Latest news
desk.ly raises seven-figure funding for hybrid workplace management
Osnabrück-based workplace management startup desk.ly has raised a seven-figure financing round from HTGF for its next growth phase.
desk.ly addresses the growing challenges of hybrid working models with features such as desk sharing, smart booking suggestions and data-driven office management. Based on past bookings, teammates' workspace choices and individual needs and preferences, desk.ly suggests the optimal workspace.
desk.ly's desk sharing software reduces vacancies, optimises resources and makes office space more flexible — whether through more compact space planning or subletting.
Since its founding in 2021, desk.ly has been helping companies transition to hybrid working models.
With over 1,000 customers, including Eurowings, Funke Medien Gruppe, OMR, Volksbank and Fraunhofer, and more than 100,000 active users, desk.ly is one of the leading platforms for intelligent workplace management in Europe. The team now consists of around 40 employees.
Felix Mohr, CEO and founder of desk.ly, says:
"In the new world of work, efficiency, flexibility and data intelligence are the keys to success. That's why we're building desk.ly - together with our customers and based on our belief that every workplace should be smart, sustainable and people-centric."
Hybrid working models and shared desks mean that offices are on average 40 per cent less occupied. This unused space offers huge savings potential — from reduced rental and energy costs to lower cleaning and catering expenses.
desk.ly helps companies turn this potential into concrete financial benefits and sustainably reduce their operating costs.
In addition to reducing rental costs, desk.ly can also optimise ancillary costs such as energy, cleaning and food, benefiting the company's bottom line and contributing to sustainability.
According to Maurice Kügler, Senior Investment Manager at HTGF, desk.ly has achieved strong growth with impressive capital efficiency and has successfully positioned itself in a dynamic market:
“We are excited to accompany the strong team on its journey and believe that desk.ly will play a key role in shaping the future of work environments.”
desk.ly will use the funding to further develop its AI-based features, such as personalised booking recommendations and intelligent agents. It will also focus on strategic partnerships with leading brands in the furniture, construction, and workplace consultancy industries to create a holistic solution for its customers.
Lead image: desk.ly founders. Photo: uncredited.
Madrid-based Shakers raises €14M to power the freelance workforce across Europe
Spanish startup Shakers, a platform helping companies build high-performance teams by combining human freelancers and AI agents, has raised €14 million in Series A funding.
The round was led by Partech, with participation from KFund, Brighteye Ventures, Athos Capital, and Wayra, Telefónica’s innovation arm.
Shakers helps companies access and manage tech talent by offering a platform that connects businesses with vetted freelancers. The platform uses AI to match talent with projects and to assemble and manage hybrid teams, comprising both human experts and AI agents designed to tackle complex, long-term projects.
"Leveraging our matchmaking system, developed over three years and certified for transparency and quality standards, we recommend a highly targeted selection of freelancers who best match your project's defined parameters. " Héctor Mata, CEO and co-founder of Shakers, explained.
The €14 million investment will be used to expand Shakers across Europe, double its team over the next 12 months, and accelerate the development of new AI capabilities within the platform. By 2027, the company aims to have orchestrated more than 10,000 hybrid projects across the continent.
Shakers’ rise comes amid a major shift in how companies approach work and talent. The global freelance economy is expanding rapidly, and Europe is no exception. The IT outsourcing market in Europe is set to grow from €180 billion to over €280 billion by 2030, driven by a growing preference for agile, project-based hiring and AI-enabled tools.
"Our long-term vision is to create a true hybrid workforce, where humans and AI agents collaborate seamlessly. Freelancers will focus on creativity, strategic decisions, and complex problem-solving, while AI agents handle assigned routine tasks. AI will act as a coordinator, assigning tasks based on respective strengths, and personalized AI agents will serve as copilots, adapting to each freelancer’s working style."
Their philosophy touts "freeworkers" as opposed to freelancers: "Freeworkers are digital natives who actively integrate AI tools into their daily workflows, viewing them as capability multipliers. Unlike traditional freelancers who mainly sell their time, freeworkers adopt a proactive mindset, focusing on creating value to transformational projects, and developing their careers beyond billable hours or without the need to commit to a single company for a decade."
Shakers’ platform analyses over 1,000 data points per freelancer to assess technical skills, soft skills, experience, and cultural fit. This eliminates much of the friction typically associated with freelance hiring, such as early interviews and technical tests.
“At Partech, we believe that while AI is reshaping the way we work, exceptional talent will always be at the heart of the future of work,” said Simone Riva, Senior Principal at Partech. “From our very first conversation, it was clear the Shakers team is building something special - a fast, intuitive platform tailored to the flexible workforce of tomorrow. They’re redefining how companies find, hire, and collaborate with top talent.”
Proton, Whereby, and NextCloud to headline new series spotlighting sovereign European digital solutions.
Amid rising geopolitical tensions, the need to strengthen Europe’s technological independence has become urgent. By mobilising a broad coalition of industry stakeholders, DIGITAL SME is working to integrate existing European solutions into a cohesive tech stack that aligns with EU standards and supports innovation across the digital value chain.
To kick off this phase, DIGITAL SME is launching the Tech Solutions Made in Europe webinar series, highlighting mature, market-ready alternatives to non-European digital services.
The sessions — starting on 22 May — will feature solutions from Proton, Whereby and NextCloud covering areas like office tools, cloud services, and data security. The series is part of a broader effort to compile a public catalogue of digital solutions that support Europe’s tech sovereignty.
The EuroStack initiative has garnered support from a diverse array of organisations committed to advancing Europe's digital sovereignty. These supporters include industry leaders, SMEs, research institutions, and advocacy groups such as:
Cubbit
Dassault Systèmes
Ecosia
Euclidia
European AI Forum
European DIGITAL SME Alliance
European Startup Network
Evroc
German AI Association
Italian Tech Alliance
OVH Cloud
OSBA (Open Source Business Alliance)
Scaleway
Secunet
Sopra Steria
Sebastiano Toffaletti, Secretary-General of DIGITAL SME, stated:
“Achieving European tech sovereignty can only happen if we are able to federate our digital solutions into a commercially viable offer.
We already have the companies and the capacities. Now is the time to bring them together.”
Interested companies can pledge their support and register for the webinar on 22 May here.
