Hands-free electric vehicle (EV) charging startup Rocsys today launched the world’s first integrated platform to power 24/7 hands-free charging for autonomous mobility. I spoke to Crijn Bouman, co-founder and CEO of Rocsys to find out more.  Bouman has been in the EV space for about 20 years. After graduating from Delft, he founded Epyon, Europe’s first EV fast-charging company, later acquired by ABB, where it became the ABB Charging Group.  Following the acquisition, he stayed on to build out a global business. In his last year at  ABB Charging Group, he visited a robotic startup in San Francisco. They had an indoor test track where autonomous vehicles drove around and parked themselves. But then a person had to walk over and plug them in. He recalled: “I was completely awestruck seeing autonomous vehicles for the first time, but I wondered, 'Why don't you automate that too?' Someone there told me their management said the only focus was to get vehicles ready for the road — everything else would come later.” The idea stuck. A year later, he left ABB, met some people working in robotics, and founded Rocsys.         Why driverless vehicles need autonomous charging Vehicles are becoming driverless, but infrastructure is still built for humans. There's a huge gap.  Current charging systems are built on the outdated assumption that a human operator should always be present. Manual charging is time-consuming, labour-intensive, error-prone, and incompatible with the scalability that autonomous fleets demand. A manual charging process negates the benefits of otherwise autonomous systems by introducing a human bottleneck. Bouman contends that to reach a driverless future, the infrastructure needs to be designed for driverless vehicles.  “We fill that gap, and the first application is charging. We use a combination of robotics, AI, computer vision, and software. It's a hardware-enabled software business — the hardware is important, but it’s all about computer vision, AI, and controls. People sometimes call it 'embodied AI' or 'physical AI.'”  The Rocsys Platform includes four key components: Rocsys Steward – An advanced automatic connection device powered by computer vision and machine learning. It autonomously detects vehicle arrival, opens the charging port, plugs in safely, charges, and unplugs — all without human intervention. It’s compatible with all standard connectors and existing multi-brand infrastructure. Rocsys API – Enables integration with IT systems such as Terminal Operating Systems (TOS) and Fleet Management Systems (FMS), providing operators with total control and visibility over charging in the context of wider logistics or mobility operations. Rocsys Portal – A operational dashboard providing real-time data-driven insights into charging activities, enabling operators to optimise performance and unlock efficiencies in autonomous workflows. Rocsys Proactive Care – A 24/7 support service offering remote performance monitoring, computer vision performance updates, remote troubleshooting, and proactive maintenance to ensure uninterrupted operations, especially in challenging environments like ports and logistics hubs. Ports, logistics, and robotaxis: where Rocsys wins To gain traction in the crowded EV charging market, Rocysys is very intentional about the markets it targets: port terminals and logistics yards, where automated vehicles are already being deployed, and there's a real problem to solve. Designed to meet the demands of 24/7 autonomous operations, especially in rugged environments like ports where manual charging is a hidden bottleneck. The Rocsys Platform ensures vehicles are always charged, connected, and ready when operators need them. It unlocks greater efficiency, safety, and scalability for the world’s leading port operators, logistics companies, and robotaxi brands.  Bouman detailed:  “Passenger cars are more of a 'nice-to-have' use case — it's not critical. In professional fleets, though, automation is a 'must-have.' So we focus on real, painful problems in professional settings. We basically ensure the vehicle is correctly connected to a normal charger. So the charging speed depends on the charger itself." Rocsys automates high-speed charging — like 400kW, 10-minute fast charges — is possible with its system, which is an advantage over wireless charging. Further, reliability is also critical. According to Bouman: “In fleet environments, if someone forgets to plug in or damages a connector, it costs real money. A vehicle not charged on time in a port, for example, can be extremely costly." Rocsys works with customers in the robotaxi, logistics, and ports sectors, including operators like APM Terminals MVII, the number 2 port terminal operator in the world, leading autonomous vehicle solution providers like EasyMile and embotech and vehicle OEMs like Hyster, DAF, and Autocar.  Significantly,the Rocsys Platform offers seamless integration with existing vehicle and infrastructure setups without the need for a wholesale retrofit and delivers unmatched compatibility across all vehicle types and charging brands. From hype to business reality Autonomous vehicles have been in development for over 20 years. Five or six years ago, there was a lot of hype. Then disappointment — too much overpromise, too little real-world success.  According to Bouman, the conversation has shifted from 'Will it work?' to 'Will the business case work?' The port automation market is projected to exceed $15.5 billion by 2032.  Waymo is completing around 200,000 paid rides a week in the US. Baidu's Apollo Go service has been at the forefront, with approximately 1.1 million rides in the fourth quarter of 2024, and is expected to achieve profitability this year. In trucking, Fernride and Einride are going from strength to strength, as well as defencetech applications like ARX Robotics. Rocsys will present the Rocsys Platform and future innovations to the Rocsys Steward at ACT Expo from April 28 to 30 at Booth #6514.  

This week we tracked more than 65 tech funding deals worth over €428 million, and over 10 exits, M&A transactions, rumours, and related news stories across Europe. In addition to this week's top financials, we've also indexed the most important/industry-related news items you need to know about. If email is more your thing, you can always subscribe to our newsletter and receive a more robust version of this round-up delivered to your inbox. Either way, let's get you up to speed. ? Notable and big funding rounds ?? Xayn secures €80M to build Europe’s privacy-first legal AI ?? Consent management specialist Didomi raises €72M and acquires Addingwell ?? Symbiotic raises $29M in Series A funding ??‍?? Noteworthy acquisitions and mergers ?? Datatonic acquires Syntio to strengthen its data engineering capabilities ?? The Berlin-based FinTech Senken is acquiring the Berlin-based startup Ivy ?? Supply chain software security firm Socket acquires Coana ? Interesting moves from investors ? KOMPAS VC closes €150M Fund II to back sustainability and productivity-focused industrialtech ? Student spinout First Momentum Ventures closes €35M Fund II for deep tech startups ? Sheblooms Venture raises €205,000 to empower female entrepreneurship ?️ In other (important) news ?? Poland installs its first superconducting quantum computer ?️ Aquark Technologies and NOC successfully trap cold atoms underwater for the first time with Boaty McBoatface ? Berlin tech salaries stagnate as gender pay gap widens — now over 20 per cent ?M&A momentum undone by legacy systems and talent gaps, warns Unit4 ? OKAPI:Orbits secures €13M to build the future of space traffic management ? Recommended reads and listens ?? Croatia: Accelerating growth and innovation for a digital tomorrow ? Berlin-based Reflex partners with Umbra to bolster Europe's space sovereignty ? Spendesk partners with Dust to roll out custom AI agents ? 6 startups powering a greener planet on Earth Day ? European tech startups to watch ?? Innovate UK has awarded TreQ and a consortium of partners £1.65M to develop an Open Architecture Quantum (OAQ) Testbed ?? Tella raises $2.1M for AI-powered video creation ? WineFi secures £1.5M seed funding for fine wine investing platform ?? Rundle secures $900,000 to make renting the new buying in the UK’s consumer tech economy ?? Taglayer raises €800,000 to help marketers build personalised customer experiences

