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This Month in German, Swiss and Austrian Startups - September 2025 | Deep Dive

Cover graphic for Startuprad.io’s ‘This Month in DACH Startups – Summer Wrap-Up 2025’ featuring illustrated portraits of the podcast hosts, highlighting startup news from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland


Welcome back to our September 2025 startup news marathon. In Part One we tackled the headliners — billion-euro swings in climate, AI, and deep tech. Terra One lined up €150m for batteries, Quantum Systems pushed into the UK with €50m, and Germany staked €3bn on fusion. Black Forest Labs in Freiburg kept the AI spotlight burning, while JPMorgan promised a digital bank for Germany by 2026. If you missed that roundup, you’ll want to catch up here: Part One Highlights — September 2025 Startup News. Learn more about selected highlights of the month here: https://www.startuprad.io/post/this-month-in-german-swiss-and-austrian-startups-september-2025-top-news


Now, Part Two takes us into the layers beneath the headlines — the exits you didn’t see trending, the pivots that quietly reset company trajectories, and the steady mid-stage funding rounds that show where investors are still willing to write checks. Think of it as the connective tissue of the ecosystem: less glamorous than unicorn announcements, but often more revealing about founder resilience and market appetite. Because the irony of 2025 is that the sub-€50m rounds are telling us more about strategy than the billion-dollar press releases.



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The Video Podcast Will Go Live on Monday October 6th 2025


Watch Part 1 of Startuprad.io’s DACH Startup News Summer 2025 Wrap-Up on YouTube



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Top Startup News


Ecosystem


Europe


Germany 


Austria


Switzerland


General News / Tech News / Companies News


VC News and New Funds, in case you are looking for money (also only a selection):


Columbus Venture Partners launches €200m biotech and healthtech fund — El Referente confirms Columbus VP is raising up to €200 million for its fifth fund, targeting biotech and healthcare innovation across Europe, with a focus on Spain and cross-border growth.


Ventech closes €175m Fund VI, its largest ever, to back European deep tech and SaaS startups — Tech.eu reports Ventech raised €175 million for Fund VI, targeting deep tech, AI, SaaS, and consumer internet startups across Europe. The record fund size underscores growing LP confidence in sector-focused European VCs.


C4 Ventures launches €100m Fund III to back AI and deep tech startups in Europe — Tech.eu reports C4 Ventures, led by ex-Apple executive Pascal Cagni, raised €100 million for Fund III to support AI, deep tech, and climate-focused startups across Europe, strengthening the continent’s venture capital firepower. [Source]: Tech.eu — https://tech.eu/2025/09/23/c4-ventures-launches-eur100m-fund-iii-to-back-europes-next-wave-of-ai-and-deep-tech-startups/


Norrsken Evolve launches €57m impact tech fund — Tech.eu notes the €57 million Norrsken Evolve fund aims to back impact-driven tech startups across Europe, targeting climate and social entrepreneurship. This boosts early-stage capital pools for mission-driven founders.


Vireo Ventures closes €50m electrification fund — Tech Funding News reports Vireo Ventures closed a €50m fund to back startups in electrification, energy transition, and e-mobility infrastructure, targeting Germany and wider Europe. [Source]: Tech Funding News — https://techfundingnews.com/vireo-ventures-closes-50m-electrification-fund-europe-energy-transition/


Aspire11 launches €500m pension-tech fund, unlocking Europe’s retirement capital for startups — Tech Funding News reports Aspire11 closed €500 million for a fund targeting pension-linked innovation, bringing long-horizon institutional money into AI, fintech, and climate-tech.


EQT Ventures restructures, dismissing key figures from its startup investment team — Manager Magazin reports EQT Ventures, one of Europe’s largest VC firms, is undergoing internal restructuring with the exit of key startup team members, raising concerns over strategy shifts amid record fund sizes.


Deep Tech News


Europe’s most powerful supercomputer JUPITER inaugurated in Jülich — Tagesschau reports the opening of JUPITER, Europe’s first exascale-class supercomputer, based in Jülich, Germany. Designed for AI and climate simulations, the machine positions Germany as a global HPC hub.


Defense Tech News 


Defense-tech startup targets €500m valuation — n-tv reports a German defense technology startup is now valued at nearly €500 million, reflecting growing VC and state interest in dual-use defense companies.


Quantum Systems commits €50m to UK drone operations after Nordic Unmanned takeover — Tech Funding News reports Munich-based Quantum Systems will invest €50 million into UK expansion post-acquisition of Nordic Unmanned UK, scaling dual-use AI drone operations for NATO missions. This underlines Europe’s defense-tech consolidation and Germany’s growing sovereignty tech footprint. For context: Quantum Systems Germany’s Drone-Driven Unicorn Emerges: https://www.startuprad.io/post/quantum-systems-germany-s-drone-driven-unicorn-emerges.


Biotech News


Some news on BioNTech, since they do carry a high importance for the German biotech market. 