Time: The executive metric you’re not tracking strategically (yet) [Sponsored]
Across Europe, compliance rules around time tracking just got tougher — and the penalties, steeper. Yet many executive teams still treat time like a back-office function instead of a strategic asset. That’s a missed opportunity.
For forward-thinking executives, time tracking isn’t about logging hours. It’s about aligning effort with business priorities, spotting inefficiencies early, and staying compliant in a highly regulated environment.
To help leaders take control, Appfire and Life in Codes created a practical resource:
The executive’s time tracking checklist: 5 questions to validate your investment
This quick-read checklist helps you assess whether your current time tracking solution is driving ROI, supporting compliance, and scaling with your business.
Spoiler: It all leads to a powerful, proven solution for Jira users — 7pace Timetracker.
Why time tracking is a strategic imperative in Europe
Following a 2019 ruling by the European Court of Justice, time tracking has shifted from a management preference to a legal obligation across the EU.
Employers must accurately track all working hours — including breaks and overtime — and retain these records in accordance with local requirements. Non-compliance can lead to steep penalties, including fines up to €15,000 in some countries.
7pace Timetracker for Jira is designed to help European organizations meet these mandates with confidence. It offers:
Secure, GDPR-compliant data handling
Comprehensive reporting for audits and reviews
Clear visibility into hours worked, breaks, and overtime
The interface integrates directly with Jira, encouraging consistent usage across teams. Customization options let you tailor the experience to your unique operations, helping you improve both productivity and compliance.
The executive checklist for smarter time tracking
This diagnostic checklist walks decision-makers through five critical dimensions:
Compliance & security
Adoption & productivity
Business insights
Scalability & integration
ROI & cost effectiveness
Using a traffic light system, executives can quickly see where their current setup falls short and what to do next.
Where Jira’s time tracking stops, 7pace Timetracker steps in
Jira’s native time tracking covers the basics. But for scaling teams that need detailed time data, reporting flexibility, and audit readiness, it comes up short.
Feature
Jira Native
7pace Timetracker
Why This Matters
Log work on issues
✅
✅
Ensures work is properly tracked at the issue level.
Reports by date range
⚠️ Limited
✅
Enables accurate analysis and forecasting.
Customizable reports (by Jira fields, filters, etc.)
⚠️ Limited
✅
Tailor insights to team and business needs.
Track estimated vs. actual
✅
✅
Drives better project planning.
Duplicate worklogs
❌
✅
Reduces manual work.
Export time data
⚠️ Limited
✅
Supports finance, payroll, and budget reviews.
Timesheet/calendar worklogs
❌
✅
Offers flexibility in how teams track time.
Log on behalf of others
❌
✅
Ensures accurate, complete data when teams forget.
Billable tags, categories, labels
❌
✅
Enables client billing and internal costing.
Advanced permissions
⚠️ Limited
✅
Protects data with role-based access.
APIs for integrations
❌
? Coming Soon
Future-ready connections to your tech stack.
Lock past entries
❌
? Coming Soon
Supports audit-readiness and compliance.
Capacity tracking
❌
✅
Informs strategic resource allocation.
Calendar integrations
❌
? Coming Soon
Makes logging time effortless.
Bottom line: If you're looking for basic time tracking, Jira delivers. If you need a strategic, scalable system that meets European regulatory demands and supports modern operations, 7pace Timetracker is the clear next step.
The strategic case for action
As an executive, you already track financials, product performance, and customer satisfaction. Why leave your most valuable asset — your team’s time — unoptimised?
7pace Timetracker brings structure, visibility, and compliance to your time tracking practice. The benefits reach across your organization:
Finance & operations: Support accurate budgeting, billing, and cost recovery.
Project managers: Improve estimation accuracy and resource planning.
Leadership: Get insight into where time is spent and how to align effort with strategic goals.
Individual contributors: Gain clarity with calendar views and issue-level visibility.
The executive checklist from Appfire and Life in Codes is your starting point.
Download the checklist. Spot the gaps in your current time tracking system — and take the next step toward strategic clarity with 7pace Timetracker.
Because when you lead with time, you lead with confidence.
VerbaFlo partners with Vita Student to bring voice AI to tenant operations
Conversational AI startup VerbaFlo has announced a strategic partnership with Vita Student, a student accommodation provider, to bring conversational AI to booking and tenant engagement operations.
Founded in 2024, VerbaFlo positions itself as an “AI teammate” for high-inquiry sectors like real estate, capable of managing customer communication across chat, voice, email, and WhatsApp, while integrating lead qualification and CRM tools into a platform.
The rollout will see VerbaFlo’s conversational AI platform embedded across Vita Student and House of Social (HOS) digital channels, providing support to prospective and current tenants. The deal reflects a growing push within real estate and hospitality sectors to adopt AI-driven automation for cost efficiency and improved customer experience.
In real estate and property tech, staffing constraints are prompting landlords and operators to embrace automation. The deal comes as purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) in the UK continues to grow, buoyed by both international demand and rising domestic enrolments. Operators like Vita are under pressure to differentiate not only with amenities but also with digital experience, especially in the face of heightened competition and expectations from Gen Z renters who value immediacy and personalised service.
With AI handling repetitive queries, Vita expects to improve lead-to-booking conversion rates, support outbound campaigns, and streamline rebooking journeys.
“Our partnership with Vita Student is grounded in our shared vision to redefine the student accommodation experience through the power of conversational AI,” said Sayantan Biswas, CEO and co-founder of VerbaFlo. “We’ve both seen first-hand how property teams have to juggle a large volume of inquiries… all whilst expanding their operations and maintaining a high level of customer service.”
“By embracing AI-driven solutions, we're not only addressing the evolving needs of today's students but also shaping the future of how student accommodation is managed and experienced,” said Max Bielby, Chief Operations Officer at Vita Student. “Partnering with VerbaFlo… is a testament to our pursuit of excellence.”
Photo by Tierra Mallorca
Be.EV signs £20M deal with Schroders Capital to roll out Ultra-Rapid EV chargers
UK-based EV charging network Be.EV has secured a £20 million partnership with Schroders Capital to install 200 ultra-rapid electric vehicle charging bays across 22 retail and leisure properties it manages throughout the UK.