Berlin is famous for a few things: clubs, doner kebabs, startups, tourists, and poor customer service. It's an ever-changing city (and my home) that attracts a huge number of tech enthusiasts.  A recent survey by the author of the weekly tech newsletter,  Handpicked Berlin offers an insight into what people are earning right now in the city’s tech ecosystem. With  1,845 valid submissions, the 3rd annual salary survey for the tech and startup sectors. This year's report reveals a concerning trend: median salaries have stagnated at €75,000 while the gender pay gap has significantly widened. Before we dig into the findings, let’s just get some demographics:  Gender: Out of 1845 total respondents this year, 996 (53.98 per cent) identify as male, 820 (44.44 per cent) as female, 15 as non-binary respondents (0.81 per cent), and 14 preferred not to say (0.76 per cent). Education: The Berlin tech scene remains highly educated, with nearly 94 per cent of professionals holding at least a Bachelor's degree. Master's degrees are most common (49.3 per cent), followed by Bachelor's (36.9 per cent). Career stage: Most tech professionals in Berlin are mid-career, with over 60 per cent having 6–15 years of experience. Large corporations (1000+ employees) employ the largest share (35 per cent), while smaller startups (1–10 employees) are underrepresented, despite Berlin’s active early-stage scene. Yeah, surprise, surprise most people don’t work at startups While Berlin prides itself on its reputation as a startup haven, in reality only 29.26 per cent (539 respondents) work at startups this year, compared to 36.47 per cent (419 respondents) last year—a decrease of 7.21 per cent — perhaps team members were too busy hustling to fill in the survey?   Meanwhile, the vast majority (66.4 per cent, 1223 respondents) are employed at established companies, up from 60.31 per cent (693 respondents). In terms of salary progression,  the most substantial salary jumps occur when moving from micro-companies to small businesses, with a 25 per cent increase between the 1-10 and 11-50 employee brackets.  How large is the gender pay gap? The gender pay gap has increased compared to last year, now standing at over 20 per cent across all respondents (vs 15 per cent last year). It probably also has to do with more women participating this year. In median terms, women earned 20.48 per cent (€66,000) or €17,000 less than men (€83,000). The situation was worse for non-binary respondents (25.30 per cent less, €62,000). For women in leadership positions, the gap has widened significantly. Female leaders make up 40.28 per cent of leadership respondents, they earned a median of €75,500 compared to €100,000 for male leaders – a difference of €24,500 or 24.5 per cent (vs 14.46 per cent last year). In the group of individual contributors, the gap was €13,250 or 16.99 per cent (€64,750 for women vs €78,000 for men). This growing disparity suggests that despite increased awareness of gender inequality in compensation, the tech and startup sectors in Berlin are experiencing a concerning trend in the wrong direction. It’s fair to say that equal quality work should mean equal pay. Even when controlling for both experience level and role, a significant gender pay gap persists among full-time employees. Based on a subset of 1,700 respondents, the data shows that men consistently earn more than women across nearly all roles and experience brackets, with the average adjusted pay gap at -14.9 per cent.  The gap is especially pronounced in mid-career positions such as managers and individual contributors, where differences range from -15 per cent to over -22 per cent. While younger employees show slightly smaller disparities (around -10 per cent), the gap widens with more experience, reaching -26 per cent for those with 16–20 years on the job.  Notably, the only group where women out-earn men is among very early-career team leads. These findings suggest that factors beyond role or experience—such as negotiation practices, unconscious bias, or structural inequalities—may contribute to ongoing pay disparities. The migrant experience  In reality, the data reflects Berlin’s international tech ecosystem, with German passport holders accounting for 15.6 per cent of respondents (versus approximately 75 per cent of Berlin’s general population). This provides excellent insights for international professionals but may not fully represent local German compensation patterns.  Further, the majority of respondents function with intermediate or basic German proficiency — it's not easy to learn Deutsch when you work full time, and Germany could increase its attractiveness to skilled migrants by including administrative services in languages besides English.  Yet contrary to common assumptions, fluency in German does not correlate with higher salaries in the tech sector. In fact, those with advanced German skills (C1 level) report the lowest average and median salaries—€68,611 and €67,250, respectively. Meanwhile, professionals with little or no German proficiency tend to earn more, with average salaries above €80,000. This pattern suggests that international specialists, particularly those with in-demand technical skills, may command premium pay regardless of language ability. It may also reflect a talent gap in the local German-speaking workforce, prompting companies to offer higher salaries to attract non-German-speaking experts. Curiously, German citizens earned €7,000 less than their non-EU counterparts, and other EU citizens earned €8,000 less. This continues a pattern of previous years, where international talent from outside the EU gets a premium compensation in Berlin’s ecosystem.  However, as Berlin competes globally for tech talent in response to the ever-present skills gap issues of talent retention and workplace equity that could impact the city's position as Europe's leading tech hub.  What jobs pay the most and least in Berlin?  This year's expanded role categorization reveals significant salary disparities across job titles. The highest-paying roles are in:  Software Engineering Leadership (€115,995 average),  SRE & Infrastructure (€112,000), and  Executives (€107,722), reflecting the premium on technical leadership and strategic roles.  On the other end, the lowest-paying roles include:  Executive Assistance & Administration (€40,750), Accounting (€44,000, though based on a single respondent), Architectural Design (€45,750).  Roles in Web Development, Graphic Design, and Content & Creative Marketing also fall on the lower end of the salary scale.  Industries with the highest salaries:  Looking at average startup employees reported a higher average salary (€80,424.86) compared with established companies (€78,041.29)—a small 3 per cent advantage for startups.  A lot of people will leave their jobs Nearly one-third of respondents (30.82 per cent or 567 people) indicated they are likely or very likely to change jobs in 2025.  It’s unclear whether this includes people who suspect their role may be eradicated but at the very least suggests  companies need to work on their employee retention policies. Further, an overwhelming majority of respondents (67.8 per cent) received neither payment nor flex-time for extra hours worked which shows the need for room for improvement Bonus and equity structures vary notably by company size. Mid-sized companies (201–500 employees) offer the most generous bonuses, with the highest average (€20,135) and a median of €10,000. Large enterprises (1000+) provide the most consistent access to bonuses (32.6 per cent of employees), though at a slightly lower median of €8,000.  When it comes to equity, very small companies (1–10 employees) offer the highest average value (€56,136), likely to offset lower salaries, but access is limited (11.3 per cent). Large enterprises strike the best balance, offering both broad access (30.9 per cent) and solid equity value (median €20,000). Mid-sized firms remain a sweet spot, offering top-tier bonuses and decent equity without startup-level risk. Lead image: Cate Lawrence. 

