Startup news for the week ending week 9/26

Funding

ISPTech receives EUR 5.5 million in seed funding for new satellite propulsion systems

The Stuttgart-based space company ISPTech has closed a seed financing round of EUR 5.5 million to expand the development and production of its propulsion systems for agile maneuvers in orbit. The round was led by Join Capital, with High-Tech Gründerfonds and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) also participating. The company intends to use the funds to expand its production and testing infrastructure and bring more environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional, sometimes toxic propellants to market maturity in order to meet the growing demand for flexible and cost-efficient mobility in space.

Custom Surgical has closed a pre-Series A financing of 3.5 million euros

The Munich-based medtech company Custom Surgical has closed a pre-Series A financing of 3.5 million euros, led by Ventech with the participation of the ZEISS Group. Custom Surgical intends to use the capital to further develop and internationally expand its hardware-independent solutions for the digitalization and standardization of ophthalmological workflows. The technology enables existing devices such as slit lamps and surgical microscopes to be retrofitted, image and video data to be captured in a structured manner and clinical processes to be digitally networked - as the basis for future AI-supported diagnostic and decision support systems.

QIMP Incubator supports high-tech start-ups with up to 300,000 euros

Braunschweig Zukunft GmbH is launching the second round of its QIMP High-Tech Incubator and is looking for growth-oriented start-ups in the fields of quantum technologies, IT, mobility and production. The program, initiated jointly with the Technische Universität Braunschweig and the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, offers coaching, access to research infrastructure and funding of up to 300,000 euros per company to bridge the critical scaling phase ("Valley of Death"). The initiative is financed by the state of Lower Saxony and EU funds. Applications can be submitted until March 15, 2026, and one of the requirements is a location in Braunschweig or the willingness to settle here.

Vuala receives 1.8 million euros pre-seed

The technology startup Vuala has closed a pre-seed financing of 1.8 million euros led by FoodLabs to scale its plug-and-play infrastructure for automated food waste processing. At the heart of the solution is a so-called "artificial stomach" that separates, processes and converts waste directly on site into an energy-rich raw material, reducing manual labor, transportation and emissions. The company, which emerged from research at the University of Cambridge, sees itself as a technology platform for a growing waste management industry and is already testing its systems in high-volume environments such as London Heathrow Airport and with industrial partners such as Amazon, Compass Group and Costa Coffee.

Awards & Events

Female Future Festival 2026 starts in Munich and Stuttgart

The Female Future Festival 2026 focuses on personal encounters and networking for women under the motto The Power of Connection. On May 7, 2026, the Werksviertel Mitte in Munich will be transformed into a place for exchange and inspiration: around 1,000 participants and over 50 speakers, around 35 keynotes and panels, supplemented by master classes and new connecting formats. On April 16, 2026, a compact meet-up in Stuttgart with around eight speakers, including Api Schönauer and Ravi Walia, will invite participants to engage in intensive discussions and networking. Founders Verena Eugster and Patricia Zupan-Eugster emphasize the importance of genuine connections for professional growth, entrepreneurial development and personal strength.

Mergers & Acquisitions and Partnerships

Allianz plans first commercial fusion power plant in Bavaria

Proxima Fusion, the Free State of Bavaria, the Max Planck Society and RWE have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly pave the way for Europe's first commercial stellarator fusion power plant. The initial plan is to build the "Alpha" demonstration reactor at the Garching research site, followed by the "Stellaris" power plant, which is to be built at the former Gundremmingen nuclear power plant site. The partners want to combine research, industrial expertise and public and private funding to accelerate the commercialization of fusion energy, build new industrial value chains and establish a clean, base-load capable energy source for Europe in the long term.

No Dig Alliance has acquired Suomen Putkisto Palvelu

No Dig Alliance is further expanding its water infrastructure platform with the acquisition of Finnish rehabilitation specialist Suomen Putkisto Palvelu, strengthening its presence and technical expertise in trenchless rehabilitation of pipes and manholes. The transaction is part of a buy-and-build strategy to consolidate a highly fragmented market and aims to reduce water losses, energy consumption and emission-intensive civil engineering work, while European utilities are increasingly investing in the modernization of their networks in the face of climate-related pressures. According to Milena Torciano, the acquisition significantly expands the platform's technical expertise, while Patrik Larsson emphasizes the stronger market position in Finland; Juha Boman also sees the integration as an opportunity to accelerate sustainable solutions for a more efficient water infrastructure.

