+++ Decacorns +++ Helsing +++ Trade Republic +++ Celonis +++ Invoice kit +++ Fox & Owl +++ Reading material +++

#StartupTicker

+++ #StartupTicker +++ Germany’s most valuable startups: Helsing, Trade Republic and Celonis +++ StartupsToWatch: Fuchs & Eule +++ FastBill founder Christian Häfner launches invoice kit +++ Startup reading material for the summer +++

What’s up New? In ours #StartupTicker we provide a compact overview of the most important startup news of the day (Thursday, July 16th).

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Helsing – Decacorn
+++ New number 1! For the first time is with Helsing a DefenseTech the most valuable German startup. After the latest $1.8 billion financing round, the Munich-based company’s valuation rises to $18 billion. This means that Helsing overtakes Trade Republic ($14.6 billion) and Celonis ($11 billion). Remarkable: It was only in the summer of 2025 that the company, founded in 2021, even became a decacorn. With the current valuation, Helsing is now even ahead of DAX companies such as Lufthansa. The company’s rapid rise underlines once again the boom that the DefenseTech segment is currently experiencing. Just a few years ago, DefenseTech hardly played a role in the venture capital market – today the most valuable German startups are created here. Quantum Systems also recently raised $1.2 billion and is now valued at around $8 billion. More about Decacorns

Invoice kit
+++ Back to SaaS! FastBill and Happy Coffee founder Christian Haefner After eight years, he makes his next attempt as a software entrepreneur. With Invoice kit He develops a SaaS solution for online retailers that automatically links accounting data with orders and prepares it for tax advisors and DATEV. The tool arose from a problem that Häfner wanted to solve himself with his D2C company Happy Coffee. “I built it for myself and now I would like to offer it to others,” writes Häfner on Linkedin. More about Happy Coffee

Fox & Owl
+++ StartupsToWatch! The energy transition is also reflected in the building stock. This is exactly where the Berlin startup relies Fox & Owl to. The team develops digital solutions for the real estate industry and supports housing companies in controlling energy consumption and building technology more efficiently. Investors such as GET Fund, PI Impact, WaVe-X, SET Ventures and Picus Capital believe the company, founded in 2021, will achieve further growth and recently invested 10 million euros. 70 employees currently work for the young company. In recent years, around 17 million have already flowed into Fuchs & Eule. More about Fox & Owl

Reading material
+++ Whether start-up, growth, sales, leadership or artificial intelligence – good books often provide the best food for thought. We have put together 23 current and timeless startup books that founders and those interested in startups should read this summer. More in our overview

Startup Radar
+++ Once again, promising new companies are enriching the startup scene. Below we introduce these young companies: Wakeline, Zapdeck, valueverde, Previty and ROSI. More on the startup radar

#DEALMONITOR

Investments & Exits
+++ Ardian takes over HR platform Ppflegia +++ Insight investment VisualLogix buys software roll-up refyne +++ Apryse buys Smallpdf PDF Tools +++ Financial injection for Ascléa +++ All About Accuracy raises millions. More in the deal monitor

#JOBS

meap
+++ Our job of the day! meap is looking for a Social Media Manager – Paid Social / Performance Marketing (m/f/d). We offer full service – from individual logos to complete corporate design: online marketing, SEO optimization, large project management cinema, content creation, software development or data management