BioNTech achieves key trial milestone in oncology — FAZ reports BioNTech (NASDAQ: BNTX) achieved a critical Phase II milestone with its oncology pipeline (BNT323), strengthening its post-COVID strategy in cancer therapeutics.


BioNTech drug BNT323 nears market-readiness — Manager Magazin echoes progress in BioNTech’s oncology portfolio, emphasizing strategic positioning against global pharma peers.


BioNTech and Bristol Myers adjust partnership with $1.5bn upfront — Investing.com reports BioNTech and Bristol Myers Squibb updated their collaboration, with a $1.5 billion upfront payment tied to antibody BNT327, showing big pharma’s high confidence in biotech deals.


Fintech News


BaFin chief Branson intensifies scrutiny of N26, highlighting persistent compliance gaps — Manager Magazin reports BaFin president Mark Branson has again placed N26 under heightened supervision for AML and governance shortcomings. This follows repeated regulatory interventions since 2021. For deeper context: Trouble at N26 — BaFin considering limiting new business: https://www.startuprad.io/post/blog-post-trouble-at-n26-bafin-considering-limiting-new-business-for-the-neobank.


N26 cofounder Valentin Stalf steps down — Sifted reports that Valentin Stalf, cofounder and CEO of N26, has stepped down, marking a generational shift at Germany’s most visible neobank. This leadership change could influence regulatory relations, investor confidence, and product roadmap. For context on N26’s earlier challenges: Trouble at N26 — BaFin considering limiting new business → https://www.startuprad.io/post/blog-post-trouble-at-n26-bafin-considering-limiting-new-business-for-the-neobank.


Scalable Capital launches AI financial advisor — t3n.de reports that German neobroker Scalable Capital has launched an AI-powered investment advisor, automating portfolio recommendations for retail investors. This move blends fintech with generative AI, aiming to cut acquisition costs and boost customer stickiness.


JPMorgan to launch German digital bank in 2026 — Reuters confirms JPMorgan Chase will open a Berlin HQ and launch its Chase digital bank in Q2 2026, entering a highly competitive neobank landscape dominated by N26 and Trade Republic. This move could reshape Germany’s fintech market dynamics. For context on N26: Why N26 Wants to Be a NeoBroker (and the risks) → https://www.startuprad.io/post/why-n26-wants-to-be-a-neobroker-why-neobrokers-are-hot-and-maybe-in-danger.


Check24 founders take control of C24 Bank — Founders Magazin reports that Check24’s founders have assumed control of C24 Bank, highlighting consolidation in Germany’s challenger banking sector.


DKB integrates startup as new securities service provider for depot clients, modernizing brokerage infrastructure — Handelsblatt reveals that Deutsche Kreditbank (DKB) selected a fintech startup as its securities service provider, modernizing depot infrastructure for retail investors. This reflects incumbents’ willingness to partner with specialist fintech vendors to accelerate digital transformation.


General News


Hamburg Startup Factory aims to make the city Germany’s second deeptech hotspot — Business Insider reports that Hamburg is launching a Startup Factory to foster AI, robotics, and biotech startups, positioning itself as the country’s next deeptech cluster after Munich. This underscores how German cities compete for talent, research translation, and venture capital, adding regional balance to the ecosystem.


More Information on Lilium, which does not seem to be out of the woods yet: 

AAmg plans defense expansion with Lilium partnership — Handelsblatt reveals that AAmg Group, a consumer and aerospace firm, is partnering with Lilium to enter the defense aviation market. For Lilium, this could provide crucial diversification beyond eVTOL urban air mobility and signal dual-use opportunities.


Lilium assets sale faces hurdles — Flight Global reports that would-be buyers of Lilium’s assets face legal and administrative challenges, casting uncertainty over the German eVTOL pioneer’s restructuring process.


HelloFresh cofounder Thomas Griesel exits — Finanzen.net reports HelloFresh (ETR: HFG) cofounder Thomas Griesel has stepped down, sending shares down as the meal-kit company grapples with profitability and competition challenges. [Source]: Finanzen.net — https://www.finanzen.net/nachricht/aktien/signalwirkung-hellofresh-aktie-im-minus-mitgruender-thomas-griesel-verlaesst-das-unternehmen-148


Tonies celebrates a milestone with 10 million Tonieboxes sold worldwide — IT-Times reports Tonies SE, the German children’s audio storytelling startup, has surpassed 10 million Tonieboxes sold globally, cementing its leadership in edutainment hardware and IP licensing. The milestone reflects strong demand in Europe and the U.S., highlighting the scalability of consumer hardware with recurring content ecosystems.


Schumpeters Schöpferische Zerstörung ⇒ Creative Destruction (Layoffs insolvencies, layoffs and other bad news):


Enfore leaves millions in debts after Deutsche Telekom partnership collapses — Manager Magazin reveals that Marco Boerries’ Enfore AG, once backed by Deutsche Telekom, failed to scale its SME cloud platform, leaving millions in unpaid obligations. The collapse highlights risks in corporate–startup partnerships when integration and go-to-market strategies misalign.


