Hello there,
Welcome to another edition of 🔍 Startup Researcher - Asia, your essential digest delivering the latest news and premium insights on startups and venture capital across the region 🌏️
If you haven't subscribed yet, now's the perfect time. Don't miss the opportunity to supercharge your understanding and stay ahead in this dynamic world.
📰 Important News
- After the $665 million sale of Silo AI, founder Peter Sarlin launched Qutwo to simulate quantum computing for enterprise readiness.
- Bitpanda partnered with Global Dollar Network to launch the MiCA-compliant USDG stablecoin for European users.
- Cleo launched Autopilot, a tool that automates actions toward long-term financial goals within user-approved guardrails.
- Green steel company Stegra appointed Markus Holm as CFO, as Otto Gernandt is moving into a senior advisor role.
- Estonia launched the Defence Business Lab, a pre-accelerator program designed to empower local defence startups.
💸 Top Funding Rounds
- AI audio company ElevenLabs raised a $500 million Series D round led by Sequoia Capital, reaching an $11 billion valuation.
- Clean energy company newcleo secured over $125 million in a Series B funding round, bringing its total capital to over $400 million.
- Lawhive landed $60 million in a Series B round led by Mitch Rales to accelerate its U.S. expansion and further develop its AI operating system.
- Biorce raised $52 million in Series A funding to scale its AI platform Aika, optimizing clinical trial design and accelerating drug development.
- Artificial Labs closed $45 million in a Series B round led by CommerzVentures to double its team and accelerate product development.
💰️ IPO and M&A Watch
- Siemens acquired Canopus AI to strengthen its EDA stack for semiconductor manufacturing.
- Genius Sports agreed to acquire Legend for up to $1.2 billion,forming a digital sports and gaming media powerhouse.
- Masabi acquired Passenger Technology Group to create a comprehensive end-to-end mobility solution.
- Soundtrack Technologies acquired Ambie and Tunify to consolidate the market and expand its operational teams across the UK and Benelux.
- Alefredo EdTech acquired Tutor House to create a unified digital and human-led education ecosystem across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
🏦 About Investors
- Kembara secured $885 million for its $1.2 billion fund to back European deeptech innovations addressing a critical funding gap.
- SlateVC raised $156 million in its first close for a European climate tech growth fund, aiming for $295 million to back B2B scale-ups.
- Swiss VC Constructor Capital closed $110 million deeptech fund, supporting deeptech and edtech startups from academic labs to market.
- Vest Ventures launched a $20 million fund to support startups in Western Romania through capital, mentoring, and acceleration.
- Telefónica appointed Andrés Saborido as CEO of Wayra to align investments with its Transform & Grow strategy.
🚀 Startup of the Week
Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆
ElevenLabs
ElevenLabs, founded in 2022 in London by Mati Staniszewski and Piotr Dabkowski, is rapidly emerging as a leader in conversational AI and audio intelligence. The company builds voice and AI agent platforms used across enterprise, creator, and developer workflows. In 2026, ElevenLabs closed a $500 million Series D led by Sequoia Capital, reaching an $11 billion valuation, with backing from Andreessen Horowitz, ICONIQ, Lightspeed, and BOND. Led by CEO Mati Staniszewski, the company accelerated global expansion and scaled ElevenAgents, positioning itself to redefine human–machine interaction through audio-first AI at global scale.
💼 Investor of the Week
Introducing our Investor of the Week 🏆
Mundi Ventures
Mundi Ventures, founded in 2015 and based in Madrid, is a global venture capital firm backing early- and growth-stage technology companies across fintech, insurtech, enterprise software, and frontier innovation. Its profile rose sharply with the launch of Kembara, a Barcelona-based deeptech growth fund managed by a specialist Mundi team, which secured an $885 million first close toward a $1.2 billion target to address Europe’s scale-up funding gap. Led by Javier Santiso alongside seasoned European investors, Mundi Ventures differentiates through long-term conviction, deep technical expertise, and a pan-European network designed to turn scientific breakthroughs into global category leaders.
🤑 Opportunities Expiring Soon
Y Combinator — Spring 2026 Batch
- 📢 Organizer: Y Combinator
- 🗂️ Category: Accelerator, Funding
- 🪜 Target Stages: Pre-seed, Seed
- 🏭 Focus Sectors: Sector Agnostic
- 📅 Application Deadline: February 10, 2026
xG-Incubator
- 📢 Organizer: xG-Incubator
- 🗂️ Category: Incubator, Funding
- 🪜 Target Stages: Pre-seed, Seed
- 🏭 Focus Sectors: Connectivity & Networks, DeepTech
- 📅 Application Deadline: February 9, 2026
Programa de Aceleração de Startups do Grupo Boticário (GB Ventures)
- 📢 Organizer: GB Ventures (Grupo Boticário)
- 🗂️ Category: Accelerator
- 🪜 Target Stages: Revenue-generating, Seed, Pre-Series A
- 🏭 Focus Sectors: Retail & Consumer, Health & Life Sciences, Finance & Insurance
- 📅 Application Deadline: February 11, 2026
The REDpreneur Women Programme
- 📢 Organizer: Ukrainian Red Cross Society
- 🗂️ Category: Accelerator, Funding
- 🪜 Target Stages: Ideation
- 🏭 Focus Sectors: Sector Agnostic
- 📅 Application Deadline: February 12, 2026
Scale Your Impact with Start it @KBC
- 📢 Organizer: KBC Group
- 🗂️ Category: Accelerator
- 🪜 Target Stages: Stage Agnostic
- 🏭 Focus Sectors: Sector Agnostic
- 📅 Application Deadline: February 16, 2026
Thank you for joining us this week! We trust you found value in our latest edition. 🚀
Your feedback is invaluable to us, so please don't hesitate to share your thoughts by replying to this email. We're committed to continuously improving and delivering content tailored to your interests and needs 📩
If you're interested in staying updated on global startup and investment trends, don't miss our other newsletters.
Additionally, stay connected with us on LinkedIn for more insights and updates 🔗
Looking forward to staying connected and bringing you more exciting content next time!