#DealMonitor
+++ #DealMonitor +++ Battery growup CMBLU gets another 50 million and becomes a unicorn +++ Enterprise AI startup Cirql One collects 5 million +++ Financial injection for service-as-a-software startup Damalo +++ Stem takes over Raicoon +++
In the #DealMonitor For April 30th we’ll take a look at the most important, exciting and interesting investments and exits of the day in the DACH region. All deals from the previous days are available in a large and clear format #DealMonitor Archives.
STARTUPLAND 2027: SAVE THE DATE
The next unicorn? You’ll meet it at STARTUPLAND
+++ Did you miss our phenomenal third STARTUPLAND? Then put our new date in your calendar now: The next STARTUPLAND will take place on March 10, 2027. More about Startupland
INVESTMENTS
CMBLU
+++ Samsung Ventures and existing investors such as the technology and construction group STRABAG are investing 50 million euros in CMBLU. The company is valued at around 1 billion euros as part of the Series C investment round and is therefore becoming a unicorn. The DeepTech company from Alzenau, founded in 2014 by Peter Geigle, relies on an alternative to lithium-ion batteries. Behind the so-called SolidFlow technology is a “new class of non-lithium-based long-term storage, designed for energy-intensive applications over several hours.” STRABAG already invested 100 million in CMBLU in 2023. A total of around 250 million has already flowed into the company from Lower Franconia. 250 employees currently work for the battery company. CMBLU has been led since 2024 by the former Lichtblick and Home24 manager and Casper founder Constantin Eis. The experienced creator will probably take CMBLU public sooner or later. More about CMBLU
Circl One
+++ The Munich-based financier UVC Partners and Fly Ventures from Berlin are investing 5 million euros in Cirql One. The startup from Heidelberg, founded in 2025 by Gregor Stöckler, Stefan Hockenberger and Tara von Metzen, relies on “enterprise AI with business context”. The startup’s platform “extracts grown institutional knowledge from enterprise systems such as SAP and makes it directly usable for AI.” UVC now holds 91% of the startup. Fly accounts for 12.7%. More about Circl One
Damalo
+++ Business angels such as Arndt Schwaiger, Peter Leischner, Andreas Mackenstedt, Michael Malovecky and Daniel Claeßens invest 350,000 euros in Damalo. The startup from Düsseldorf, founded in 2025 by David Malovecky, positions itself as an “Agentic AI platform for Microsoft consulting and implementation”. The young company sees itself as a “service-as-a-software” provider. More about Damalo
MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
Stem – Raicoon
+++ The US energy software provider Stem is taking over the Vienna-based ClimateTech Raicoon. “The acquisition is expected to enhance Stem’s PowerTrack platform by improving how operational data is analyzed and translated into action, helping customers identify, prioritize, and resolve performance issues more quickly across their renewable energy portfolios,” says a press release. The Viennese startup, founded in 2020 by Ralf Tschanun and Michael Edelbacher, set out to increase the efficiency of PV systems. Push Ventures, Voltares and eCo. recently invested 4 million euros in Raicoon. More about Raicoon
VENTURE CAPITAL
Earlybird
+++ The Berlin investor Earlybird announces the final closing of its eighth fund (360 million euros). Despite the current difficult situation, it is the “largest fund to date” in the investor’s history, which was launched in 1997. There were 350 million in the fifth fund (2022). The team now manages a total of 2.5 billion. With the new fund, Earlybird has already invested in startups such as Black Forest Labs, SpAItial AI, Sintra AI, Arago, Porters and Rivia. The team is planning around 35 investments with the fresh money. As a rule, Earlybird initially invests between 1 and 12 million (pre-seed, seed, series A). As part of the new fund, the long-time donor is also once again announcing the change in leadership that has been initiated. More about Earlybird
BMW i Ventures
+++ BMW i Ventures, the investment subsidiary of the car manufacturer BMW, is launching its third fund (US$300 million). “Fully supported by the BMW Group, Fonds-III focuses on physical AI, agentic AI, industrial software, manufacturing and supply chain technologies as well as advanced materials. Investments are made in North America and Europe, from the seed phase to Series B,” it said in a press release. BMW i Ventures now manages a total of $1.1 billion. BMW i Ventures, headquartered in Silicon Valley (Mountain View), has been supporting young and aspiring startups since 2011. More about BMW i Ventures
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