End on a High Note: Successful Fundraisings and Exits:


Keep in mind this is a small selection. The news here and their total value show how resilient the startup scene is. We included only selected fundraisings above 10 million Euros, CHF or USD. We will only bring you highlights here.  


Ortivity secures $200m funding, scaling German sports performance tech to global market — Silicon Canals reports that Ortivity, a DACH sports-tech firm, raised $200 million to expand globally, emphasizing wearable analytics and AI-driven performance insights.


Auterion secures $130m Series B to expand open-source drone ecosystem — Startupticker reports Auterion, the Swiss-based open-source drone software company, raised $130 million Series B. The funding supports scaling its PX4-based operating system for defense, logistics, and inspection use cases, reinforcing Europe’s dual-use drone innovation leadership.


Anybotics raises additional $20m to expand robotics deployment — Startupticker confirms Anybotics, the Swiss industrial robotics developer, secured an extra $20 million, bringing its total Series B financing above $147 million. The funds accelerate rollout of its autonomous four-legged inspection robots in oil, gas, and utilities.


Sunhat raises €92m to expand AI-powered compliance verification platform — Trending Topics reports Sunhat, a German compliance startup, closed a €92 million round to strengthen its AI-driven data verification platform. This financing underscores growing investor demand for regtech and enterprise AI solutions. [Source]: Trending Topics — https://www.trendingtopics.eu/sunhat-92-millionen-euro-fuer-deutsches-ki-startup-das-daten-verifiziert/


Related: Sunhat and CommerzVentures discuss compliance startup-investor dynamics in interview — Trending Topics features an in-depth interview with Sunhat and its backer CommerzVentures, exploring the growth trajectory of regulatory technology startups and the challenges of scaling enterprise sales. [Source]: Trending Topics — https://www.trendingtopics.eu/sunhat-und-commerzventures-das-compliance-startup-und-sein-investor-im-interview/


Futurail secures €75m to tackle European rail inefficiencies with autonomy — Tech.eu reports Futurail raised €75 million to bring autonomous rail optimization to Europe, addressing bottlenecks in capacity, efficiency, and climate-neutral transport. The investment shows growing VC interest in rail-tech and green mobility.


AMSilk raises €52m for biobased silk polymers — Finsmes reports AMSilk (Martinsried) raised €52m to scale biobased silk materials for textiles, composites, and medical applications, reinforcing Germany’s bioeconomy leadership. [Source]: Finsmes — https://www.finsmes.com/2025/09/amsilk-raises-e52m-in-funding.html


M0 raises $40m Series B for DeFi lending protocols — Finsmes reports that M0, a crypto startup, secured $40 million Series B to scale DeFi infrastructure, emphasizing institutional-grade adoption of crypto tools.


Loft Dynamics raises $24m Series B for VR pilot training — Tech.eu reports Swiss VR startup Loft Dynamics secured $24 million in Series B funding, scaling immersive pilot training solutions. The round reflects growth in aviation simulation and XR training tools.


Deskbird raises $23m Series B to scale hybrid workplace platform — Startupticker reports Deskbird, a Swiss-German SaaS startup, secured $23 million Series B to expand its hybrid work management platform across Europe and the U.S. The company enables corporates to optimize office space utilization and flexible work policies.


Reconnect Labs launches with CHF 22m — Transkript.de reports Swiss biotech Reconnect Labs raised CHF 22 million at launch to pursue novel regenerative therapies, highlighting early investor appetite in Swiss life sciences.


Utila raises $22m in Series A extension to scale compliance tooling — Finsmes reports Utila secured $22 million in a Series A extension, strengthening its compliance and custody software in a fast-growing crypto and digital asset ecosystem.


Proxima Fusion adds €15m, total Series A hits €200m — Finsmes reports Proxima Fusion (Munich) raised an additional €15m in Series A, bringing the total to €200m for its stellarator-based fusion energy platform. This adds to Europe’s fusion startup race.


Tangany raises €10m Series A for crypto custody infrastructure — Finsmes confirms Tangany, a Munich-based crypto custody provider, raised €10 million to scale its BaFin-regulated infrastructure, solidifying DACH as a key hub for crypto compliance. For context: N26 hidden second closing of Series E (neobank + crypto crossover): https://www.startuprad.io/post/n26-quietly-completed-second-closing-of-series-e-round-in-2021-here-s-what-we-know.


OrangeX raises $20m for global crypto trading infrastructure — Ventureburn reports OrangeX secured $20 million to expand its crypto trading platform, reflecting sustained interest in infrastructure-scale crypto plays despite regulatory tightening.


