Hudson Leograndes, once a homeless teenager, founded Comfrt and grew it into a multi‑billion‑dollar business within three years, earning a seat on David Beckham’s board.
Helsinki‑based AI life‑science startup Aiforia obtained €20 million of venture debt from the European Investment Bank, backed by the EU InvestEU programme, to speed up its AI‑driven cancer diagnostic platform and grow its global commercial presence.
UK‑based SME lender iwoca obtained a £250 million debt facility, strengthening its capacity to finance small and medium‑size enterprises across the region.
Nuggit, a UK‑based growth platform for creators, announced a £5 million Creator Support Fund aimed at high‑potential YouTubers who have reached an inflection point for professionalising their media businesses. The fund offers financing together with strategic and operational assistance, building on Nuggit’s existing Creator Operating System that has already helped more than 33 creators grow revenue by an average of 29 % in under a year.
Slovenian genomics and laboratory company GenePlanet secured a strategic investment from Lauxera Capital Partners. The deal also saw early investor BlackPeak Capital partially exit while staying on the cap table, providing GenePlanet with additional capital to expand its genetic testing and next‑generation sequencing services across Europe.
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.
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.
London‑based responsible‑lending fintech Plend obtained a €58.3 million senior revolving credit facility from specialist investment manager Triple Point, aiming to refinance current debt and expand its affordable credit offering to underserved UK borrowers.
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.