German startup QuantumDiamonds, spun out of the Technical University of Munich, raised €15 million in equity funding to accelerate growth. The round complements €76 million in EU-backed non-dilutive state funding, totaling €91 million. Funds will scale production and support a new testing facility in Munich, aligning with EU efforts to reduce reliance on US technology.
Hatstore, a Swedish e-commerce company specializing in hats and accessories, reported sales exceeding 400 million SEK in 2023 and invested in a new luxury office campus described as an ‘adult vacation resort.’
French voice AI startup Gradium raised $30M in a seed round extension, bringing total funding to over $100M. The round included new investors like Nvidia and followed a $70M first tranche led by Firstmark and Eurazeo. The company builds tools for developers to create voice applications and plans to expand its research and operations.
Toulouse-based Bohr Energie, a renewable energy aggregation platform, raised €10 million in Series A funding led by Suma Capital. The company uses AI to optimize distributed renewable and flexible assets, aiming to expand its technology and enter new European markets.
Naaia, a French AI compliance startup, raised 6 million euros to assist companies in adhering to the EU’s AI Act regulations.
Fleek, a UK-based startup digitizing the secondhand fashion industry, raised $25 million in a Series B round led by Burda Principal Investments. The company uses AI tools to automate textile sorting, grading, and merchandising, connecting wholesale suppliers with global retailers. The funding will accelerate AI development and platform expansion.
Romania joins as a founding state of the Defense, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB), which will establish a regional office in Bucharest. The bank will provide funding for defense, energy, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies, offering new financial opportunities for Romanian startups and SMEs in strategic sectors.
Respiro Diagnostics, a UK-based startup developing non-invasive breath-based diagnostics for lung diseases, raised £1 million in pre-seed funding led by Zinc Venture Capital and SFC Capital. The technology uses exhaled breath to detect lung cancer and other respiratory conditions, offering an alternative to invasive biopsies.
Aardaia, an agritech startup developing new crop varieties from wild plants, secured €5 million in seed funding led by Point Nine. The company uses genomic and computational methods to breed crops without genetic modification, with its first product, the aardaker, designed to reduce reliance on imported protein crops.
Swedish SaaS startup Lovable is in advanced talks to secure a $300 million funding round at a $13.2 billion post-money valuation, with participation from major global investors.