Be.EV’s aims to be one of the fastest-growing charge point operators in the country. Backed by £110 million from Octopus Energy Generation’s Sky Fund, it is one of the UK’s most well-funded charging operators. It currently runs more than 800 charging bays and plans to double that number to 1,600 by the end of 2025, focusing on ultra-rapid hubs in busy urban areas and community locations.
The partnership will see Be.EV fully fund the installation and maintenance of high-speed Kempower chargers at retail parks and leisure centres anchored by major brands like IKEA, Marks & Spencer, Costa Coffee, Aldi, and McDonald’s. The charging bays will be leased on a 20-year agreement with index-linked rents, giving Be.EV a secure, long-term revenue stream and providing landlords with a future-proofed, net-zero-aligned infrastructure investment.
The UK’s electric vehicle market is forecast to grow by 31 percent in 2025, pushing demand for public charging facilities even higher. The Department for Transport has previously warned that private and public sectors must accelerate infrastructure rollouts if the UK is to meet its 2030 internal combustion engine ban.
While other players in the EV infrastructure space - such as GRIDSERVE, InstaVolt, and Fastned - are expanding rapidly, Be.EV has carved out a distinct strategy by focusing on partnerships with real estate owners and public sector bodies. Its community-first model and emphasis on customer experience have made it one of the top-rated large charging networks in the UK, according to driver reviews on Zapmap.
“This is a landmark deal for Be.EV and we are excited to help the big brands who occupy the retail parks in Schroders’ portfolio benefit from the increased footfall benefits EV charging brings,” said Asif Ghafoor, CEO of Be.EV. “I would like to congratulate all the team at Be.EV for their hard work in securing this important deal.”
“Improving the UK electric charging network is essential in supporting the UK’s energy transition goals,” said Matthew Baddeley, Lead Asset Manager at Schroders Capital. “It also aligns with our own net zero targets. Be.EV’s offering is highly compelling and we look forward to welcoming them to Schroders Capital’s retail warehouse portfolio.”
The deal with Schroders Capital gives Be.EV a critical advantage in the race to blanket the UK with high-speed charging access.
Zendo raises £1.75M to decarbonise data centres
London-based energy software startup Zendo has raised £1.75 million in Pre-Seed funding to develop what it calls the first AI-powered “Energy OS” for data centres.
The round was led by Fly Ventures (backers of Wayve) with participation from Octopus Ventures, Pact VC, and angel investors with ties to the data centre sector.
Founded in 2024, Zendo addresses the exponential rise in AI computing demand and the growing urgency to decarbonise digital infrastructure. The startup’s platform is designed to help data centres operate more efficiently by using predictive analytics to optimise energy usage, forecast demand, and integrate intermittent renewables such as wind and solar more seamlessly.
“Our mission is to decarbonise computing power,” said Jade Batstone, CEO and Co-Founder of Zendo. “We empower data centres to become smarter, more efficient and ready for the future of computing demand.”
As AI workloads expand - set to account for 70 percent of total data centre capacity by 2030, according to industry projections - the pressure on data infrastructure is intensifying. Global electricity demand from data centres is expected to more than double by the end of the decade, potentially equalling Japan’s entire current power consumption. Yet only half of that demand is likely to be met by renewable sources, highlighting a stark mismatch between digital growth and climate targets.
“Data centres are actually a lot like energy suppliers - their main cost is energy and their revenues are largely tied to the power capacity they sell,” said Drew Barrett, COO and Co-Founder of Zendo. “Being able to manage price volatility is critical for these data centres to protect their margins and maintain competitiveness.” Batstone, a Silicon Valley native, previously worked at Square and led product innovation at SWIFT. Barrett, formerly Head of Renewable Procurement at Octopus Energy, oversaw a multi-million pound business unit within the UK’s largest energy supplier. Together, they bring over 20 years of experience in B2B software and renewable energy to Zendo.
Colocation data centres - shared facilities where multiple companies lease server space - are a key target market for Zendo. These providers face increasing difficulty in forecasting the energy demands of diverse tenants, particularly as AI applications introduce volatile and unpredictable workloads.
“These facilities are like WeWorks for servers,” Batstone noted. “They’re procuring energy to power all of their tenants' workloads, but they’re having to make their best guess at how these workloads will evolve over time.”
The investment also signals growing investor interest in next-generation infrastructure solutions that can enable greener, more scalable computing.
“This is a world-changing problem, one that will only become more pressing as AI adoption continues its exponential rise,” said Kirsten Connell, Partner at Octopus Ventures. “We’ve been really impressed with the team to date, and are looking forward to working with them to build a more sustainable planet.”
Gabriel Matuschka, Partner at Fly Ventures, added: “We believe their technology can unlock the next generation of data centre operations that are greener, more efficient and more profitable.”
European tech weekly recap: More than 75 tech funding deals worth over €1.2B
Last week, we tracked more than 75 tech funding deals worth over €1.2 billion, and over 20 exits, M&A transactions, rumours, and related news stories across Europe.Click to read the rest of the news.
Tritemius Fund FCRE I launches as Spain’s first regulated Web3 Venture Capital Fund
Tritemius Fund FCRE I has launched as a new venture capital fund with an initial close of €21 million, advised by Tritemius Capital. The fund focuses on early-stage startups — from Pre-Seed to pre-Series A — with an average investment of €500,000 per company and reserves capital for follow-on rounds.
Spain’s first regulated Web3-focused VC Fund
Tritemius Fund FCRE I sets itself apart as the only regulated venture capital fund in Spain focused exclusively on Web3, authorised by the CNMV as a European Venture Capital Fund (FCRE).
The fund is managed by Abante, a leading Spanish wealth management and financial advisory firm with more than €1.5 billion in private markets.
Tritemius acts as the fund’s sponsor and advisor, focusing on high-potential startups in growing markets.
According to Luis Pastor, CEO and co-founder of Tritemius Capital, the fund was born out of a desire to fill a gap in blockchain investment, acting as a bridge between Europe, Latin America, and the rest of the world.
“We strongly believe in the potential of Web3 and in the need for a fund that goes beyond capital by offering strategic insight and a valuable network for founders.”
The fund targets Web3 entrepreneurs working in decentralized finance (DeFi), blockchain infrastructure, cybersecurity, privacy, and tokenization.
