Notable Funding Rounds across the EU:
- Swedish home energy efficiency platform Eliq has secured €10M in a growth funding round and was backed by Inven Capital, Axpo and Valkea.
- Helsinki-based Solar Foods, a sustainable foodtech startup, has concluded its Series B funding round at €8M from Springvest Oyj.
- The London-based digital identity verification startup Magic ID has raised €350k in a pre-seed funding round led by SFC Capital and Presto Ventures.
New Venture Funds:
- Germany has announced the closing of a €1B fund of funds named 'Growth Fund Germany,' aimed at investing in German and European VC funds. The primary goal is to provide more growth-stage capital to European startups. The fund has already invested €265M in 16 venture capital funds.
- Denmark's European Energy has secured a €150M Green Portfolio Financing Facility in partnership with Scandinavian banks SEB and DNB. This 5-year funding initiative, with a potential extension to 7 years and an option to increase to €250M, is designed to accelerate renewable energy projects across 10 European countries.
- TIIN Capital, a Netherlands-based venture capital firm, has announced the first closing of its fifth Tech Fund, the European Cyber Tech Fund V, targeting a size of €100M. This fund is dedicated to investing in European cybersecurity scale-ups, with a focus on fostering international growth and promoting 'made in Europe' cybersecurity solutions.
- Spain Tritemius investment group has launched Tritemius Fund I, a €50M seed fund dedicated to investing in startups developing internet 3.0 and blockchain technology. The fund will focus on projects in their seed phase, with investments ranging from €150k to €3M.
- Bcombinator, an accelerator based in Barcelona, is preparing to launch a €40M venture capital fund to invest in startups at the pre-seed and seed stages. The fund aims to create a portfolio of 100 companies, offering initial investments of €50k to €100k and follow-on investments of up to €500k.
- Netherlands based NP-Hard Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund, has successfully closed its inaugural fund, raising €12M, exceeding its initial €10M target. The fund will support early-stage, product-focused founders in Europe and the US, with a typical investment of €250k per startup in 20 pre-seed companies.
Startup Funding Rounds & Acquisitions:
- US-Bulgarian LucidLink specializing in cloud storage technology, raised $75M in a Series C funding round led by Brighton Park Capital, including Headline, Baseline Ventures, and Adobe Ventures.
- Bulgarian HR nPloy has secured €2M. The round was led by Morningside Hill, and included participation from Blue Ocean Ventures.
- Czech Blindspot Technologies, a cybersecurity startup specializing in advanced DDoS protection, has announced a funding round of €1.4M. The funding was provided by Presto Ventures, Damir Spoljaric (Gi21), and Prozeta.
- Getpin, a Ukrainian SaaS startup, raised $400k in Seed funding from Presto Ventures. The company specializes in helping multi-branch businesses automate their online presence on platforms like Google Maps and Facebook.
- Vilnius-based pet care Boop has raised €300k to expand into new markets, specifically in Poland and Finland.
- Vilnius-based Liledu has secured €125k in funding for its innovative educational toy subscription service. This investment was led by FIRSTPICK VC.
- bValue, a growth equity fund based in CEE, has acquired a 69% stake in Hostersi, a provider of cloud migration and 24/7 cloud infrastructure maintenance services.
Startup Calls:
- Last call for startups interested in the AWS & Crowdstrike Cybersecurity Accelerator: This is a final reminder for cybersecurity startups to apply for an equity-free, 10-week program that offers expert guidance, networking with global investors, and up to $250k in AWS Activate credits. The application deadline is November 31, 2023. Don't miss this opportunity to join a dynamic ecosystem and receive support from leading experts in the field of cybersecurity.
- Startup Wise Guys is recruiting for The Extended Reality Pre-Revenue Program - 8-week initiative designed for early-stage startups in the realm of Extended Reality (XR). It offers an equity-free approach to help startups validate key aspects of their business, improve their pitch decks, and prepare for full-time accelerator programs or initial funding rounds. Participants will have access to pre-recorded content, templates, live sessions, and mentoring from industry experts. The program also provides opportunities to network with a community of over 350 mentors, 200 investors, and 600+ founders. Applications are open until December 14, after which potential candidates will be contacted for interviews.
Related Posts:
VC & Startup Weekly News, 11-17 November, 2023 (by Sofia Drobychevskaya, Editor, Vestbee)
VC & Startup Weekly News, 4-10 November, 2023 (by Sofia Drobychevskaya, Editor, Vestbee)
VC & Startup Weekly News, October 28 - November 3, 2023 (by Sofia Drobychevskaya, Editor, Vestbee)