Personnel

HAT.tec appoints Rafael Koch as Chief Customer Officer

Munich-based software company HAT.tec has appointed Rafael Koch as Chief Customer Officer (CCO) in order to more closely dovetail customer requirements, product development and delivery and accelerate innovation cycles. The newly created role bundles the direct exchange with users such as pilots and operators and is intended to ensure that solutions are consistently aligned with real operational needs. Koch has been with the company since 2023, most recently as Chief of Staff, and brings experience from the AI start-up Operations1 as well as from projects with Airbus Helicopters and Ferchau Aviation. According to co-founder and co-CEO Fabian Schmitt, the new position strengthens the company's consistently user-centric approach and translates its growth strategy into a more integrated organizational structure.

b2venture gains Dr. Friederike Hoffmann as partner

b2venture has appointed Dr. Friederike Hoffmann as a new partner. In this role, she will strengthen the angel community, support the direct investment team and act as an interface between startups, corporates and LP networks. Dr. Hoffmann brings over 15 years of management experience from large B2B tech companies as well as extensive governance expertise and will further expand b2venture's presence in the European innovation and capital markets.

Further exciting news

Everdrone presents new rescue drone for faster emergency operations

The Swedish healthtech company Everdrone AB is launching the E3, an advanced drone that can transport emergency medical equipment such as defibrillators to the scene in under three minutes. The drone was developed entirely in-house, is suitable for use in Nordic climates, flies faster and further than its predecessor and can carry up to 4.5 kg. It will initially replace the existing drones in the Västra Götaland region and serve as a supplement to the rescue service to shorten response times in medical emergencies.

Start-up university launches "Innovation Design" Master's program

CODE University of Applied Sciences is expanding its range of courses and will be offering a new Master's degree in Innovation Design (M.A.) at its Berlin location from fall 2026. The program combines design, technology and business and focuses on the development of digital products and services - from the analysis of user needs to the implementation and evaluation of innovative solutions, for example in mobility, AI-supported applications or new industrial processes. Depending on the scope (60, 90 or 120 ECTS), students can choose specializations such as Artificial Intelligence, Entrepreneurship or Technology; flexible time models allow students to study full-time or part-time over two to eight semesters, including part-time. The aim is to qualify students for roles in innovation management, service design and digital product development."For us, design is the direct way to make technology valuable for people," explains Chancellor Reimar Müller-Thum.

Vyoma provides ESA with observation data on small space objects

The Munich-based startup Vyoma has been commissioned by the European Space Agency (ESA) to provide data from its Flamingo-1 satellite for the statistical modeling of small space objects. The data is intended to improve ESA's MASTER model and thus facilitate the monitoring of near-Earth objects, reduce risks for satellites and support the sustainable use of space. Vyoma plans to launch further satellites between 2026 and 2029 to reduce observation latency and expand space monitoring.

addressable value brings AI-supported value engineering to SaaS SMEs

Berlin-based startup addressable value GmbH, founded by former Signavio managers Steven Lewandowski and Stefan Krumnow, is developing an AI-based platform for customer value management that enables smaller and growing B2B SaaS companies in particular to systematically measure and communicate the economic benefits of their solutions. The aim is to make established value engineering methods scalable and accessible for the first time in order to better exploit sales potential and increase customer loyalty. The project is financed by an angel round involving all Signavio founders and supported by industry experts, including those from the ZF Group.

wavebird goes live

With its "Compute Sponsoring Infrastructure" (CSI), the startup wavebird presents a model in which advertising is directly linked to the computing power required during AI queries. The aim is to finance the rising operating costs of generative AI through sponsoring without burdening users with paywalls or interruptions. Ads are displayed during the processing time of a request and do not compete with the content of the AI output, thus creating a measurable, predictable and scalable source of funding. According to the company, the system includes auditable billing, tamper-proof logging and interfaces for integration and is already being demonstrated in its own chat application, which is intended to provide free access to AI models.