The advisory team sees a strategic opportunity driven by institutional and government adoption of blockchain, clearer regulatory frameworks that enhance user safety, and the growth of the decentralized app,
Key Web3 trends identified include improved usability and scalability via innovations such as intents, account abstraction, and zero-knowledge proofs (ZKP); growth in DeFi, DePIN, and decentralized social networks; as well as cybersecurity platforms for decentralized systems and bridges between traditional finance and Web3.
Startup selection hinges on two key factors: the founding team and the scope of the opportunity in terms of market size, competition, and business model.
“We’re looking for projects that not only show strong growth potential but also deliver real, disruptive solutions in decentralization and cybersecurity,” Pastor added.
Tritemius Capital investment committee includes
Lluís Pedragosa Massó: over 15 years of VC experience in the U.S. and Israel across cybersecurity, Web3, and fintech.
Pablo Romero: over a decade in crypto, formerly at BBVA’s Blockchain & Digital Assets division.
John Whelan: independent advisor with deep experience in blockchain since its early days.
“We want startups to feel like we speak their language — that’s vital in such a specialized sector. But at the same time, we’re deeply rooted in the regulatory and institutional landscape,” said Pastor.
Lead image: Tritemius Fund FCRE I. Photo: uncredited.
Workforce management software provider S4labour receives £4M from YFM Equity Partners
Workplace management software provider S4labour has received £4 million of growth capital from YFM Equity Partners.
Founded in 2011 and based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, S4labour developed a SaaS platform that helps hospitality businesses streamline workforce management, rota scheduling, payroll processing, and HR reporting.
The company has built a strong customer base of over 250 customers, including well-known names such as JKS, MJMK, Oakman Inns and Restaurants and The Revel Collective.
In early 2024, Mark Jensen, former VP Sales EMEA and APAC at Fourth, joined S4labour to drive the next phase of growth.
According to Mike Clarke, Investment Partner at YFM, S4labour has built an impressive business with a clear product-market fit and plan to expand its market.
"As the hospitality industry continues to digitalise its operations, S4labour is well-positioned to expand its market share and deliver significant value to its clients.
With Mark Jensen now on board and an exciting product roadmap, we see a fantastic opportunity to accelerate growth, and we are excited to support the team on this journey."
Alastair Scott, Founder of S4labour, added:
"We are delighted to welcome YFM as an investor. Their experience in scaling SaaS businesses and their strategic approach to growth will be invaluable as we continue to develop our platform and reach new customers.
This investment marks an exciting new chapter for S4labour, and we look forward to working closely with the YFM team."
YFM’s investment will accelerate product enhancements in payroll and HR functionality, as well as strategic hires in sales and marketing to expand into larger managed pub groups and hospitality chains.
Lead image: S4labour. Photo: uncredited.
Wagestream secures £300M debt financing, DoorDash's £2.4B Deliveroo acquisition, and European tech funding falls 42% in April
This week we tracked more than 70 tech funding deals worth over €1.1 billion, and over 20 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.
This week, we also released Tech.eu Pulse, a compact version of our February monthly report, which is available to all of our readers.
It offers a glimpse into the valuable insights provided by our more comprehensive monthly reports exclusive to Insiders, covering key investment trends, notable company activities, and emerging industry sectors.
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
?? TEKEVER raises a new funding and becomes the latest unicorn in Europe's defencetech industry
?? Wagestream secures £300M debt financing to expand its alternative to high-interest loans
?? Quantum Systems raises €160M for AI-powered aerial intelligence
?? Parloa raises €105M to innovate customer service with agentic AI
?? Finom, a challenger bank aimed at SMBs, lands $105M in growth funding from General Catalyst
???? Noteworthy acquisitions and mergers
?? DoorDash expands European presence with £2.4B Deliveroo acquisition
?? London-based Tripledot Studios acquires AppLovin’s gaming portfolio in $800M deal
?? Faircraft acquires VitroLabs assets in effort to dominate lab-grown leather market
? Interesting moves from investors
? Bosch launches €250M venture fund to back deeptech startups
? Former NATO Secretary backs Final Frontier's defencetech Fund
?? The Moldova opportunity: Mozaic unlocks early-stage investment in Europe’s next startup hotspot
?? Greek Marathon VC Secured €75 Million in an Oversubscribed Single Closing
?️ In other (important) news
?? European tech funding falls 42% in April as fintech leads investment volume
? Founder of a16z-backed 11x steps down as CEO
? Lilium’s financial collapse triggers CustomCells insolvency at core German sites
? ATMOS and ARX Robotics unite to launch Europe’s first orbital depot for autonomous defence systems
?? Belarus sentences Imaguru tech founders to 23 years prison for running startup hub
? Recommended reads and listens
?? Meet the Moldovan startup rewiring real estate across war-torn Ukraine
? “Smaller opportunistic” acquisitions likely to follow DoorDash purchase of Deliveroo, says Glovo founder
? 7% tax, fast registration, and female leadership: Moldova’s startup scene has arrived
? European tech startups to watch
?? Biotech CryoCloud raises €2M to enhance machine learning for drug discovery
?? DecisionRules secures €1.6M to scale its cloud-native SaaS platform internationally
?? Healthtech startup Cavell raises €1.5M to improve medical data quality
?? Thinkpilot launches with €600,000 pre-seed for AI Workspace for product managers
?? Zeus Sleep secures £150,000 for snoring and sleep apnoea solutions
Finland’s Foodiq raises €10M to scale multi-layer foodtech
Finnish foodtech Foodiq has raised €10 million in funding to accelerate its international expansion and scale up its proprietary Multi-Layer Cooker (MLC), a manufacturing platform aimed at reshaping how food is produced locally and sustainably.
The funding will enable Foodiq to bring its patented technology to new markets and develop a customer base for its clean-label, additive-free products, particularly in the dairy and alternative protein categories.
Foodiq’s MLC platform has been designed to modernise traditional food manufacturing by offering a more flexible and efficient system that is agnostic to the raw material used. According to the company, the MLC system is particularly well suited for the dairy and plant-based sectors, which are under increasing pressure to innovate and reduce environmental impacts.
