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Welcome to another edition of 🔍 Startup Researcher - Europe, your essential digest delivering the latest news and premium insights on startups and venture capital across the region 🌍
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📰 Important News
- Revolut reached a $75 billion valuation after a major secondary sale with NVIDIA and a16z.
- Soly was declared bankrupt a year after raising $34.7 million and entered court supervision while founders consider a possible partial restart.
- Blockrise secured a MiCAR license to operate EU-wide as a Bitcoin-only provider and launched Bitcoin-backed lending.
- FINGREEN AI is shutting down after EU regulatory changes stripped most CSRD obligations and erased the market for its sustainability reporting platform.
- Skeleton Technologies opened a $255 million ultracapacitor factory in Leipzig to scale production for AI, defense, and grid systems.
💸 Top Funding Rounds
- Quantum Systems secured $208.6 million in a Series C extension led by Balderton, tripling its valuation above $3.4 billion.
- Model ML raised $75 million in a Series A round led by FT Partners to scale its AI platform automating financial document workflows for major banks.
- Overstory closed a $43 million Series B led by Blume Equity to scale its AI-driven vegetation and wildfire risk models.
- BKN301 extended its Series B to $38 million and secured a BlackRock backed credit facility to scale its AI-ready digital banking architecture.
- Gravis Robotics raised $23 million co-led by IQ Capital and Zacua Ventures to scale its AI-powered earthmoving autonomy platform.
💰️ Notable Exits
- Lovable acquired Molnett, absorbing its cloud infrastructure and team to reinforce its AI-driven app development platform.
- Datasharp acquired Woosmap to integrate its geolocation API tech into a unified AI-ready data infrastructure.
- Xoriant acquired TestDevLab to expand its global footprint and deepen AI driven quality engineering while keeping the brand and leadership intact.
- BKN301 acquired Planky to embed its AI-powered open banking and analytics engine into its digital banking architecture and scale across EMEA.
- Epassi acquired Alleo and merged it with its Dutch units to build a unified multi-benefit platform and strengthen its position in the Netherlands.
🏦 About Investors
- Future Energy Ventures closed a $270.5 million fund to back AI-driven energy software across Europe.
- Firgun Ventures launched a $250 million quantum fund with a $70 million first close from QIA to back early-growth quantum startups.
- Índico launched Fund III targeting $145 million with a $35 million EIF anchor to support early-stage deeptech and SaaS founders.
- Day One Capital launched a new fund with $52 million toward a $69 million target to back pre-seed and seed B2B tech startups.
- Onstage launched its first $13 million fund to back pre-seed and seed startups across Europe and turn its demo day platform into a venture engine.
🚀Startup of the Week
Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆
Quantum Systems
German drone innovator Quantum Systems, founded in 2015 near Munich by former German Armed Forces officer Florian Seibel alongside Dr. Michael Kriegel, Tobias Kloss, and Armin Busse, has rapidly become a leading force in Europe’s dual-use technology landscape. The company recently secured a $208.6 million Series C extension led by Balderton Capital, tripling its valuation past $3.4 billion and accelerating expansion across air, land, and maritime unmanned systems. Under Seibel’s leadership, Quantum Systems is integrating advanced AI, its MOSAIC UXS mission software, and acquisitions like AirRobot, Nordic Unmanned, and Spleenlab to scale globally. Its mission is to deliver the next generation of autonomous systems for defense and government intelligence.
💼 Investor of the Week
Introducing our Investor of the Week 🏆
Future Energy Ventures
Future Energy Ventures, founded in 2016 in Berlin by Jan Lozek, Veronique Hördemann, Ohad Mamann, Patrick Elftmann, Moritz Jungmann,and Jan Palasinski, has grown into one of Europe’s most influential venture capital firms backing digital and scalable energy technologies. The firm recently closed a $270.5 million fund, combining a core vehicle with an Italian side fund, to accelerate AI-driven energy innovation across grid flexibility, storage optimization, and electrification. Led by CEO Jan Lozek and Managing Partner Veronique Hördemann, FEV continues to support high impact startups such as Enspired, Reev, Jua, and Chloris. Its mission is to fund the software infrastructure powering the global shift toward a smarter, more resilient energy system.
🤑Opportunity Radar
Call for Applications: The Imagine H2O Accelerator
The Imagine H2O Accelerator is now open for applications until December 19, 2025, offering a zero-equity program designed to help early-stage water and climate tech founders scale globally. Startups gain access to world-class mentorship, pilot funding, investor networks, and a strong industry ecosystem, with participation open to teams worldwide, including all African markets. The 2026 program cycle begins soon, supporting innovators developing breakthrough solutions across water management, quality, access, and sustainability. Apply now to accelerate your technology and enter new markets.
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