M&A News


Quantagonia sold to U.S. firm Strangeworks in a multimillion exit — Yahoo Finance reports that German quantum software startup Quantagonia has been acquired by a U.S. company in a multimillion-dollar deal, showing how U.S. buyers increasingly target European quantum IP. This exit adds to consolidation trends in the quantum ecosystem.


From a different source: Strangeworks acquires Quantagonia to expand EU quantum footprint — Tech.eu confirms that U.S. quantum firm Strangeworks has acquired German startup Quantagonia, reinforcing transatlantic consolidation in quantum computing software.


Visma strengthens DACH presence with AI-driven acquisitions — Tech.eu reports that Norwegian software group Visma acquired Miliaio and Taxy.io, bolstering its AI-powered SaaS offerings in the German tax and compliance sector. This underlines foreign appetite for German regtech.


Wellhub acquires Urban Sports Club for $600m, reshaping Europe’s fitness platform landscape — T-Online reports that Wellhub (Gympass) acquired Berlin-based Urban Sports Club for $600 million, consolidating the European fitness subscription market and raising the bar for B2C wellness scale-ups.


FonioAI acquires Fluently to strengthen DACH AI presence — Tech.eu reports FonioAI bought Fluently, boosting its language AI stack and DACH presence. For context: Startuprad.io Interview with Fluently’s cofounder: https://www.startuprad.io/post/how-ai-phone-assistants-are-revolutionizing-sme-customer-service 


Amadeus Fire acquires Masterplan e-learning platform to expand digital B2B education — The Amadeus Fire Group announced its acquisition of Masterplan, a German corporate e-learning platform, to strengthen its digital training and B2B education services. This reflects consolidation in Europe’s edtech and HR training markets.


Arsipa acquires Bloom to deliver end-to-end digital occupational safety platform — Tech.eu confirms Arsipa has acquired Bloom, integrating its technology into a compliance and safety SaaS platform for corporate clients, reinforcing demand for digital workplace safety tools.


Stay ahead of the curve


German government urged to act decisively on startup policy reforms — Business Insider outlines 8 key measures the government must implement if it is serious about supporting startups, including tax reform, ESOP improvements, and bureaucracy reduction. This critique reflects founder frustration amid slower progress than promised.


EU Data Act forces smart devices like robot vacuums to share usage data — Spiegel reports that under the new EU Data Act, manufacturers of devices such as robot vacuums must provide users and third parties with access to collected data, raising competition in IoT services and concerns over consumer privacy. [Source]: Spiegel — https://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/eu-data-act-wie-die-eu-saugrobotern-ihre-geheimnisse-entlockt-a-6e51cfa6-1175-4e8f-981e-aa6583cf5d61


Germany’s most promising AI startups showcased — WirtschaftsWoche profiles a list of leading German AI startups, spanning generative AI, industrial AI, and vertical applications, signaling the depth of talent and venture backing in the country’s AI ecosystem.


Family-run brothers-only startup success story — Deutsche Startups shares how two brothers attribute their company’s success to family-driven cofounding dynamics, underlining the role of founder-market fit and trust in startup building. [Source]: Deutsche Startups — https://www.deutsche-startups.de/2025/08/22/familiensache-warum-wir-nur-als-brueder-erfolgreich-werden-konnten/


Brex plans EU expansion via partnerships — Tech.eu reports U.S. fintech Brex is pursuing a partnership-led approach to break into the European market, signaling heightened competition for DACH neobanks and B2B finance players. [Source]: Tech.eu — https://tech.eu/2025/08/21/brex-aims-to-crack-eu-market-with-partnership-led-approach/


New startups launch: Atira, Scipio, Pyck, Vyzn, Partprinz — Deutsche Startups introduces five new German startups spanning AI, SaaS, and B2B marketplaces, underscoring the ecosystem’s constant pipeline of new ventures. [Source]: Deutsche Startups — https://www.deutsche-startups.de/2025/08/25/neue-startups-atira-scipio-pyck-vyzn-partprinz/ 


Revolut valuation surges to $75B, lifting European neobank benchmarks — Business Insider reported that Revolut reached a $75 billion valuation, marking a major inflection point for European neobanks and challenging incumbents like N26.


New startups launch: Nixi, Orbisens, Pluz, Prisma Schools, Visioplan — Deutsche Startups introduces five new German startups spanning edtech, SaaS, and AI-powered platforms, demonstrating ongoing pipeline dynamism in the ecosystem.


ifo Autumn 2025 forecast warns fiscal policy could hinder German economic recovery — The ifo Institute projects sluggish growth in its autumn report, highlighting fiscal tightening as a risk to Germany’s startup ecosystem reliant on public R&D and innovation budgets.


Study shows Trump administration policies made Germany more attractive for startups — n-tv cites research showing U.S. political shifts under Donald Trump indirectly boosted Germany’s appeal as a startup hub, particularly for founders wary of U.S. immigration policies and trade volatility.