The technology enables both large-scale production and R&D prototyping, allowing food producers to rapidly develop new formulations without the need for artificial stabilisers, gums, or emulsifiers. This is a growing demand in the clean-label movement across Europe and North America.
Foodiq’s model taps into rising consumer and regulatory expectations for transparency and sustainability in food production. With regulatory tailwinds, including the EU’s Farm to Fork strategy and growing concerns around ultra-processed foods, platforms like MLC offer manufacturers a way to pivot toward more natural formulations without sacrificing scalability.
“This raise is a strong vote of confidence in our vision and business model,” said Robert Savikko, CEO and Co-founder of Foodiq. “We’re proud to remain fully focused on food tech - where innovation, sustainability, and scalability meet. With this funding, we’re ready to bring our technology to the world stage and help build a smarter, cleaner, and more local food future.”
Foodiq has gained traction in the Nordic markets and is now positioning itself for broader international growth. The fresh capital will go toward expanding both manufacturing capacity and market reach, with the aim of establishing localised production hubs that reduce supply chain emissions and improve food security.
The company is part of a broader wave of European foodtech startups leveraging hardware innovation to address long-standing bottlenecks in food processing and formulation. While much of the investment in foodtech has traditionally gone to alternative proteins, infrastructure and tooling for production such as MLC are increasingly seen as essential to commercial viability.
PayPal backer questions “energy and passion” of minority stake co-founders
A partner at VC firm Plug and Play today stressed the importance of co-founders having an equal equity split in their startups when they start out, questioning the passion and motivations of those with a minority stake.
Plug and Play partner Carolin Wais — whose firm has backed PayPal, Shopify and N26 — also reiterated common concerns about investing in first-time solo-founders, saying they might lack resilience.
While a 50-50 split between co-founders might appear the fairest deal, it can lead to founders becoming deadlocked on tough decisions and possible legal disputes.
Wais, who oversees Plug and Play's investments in EMEA, said: “I believe in equal splits of equity. If you are not splitting the equity equally or at least in a fair way, long-term you won’t be incentivised.”
Wais pointed to the example of a startup, in which the founders had a 95 per cent and 5 per cent equity split, which would then get diluted over subsequent funding rounds.
She said: "Would they really want to stick around and spend their life’s purpose on this?"
"I think it’s just about long-term founder incentivisation and making sure everybody comes in every day with the same energy and passion.”
Speaking at the SIM conference today in Porto, Wais also highlighted the dangers of VCs and other investors investing in solo founders.
She said: “If you think about the life of a startup. At the beginning everything looks great and you have a lot of motivation.
"And then it starts getting rough, you know. You don’t raise that round, you maybe don’t get that customer on board, or something falls through. And then usually, if you have someone else, or even a third person in your team that backs you up, that takes you through these ups and downs, it’s way more successful."
She said: “The companies that have more than one founder they are more successful, just because they have more resilience, more drive and more energy to do this.”
Exceptions to the rule, she said, were solo founders who had previously backed successful startups, such as unicorns.
Will tokenization go mainstream as founders seek alternatives to traditional funding?
Tokenization has become a valuable alternative for founders seeking to avoid the often burdensome traditional VC/PE funding route.
Tokenization of real-world assets (RWA) is the process of converting ownership rights in a real-world asset — such as real estate, equity, artwork, or commodities — into a digital token that exists on a blockchain.
Each token represents a share, claim, or stake in the underlying asset. Once tokenized, the asset can be traded, transferred, or used as collateral much more efficiently than through traditional systems.
This week Stobox released a report on the current state of global tokenization.
Stobox is a licensed and regulated tokenization provider building financial markets for small and medium businesses.
It provides an all-in-one solution for tokenizing, investing, and trading RWA and operates in multiple jurisdictions, including the United States. Since its inception in 2018, the company has tokenized over $500 million in assets across finance, mining, energy, and real estate.
I spoke to Stobox co-founders Gene Deyev (CEO) and Ross Shemeliak to learn more.
A vision for seamless, decentralised ownership
According to Deyev, Stobox launched in 2018, when the crypto space was still "highly experimental and unstructured. Blockchain was new to everyone — developers, finance professionals, and regulators.
Since then, we've witnessed the market mature from a kind of "anarchy" to one where blockchain assets are increasingly treated like traditional ones."
Stobox's focus is on enabling real-world asset tokenization — not just digital products, but tangible assets like real estate and businesses.
It's building the technology and narratives to support the transition from legacy systems to decentralised ownership. It's not just about turning things into tokens — it's about embedding compliance, rights, and identity verification into these tokens so they function in the real world.
Deyev contends:
"Our goal is to make ownership, trade, and investment in these assets as seamless as using electricity — something you don't need to think about.
"Traditional ownership systems are outdated and siloed; we believe ownership, just like communication, should be decentralized and accessible globally."
Europe diversifies assets while Stablecoins capture majority share
Europe is seeing growth beyond traditional real estate tokenization — notably in sectors such as agriculture, medical research, and natural resources, where various initiatives such as P2P energy marketplaces have expanded globally from pilots to commercialisation over the last decade.
Image: Stobox.
Further, Stablecoins have experienced impressive growth, increasing by 46% from $100 billion to $146 billion. As a result, they now represent the majority of the tokenisation market. Just this week Visa made a "strategic investment" in stablecoin infrastructure startup BVNK.
Deyev asserts that the real opportunity isn't tied to the rise of any single industry, but rather lies in building the infrastructure for high-quality tokenization that benefits all sectors.
Two key areas are driving this shift: data-rich tokens and security tokens, particularly in DeFi and lending protocols utilizing tokenized real-world assets.
He contends:
"This is a rising tide that will lift all boats, bringing more liquidity to traditional use cases while enabling more sophisticated financial applications."
The UK as a tokenization hub
The report finds that the UK is establishing itself as a key hub for tokenization, with its share of global tokenized assets by jurisdiction rising to 11 per cent in 2024 from 7 per cent the previous year. In the market for special purpose vehicle (SPV) jurisdictions—legal entities used for asset issuance—Britain's share climbed from zero to 7 per cent. An SPV is an entity that runs token issuance and sales to investors.
Underlying the SPV increase, UK authorities have promoted tokenisation through initiatives such as the Digital Securities Sandbox by the FCA and Bank of England.