This week, Berlin-based legal tech startup Xayn (soon to be Noxtua SE), developer of Europe's first sovereign Legal AI Noxtua, completed its Series B investment round of approximately € 80.7 million, with C.H. Beck, Germany's leading legal publisher, as the leading investor. Additional new investors on board include Northern Data, a specialist in High-Performance Computing (HPC), Germany's largest business law firm CMS, Xayn's long-standing partner and co-initiator of the Legal AI Noxtua, and global law firm Dentons. I spoke with Xayn CEO and co-founder Dr Leif-Nissen Lundbæk and Dr Markus Kaulartz, lawyer and partner for AI at CMS, to learn more.  Europe's first sovereign legal AI platform Xayn has developed Europe's first sovereign legal AI platform, specifically tailored for the German and European legal systems. Designed to meet the stringent privacy, compliance, and professional secrecy standards of the legal profession, Noxtua offers a suite of AI-powered tools to assist legal professionals in their daily work.​ Born out of research at the University of Oxford and Imperial College London, Xayn's foundation lies in reinforcement learning, which it still uses to improve performance. today  While it didn't begin with language models, it became clear early on that they would be essential. Noxtua combines reinforcement learning with transformer and recurrent neural networks to optimise both performance and energy efficiency—its models can reduce energy consumption by up to 98% compared to alternatives. The Xayn team connected with Dr Markus Kaulartz from CMS, one of Europe's largest law firms. His insights on privacy law and IP rights highlighted how existing legal AI tools, particularly those from the US, couldn't be used in European legal settings. They realised a real need for a compliant, powerful AI tool built for Europe. The importance of privacy-first data sovereignty  Compliance, privacy, and data protection regulations deeply affect the legal industry —  especially in Europe.  In Germany, law firms must comply with the Professional Secrecy Act, which restricts the use of cloud-based tools like ChatGPT. You'd need client permission to process their data using these platforms—something that's rarely feasible. That's why many firms traditionally have relied on on-premise software – up until now. Xayn's sovereign European Legal AI adheres to the high professional, criminal, and data protection law requirements for attorneys (e.g. Section 203 of the German Criminal Code (StGB), Section 43e of the German Federal Code for Lawyers (BRAO)), enabling its use by professionals bound by confidentiality without requiring anonymisation. Noxtua is trained on legal data — not client data — but on contracts and clauses designed specifically for this purpose. That makes it both compliant and accurate. Data sovereignty is at the core of Xayn's identity.  Dr Lundbæk asserts that the company has  always believed in a privacy-first, European-centric approach to AI—bringing the algorithm to the data, not the other way around. "This means designing systems that are data-efficient, respect privacy, and support sovereignty. We've had many conversations with US investors and partners who simply don't understand why it matters. But for Europeans, it's critical — especially given our dependence on foreign technologies. From a legal AI perspective, the challenge is clear: the US legal market is relatively uniform, making it easier to scale tools like Harvey. In Europe, however, we deal with fragmented, complex systems. US-centric tools aren't suitable for German, French, or Italian legal systems. We're building specifically for that complexity." Xayn serves two main customer types: law firms and in-house legal departments, including compliance and procurement teams. Law firms have greater complexity, broader topics, and tighter regulations, especially around professional secrecy. Noxtua Legal AI evolves with 55 mllion Beck documents Xayn is currently building the third generation of Noxtua, leveraging C.H.Beck's exclusive legal data for training and further optimising of the Noxtua Legal AI. Previously, Noxtua trained its model mainly using law firm data, which allowed for good clause comparisons but lacked deep interpretability. With Beck data, the model can now explain and justify recommendations with proper references. This blend of drafting and research makes the system more accurate and trustworthy. Publishing more than 9,000 available works, 80 specialist journals, and up to 1,000 new publications and new editions every year, the specialised publisher has by far the largest legal database in the German-speaking world with beck-online – with well over 55 million documents covering all relevant areas of law. beck-online contains, among other things, the most comprehensive collection of relevant commentary literature, which is essential for lawyers in their daily work.  According to Dr Lundbæk: "This increase in data allows us to massively enhance the model's capabilities. It's not just a minor update, it's a significant evolution of the product." According to CMS partner, Dr Markus Kaulartz, in civil law countries like Germany, literature such as commentaries and academic articles play a central role alongside statutes and case law. Lawyers and judges consult these sources to interpret law and make decisions. "When a client sends a request, a lawyer must first understand the context, analyse the documents, and reference relevant case law and literature to provide advice or draft documents. Judges do the same when forming legal decisions. That's why this partnership between Noxtua and Beck is powerful. Noxtua provides the AI and software capabilities, and we bring the legal data — both for training the model and supporting references. Unlike other tools like ChatGPT, our system can show the exact page from a commentary or case law that supports a response." Xayn updates its model roughly every three months, which includes new functionalities and improved reasoning, ensuring that the latest documents and rulings are integrated. Xayn expands Noxtua’s reach as public sector adoption accelerates And from the get-go Xayn has attracted interest in Germany from a sector of legal professionals that have lacked the ability to access the AI-embedded tools of their global peers.  Dr Lundbæk shared: "When we Xayn announced  Noxtua publicly, it was overwhelmed by the interest. It clearly filled a massive gap. Law firms and legal departments are under pressure from growing regulations and shrinking headcounts—they need solutions like  Noxtua  to stay ahead." Xayn has expanded its user base to encompass large law firms like CMS to enterprises and government departments. Law is everywhere — in contracts, regulations, bureaucratic forms. Public sector interest, in particular, has grown rapidly due to regulatory pressure.  Dr Lundbæk contends that governments are moving faster than expected, especially in Europe: "Our focus on security, compliance, and sovereignty — supported by partnerships with Deutsche Telekom and Northern Data — aligns well with public sector needs." Noxtua includes contract review templates — developed in collaboration with firms like CMS — that help guide users through legal workflows. These prebuilt workflows are designed to support even less tech-savvy users, enabling smooth and effective adoption. Upcoming features include matrix review, which allows for bulk contract analysis, and multi-step templates — sometimes referred to as agentic behavior — that automate entire legal workflows such as contract review, redlining, and email generation. The team is also expanding integrations, including with Power Automate. One example is ENBW, a German energy provider, which uses the platform to automatically detect incoming contracts, apply checklists, generate redlines, and notify legal teams — all without manual intervention. This approach goes well beyond simple chat interfaces. It embeds AI directly into real legal processes, with a focus on transparency, depth, and alignment with organisational needs.  The current geopolitical shifts lend additional weight to this investment in sovereign European technology – above all in AI: in addition to high-quality data, Europe needs its own AI models and an autonomous infrastructure for more digital sovereignty and in order to avoid or reduce technological dependencies.  This is where the strategic investor Northern Data, based in Frankfurt am Main, brings extensive expertise in sovereign, European high-performance computing and hosting.  Aroosh Thillainathan, Founder and CEO of Northern Data Group, commented:  "We empower the world's most innovative companies – not just through our technology, but also by fostering the ecosystems that spark groundbreaking ideas.  Xayn/Noxtua successfully combines cutting-edge AI applications, fine-tuned LLMs, proprietary databases, and powerful compute resources—all within our sovereign, legally compliant AI infrastructure." Previous investors Global Brain Corporation, KDDI Open Innovation Fund, CMS, and Dominik Schiener remain invested in the startup. The latter, along with C.H. Beck, takes over the shares of former investor Earlybird VC in alignment with the AI startup's new strategic orientation.

London-based fintech WineFi has raised £1.5M in a Seed funding round led by Coterie Holdings, a British fine wine group. This investment also includes contributions from SFC Capital, Founders Capital, and several angel investors. The funding aims to enhance WineFi's platform, which offers data-driven access to fine wine investment opportunities, making this asset class more accessible to a broader range of investors.​ Founded by Oliver Thorpe and Callum Woodcock, both with backgrounds in asset management at Fidelity International and J.P. Morgan, WineFi seeks to provide high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and funds with comprehensive data and insights into wine portfolios. Traditionally, wine investment has been facilitated through merchants, often lacking transparency and standardised data. WineFi's platform aims to bridge this gap by offering a more structured and transparent approach to investing in fine wines.​ The platform allows individuals to co-invest in diversified, expertly curated wine portfolios, with minimum investments starting at £3,000. This accessibility is particularly appealing as investors seek alternative assets amid market volatility.​ WineFi has partnered with Lympid, a digital asset platform, to provide clients with access to fractionalised fine wine investments. This collaboration integrates blockchain technology to enhance transparency and liquidity in the wine investment market. By leveraging these innovations, WineFi aims to attract a new generation of investors to the fine wine sector.​ Coterie Holdings, known for its extensive experience in the fine wine sector, has taken a strategic stake in WineFi. Michael Saunders, CEO of Coterie Holdings, has joined WineFi's board of directors, bringing over 40 years of industry expertise. Saunders commented: "The wine investment model hasn't changed significantly in decades. WineFi's fresh approach combines deep wine expertise with modern financial tools to make this historically compelling asset class more accessible to sophisticated investors." This partnership is expected to provide WineFi with valuable industry insights and infrastructure support.​

