Avatar photoMarco Bianchi

Marco covers Southern Europe's vibrant and fast-growing startup landscape. Based in Milan, he reports on funding rounds, product launches and ecosystem developments across Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Malta and Cyprus, with a keen eye for foodtech, mobility and consumer innovation.

Portuguese Festive Lighting Company Launches Ice Show Expansion Into Spain

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AM Experience by MK Illumination, a Portuguese company based in Braga specializing in festive illuminations and ice shows, reported 8 million euros in revenue for 2025, up from 6.8 million in 2024. The festive lighting division generated 5 million euros with 2.6 million from Spain operations. The company is expanding its ice show concept to Spain, launching in PuertoVenecia shopping center in Zaragoza in November with plans to expand to Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Corunha and Bilbao. The ice show is expected to attract 60,000 spectators and generate 1 million euros in revenue over seven weeks.

HelloPrint Reports Nearly 80 Million Euro Revenue as Dutch Print Platform Doubles Down on AI Transformation

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HelloPrint, a Rotterdam-based online print platform, reported revenue growth to approximately 80 million euros in 2025 with 21% operational profit increase. The company bought back shares from early investors and continues its AI-first transformation across 14 countries and 160 employees serving 700,000 customers.

Milan’s Hotiday Claims Top Spot on Sifted 100 with Extraordinary 1330% Revenue Growth

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Hotiday, a Milan-based startup founded in 2022 by a trio of students, sublets hotel rooms and rents them to travelers. It topped the third annual Sifted 100 ranking of the 100 fastest-growing companies in Southern Europe, achieving a remarkable 1330.95% two-year revenue CAGR between 2023 and 2025. The company uses an innovative business model based on subletting rather than purchasing buildings or franchising.

RemotePass Secures $17.4 Million Series B to Expand Global Employment Platform Across Europe and US

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RemotePass, a global employment, payroll, and spend platform founded in 2021, raised $17.4 million in Series B funding. The company provides solutions for hiring, paying, and supporting workers across borders, covering EOR, contractor management, payroll, compliance, and fintech services. The platform recently launched SpendCards for corporate expenses and AI agents for workflow automation. RemotePass reached profitability in early 2025 and serves major clients including Logitech, Tata Group, InDrive, and Careem.

Portuguese Sustainable Food Startup Corial Foods Welcomes Two New Investors Through Capital Conversion

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SRS Legal advised on the entry of two new investors, Futurum Tech and Mikash Holding GmbH, into Portuguese sustainable food company Corial Foods through conversion of investment instruments. The operation reflects growing investor interest in Portuguese innovative and sustainable business projects.

Portuguese pulp mill developer pushes energy self-sufficiency argument to revive €1 billion Galicia project

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Greenfiber, a subsidiary of Portuguese multinational Altri, presented new arguments to unblock its €1 billion industrial pulp mill project in Palas de Rei, Galicia. The company claims the future factory is energy self-sufficient and proposes alternative power supply solutions including cogeneration systems. This move contests the Galician authorities’ decision from February to archive the project due to lack of guaranteed electrical supply.

Euronext Reports Strong Q1 2026 Results With 16.7% Profit Growth Across European Exchanges

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Euronext, Europe’s leading continental stock exchange operator, reported strong Q1 2026 results with 16.7% net profit growth to 192.3 million euros and 15.3% revenue growth to 528.5 million euros. Equity market revenues surged 28.1% to 138.9 million euros, driven by high volatility and strong ETF growth, including contributions from the recently completed Athens Stock Exchange acquisition completed in late 2025. The company also noted benefits from the largest defense IPO in history (Czech Republic’s Czechoslovak Group) in January 2026.

EDP Renováveis to Exit Brazil Operations Through €683 Million Sale to Parent Company

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EDP announced the integration of EDP Renováveis Brasil (1.8 GW installed capacity: 1.1 GW onshore wind and 0.7 GW solar utility scale) into its subsidiary EDP Brasil for approximately 4.1 billion reais (€700 million equity value, €1.5 billion enterprise value). This restructuring allows EDPR to concentrate on higher-growth markets in the US and Europe, increasing the weight of A-rated markets from 90% to over 95% of EBITDA. The transaction is expected to close by end of 2026.

Benfica Prepares to Block American Investor Tim Leiweke’s Stake Acquisition Over Competing Club Interests

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Benfica is considering blocking American investor Tim Leiweke’s €10+ per share acquisition of a 16% stake in Benfica SAD, citing article 13 of club statutes that allow rejection of acquisitions by investors with competing interests. Leiweke and his daughter lead a consortium that recently invested €100 million in Italian club Venezia FC.

Ricoh Subsidiary PFU Commits €3.3 Million to Portugal Expansion Through 2031

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Ricoh’s document management subsidiary PFU announced a 3.3 million euro investment plan in Portugal through 2031, transforming Lisbon into a strategic innovation hub for the EMEA region. The expansion focuses on AI-powered document digitalization, intelligent data capture software, distribution channel strengthening, and entry into healthcare, education, justice, and public administration sectors. PFU currently operates in Lisbon with a 14-person team providing technical support across the EMEA region.