, for example at the University of Münster, is highlighted as an important location factor. Startbase is also a media partner. More information can be found directly in our event calendar or on the d:u 2026 homepage.

GITEX AI EUROPE 2026 - Europe's digital future in focus

GITEX AI EUROPE returns to Germany from June 30 to July 1, 2026, bringing together the international technology, startup and investment community at Messe Berlin. As the central platform for Europe's digital transformation, the event brings companies, SMEs and start-ups together with investors, political decision-makers and researchers to facilitate new business models, capital and partnerships. Four parallel formats - including AI Everything Germany, GISEC Europe, North Star Europe and the GITEX Quantum Expo - as well as an extensive program of workshops, curated meetings, pitch formats and training sessions create a practical framework for exchange, further education and concrete cooperation. With around 1,400 exhibitors, 750 start-ups and 600 investors from over 100 countries, the event will become an international hotspot where innovations are scaled and transformed into real applications. We are delighted to be there as a media partner. Tickets and details are available in our event calendar or directly at GITEX.

The future of gastronomy in the Newcomers Area and Future Food

From March 13 to 17, 2026, INTERNORGA in Hamburg will showcase the latest trends and innovations in the catering and food service industry. In Hall B5, the Newcomers Area and the Future Food trend area will showcase start-ups and companies presenting sustainable, plant-based products, food tech solutions and innovative snacks. Visitors can try out new products, learn about innovative technologies such as oil- and fat-free frying, microalgae-based emulsifiers or fermented protein products and find out about forward-looking nutritional concepts. The areas not only offer companies visibility, but also promote exchange, networking and the further development of the industry.

Cooperations, Mergers & Acquisitions

Million-euro deal strengthens German cannabis market

The Canadian producer Organigram Global is planning to acquire the Berlin-based company Sanity Group for up to 250 million euros - the largest acquisition of a German cannabis company by a North American provider to date and a significant signal for the attractiveness of the market in Germany. The transaction is part of an increased expansion of major North American cannabis companies into Europe and builds on a long-standing partnership that includes British American Tobacco. In addition to an immediate payment, the deal includes performance-based components and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals. With the integration of Sanity's vertical business model, which combines brands, distribution, logistics and production, Organigram aims to expand its European presence and benefit from the dynamically growing medical cannabis market.

Bezahl.de directly integrated into PZeG.online in future

The Aufinity Group has integrated its digital payment management from bezahl.de into the PZeG.online platform of PremiumZulasser eG. The first member companies are already using the solution, which integrates payment processes directly into the registration process and thus enables a continuous digital process from vehicle registration to receipt of payment. The integration will allow payment statuses to be viewed centrally and incoming payments to be confirmed more quickly, reducing manual reconciliations and facilitating operational management. There are plans to extend digital payment management to other processes in the future.

Personnel

Tom Mayer becomes CEO of mymuesli

The Passau-based provider mymuesli is consistently focusing its strategy on digital growth and has appointed business IT specialist Tom Mayer as its new CEO. Mayer, who most recently held a management position at online pharmacy provider DocMorris, is to scale data-driven growth models and strengthen the online business and AI-supported personalization in particular. In future, artificial intelligence will control central processes from individual product recommendations and demand and inventory forecasts to the optimization of customer loyalty and margins. With over one million active customers, the Supervisory Board also sees great potential for sustainable growth, as Chairman Tobias Bachmüller emphasizes.

JUPUS quadruples turnover and brings in new COO

The Cologne-based LegalTech start-up JUPUS more than quadrupled its annual recurring revenue in 2025 and is now driving its growth forward with a prominent appointment: Oskar Handrick, former COO of the Doctolib Germany organization, will take over operational management on 1 March 2026. He will accelerate the scaling of the highly sought-after AI secretariat for law firms as well as the expansion in Germany and internationally. Since the market launch in 2023, the number of client law firms has grown to over 700 and the team to around 60 employees. With Handrick's experience in building fast-growing structures, the company, led by co-founder René Fergen, wants to consolidate its position in the DACH region and take the next step towards becoming an internationally scaling provider.

Ayunis continues to grow and brings new CROs on board

The Munich-based GovTech company Ayunis is starting 2026 with strong growth: Over 800 cities and municipalities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are already using the provider's AI-supported software solutions. At the same time, Ellen Lina Schmitt, previously Head of Public Sector at Personio, is joining the management team as Chief Revenue Officer to drive forward the go-to-market strategy and further scaling. Ayunis has evolved from a provider of space and resource management ("Locaboo") into a platform for automated administrative processes and is positioning "Ayunis Core", an open, data protection-compliant AI solution specifically for the public sector. The company, led by CEO Andreas Michel, sees this as the basis for leading administrations across Europe into the AI era more efficiently and confidently.

IntegrityNext appoints Simon Jaehnig as CSIO

Munich-based provider IntegrityNext is further expanding its strategic focus and appointing co-founder Simon Jaehnig as Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer. In his new role, Jaehnig is responsible for the global strategy and innovation agenda with the aim of developing the company into an AI-first organization and automating sustainability and compliance processes along the supply chain to a greater extent. At the same time, he will remain President of the US company and drive expansion in North America. Under the leadership of CEO Bruno Teuber, IntegrityNext intends to invest more heavily in AI-supported efficiency improvements, proactive risk minimization and measurable ESG results in order to position itself as a central management platform for sustainable supply chains.

Further news

NRW launches new growth fund for scale-ups

With "NRW.Venture EU Tech&Scale", NRW.BANK is launching a new fund to finance high-growth technology companies in North Rhine-Westphalia. As an implementation partner of the European InvestEU program, the development bank will be able to invest up to EUR 30 million per company and provide additional funds of up to EUR 200 million in total. The aim is to close the financing gap in the scaling phase, keep key technologies in Europe and promote innovations in areas such as deep tech, green tech and Industry 4.0. The basis is a guarantee agreement with the European Commission, making NRW.BANK the first German partner of this instrument. Chairwoman of the Managing Board Gabriela Pantring and NRW Minister of Economic Affairs Mona Neubaur see this as an important step towards keeping innovative companies in the region, financing growth and strengthening technological sovereignty in Europe.

Factorial strengthens its presence in the DACH region

The Spanish HR unicorn Factorial is further expanding its presence in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and is opening a new location in Cologne. CEO Jordi Romero emphasizes that the highly regulated DACH market is a key growth area, while Director DACH René Nießen-Moloney highlights the platform as a flexible, scalable and time-saving solution for companies.