Polish industrialtech startup DBR77 Robotics has closed a €3.5M Seed round to support its international growth and technological development. The investment was led by ff Venture Capital (ffVC), a New York and Warsaw-based early-stage investor specializing in AI, robotics, and automation. Other participants include the National Centre for Research and Development’s NCBR Investment Fund ASI S.A. (NIF), RKK-Investment, and KIROI, a German industrial-focused fund. Existing investors EEC, Level 2, and SQD Alliance also reaffirmed their commitment to DBR77’s growth. ​ DBR77 Robotics' platform integrates Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, digital twin technology, and a robotics marketplace to optimise manufacturing and logistics operations. The platform enables real-time data collection, process simulation, and automation, providing businesses with tools to enhance efficiency and scalability. ​ The company’s business model combines Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) subscriptions for its digital twin and IoT system with commissions from its marketplace, which connects manufacturers with robotics solutions from global suppliers such as Fanuc, KUKA, Yaskawa, ABB, and Mitsubishi Electric. ​ The newly secured capital will be allocated to DBR77’s “GO GLOBAL” strategy, focusing on expanding into Western European and U.S. markets. Key initiatives include enhancing AI capabilities, integrating with IoT systems, and further developing and commercialising the Digital Twin platform. The company has established subsidiaries in Berlin and Pittsburgh to spearhead growth in the DACH region and North America, respectively. ​ “Today, I can say this with confidence: our technology and market strategy are perfectly aligned to succeed in a world undergoing global transformation. The industrial and logistics sectors face unprecedented levels of uncertainty and competition. DBR77 is the answer to these challenges - a platform that enables measurement, optimization, and automation of production and logistics like nothing this market has seen before,” said Piotr Wiśniewski, CEO of DBR77.

Datatonic, a cloud data and AI solutions provider, has announced the acquisition of Syntio, a specialist in data engineering. The move aims to enhance Datatonic’s enterprise service offerings and global delivery capabilities by integrating Syntio’s expertise in data ingestion, transformation, and business intelligence. The combined entity hopes to leverage its expanded capabilities to address the increasing demand for advanced data and AI solutions. By integrating Syntio’s data engineering with Datatonic’s AI-driven approach, the company aims to deliver enhanced value to clients and solidify its position as a leader in the global data and AI services market. Syntio, headquartered in Zagreb, Croatia, has experienced significant growth since its inception in 2017. The company has been recognized by the Financial Times as one of Europe’s fastest-growing companies for three consecutive years. The acquisition significantly bolsters Datatonic’s service portfolio, combining its proficiency in Generative AI and AI platforms with Syntio’s deep technical specialisation in data engineering. This merger enables the combined entity to offer a comprehensive range of high-impact solutions to clients across various industries. Scott Eivers, CEO of Datatonic, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, stating, “We are thrilled to welcome Syntio to the Datatonic family. This acquisition is a key step in our strategy to expand our global reach and enhance our service capabilities. Syntio’s talented team and specialized expertise will be invaluable as we continue to deliver innovative data and AI solutions to our clients.” Davorin Cetto, CEO of Syntio, commented on the acquisition, saying, “Joining Datatonic at this stage in the evolution of AI and data engineering is an exciting opportunity for Syntio. The scale of offerings, the geographic coverage, and our combined expertise mean our customers now have the best technology options as they navigate towards a cloud data and AI-centric future.” Datatonic is backed by Perwyn. Mike Rothwell, Investment Manager at Perwyn, highlighted the strategic importance of the acquisition, stating, “We are very proud of this deal. The acquisition of Syntio expands Datatonic’s global footprint as well as adding the high-quality team that Davorin and Tomislav have built. This will augment the business’ capabilities across generative AI, machine learning, and data analytics.”

Turkish-founded device-as-a-service (DaaS) company Rundle has secured $900,000 Seed funding to disrupt the UK’s rental economy by merging affordability, flexibility, and sustainability — demonstrating that access to technology can be as seamless as ownership.  ´ TIBAS Ventures led the funding, with participation from ARYA VC and QNBEYOND Ventures.  Rundle makes it easier to access the latest tech — from TVs to gaming consoles, games, laptops, and smart home devices —without the long-term commitment or environmental impact of ownership. The company successfully collaborated with major e-commerce platforms and banks in Türkiye, gaining visibility among millions of users. Building on this success, the company expanded into the UK market in 2024, where it has been testing and refining its model in a new and dynamic landscape. Rundle has quickly gained traction among UK consumers, with users raving about the smooth rental process on Trustpilot. Customers highlight the convenience, affordability, and flexibility of renting everything from cameras to VR headsets and baby gear. According to Basak Baykan, CEO of Rundle:  "We aim to become the go-to platform for users who want to try before they buy while ensuring financial flexibility.  Through partnerships with retailers, fintech providers, and e-commerce platforms, we will make renting as seamless as buying — just like we did in our home country." With this momentum, Rundle is targeting a 15X growth, scaling its operations and expanding its reach to a much wider audience in 2025. Lead image: Rundle. Photo: uncredited. 

Austrian startup Emmi AI, which is building AI-powered simulation technology for industrial engineering, has raised €15M in a seed round, the largest seed investment ever for an Austrian startup. The round was led by 3VC, Speedinvest, Serena, and PUSH VC. Emmi AI is part of a new wave of "applied AI" companies using AI to solve long-standing engineering challenges, such as computational fluid dynamics, thermal analysis, and material stress testing - critical tasks across industries like aerospace, automotive, energy, and semiconductors. It spun out of the simulation group at NXAI, an Austrian AI research lab focused on industrial applications. With this funding, Emmi AI plans to expand its engineering and research team, further develop its real-time simulation platform, and scale across industrial sectors. Emmi’s software replaces traditional numerical solvers with deep learning models capable of processing massive simulations in milliseconds, removing the need for labor-intensive manual setup. The company’s inspiration is drawn from breakthroughs in AI-driven weather forecasting and climate modelling, applying similar techniques to simulate complex industrial environments. “Today, industries where simulation is mission-critical spend thousands and thousands of hours on modelling turbulence, simulating fluid or air flows, heat transfer in materials, traffic flows and much more,” said Dennis Just, CEO and Co-founder of Emmi AI. “With Emmi AI, simulations that previously took days or weeks now run in seconds - completely transforming what’s possible in real-world engineering and paving the way for truly intelligent, data-driven digital twins that can learn, adapt, and optimize in real time.” “We set out to tackle real engineering bottlenecks - the kind that slow down innovation in high-stakes industries,” said Dennis Just. “This funding allows us to move faster, grow our team, and deliver scalable simulation platforms that fit the pace and complexity of modern industry.” The startup’s name pays tribute to Emmy Noether, the mathematician who laid the groundwork for much of modern physics. The company says this reflects its goal to bring clarity, speed, and intelligence to the most challenging engineering problems of the physical world. “What excites us most about Emmi AI is their capacity to tackle previously unsolvable engineering challenges. By delivering 'GPT Moments' in industrial simulations, they're empowering engineers to push the boundaries of what's possible,” said Peter Lasinger, General Partner at 3VC. “Their research enables real-time simulation of complex systems governed by physics. This is a massive game changer for industrial design and operations,” noted Guillaume Decugis, Partner at Serena.