The DSS is a regulatory framework that allows firms to test and operate DLT-based securities issuance, trading, and settlement under temporarily modified rules. P
articipants can use new technologies to perform activities traditionally reserved for central securities depositories and trading venues, such as notary, maintenance, and settlement.
Bitpanda and Coinbase secure UK regulatory green light
Furthermore, in February, the Austrian cryptocurrency platform Bitpanda was officially launched in the UK after obtaining approval from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). It marked a significant expansion in its European presence alongside its MiCAR license for EU crypto service providers.
For retail investors, this means access to 500+ cryptocurrencies—the widest selection of cryptocurrencies available on the market on one secure platform. Access to Bitpanda staking provides the ability to earn rewards on digital assets.
Banks, financial institutions, and crypto platforms can now integrate Bitpanda's regulated infrastructure into their offerings. Therefore, major banks and fintech in the UK can seamlessly offer crypto trading, investment, and custody services with full regulatory oversight.
Separately, Coinbase was also granted permission to operate a full suite of cryptocurrency services in the UK, including trading and custody, for both retail and institutional investors.
Both platforms allow users to buy, trade, and hold cryptocurrencies, many tokenized representations of value, including stablecoins, utility tokens, and increasingly, real-world asset (RWA) tokens like tokenized equities, commodities, or bonds.
Germany is positioned to lead in tokenized finance with the underused FlexCo model
Further in Europe, the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation has reshaped the European tokenization landscape, categorising commodity tokens as Risk-Weighted Assets (RWA) and creating a clear path for regulated issuance of tokens backed by real-world assets.
A legislative change called "Flexible Kapitalgesellschaft" (FlexCo) launched in Germany last year, designed to be more adaptable, especially for startups and young companies. FlexCo allows for simplified ownership transfer of shares and simplifies ownership transfer for tokenized equity.
Shemeliak predicts that while still underutilised, "it is expected to gain adoption and enable Germany to become a leading tokenization jurisdiction in the coming years."
The challenge of liquidity is a persistent painpoint
According to Shemeliak, one key takeaway from the report is that liquidity remains a huge challenge for business owners. Many don't have access to the networks or tools for global fundraising, which is why they come to us. Another insight is the difficulty of balancing regulatory compliance with profitability.
"Many new providers enter the space without fully grasping the legal frameworks, and they often disappear just as quickly."
For institutional players, tokenizing a fund is relatively straightforward — it's just a more efficient way of issuing traditional finance instruments.
However, for non-financial businesses, tokenization still falls under securities law. According to Deyev, the UK has a small offering exemption that allows businesses to raise up to £8 million without needing full FCA approval—as long as they meet compliance requirements.
"That's a huge opportunity for smaller, non-traditional issuers, though many still don't realize that tokenized assets are classified as securities."
"No longer the crypto hypecycle"
Further, Deyev contends that the "speculative, hype-driven altcoin era is fading. What's emerging is a serious push — including from the US administration — toward stablecoins, regulated assets, and institutional infrastructure."
He asserts the single biggest shift will come when government asset registries move to the blockchain.
"Right now, ownership is still managed via outdated, siloed systems. When ownership data — for things like apartments — exists natively on-chain, that's when true tokenization will happen.
today we're in a quasi-tokenization phase, often relying on SPVs (Special Purpose Vehicles) as proxies. It's still complex, with legal and transparency challenges.
But when registries modernize, asset transfer, fractionalization, and trading will become truly seamless."
Deyev stresses that pre-existing or nascent startups wanting to enter the tokenisation space need to be honest with themselves.
"This is no longer the crypto hype cycle — it's institutional, regulated, and demanding.
Ask yourself what kind of company you want to build and what kind of life you want to lead. You'll be working across finance, law, blockchain, and maybe even AI.
It takes deep domain knowledge, long-term dedication, and a clear mission.
Many startups rush in without understanding the responsibilities or regulations, and they burn out quickly. If you're serious, do your homework, understand your role, and then execute with clarity."
Mondelēz invests in Estonia’s eAgronom to boost regenerative farming across Europe
Mondelēz International’s impact investing arm, Sustainable Futures, has made a strategic investment in eAgronom, an Estonia-based agritech startup focused on scaling regenerative agriculture across Europe.
The funding, part of eAgronom’s ongoing Series A2 round, aims to support the company’s expansion into new markets and increase its footprint to over 4 million hectares of farmland by 2026.
Founded in 2016, eAgronom currently works with more than 3,000 farms managing 2.5 million hectares across 10 countries, including Poland, Romania, and Sweden. The company provides farmers with digital tools to improve soil health, measure carbon impact, and participate in carbon credit markets, offering both environmental and financial incentives for sustainable farming.
The deal was facilitated by Sagana, a global impact investment advisory firm, which conducted due diligence on eAgronom’s commercial model and its environmental impact.
“This investment in eAgronom fits well with the Climate impact thesis of Sustainable Futures and our wider sustainability goals of building greater resilience within our key supply chains,” said Susanne Mathis-Alig, Senior Director of Sustainability at Mondelēz International.
The move underscores a growing interest from multinational food companies in climate-resilient sourcing strategies, particularly in the face of supply chain disruptions, biodiversity loss, and tightening ESG regulations. With agriculture contributing nearly a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, corporate players are increasingly investing in regenerative practices not only to reduce their environmental footprint but also to meet evolving consumer and regulatory expectations.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Mondelēz as investors,” said Robin Saluoks, CEO of eAgronom. “More broadly, partnerships with food companies play a vital role in driving progress toward net-zero food production over the long term. Together, we can empower farmers to adopt sustainable practices and improve soil health, which are both essential steps toward building a sustainable agriculture sector.”
This partnership also positions eAgronom as a valuable player in the carbon insetting movement where companies reduce emissions within their own supply chains rather than buying external carbon offsets.
“eAgronom’s platform provides a broad set of capabilities covering project development, on-the-ground support, and financial access,” said Michael Weber, Senior Director of Climate & Environment at Mondelēz International. “We look forward to supporting the team’s efforts, especially on the insetting side with carbon removals forming part of many companies’ carbon reduction pathways while external standards continue to evolve.”
eAgronom allows farmers to measure their carbon footprint more accurately and participate in verified carbon programs, a sector expected to grow substantially as food brands seek science-backed decarbonization strategies.