German founders decry bureaucracy and uneven funding landscape — Spiegel highlights frustration among German entrepreneurs, who face both a capital glut in certain sectors and crippling administrative hurdles elsewhere, dividing the startup world into winners and survivors. This sentiment reflects a critical structural challenge for Germany’s innovation ecosystem.


Study: German internet economy booming, but data center capacity lags — n-tv reports that while the German internet economy is growing rapidly, there is a shortfall in data center infrastructure, posing risks to cloud-native startups and the country’s ability to host AI workloads.


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The Hosts

The news are co-hosted by Jörn “Joe” Menninger, startup scout, founder, and host of Startuprad.io. And Christian “Chris' ' Fahrenbach, co-founder Startuprad.io, freelance reporter, lecturer, author and blogger . Reach out to them:


About the Author

Podcast Host & Startup Analyst


Jörn “Joe” Menninger is the founder and host of Startuprad.io -- one of Europe’s top startup podcasts that scored as a global Top 20 Podcast in Entrepreneurship. He’s been featured in Forbes, Tech.eu, Geektime, and more for his insights into startups, venture capital, and innovation. With over 15 years of experience in management consulting, digital strategy, and startup scouting, Joe works at the intersection of tech, entrepreneurship, and business transformation—helping founders, investors, and enterprises turn bold ideas into real-world impact.

Follow his work on LinkedIn.


Automated Transcript

Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:00:00]:

Foreign.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:00:09]:

Your podcast and YouTube blog covering the German startup scene with news, interviews and live events. Hey guys, welcome Back to part two of this month in German, Swiss and Austrian startups 2025. This goes live on September 4, 2025 and in between the recording, which for some of you may have been three days in between for Chris and me, just three minutes we established that Chris had a clown for breakfast. He is super fun today. Welcome back to Part two of our Startup News Wrap Up. In this segment we're driving into the movers shaping Europe's innovation landscape. From new venture capital funds and leadership shakeups to deep tech breakthroughs, green tech milestones and latest fintech plays. Whether you're raising money tracking cutting edge tech or following the biggest shifts in the dark startup scene, we got you covered and talking about this.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:01:11]:

There is the general news section here where we have tech news, companies news and so on. Right now we will focus on VC news, new funds in case simply if you are looking for money Smart Infrastructure Ventures launches 30 million euros SI Ventures to to back early stage German startups and especially focused on smart infrastructure. Sebastian Boric joins HTTF High Tech Kronephone which was at the time I was interviewing the former CEO Alex von Frankenberg. I think 2020, end of 2020 they've been the most active seed investor in Europe as I said. Sebastian Borick joins HTGF as co Managing Director completing the new leadership trio reports VC Magazine and then I already hand it over to Chris.


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:02:09]:

Yeah, and I get to look a bit more into the deep tech news of our program. First up is a team from Freiburg in the very southwest of Germany where.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:02:25]:

Team of wouldn't you want to say down into the left.


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:02:29]:

Down. Down in the. In the left. Down in the left. They are building what they claim is Germany's first brain inspired AI chip, but also ran into the fact that they must test it abroad. To be a bit more specific, they are developing a neuromorphic they're developing neuromorphic brain chips for ultra low power AI and there are regulatory constraint constraints so prototype testing is only allowed outside of Germany. The contract cited in coverage it Business Insider points to rising European demand for deep tech compute alternatives. Vienna in Austria is the home of QT Labs which is reporting a milestone communicating with a NASA spacecraft around 265 million kilometers away.


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:03:29]:

And so QT Labs is showcasing long range high fidelity space communications grounded in quantum adjacent expertise. That's also, that's also me. I also have quantum adjacent expertise. And the feed underscores Austria rising Austria's rising deep tech profile and potential dual use applications, insecure comms and space infrastructure. Moving on to green tech news where you can keep in mind the 825 million euros for orange bed that we talked about in our top news section in the first part of our episodes. But moving on Saltstrom and Bogenland Energy or Bogenland Energy launch a sustainable salt based storage offensive so Borgen Land is a state of Austria and they aim at scaling this like sustainable salt salt based electricity storage project aiming at providing long duration recyclable energy storage as Austria specifically accelerates renewable grid integration. Biotech News Moving on from the green tech News already CureVac, GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer BioNTech resolve MRNA patent dispute News agency Reuters confirmed that these three companies settled their long standing MRNA patent dispute with sorry that Curevac and partner GSK settled it with Pfizer Biontech. The agreement ends years of litigation over the COVID 19 vaccines intellectual property and the settlement clears the legal overhang for all parties allowing Biontech to double down on oncology pipelines.