Today, enterprise cloud company Unit4 unveiled part one of its international research study “The Back Office in 2025.”  The study surveyed 600 senior IT and finance decision-makers across the professional services sector in midmarket and enterprise organizations to uncover insights into key challenges and opportunities, particularly around M&A and modernizing finance systems. According to the research, 81 per cent of firms have participated in M&A activities over the last five years, with 58 per cent making acquisitions and 48 per cent being acquired.  Unit4's research found that 86 per cent of senior finance and IT decision-makers feel M&A integrations take longer than expected, causing delays in delivering value. On average, it takes eight months to integrate a new acquisition, and 1 in 5 firms take over a year. These delays result in increased operational risks, higher employee turnover, and challenges aligning stakeholders and systems. The UK is the fastest globally to integrate acquisitions at 4 months, compared to the global average of 8 months. In the DACH region, it takes 12 months. Globally, media and publishing firms take 11 months to integrate  acquisitions, followed by management consultants (10 months) Further, for many organizations, the promise of M&A remains unmet due to significant operational and technological hurdles. Globally, the majority of respondents (and by industry sector) say inconsistencies with financial data are the biggest business challenge facing M&A integration. The top challenges that delay M&A, according to survey respondents, are: Fragmented financial systems: Legacy systems often impede the ability to create a single source of truth for financial data, leading to errors, inefficiencies, and time-consuming manual reconciliations. IT talent constraints: Limited IT resources result in delayed integrations, further elongating an already complex process. Lack of standardised processes: Without standardized systems, aligning operations across merged entities becomes a bottleneck, hindering progress. Other risks include increased cybersecurity threats, damaged brand reputations, and slower decision-making processes. However, respondents noted that demonstrating real-time financial insights, automation, and scalability will enhance their firm’s appeal to potential buyers.  According to Bryce Wolf, Global Director of Professional Services, Unit4, every professional services firm is laser-focused on growth and extracting value wherever possible, which means M&A is a strategic weapon in building more robust business models. “Unfortunately, IT and finance systems are hindering their ability to assimilate acquisitions quickly to realise value. It is essential that Professional Services firms address this limitation by modernising their core back-office systems to remain competitive into the future.” Globally and in the UK, respondents said the best way to attract a buyer was to improve the availability of real-time financial insights. US respondents believe the emphasis should be on streamlined and automated operational processes, which is also the top response for media and publishing. Management consulting respondents believe the focus should be on operational scalability.

Zopa Bank, the UK savings and lending digital bank, has reported a doubling of pre-tax profits to £31.5m in 2024, as it outlined how AI will become more commonplace in its banking operations. Pre-tax profits reached £31.5m in 2024, compared with £15.8m in 2023, revenue was up 30 per cent to £303m. Customer numbers were up from 1.1 million to 1.4 million at Zopa, which raised £66m in an equity round last year and is understood to be a unicorn. Revenue growth was helped by a 62.5 per cent jump in deposits to £5.5 billion and balance sheet loans, which grew 16.2 per cent to £3.1 billion. Zopa, which has a UK banking licence, currently offers personal loans, credit cards, point-of-sale retail finance, car finance, savings accounts, and financial health tools. Zopa CEO Jaidev Janardana said it would be expanding its product range, which includes a soon-to-launch current account. He said: "The next phase of our ambition is to address an even larger share of our customers’ financial needs by expanding the Zopa product set into everyday banking.” Zopa’s 2024 annual report also sheds light on how Zopa is integrating AI into its operations. It said: “In future, we will integrate AI further into our customers’ everyday banking needs." It said that most of its engineers now use GenAI tools daily and that it had also built a test concept for how an AI assistant could support its business in the future.

Paris startup Poppins has raised €5 million for its digital therapy used in the rehabilitation of dyslexia in children to increase care capacity. This brings its total funding to €20 million. France has 1.3 million children with dyslexia, while only 25,000 speech therapists are available, resulting in waiting times of 12 to 24 months and lasting academic and psychopathological repercussions. Improving early intervention and access to care is a major public health issue supported by the government. Launched in 2018 by François Vonthron and Antoine Yuen, and originating from the École Polytechnique, Poppins is a startup specializing in the development of medical devices for the treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly dyslexia, which accounts for 80 per cent of learning disabilities. Poppins has developed a video game app that offers home-based support, complementing and reinforcing speech therapy care. It does not replace a healthcare professional, but allows children to practice and progress day after day Poppins was developed through a multidisciplinary collaboration involving leading research teams, including Professor Michel Habib, a neurologist specialising in learning disabilities at La Timone Hospital (AP-HM), Professor David Cohen, head of department at La Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital (AP-HP), and patient associations such as the French Dyslexia Federation. Poppins has demonstrated clinical benefits by enabling more frequent at-home care and has been rigorously tested, including a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with over 6,000 families in France. According to François Vonthron, CEO and co-founder of Poppins, the company is now ready for integration into care pathways: “The results of our work must now benefit as many people as possible in order to reduce the loss of opportunity caused by difficulties accessing care and increase care capacity for children with dyslexia." Racine² led this funding round with the participation of long-standing investors the Bpifrance Patient Autonome fund, Eurazeo, Kurma Partners, BNP Paribas Développement, and Verve Ventures. Eric Gossart, Partner at Serena shared: “Dys disorders affect 8 per cent of our youth. The consequences on academic success, mental health, and professional integration underscore the public health imperative to improve care pathways to guarantee each child early and intensive support, including in areas most under pressure due to a lack of speech therapists. Racine2 is proud to support a rigorous and humble team in its mission of strong societal impact.” Lead image: Poppins. Photo: uncredited. 

French fintech Spendesk, a platform for spend management and procurement, has partnered with AI infrastructure startup Dust to roll out tailored, secure AI assistants across its organisation. The initiative aims to unify internal AI usage, enhance productivity, and maintain strong compliance with European and UK data regulations. Enterprises are increasingly turning to automation tools to remain competitive. Dust specialises in enterprise-ready AI agents built on top of secure integrations with workplace tools such as Slack, Notion, and Intercom. Spendesk, which counts SoundCloud, Gousto, and SumUp among its customers, had already embraced AI in various internal functions, from sales and customer support to accounting automation. But when it sought to scale AI usage across departments, it found itself grappling with fragmented adoption. Different teams were experimenting with disconnected tools, leading to data security concerns and inconsistent usage patterns. “It’s impossible to use Spendesk without interacting with AI. We’ve implemented no fewer than 15 AI-powered features since 2017, predicting and pre-filling more than 2 million accounting fields each month,” said Rodolphe Ardant, Founder of Spendesk. “As UK businesses continue to navigate an evolving regulatory and economic landscape, secure AI adoption has never been more crucial. At Spendesk, we found ourselves vetting contracts with individual AI assistants one by one. It wasn’t scalable or cost-effective,” said Axel Demazy, CEO of Spendesk. “It also meant that teams more hesitant to experiment with AI were left behind, unsure of how these tools could support their work or comply with internal policies and local regulations.” With Dust’s platform, Spendesk employees will build AI agents that interact with internal documentation using natural language - regardless of their technical expertise. These agents are designed to understand each team’s business context, enabling secure, role-specific automation that integrates seamlessly with existing workflows.. “This partnership gives our teams the most powerful productivity tool we’ve ever put in their hands. Internal efficiency translates directly into faster innovation for our customers, helping us deliver both the most in-demand spend management features and the next generation of AI-first capabilities,” said Rodolphe Ardant. “By partnering with a fellow French innovator committed to data security, we’re proving that European tech can lead in AI while staying true to our values of privacy and user empowerment.” Spendesk’s partnership with Dust reflects a broader trend in Europe: a desire to balance AI innovation with privacy and regulatory compliance. With the EU’s AI Act on the horizon and the UK pursuing its own AI governance framework, companies are under pressure to adopt solutions that are both effective and legally sound. “We built Dust to help companies create AI agents that are truly useful and trusted by their teams,” said Gabriel Hubert, CEO of Dust. “Spendesk had the vision and urgency to move early, and together we’ve shown what’s possible when AI is deployed thoughtfully and securely at scale.”