The global voluntary carbon market is forecast to exceed $50 billion by 2030, and agri-carbon credits - generated from practices like no-till farming, cover cropping, and reduced fertilizer use - are increasingly in demand
ATMOS and ARX Robotics unite to launch Europe’s first orbital depot for autonomous defence systems
Space logistics startup ATMOS Space Cargo (ATMOS)has formed a strategic alliance with ARX Robotics (ARX), a leader in autonomous unmanned ground systems (UGV), integrating orbital re-entry logistics with autonomous unmanned systems (UxS).
In April 2025, ATMOS launched the first iteration of its re-entry capsule, PHOENIX 1, into space and conducted a re-entry mission. The company plans to launch PHOENIX 2, its next-generation capsule, in 2026, further advancing its scalable, autonomous return logistics platform.
Strategically, the use of space and orbital infrastructure significantly enhances European resilience. This capability is crucial in situations where traditional sea, land, or air connectivity is unavailable or compromised. Orbital logistics ensures Europe maintains operational autonomy and swift responsiveness in crisis situations, enabling rapid intervention even in isolated or difficult-to-reach regions.
The integration of PHOENIX, ATMOS’s orbital re-entry capsule, with ARX Robotics' modular unmanned systems opens up new mission profiles.
On the ground, ARX’s Mithra OS coordinates the deployment and operation of these systems, and connects them with unmanned assets in the sea and air domains.
PHOENIX will serve as an active orbital depot, able to precisely deploy ARX's and its partners’ autonomous systems within minutes, ensuring unmatched response times anywhere on the planet. With its modular platforms and software-defined architecture, ARX enables flexible, mission-specific deployment – now extended to orbital operations.
Joining both companies’ technological abilities generate a wide range of potential use cases, including:
Rapid Disaster Response: Immediate deployment of unmanned vehicles for search-and-rescue operations and critical infrastructure repair following natural disasters.
Reconnaissance Missions: Real-time intelligence gathering and environmental assessment in high-risk or inaccessible regions.
Defence and Security Operations: Efficient deployment of dual-use autonomous systems supporting ground operations, enhancing personnel safety, and improving situational awareness.
ATMOS has recently established a new French subsidiary in Strasbourg to expand its European partner network in preparation for upcoming missions to and from the European continent. With this new alliance it strengthens its growing network.
Further, as part of the newly formed alliance, ATMOS expands its European network of launch providers by connecting with ARX’s dedicated defence technology innovators network, UXS Alliance.
Sebastian Klaus, CEO of ATMOS Space Cargo, emphasises:
"By integrating orbital capabilities with advanced robotics, we are equipping Europe with unprecedented rapid-response infrastructure. This is a new standard for safety, innovation, and cooperation."
ARX, which recently secured €31 million in Series A funding, has entered multiple European partnerships with notable defense companies such as Daimler Truck and confirmed expanding into the UK, where the company is already working with the British Army and the UK Ministry of Defence, with plans for a new headquarter and production facilities.
According to Marc Wietfeld, CEO of ARX Robotics, the alliance and development of the groundbreaking platform with ATMOS allows ARX to store and deploy autonomous unmanned technologies from orbit rapidly and flexibly, at any time and to any place in the world.
“This significantly expands European military-strategic capabilities and operational possibilities for NATO forces. This partnership is a clear statement for the multidimensional future of European resilience.
It contributes directly to NATO readiness by enabling allied forces to act faster, further, and with greater autonomy than ever before.”
The alliance is further supported by a tactical investment from J14 European Resilience, a DefenceTech-focused investor network established by ARX shareholders Marc Wietfeld and Daniel Kirch.
Zürich-based Scalera raises $6.5M to simplify construction procurement
Swiss constructiontech Scalera has secured $6.5 million in seed funding to address inefficiencies within public and private construction procurement.
The round was led by firstminute capital and Speedinvest, with participation from a strategic group of angel investors including Google executives, unicorn founders, and seasoned construction industry veterans.
Founded out of ETH Zürich, Scalera is tackling a sector widely recognized as one of the least digitised: construction. With mounting delays in infrastructure delivery and rising demands for housing, transport, and energy projects, the startup wants to accelerate Europe's building pipeline.
“The opportunity is enormous, but the system is broken,” said Leonardo Reinhard, co-founder and CEO of Scalera. “To win public tenders today, companies still comb through thousand-page PDFs, copy line items into Excel, and email suppliers one by one. We started Scalera to end that madness and get vital projects moving again — faster, more affordably, and with total transparency.”
Scalera’s core product uses artificial intelligence to automate the parsing of complex tender documents, match supplier catalogs to line items, and help contractors generate bids in a fraction of the time. It supports industry taxonomies such as NPK, BKP, VOB, and ÖNorm, streamlining collaboration across different national standards in Europe.
This automation shortens bid preparation timelines. In a market where time and accuracy are critical to securing contracts, the platform aims to replace the outdated manual processes that dominate the sector.
“LLMs and Generative AI are one of the most exciting platform shifts in technology,” said Sam Endacott, Partner at firstminute capital. “We believe much of the commercial value will be built by teams focused on verticalised use cases in sectors which have yet to fully undergo digital transformation. The construction sector is a perfect example of this, which is why we are so excited to partner with the Scalera team.”
“The construction and real estate sector, the largest in Europe, is still stuck in outdated, cumbersome, and inefficient processes,” said Andreas Schwarzenbrunner, General Partner at Speedinvest. “We believe AI has the power to bring construction companies to the next level by automating essential mid- and back-office functions, improving overall efficiency and profitability.”
Ravio secures $12M to improve the quality of compensation data
London-based compensation data platform Ravio has raised $12 million in a Series A round, as companies look to modernise how they manage pay transparency and equity in an increasingly competitive global hiring market. The round was led by Spark Capital (US), with participation from Blackbird (Australia) and Cherry Ventures (Europe).
The fresh capital will fuel Ravio’s international expansion, as well as investment into predictive analytics, new hire benchmarks, and compensation planning tools. The company’s broader goal is to position itself as the go-to platform for real-time pay intelligence.