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:05:28]:

Now a an area of research that is also very much in flux since the US announced that they probably might retract from MRNA based research and development with like huge implications thanks to RFK.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:05:45]:

Jr. We we should also keep in mind that we had in last news that Q Work agreed to be bought by Biontech. So this news that litigation is stopped shouldn't surprise anyone here. Chris, taking over from you for the fintech news. Bit Panda Modern doubles 2024 revenues to 993 million euros with an EBITDA margin of more than 30%, BTC Echo reported. Bitpana achieved this revenue more than two times year on year with an EBITDA margin of more than 30% and 7/ million users underpinning a broader EU expansion. Strategic partners include Deutsche Bank, LBBV, a German formerly state owned bank, Reif Isen and 26. No new numbers beyond our earlier BL German fintech bling acquires startup Finstep to expand youth banking starting up reported Berlin based Bling has acquired Finstep, a fintech focused on family and youth oriented finance solutions.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:06:53]:

The acquisition strengthens Berlin's position as Gen Z Financial Services center added complementary savings and pocket money features to its platform. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Guys, we will be back after a short break talking about Europe's deep tech frontier. From brain inspired chips in TR to AI coaches in Berlin, plus the rise of AI search analytics startups.


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:07:26]:

And Back from the break, we are looking at deep tech and AI news some more Munich based defense drone maker Quantum Systems could triple its valuation to around 1.5 billion billion euros powered by NATO and Ukraine contracts and Europe's defense rearmament cycle. The company's AI enabled reconnaissance platforms and expanding order book underlying dual use momentum across the Dach defense stack. In the reporting in Hannell's blood there was no new funding amount disclosed, but at least we know that the company is really doing well. A Dresden based startup won a major order for its neuromorphic chips. Designed after the human brain, the chips promise ultra low energy AI processing targeting both automotive and industrial automation. The contract demonstrates European potential in deep tech hardware and this obviously brings high hopes for the startup Spin cloud in Dresden in eastern Germany. Coach hubs AI coach designed to extend access beyond human coaching pools. It's in Berlin.


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:08:41]:

Scale up and POS trying to position Amy for multilingual company wide deployment with enterprise integrations following a 2023 revenue of 56 million euros. The product push targets margin improvement and broader attach across HR suites and Chris.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:09:02]:

Do you know what this news says? Coaches AI is coming for your job.


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:09:07]:

Yeah, well we will see about that. Can it, can it pull off a shirt like this though? I don't think so. Peak AI Launches It's a Berlin based company founded by Marius Miners, Tobias Livonia and Daniel Darabo Software as a service company monitoring brand mention citation and growth across AI search tools such as ChatGPT and Perplexity, giving SEOs and marketers a new analytics layer as SGE AI answers disrupt classic rankings. So Peak AI PEEC could be some worthwhile alternative for you if you want to know more about coverage and citations. Moving on to the general news Taking.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:09:57]:

Over from Chris, here again to the general news. Uber consolidates position in Germany's Right Hailing Market efforts had reported that Uber is finally establishing itself in Germany after years of regulatory battles and resistance from taxi associations. With legal framework clarified and consumer demand shifting, Uber now competes directly in major German cities. Analysts see this as a turning point for mobility startups in the Dach region with implications for local players like Freenow and Bolt. And one should keep in mind that FreeNow has just been bored. We had this in one of our last news by uber competitor Lyft VCs poor fresh millions into German startups across AI SaaS and climate tech. Deutsche Startups highlights new VC investments into German startups with multimillion euro deals across AI SaaS, fintech and climate tech verticals to report points to continued early and growth stage capital inflows despite macroeconomic headwinds. This reflects resilience in the German venture market and investor focus on deep tech and green tech transition sectors.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:11:12]:

Auto One Group We've been talking about them quite frequently post double digit growth across all core metrics in the first half of 2025, IT Times reported. Berlin based Auto1 Group achieved strong growth across revenue, gross profit and unit sales in the first half of 2025 as Europe's leading digital used car trading platform. Auto1 credits its margin expansion to Auto Hero their retail part, their retail growth and supply chain efficiency. Investors view this as a validation of the post IPO turnaround doctlib it's an app in Germany where you can book doctors appointment. They face government scrutiny over market power and data practices. They came under review by federal ministries in Germany regarding market dominance and data protection concerns. Regulators are examining the platform's role between patients practices and insurance. No remedies or penalties were announced at this stage.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:12:19]:

Reva, a retail giant here in Germany, I would say something like Whole Foods. Would you agree? Chris yes Yep. Rolls out the startup lounge nationwide to fast track shelf access for early stage brands, reports Horizon Storebox Lounges parcel service alternative to post the German dhl, GLS and DPD Brutcasten reported that Austrian logistics startup Storebox is entering the parcel service market, positioning itself as an alternative to incumbents. We do a little bit good Odd Schumpeter Leonie says insolvency avoided restructuring chosen as only path hundreds but reported automotive supplier Leone confirmed dust Insolvency would have been the only alternative to its restructuring deals, which secured credited support and prevented liquidation. They plan to provide Runway for the shift to EV wiring and E mobility. Duolingo shares plunged 12% they they are not insolvent and just bad news after growth slowdown spooks. Wall Street Yahoo Finance reported Duolingo fell more than 12% intraday after Q2 results showed slower than expected user and booking growth. My World ex Linus they file for bankruptcy amid collapse of cashback empire trending Topics Reported My Word, previously known as Lyoness, has gotten insolvent.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:13:57]:

The Graz, Austria based company once ran a sprawling cashback MLM empire repeatedly facing legal actions across Europe. Bankruptcy underscores the systemic rest risk in unregulated referral schemes and marks the end of one of Austria's most controversial scale ups. Idagio and his insolvency around 35 million years were invested since 2025 at as Landstone took majority Deutsche Startup confirmed Insolvency proceedings for Ida Sven Kirschner appointed trustee founders Till Young, Tchukovsky and Christoph Lange no longer active. Investors include Tangleman Ventures, BTOV Partners, Macquarie later lands on partners Prewave reduces workforce by 8% amid growth strategy Shift Broadcasting revealed that Vienna based Pre Wave, a supply chain risk intelligence scale up, is cutting 8% of its workforce. The company cited strategic realignment and efficiency gains as reason. Despite layoffs, Prewave continues to expand its AI driven platform to monitor ESG and supply chain disruptions. And Chris, you are always the person who hands on a high note, right?


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:15:25]:

I'm very much ending on a high note. But also I would like to add a bit more depth to Leonie where you said the wiring company that avoided insolvency because that is actually a fascinating company because they are not necessarily a startup. Do you know when they opened up their first shop? As in like repair shop, their first vaccine?


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:15:52]:

Nope.


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:15:52]:

And they're in Nuremberg in take a guess the year 1980, 1569.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:16:02]:

Yes, but as we always said in the general news that their repair shop there more or less aligned with what we were doing here.


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:16:10]:

Yes. So. And they have a hundred thousand people working for them. And so it's really, and it's actually considered to be a crucial company in Germany because they have such a, or at least had such a unique position in terms of the wiring for cars, which nowadays has gotten so much more important with there being so many computers and processors on in every car.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:16:35]:

And of course a lot of the startups rely on this because they are bringing the tech to the cars.


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:16:41]:

Yes. So yeah, successful fundraisings, the high notes that you talked about. Keep in mind this is as always a small section. The news here and the total value of the company always show how resilient the startup scene actually is. This time we included selected fundraisings above 10 million euros Swiss francs or US dollars and let me rattle through some of them. Berlin's Talon 1 raises $114.7 million to expand incentive automation platform software as a service platform for promotion and loyalty program management. The scale up plans to use that for international expansion. Oculus amended its BlackRock loan facility raising potential access to 100 million Swiss francs, that is around 106 million euros to accelerate therapies for ophthalmic and neuro ophthalmic diseases.


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:17:46]:

This capital extends the Runway for late stage clinical programs and positions Oculus to push pivotal trials and helps them to preserve equity because it's non dilutive capital. Munich based new Clydeum raises 84 million euros in a series B round to advance radiopharmaceutical their radiopharmaceutical pipeline. The funding is going to drive clinical trials for cancer diagnostics and therapies. Another step forward for Germany's health tech as a For Germany as a health tech country then Q and Q A N t has a 62 million euro Series A to industrialize photonic computing and quantum sensing. It's a Stuttgart based company my old hometown and it's a spin out part of Trump Group planning to expand production engineering while targeting energy efficient AI acceleration and navigation grade sensors. Also Stuttgart based is the maker site, a company that secured 60 million euros in the series B funding as well. They offer AI driven product lifecycle management PLN focused on sustainability and compliance. Buena closed a $58 million Series A to expand their AI driven local services marketplace across Europe.


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:19:19]:

They want to scale the product and go to market to capture fragmented high frequency categories. Plan Craft a German construction software as a Service startup raised 38 million euros in a Series B financing company provides digital workflow solutions for contractors and small and medium sized enterprise builders tackling inefficiencies in project and compliance management. Zurich based biotech Marbilon AG announced a 30 million Swiss franc funding round to expand its antibody immunotherapy platform. The company develops next generation treatments for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and Candy Solar secures $24 million from existing backers including a 20 million convertible and 4 million dollar mezzanine top up. The company's active portfolio expanded by 60 plus megawatt in the past 12 months, reaching now 132 megawatt contracted capacity across 22 Indian states and aid South African provinces. Berlin based Motor AI raised $20 million to enhance its autonomous driving software stack the startups the startup develops explainable AI systems for vehicle decision making, addressing regulatory and safety hurdles in Europe's autonomous driving race. We talked a bit about that topic already. Munich based certivity closed a €13.3 million Series A round to grow its regulatory compliance platform.