Poland is entering a new era in quantum computing as IQM Quantum Computers has installed the country’s first full-stack quantum computer at Wrocław University of Science and Technology (WUST). The move marks a major technological milestone for both Poland and the broader Central and Eastern European (CEE) region. The 5-qubit system, named IQM Spark, is expected to go live in the second quarter of 2025, and will primarily be used for research and education in computer science. Once operational, it will be available not only to university faculty and researchers but also to doctoral students and members of the university’s quantum computing club, signaling a rare level of access for students in the region. “This is the first quantum computer in our country and Eastern Europe using low-temperature, superconducting qubit technology. The system will offer students in Poland direct access to the actual quantum computer for practical programming in quantum computing. Our goal is to conduct research and educate IT specialists,” said Professor Wojciech Bożejko, Faculty of Information and Communication Technology at WUST. While Europe has been gaining momentum in quantum innovation - led by programs such as the EU Quantum Flagship - access to real quantum hardware remains limited, especially in Central and Eastern Europe. Most university-level quantum programmes in Poland and its neighbours rely heavily on simulation environments or limited-time access to cloud-based systems. This installation helps fill a critical infrastructure gap. As quantum computing increasingly moves from theoretical models into applied research and industrial use cases, universities equipped with physical quantum systems are better positioned to contribute to innovation and workforce development. “We are proud to deliver the nation's first quantum computer to strengthen its position as a leading hub in quantum development in Central and Eastern Europe, elevate research, and have the potential to transform modern science and industry,” said Mikko Välimäki, Co-CEO of IQM Quantum Computers. “With Poland’s deep-rooted strengths in physics, mathematics, engineering, and computer science, Poland has the ideal foundation for nurturing local talent and fostering a new generation of scientists and engineers,” added Sylwia Barthel de Weydenthal, Chief Commercial Officer and Country Director for the CEE market at IQM. Countries like Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland have already established national quantum strategies, and the EU as a whole has pledged over €1B in funding through the Quantum Technologies Flagship. Poland’s entry into this high-stakes arena gives academic and industrial researchers new capabilities to experiment with quantum algorithms, simulation, and AI optimisation at a time when global competition is accelerating. The development also underscores the growing role of startups like IQM in Europe’s hardware race. While U.S.-based companies like IBM and Rigetti have long dominated cloud-accessible quantum systems, IQM is one of the few offering on-premises, full-stack superconducting systems directly to institutions.

European space traffic management solutions company OKAPI:Orbits, has raised €13 million Seed funding. OKAPI:Orbits provides end-to-end solutions designed to support space missions from the mission planning phase to end-of-life.  I spoke to CEO Kristina Nikolaus to learn more.  Founded in 2018, The company’s AI-based Space Traffic Management platforms leverage advanced data fusion to predict, detect, and deal with risks and movements in space, frequency interference, and environmental impacts.  From PhD to launchpad OKAPI:Orbits spun out of the Technical University of Braunschweig, and is underpinned by decades of research into how objects behave and move in space.  CTO and co-founder Christopher Kebschull developed software for simulating ground station observations in orbit during his PhD research.  Nikolaus detailed that while typically in Germany PhD students in these fields end up working in automotive, with companies like Volkswagen,  “we had developed something unique, and the four of us— three PhD students and myself, a computer science student — didn’t want that work to gather dust in a university library. In 2018, commercial space was starting to boom. Elon Musk had announced Starlink, and there was growing awareness of the risks posed by space debris and cascading collisions—a scenario known as Kessler Syndrome. So the students decided to take the leap. Following three years of bootstapped, the company went from four unpaid founders to a 15-person team. Its software was validated by the European Space Agency, which was a major milestone, which helped it onboard our first customers and raise a small angel round with industry experts. OKAPI:Orbits’ first commercial client was a Swiss satellite constellation, followed by the European Space Agency, which has now used our service for over three years. Nikolaus detailed: “From there, we expanded our product portfolio—from collision avoidance to mission analysis and space traffic coordination. Today, we’re 35 people based near Berlin, and continuing to grow.” OKAPI:Orbits steps up as global space governance lags behind I was surprised to learn that there is no official international standard or regulation when it comes to space traffic management. According to Nikolaus:  “Space is still a bit of a Wild West. The European Commission is working on regulations, and some countries, like Luxembourg, Austria, and the UK, are ahead with national space laws. In Germany, we’ve been waiting on legislation for over a decade. Because the regulatory frameworks are still evolving, OKAPI:Orbits  is helping to shape them.  The company has specialized in safeguarding space missions through its AI-based SSA and STM platforms.  The firm’s three platforms cover the needs of the full mission lifecycle, from pre-launch to de-orbiting, including full simulation of a space mission pre-launch, compliance and regulations check, collision avoidance, and active traffic coordination.  Its system is already used by major players like SpaceX and Amazon and Nikolaus detailed, “We’re building an industry-standard solution and working closely with policymakers to make sure the technology can support their goals. Our focus is interoperability — so we can work with systems in the U.S., and potentially those in China, India, or Russia.” Besides increasing operational efficiency for satellite operations, OKAPI:Orbits offers full simulation capabilities and tools to ensure compliance with international regulations and standards. 99% collision prediction accuracy with 10-day lead time OKAPI:Orbits’ mission analysis tool allows clients to simulate satellite behavior before launch.  According to Nikolaus, it’s like a digital twin:  “You can forecast the orbital environment in two weeks, a year, or even ten years. We analyse potential neighbors, space debris density, and maneuverability limits to help customers understand how long their satellite can realistically operate. For operational collision avoidance, our software provides 10 days’ lead time with 99 per cent reliability. That early warning lets customers make small adjustments to avoid dangerous situations without large, fuel-consuming maneuvers. When two active satellites are involved—what we call "active vs. active" scenarios—the challenge increases significantly, like coordinating two planes in midair. It’s complex, but critical." While the company’s core focus is on debris and active objects, we do account for space weather using basic models.  “For instance, a solar storm two years ago took out 20 satellites. Events like that definitely impact our models.”  Institutional safety vs commercial speed I wondered if there is a difference in mindset between institutional players like ESA and commercial operators like SpaceX? According to Nikolaus, ESA has always prioritized safety — they’re dealing with extremely expensive, single-satellite missions.  Commercial players, on the other hand, weigh cost-benefit. SpaceX, for example, accepts that 10 per cent of their satellites might fail and builds redundancy into their constellations. “That changes how we market our software. For commercial operators, it’s about operational efficiency: reaching the target orbit faster and maximising business potential, like capturing more Earth observation images.” OKAPI:Orbits is in the unique position of accessing a largely greenfield market where according to Nikolaus,many companies either don’t have a solution or only have basic software.  “For traffic coordination, we’re essentially creating the first industry-standard tools. It’s hard to believe, but these capabilities just haven’t existed until recently.” Three years ago, many operators didn’t see the urgency — until they experienced a near miss or an actual loss. Today, Nikolaus believes that’s changing fast. “A good example: early on, we spent two years trying to convince one satellite operator they’d need our software. They ignored us — until they had a 50 per cent chance of collision just three weeks after launch. They called us on a Friday night in a panic. Our team worked through the weekend to help them execute a safe maneuver. After that, they were fully on board. These experiences are changing the industry. Avoiding disasters isn’t just about safety—it’s about survival." Ventech led the funding which included Matterwave Ventures, a European industrial deep tech investor, and existing investors, such as the Amadeus APEX Technology Fund as well as Christian Miele, former chairman of the German Start-up Association. According to Nicolas Barthalon, Principal at Ventech, satellite operators are in dire need of an extensive space asset catalogue, trustworthy collision risk predictions, predictable space mission unit economics, and finally an industry-vetted collaboration platform.  “In that context, Okapi brings the full package thanks to its strong IP and ties to key industry players. We are thrilled to support OKAPI:Orbits in becoming the backbone for safe and sustainable space missions, along with new and existing investors. ” The funding will be used to advance the company’s technical capabilities, expand the team, and scale its international footprint.  Lead image: OKAPI:Orbits. Photo: uncredited.

