+++ Andercore +++ Twaice +++ JUNE +++ UNITE +++ Startup Factory +++ Hypersonica +++

STARTUPLAND is where the future begins

+++ Our third STARTUPLAND Conference will take place on March 18th at the RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne. A fascinating journey into the startup scene awaits you again – with lectures from successful founders, educational interviews and pitches that inspire. More about STARTUPLAND

Live at STARTUPLAND: Mario Konrad (RYZON) & André Jonker (Mozart Bett)

Growth without venture capital is possible – but it’s hard work. In STARTUPLAND, two proven bootstrapping experts talk about their path: André Jonker, founder of Mozart Bett, and Mario Konrad, founder of RYZON. In STARTUPLAND, the two founders talk openly about how bootstrapping works in practice: about capital discipline, organic growth, operational excellence and the freedom to make decisions without investors. An honest look at the opportunities, limitations and learnings of a financing option that doesn’t suit everyone – but is exactly the right one for some.

Andercore
+++ The probably longest stealth phase ever ends! In recent years, $75 million has already flowed into the Berlin startup Andercore. Nevertheless, the company has so far flown completely under the usual scene radar; the young company, founded in 2021 by Elsa Cordonnier and Philipp Andernach, was not even featured on Linkedin until recently. But now the team is going public – including a LinkedIn presence and a press release about the current investment round. The previously silent young company is currently positioning itself as an “AI-supported trading platform for industrial procurement”. In the said press release, the team said: “Andercore launched in key industry categories such as energy, infrastructure and building materials. These categories provide a focused entry point for a platform designed to gradually cover all industrial procurement.” Andercore’s investors include Inven Capital, Atomico and Project A. Regarding the long silence, founder Andernach says in the Handelsblatt: “We can now move larger volumes.” That’s why he no longer relies exclusively on word of mouth and direct contact. Times are changing! (Handelsblatt) More about Andercore

Soonicorn: Twaice
+++ Soonicorn: Twaice is one of the German startups that could soon become a unicorn (valuation: 1 billion). The company, founded in 2018 by Stephan Rohr and Michael Baumann, develops battery analysis software. Specifically, the young company enables battery and electric vehicle manufacturers, fleet operators and financial service providers to optimize batteries in terms of efficiency, safety and reliability. In recent years, around $75 million has already flowed into Twaice. Investors include American financier Coatue, entrepreneur Lip-Bu Tan, Energize Ventures, Creandum, Cherry Ventures, UVC Partners and Speedinvest. The European Investment Bank (EIB) also recently provided the startup with a “long-term loan” worth 24 million euros. More about Twaice

JUNE – UNITE
+++ One startup per day! The Berlin startup factory UNITE becomes JUNI – that stands for Just Unite to Innovate. The Berlin-Brandenburg startup factory would like to establish itself as a “springboard for science-based start-ups”. A topic that has gained momentum in Germany, but still has a lot of potential at universities. The focus is on topics such as AI, HealthTech and GreenTech. Like the other factories in the country, the team from the capital, which always has Brandenburg in mind, also has very big plans! From 2030 onwards, 365 new businesses are planned per year. “After the first round of financing, 60% of the companies should achieve a market value of over 10 million euros. JUNI creates around 3,500 jobs every year and mobilizes 500 million euros of investment capital for the region,” it says. JUNI is led by Laura Möller, formerly of IBB Ventures, among others. More about Startup Factories

Hypersonica
+++ A rapid development! The young DefenseTech Hypersonica, founded in 2023, announces the successful test flight of a hypersonic missile. “Hypersonica has achieved a major milestone on our pathway to developing Europe’s first sovereign hypersonic strike capability by 2029,” says the young company. The American investor Plural, the Federal Agency for Leap Innovations (SPRIND) and the existing investors General Catalyst and 201 Ventures recently invested 23.3 million euros in Hypersonica. More about Hypersonica

tio health
+++ The young company tio health wants to support young parents in their everyday lives. “In one year, we want to have established tio as a permanent digital companion for many families – with clear usage, high retention and measurable relief in parents’ everyday lives,” says founder Raphael Heber. More about tio health

Startup Radar
+++ New founders are on their way! Today we present the following selection of fresh startups that you should know: FiberFlow, Points2BIM, Echomotion, Iron Energy and SPHAERAM. More on the startup radar

#DEALMONITOR

Investments & Exits
+++ PropTech Optiml receives 8 million +++ ClimateTech nuuEnergy collects 4.3 million +++ LegalTech clarait receives millions +++ EdTech sofatutor takes over SchoolMouv. More in the deal monitor

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Photo (above): Bing Image Creator – DALL·E 3