Marco Bianchi 
Dubai‑based proptech startup Huspy has expanded its European presence by launching a new data and AI centre in Malaga. The 500 m² hub will host a team that collaborates with more than 100 real‑estate agents, aiming to automate administrative tasks, improve property valuation and increase transparency in the buying‑selling process.
Catawiki has broadened its live‑auction platform, Catawiki Live, by adding four new categories that reflect rising collector interest: fashion items, minerals, coins and toys. The move follows strong demand growth in Q1 2026 for these segments and builds on the platform’s existing livestream auctions, which have already attracted tens of thousands of users and sold thousands of items.
A Dutch pilot lets e‑car drivers earn about 10% of their charging cost by using smart‑charging apps to shift charging to quieter periods on the grid, aiming to reduce peak load and improve grid utilization
Drivalia, a Rome‑based mobility rental company, secured €48 million financing from the European Investment Bank to deploy about 2,900 electric vehicles in Italy and Finland, supporting its fleet electrification and EU climate goals.
Spanish biotech startup Entomonorte, which develops R&D and consulting services for converting bio‑waste into high‑value raw materials, secured a €100,000 grant from the public agency SRP via the Asturias Startup Fund to expand its operations in the region.
Goparity, an impact‑investment platform, has completed the integration of Bolsa Social into its marketplace, concentrating all new activity on goparity.com. In the first three months after the integration the platform has mobilised over €300,000, bringing together more than 72,000 registered users and positioning itself as one of the most significant impact‑investment ecosystems in Southern Europe.
Tolo Green, in collaboration with the Universities of Cagliari and Sassari, CRS4 and the Sardinia Aerospace District, secured an international patent for a novel bioreactor system that simulates Martian gravity and atmosphere to cultivate Spirulina, a protein‑rich microalga, for future space missions. The patent has been granted in Japan and Russia and is being evaluated for other major markets.
Znext, a venture‑builder platform backed by Italian publisher Zanichelli, is launching its first overseas market in Spain. The company has hired Marco Parente as Head of M&A to oversee the scouting, negotiation and integration of deals and to coordinate the international growth strategy. The move aims to create a stable presence in Spain’s dynamic ecosystem and to identify opportunities aligned with Znext’s focus on training, work and wellbeing technologies.
Dutch‑US medtech startup Xeltis secured an additional €20.5 million, led by Horizon 3 Healthcare, to push forward its living‑tissue vascular implants, complete a pivotal US trial, and scale European commercialization and manufacturing.
InfoJobs is expanding by acquiring Viterbit, a hiring OS solution that provides advanced selection, recruitment and talent management services. The purchase will allow InfoJobs to enhance its portfolio and deliver specific answers to the current challenges of the labour market.