Revolut saw its revenue jump 72 per cent to £3.1bn in 2024, fuelled by a bounce in its subscription and crypto offerings. Europe’s most valuable private tech company reported pre-tax profits of £1.1bn in 2024, more than double the previous year, and added 15 million new users. Revolut now has 52.5 million retail customers across the world. Nik Storonsky, Revolut CEO and co-founder, heralded 2024 as a “landmark” year for the UK-headquartered challenger bank. Customer balances, a key metric for Revolut as it looks to get more users to use Revolut as their primary account, were up 66 per cent to £30bn. This was driven by strong growth in customer deposits and increased balances. Revolut bills itself as an all-in-one financial app and offers a gamut of financial services, including consumer and business banking services, mortgages, subscription products, insurance and crypto products. It said profits were up partly due to the instilling of financial discipline across the business. Its revenue uplift was helped by subscription revenue hitting £423 million, a 74 per cent year-on-year increase, while wealth revenue grew 298 per cent driven by increased crypto trading activity and the launch of Revolut X, its standalone crypto exchange, last year. Revenue across Revolut’s business offering topped £460m and now accounts for roughly 15 per cent of Revolut’s revenue. Revolut, valued at $45bn, secured a UK banking licence in 2024 and is now in its so-called "mobilisation" phase. Revolut has also been rumoured to be gearing up for an IPO. Revolut employed 10,133 staff as of the end of 2024, up from 8,152 in 2023. Storonsky added: “2024 was a landmark year for Revolut. We not only accelerated our customer growth, welcoming nearly 15 million new users globally, but critically, we also saw customers engaging more deeply by adopting a wider range of our services across both our retail offering and Revolut Business. "This powerful combination directly fuelled our record growth, and our technology-driven operating model translated this into record profitability.  "This performance earned us the status of Europe's most valuable private technology company, reflecting the confidence of existing and new investors in our trajectory. "But we’re just getting started. We’re making strong progress towards 100 million daily active customers across 100 countries, driven by growth in the UK, Europe, and our expansion markets. This ambitious goal will keep us focused on revolutionising global financial access through innovative products and seamless user experiences."

The Croatian tech ecosystem is undergoing a period of accelerated growth, driven by increased startup activity, strategic public investment, and alignment with EU digital policies. The country’s digital development is closely tied to the EU’s Digital Decade agenda. As detailed in the European Commission’s 2024 Digital Decade Country Report, Croatia has committed €1.1 billion (1.5% of GDP) to digital transformation efforts, targeting broadband infrastructure, public sector digitalisation, and SME digitisation. The startup ecosystem has been further energised by success stories like Photomath (acquired by Google), Orqa (a leader in FPV tech), and Pythagora (backed by Y Combinator). These companies highlight Croatia’s growing strength in AI, computer vision, and remote technologies, all supported by a rising local talent. Looking ahead, Croatia’s National Digital Decade Strategic Roadmap sets ambitious targets for 2030, including a skilled digital workforce, expanded 5G infrastructure, and increased R&D investment.  Here are 10 companies driving the growth of Croatia's tech ecosystem. Amount raised: €100M Project 3 Mobility, now Verne, is a forward-thinking mobility company dedicated to transforming urban transportation. The company aims to make daily commutes more engaging, sustainable, and connected. Its ecosystem includes an intuitive mobile app, innovative vehicles, and efficient infrastructure, all designed to enhance the commuting experience. Committed to social and environmental responsibility, the company integrates ESG principles into its operations, striving to contribute to a conscious and sustainable future. In 2024, the company closed a €100 million Series A investment round. Amount raised: €10M All Eyes on Screens (AEOS), formerly known as AdScanner, is an adtech company. Specialising in AI-driven solutions for TV and video advertising, AEOS transforms raw usage data from millions of households into actionable insights. Their proprietary video recognition technology and AI-based forecasting tool, Apollo, enable advertisers to optimise campaign planning and budget allocation. In 2024, the company secured €10 million in a Series B investment round to expand AI-powered video advertising solutions. Amount raised: €9M Entrio is a leading event ticketing and management platform based in Zagreb, Croatia, operating across Southeast Europe. The platform supports both physical and hybrid events, offering features like live streaming, virtual venues, on-site badge printing, and advanced analytics. With a network of over 400 partner outlets in Croatia and Slovenia, Entrio ensures wide distribution and accessibility. In 2024, Entrio merged with Ulaznice.hr to form the leading ticketing group in Croatia, issuing four million tickets annually for over 13,000 events. The company has received significant investments, including €9 million in 2024, to further develop its services and expand into new markets. Amount raised: €5.8M Orqa is a technology company specialising in First Person View (FPV) and Remote Reality (RR) solutions for drones and unmanned systems. The company gained recognition with its flagship product, the FPV.One video goggles. Orqa's product line includes advanced FPV headsets, radio controllers, and low-latency video transmission systems, all designed and manufactured in-house. With a multidisciplinary team of over 50 professionals, Orqa continues to innovate in the FPV and RR domains, serving both consumer markets and mission-critical applications in defence and public safety. In 2024, the company secured €5.8 million. Amount raised: $5M Daytona is an open-source development environment manager designed to simplify and streamline the process of setting up development environments. It allows developers to create, manage, and share standardised development environments (SDEs) with ease. Daytona supports single-command setup, enabling developers to spin up fully configured environments quickly. It is compatible with various infrastructures, including local machines, remote servers, cloud-based platforms, and different architectures like x86 or ARM. By automating the creation and management of development environments, Daytona enhances developer productivity and ensures consistency across projects. In 2024, Daytona raised $5 million in seed funding for open-source SaaS customisation. Amount raised: $4M Pythagora is an AI development platform that enables users to build full-stack web applications through natural language interaction. Founded in 2023, Pythagora transforms app development by automating the entire workflow—from planning and coding to debugging and deployment—via its open-source tool, GPT Pilot. This tool functions as an AI developer, engaging users in conversations to gather requirements, generate specifications, write code, and iteratively refine applications based on feedback. In 2024, the company secured a $4 million seed funding round, aiming to scale its research and development efforts. Amount raised: €2M Turneo is a B2B travel tech company that provides an all-in-one digital platform enabling hotels and resorts to manage and sell in-destination experiences directly through their websites. Designed as a plug-and-play solution, Turneo allows hospitality providers to create branded experience stores, offering guests the ability to browse and book local activities such as tours, spa services, dining, and transfers. The platform integrates seamlessly with hotel websites, requiring minimal setup and no complex integrations. The company secured €2 million in seed funding in 2024. Amount raised: €1.8M SplxAI is a cybersecurity company specialising in securing generative AI systems, including chatbots and autonomous agents. The company offers an automated platform that conducts continuous red teaming and penetration testing to identify vulnerabilities such as prompt injection, hallucinations, data leakage, and bias. Their solutions are designed to help organisations meet regulatory requirements and protect against emerging AI threats. In 2024, SplxAI raised €1.8 million in seed funding to support its mission to enhance AI security across various industries. Amount raised: €1.3M Prolaz is a fintech company specialising in payment solutions for merchants. Established in 2012, Prolaz operates as a Third Party Service Provider (TPP) in the payment industry, offering PCI-DSS compliant network services that facilitate transaction routing and switching. The company's platform aims to reduce operational costs associated with EFT-POS terminals and provides coordinated sales activities to merchants for new products and services. In 2024, the company raised €1.3 million. Amount raised: €300,000 Bitreport is a SaaS company specialising in streamlining operations for multi-location businesses, particularly in the retail and food service sectors. Its platform offers a comprehensive suite of tools, including digital audits, task management, real-time analytics, and communication features, enabling businesses to standardise processes, enhance team coordination, and improve operational efficiency across all locations. By replacing traditional paper checklists and spreadsheets, Bitreport facilitates faster store audits and ensures consistent service quality. In 2024, Bitreport secured €300,000 in seed funding to support its growth and development.

