The article explains why Lilium, the Munich‑based flight‑taxi startup, never received the €100 million KfW loan it had sought, despite state and Bavarian guarantees, and how the missed financing could affect its planned test flight and investor confidence.
Lockheed Martin Ventures, the venture arm of the US aerospace and defence giant, announced the opening of a new office in London and pledged at least €87 million ($100 million) of its €874 million fund to back European defence‑technology startups, aiming to deepen its presence in the European ecosystem and support transatlantic defence industrial base.
SWISSto12, a Swiss space technology startup, secured €70 million in financing to accelerate its development and market expansion.
Paris-based Syntetica, a company developing a patented process to recycle both types of nylon in a single process, has raised $30 million in a Series A round led by Bpifrance’s Ecotechnologies fund. The funding includes participation from Lululemon, MAS Holdings, and other investors. The company plans to use the funds to scale its technology and build a commercial facility.
Monumental, an Amsterdam-based construction tech company, raised $32M in Series B funding led by Khosla Ventures. The company uses autonomous robotics and AI to address labor shortages in construction, deploying over 150 robots across the Netherlands and UK. Funds will accelerate international expansion and enhance automation capabilities.
Elewit, the technological platform of Redeia, announced a 40 million euro investment over four years to drive innovation and digitalization as part of Redeia’s Strategic Plan 2029. The funds will focus on efficiency and transformation initiatives within the group.
Neko Health, a preventative healthtech startup based in Stockholm, announced a $500m Series C funding round. The company, co-founded by Hjalmar Nilsonne and Daniel Ek, offers body scanning and health monitoring services. The article discusses user experiences with Neko’s unflattering 3D avatars and their potential to motivate behavioral change.
Catalyxx, a Spain-based developer of bio-based chemicals, has received a €20 million EU grant to build its first commercial plant in Europe. The funding supports the transition from technology demonstration to commercial-scale production of bio-based alcohols, aiming to reduce reliance on fossil-based feedstocks.
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.
Revolutionrace, a publicly traded company, acquires Icaniwill, valuing it at 700 million SEK. Revolutionrace’s CEO Paul Fischbein highlights the acquisition as part of further multi-million kronor investments.