Founded in 2022, Ravio is addressing a long-standing pain point in HR: companies are still making some of their most financially significant decisions - compensation - based on market data that is often 12 to 18 months old. Ravio offers an alternative by integrating directly with HR systems and delivering live compensation benchmarks across more 46 countries.
With compensation often accounting for 70 percent of a company’s operating costs, relying on outdated or limited data can lead to multiple problems: high attrition, inefficient salary allocation, and growing pay inequities.
The platform operates on a “give-to-get” model, where customers contribute anonymised compensation data via API integrations with their HR software. In return, they gain access to real-time salary, equity, and benefits benchmarks that can be filtered by company size, funding stage, and industry.
Ravio has already secured a customer base that includes Just Eat Takeaway, Octopus Energy, Wise, Adyen, Mollie, Zoopla, and Skyscanner.
“Market data hasn't kept pace with today's dynamic market,” said Merten Wulfert, co-founder and CEO of Ravio. “We're bringing decades-old survey methodology into the modern age by plugging directly into our customers' HR systems. This approach automates the data collection process and lets us continuously analyse market movements as they happen.”
“The idea for Ravio was born from running compensation reviews during the early days of building Deliveroo,” said Vaso Parisinou, Chief People Officer at Ravio. “We were scaling rapidly, and it was painful finding data from relevant companies. I was building bands across countries, ensuring my data reflected the current market, and trying to fill in gaps for remote markets. It was impossible.”
“When we built salary bands using Ravio, we could immediately see a few outliers – it was easy to spot pay equity issues,” said Anna-Lena Grimm, Director of People & Culture at HERO Software, a German SaaS company scaling from 100 to 250 employees this year.
“Access to Ravio's live market data means no more headaches from delayed data sets or having to age compensation data,” said Jodi Slomp, VP People at Mollie. Evert Kraav, Senior Compensation Manager at Bolt, added: “What I love about Ravio is the ability to track what's going on in today's market. Now, we can benchmark against current market rates in real-time.”
HRtech is seeing renewed interest, particularly in areas that support compliance, pay equity, and workforce transparency. “We're excited to double down on our previous investment in Ravio by leading their Series A,” said Alex Finkelstein at Spark Capital. “Getting compensation right is challenging for companies of any size and industry. We believe Ravio is positioned to become the industry standard for real-time compensation data.”
“Smaller opportunistic” acquisitions likely to follow DoorDash purchase of Deliveroo, says Glovo founder
The co-founder of Glovo, the Spanish food delivery app owned by Germany's Delivery Hero, says future consolidation in the food delivery sector will likely be limited to smaller “opportunistic” acquisitions.
Sacha Michaud, co-founder, Glovo, said: "I think there are not too many players now to consolidate. There are some big companies. It might just be some very opportunistic, smaller companies being acquired.”
Earlier this week, Deliveroo, the UK based food delivery app, agreed to be acquired by US giant DoorDash in a deal valuing the business at £2.9bn. The combined company will have a presence in more than 40 countries serving about 50 million customers per month.
Michaud said the deal was a “positive” thing for the food delivery market in Europe and that there was huge growth potential in Europe compared to Asia, saying that average food orders per month in Europe were “tiny” compared to Asia.
He added: "The growth of our industry is huge and it’s going to be through quick commerce.” The tie-up is expected to provide competition to rivals like Just Eat and Uber Eats in the UK. The tie-up comes amid broader consolidation across the food delivery sector.
Earlier this year, Just Eat was snapped up by South African-owned internet investor Prosus while Deliveroo sold parts of its Hong Kong business to Delivery Hero.
Separately, Michaud, who heads up global affairs at Glovo, added his voice to the debate about whether European founders lack ambition compared to US founders.
He said: “I think the ambition is there. The reality is that role models are key for startups. We need more role models. We need some Steve Jobs, Bill Gates Europeans.
“There have been some great companies out of Europe. I think European founders are super-ambitious."
Michaud was speaking at the SIM conference today in Porto.
London-based Tripledot Studios acquires AppLovin’s gaming portfolio in $800M deal
UK-based mobile games developer Tripledot Studios has announced the acquisition of AppLovin’s mobile gaming studio portfolio in a deal valued at approximately $800M, marking one of the largest consolidations in the mobile gaming sector to date.
The transaction - structured as half cash and half equity - will make AppLovin a minority shareholder in Tripledot and significantly expand the acquirer’s global footprint and talent base.
Subject to regulatory approvals and completion, the acquisition will bring Tripledot’s total to 12 studios across 23 cities, with more than 2,500 employees and an active player base of 25 million daily users. Annual gross revenues are projected to reach nearly $2 billion, placing Tripledot among the top five independent mobile gaming companies in the world by revenue.
Tripledot already operates from offices in London, Warsaw, Minsk, Barcelona, Jakarta, and Melbourne. The new studios span an additional 17 cities across North America, Europe, and Asia.
“This is a big step towards achieving our goal—taking us from being a high-performing challenger to a true global leader,” said Lior Shiff, co-founder and CEO of Tripledot Studios. “It gives us additional scale, diversification and access to the best talent globally. We’re thrilled to welcome these incredible teams to Tripledot.”
The acquisition is a notable validation of Europe's maturing gaming ecosystem. Tripledot now follows in the footsteps of earlier European mobile gaming giants like Rovio, King, and Supercell, helping reaffirm the region’s influence on a sector historically dominated by U.S. and East Asian studios.
The company has been profitable since its second year of operations, an increasingly rare feat in a market where user acquisition costs and platform fees can strain margins even at scale.
Studios and titles included in the acquisition include:
Lion Studios – Hexa Sort, Wordle!, Found It
PeopleFun – Wordscapes, Wordscapes Solitaire, Bricks n Balls
Belka Games – Clockmaker, Train of Hope
ZenLife Games – Cooking Madness, Word Connect
AppLovin, the US-based mobile tech and marketing platform, originally acquired studios as part of its broader machine learning strategy. Now, it is exiting game development to sharpen its focus on its core ad tech and software platform business.
“Seven years ago, we began acquiring gaming studios to help train our earliest machine learning models. However, we've never been a game developer at heart,” said Adam Foroughi, co-founder and CEO of AppLovin. “I have watched Lior build his company from the ground up... and give me incredible confidence they are the right partner to help these studios thrive going forward.”
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