UK software-first manufacturing company Isembard has raised $9M Seed funding Small businesses account for 95 per cent of  precision manufacturing capacity yet are rapidly disappearing. The average owner’s age exceeds 65 years, and 40 per cent plan to retire within 5 years, resulting in an existential threat to the sector in Europe and North America.  This erosion of manufacturing capacity coincides with surging demand from critical industries, as British companies plan to invest $650 billion over the next three years to reshore production. Without intervention, this widening gap between supply and demand threatens to undermine the collective sovereignty of the West. Founded to reshape manufacturing for critical industries, Isembard is pioneering a network of modular, highly automated manufacturing units powered by its proprietary MasonOS software. By integrating cutting-edge robotics, AI-driven production planning, and a unique business model, Isembard is setting a new standard for efficiency, scalability, and resilience in the critical supply chains of the UK and its allies. The company is already working with fast-growing European defence and autonomy startups to deliver high-precision products faster, at a lower cost, and with better quality assurance than traditional methods. According to Alexander Fitzgerald, Founder and CEO of Isembard: "Manufacturing is the backbone of economic prosperity, national security and our collective purpose as humanity. Yet our industrial base is dying. We’re building a new model, one that decentralises production while driving efficiency through software and automation.  With support from top investors who share our vision, we are forging industrial acceleration for the West." Notion Capital led the round, which is backed by the UK Government’s National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF) and the German Federal Government. Follower funds include 201 Ventures, Basis Capital, Forward Fund, Material Ventures, Neverlift Ventures and NP-Hard Ventures. Angel investors in the round include Andreas Klinger (Product Hunt), Charlie Delingpole (ComplyAdvantage), Joshua Western (SpaceForge) and Salar al Khafaji (Monumental). Jos White, General Partner at Notion Capital, added:  "Isembard is tackling one of the hardest, most ambitious challenges today, bringing software-driven transformation to precision manufacturing.  Alex and his team have the vision, technical expertise, and relentless execution needed to redefine this space.” With the new funding, Isembard will expand its first factory, grow its engineering team, and scale its technology platform to enable defence, aerospace, energy, and other critical industries to access faster, more reliable, and more cost-effective production.

Belgian medtech Nuclivision has secured €5M in a round co-led by LUMO Labs and Heran Partners, with participation from the imec.istart future fund. The investment will support the commercial rollout of the company’s flagship AI software, Nuclarity, which enhances PET imaging efficiency while reducing both scan time and radiation exposure. Founded in 2022, Nuclivision is part of a new wave of European deeptech startups applying AI to traditionally complex and costly healthcare procedures. The company’s technology specifically targets PET (positron emission tomography) scans, widely used in the diagnosis and treatment planning for diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s. PET imaging is known for its diagnostic precision, enabling doctors to observe cellular-level activity. But it comes with downsides: the need for radioactive tracers and long scanning durations make the process expensive and raise health concerns. Nuclivision’s Nuclarity software addresses these issues by reducing the required dose of radiotracers and shortening scan times, without sacrificing image quality. The company is currently in the final phase of regulatory approval and plans to launch its product in the European market, with an entry into the U.S. expected later this year. “Medical imaging is at an inflection point,” said Nuclivision's CEO, Maarten Larmuseau. “With the rapid growth within radiopharma and theranostics, the use of AI and smart software is becoming necessary to handle the increased demand for PET and SPECT scans for conditions such as cancer and Alzheimer's.” “Nuclivision is uniquely positioned in the field of AI-driven image enhancement for PET scans with the Nuclarity platform. By reducing the amount of time and the amount of costly and harmful radiotracers required for accurate medical imaging, Nuclarity not only reduces the time pressure on nuclear medicine departments but also the cost and harmful environmental and health impact of PET scans,” said Geoffrey D’hondt from Heran Partners. “The completion of the regulatory approval process marks the beginning of a new growth phase for Nuclivision that is crucial for the actual deployment and impact of their technology,” explained Sven Bakkes, Founding Partner at LUMO Labs. “We look forward to supporting the founders and the growing team of Nuclivision in this, of course with indispensable growth capital but also with expertise and frameworks in the field of business operations and impact and with opening up our network.” Kris Vandenberk, Managing Partner at imec.istart future fund, added: “We believe that Nuclivision can set a new standard in improving PET imaging. With seamless integration into hospital systems, the platform shows strong potential. We fully support the rollout of this platform.” The intersection of AI and medical imaging has become one of the most active areas in healthtech, with applications ranging from radiology to pathology. In Europe, initiatives such as Horizon Europe and EU4Health have accelerated investment in health innovation and digitisation. 

The European Payments Initiative (EPI) s a joint effort by major European banks and financial institutions to create a unified, pan-European payment system that enhances Europe’s sovereignty and independence in digital payments. In a public letter published this week, the EPI and its shareholders emphasised the need for Europe to become more self-sufficient in its payment systems. This aligns with the European Instant Payment  Regulation developed by European regulators, which has come into force this year. ​It mandates that all banks and payment service providers (PSPs) in the European Union offer instant euro-denominated credit transfers. This initiative aims to modernise the EU's payment infrastructure, enhance financial autonomy, and reduce reliance on non-European payment networks like Visa and Mastercard. In response, EPI has introduced a new payment scheme based on instant payment called "Wero, This pan-European payment platform, which has multi-country capabilities, can work in all European markets for local and cross-border transactions.  At this stage, Wero already counts more than 40 million enrolled customers and is fully functional for P2P and P2Pro payments.  "Wero is set up as a wallet allowing us to integrate other payment means and value-added services beyond payments, which are attractive for consumers and merchants. It benefits from its fraud prevention solution, which is crucial for the safety of an independent European payment system." Starting in the summer of 2025, Wero will support online payments in Germany and Belgium, with France and the Netherlands to follow. By 2026, it will support in-store and invoice payments using QR codes and contactless technology. Wero is managed entirely by European institutions, and other European banks and payment providers can join as partners or shareholders. EPI forecasts that by the end of 2026, it will not only cover e- and m-commerce payments but also intends to add omnichannel payments, point of sale/in-shop payments, and invoice payments, using QR codes and the European standards for NFC/contactless transactions. But Wero is not the only fully functional player in Europe. Other successful digital payment solutions exist in many markets, and together, more than 120 million customers are already using these solutions today, and this combined user base is increasing quickly. All these home-grown solutions are successfully evolving and are attractive to European merchants,  especially since they offer an innovative alternative to international card schemes and solutions.   The EPI believes that markets that have not yet developed their own solution could easily adopt one of these solutions to dispose of a European digital solution as an alternative to international solutions and to connect to other European markets.  The 16 shareholders backing EPI assert that Europe can achieve payment independence soon by cooperating and building on what's already in place.