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:21:06]:

It's the the software as a service helps enterprises manage complex EU regulations, which is all EU regulations in automotive and industrial sectors. Backers include prominent European VCS. Tanzo from Munich raised 12 million euros in a Series A led by Cap Namec and UVC Partners. They are building accounting Software to help SMEs comply with EU CSRD rules. Austrian XR company HoloLite raised 10 million euros to accelerate development of its immersive streaming platform for enterprises. They Their platform enables complex 3D visualizations in AR and VR environments targeting engineering and design heavy industries and Vienna based Zero Third secured a $10 million investment to scale its quantum computing solutions. Zero Third is a company that focuses on hardware software co design for industrial applications. Funding here will accelerate lab to market transition and help 0 third to gain a better position within Europe's deep tech ecosystem.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:22:24]:

M&A's M&A's Next one of our former guests of course we linked the interview down here in the show Notes acquires Hamburg based Akadis to expand ID verification platform, another local startup to extend its authentication and onboarding capabilities. At the time we interviewed them they have been already the most neck. I mean necked here. They have been the most downloaded self edit identification app in Germany. That was back in 2021 Rumble explores interest in Northern Data amid AI compute expansion strategy F8 said Frankfurt Alge reported Rumble is interested in Frankfurt based Northern Data, a European AI HPC compute operator. Any transaction could give Rumble closer control over GPU infrastructure for AI and video workloads, highlighting the strategic value of European compute capacity. Discussions remain exploratory. No deal terms have been disclosed.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:23:34]:

US Material startup Lighten to acquire Northwest remaining assets you remember guys, they have been pretty big from Scandinavia and they want to build up a big factory in northern Germany. We talked about like the little village that was the last one that had to prove all of that and it unfortunately went under. So now we are in the story and Silicon Canals reported Lyten's plans to acquire all remaining assets of Northwold following the Swedish battery makers insolvency. The deal would transfer manufacturing and IP assets to Liens, Lilium Sulfur and Advanced Materials roadmap, preserving parts of Europe's battery supply chain footprint under new ownership. Frank Thielen, one of the investors in or in the first round of investors of Germany's shark tank called Lions. Then at the time Handelsblad revealed that we see Frank Thielen sold Scanbot SDK, a German document scanning software provider, to Canadian firm A Price. Financial terms were undisclosed, but the deals reflect consolidation in the enterprise document text base for talent. This marks a nose another notable asset for his portfolio DVP bank basically Security service bank buys Lemon Markets closing targeted autumn 2025 BaFin approval pending Deal Monitor confirms DBP bank will acquire Lemon Markets and keep it as a standalone unit post close IT Finance magazine adds that closing is slated for autumn 2025, subject to Bafin and customary approvals.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:25:21]:

The aim is to add digital non brokerage platform to DVP Bank's infrastructure. And Chris, you are the person who is closing this record long recording. I think in total we are now at almost an hour of recording time. And you will end it with some awesome useless knowledge, right?


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:25:43]:

Yes. Our useless knowledge today is not necessarily connected to the dach startup scene, but it's about a very dedicated person nonetheless. Her name is Debbie Indicot. She lives in Lenoir, North Carolina and in 1990 she was in a diner in Las Vegas. The diner was Coca Cola themed so red and white everywhere and Indicot must have thought that's what I want at home. So she started collecting Coca Cola memorabilia and did so for three decades until in 2020 she got the Guinness Book of Records title for the collection with the most Coca Cola memorabilia in the world. Because she had 2028 items based on Coca Cola in her collection. Then someone else took over the record.


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:26:35]:

Apparently it's a very. It's very sought after. She got her record back, someone else took over. But now I'm happy to report Debbie has the record again and has been newly certified as the person in the world with the biggest collection of Coca Cola memorabilia. With now individual Number of items 5623. Congrats.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:27:01]:

Definitely awesome to close those record news with a dedicated with such a dedicated person. Chris, was a pleasure talking to you.


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:27:09]:

Yes, I won't finish this. Also her favorite type of Coke is Diet Coke.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:27:14]:

She said oh, okay. Mine would be the vanilla Coke.


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:27:19]:

Yeah. And she said Diet Coke. But I also like cheese cherry. So fine.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:27:24]:

What's your favorite Coke Diet.


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:27:26]:

I don't fully care. Yeah, I sometimes go for or Coke Light, whatever. I don't think is there. Yeah, Coke Light, Coke Zero. Is there a difference? Who knows?


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:27:36]:

I think Coke Light is more targeted towards women and Coke Zero more towards men. Guys, we do have also a lot of stay ahead of the curve including Defense Tech 2025 report. Women now hold almost 20% of top venture capital roles globally and Tony's box and this Tony Bo2 and much, much more. We will be back, Chris and I with the startup news to be published on October 2nd. And guys, keep in mind, October 3rd is German's unity Day, so we all do have a public holiday there. Chris, as always, a pleasure talking to you.


Jörn 'Joe' Menninger | Founder and Editor in Chief | Startuprad.io [00:28:12]:

Yes, same. Goodbye. Truce.


Chris Fahrenbach | Co-Host Startup News [00:28:15]:

Goodbye. Bye guys. That's all folks. Find more news, streams, events and interviews@www.startuprad.IO. remember, sharing is caring.

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