#DealMonitor
+++ #DealMonitor +++ Laser fusion startup Focused Energy raises 240 million +++ Pacifico Biolabs receives 7 million +++ welevel raises millions +++ ContexMesh receives seven-figure sum +++ Financial injection for Nenna AI +++
In the #DealMonitor For May 28th 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.
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INVESTMENTS
Focused Energy
+++ The energy company RWE, the Federal Agency for Advanced Innovations (SPRIND), European Innovation Council, BMH Beteiligungs-Management Hessen, Futury Capital and old investor Prime Movers Lab (USA) are investing 240 million US dollars in Focused Energy. The German-American company (Darmstadt, Berlin, Austin, San Francisco), founded in 2021 by Thomas Forner and Markus Roth, focuses on the trend topic of laser fusion. “During fusion, hydrogen atom nuclei fuse to form helium at high temperatures. An enormous amount of energy is released: one gram of fusion fuel supplies energy comparable to around eleven tons of coal,” says the concept. The company would like to use the fresh capital to “further expand its lead in laser fusion in Hesse”. The large amount of money “is to be invested almost entirely in Biblis, Hesse, on the former RWE nuclear power plant site”. More about Focused Energy
Pacifico Biolabs
+++ The American food and biotech investor Stray Dog Capital, TGFS Technologie Gründerfonds Sachsen, Sprout & About Ventures, Simon Capital, FoodLabs and Co. are investing 7 million euros in Pacifico Biolabs. The biotech startup from Berlin, founded in 2022 by Washington Logrono and Zac Austin, relies on a fermentation process for seafood substitutes. “Specializing in the cultivation of microorganisms, Pacifico Biolabs is at the forefront of developing ‘whole-muscle’ structures as sustainable and nutritious alternatives to traditional fish products,” it says about the concept. Simon Capital, FoodLabs, Exceptional Ventures and Sprout & About Ventures recently invested $3.3 million in the young company. More about Pacifico Biolabs
welevel
+++ The American gaming investor Transcend, Burda Principal Investments (BurdaGP), old investor Bitkraft Ventures and Co. are investing an undisclosed sum, but probably a higher sum in the millions, in welevel as part of a Series A investment round. The Munich startup, founded in 2021 by Christian Heimerl, is developing the survival game SolidRiver. “Thanks to the studio’s own technology platform, welevel can develop games with a small, specialized team of a quality that is usually only achieved by large studios,” says a press release. In addition to the investors mentioned, football world champion Mario Götze, gaming icon Heiko Hubertz and entrepreneur Klaus Schlumpberger are also among welevel’s backers. Bitkraft Ventures currently holds 16.4% of the company. Transcend typically initially invests up to 15 million in up-and-coming startups. Transcend now owns 11.3% of welevel. More about welevel
ContexMesh
+++ Unnamed investors are investing a seven-figure sum in ContexMesh. The startup from Dornbirn, founded in 2023 by Thomas Fröis, Kathrin Fröis and Manuel Scheiderbauer, replaces steel reinforcements in concrete construction with “innovative reinforcement solutions made from carbon, basalt and AR glass fibers”. The fresh capital will, among other things, flow into expansion. More about ContexMesh
Nenna AI
+++ The Zurich venture capital provider Groundshift is investing an undisclosed sum in Nenna AI. The AI startup from Berlin, founded in 2023 by Alexander Siebert, Max Flöttmann, Florian Spengler and Lars Moll, offers companies “a comprehensive AI enablement platform for the secure and data protection-compliant use of AI solutions”. The Berlin investor IBB Ventures, dfv Venture (dfv Mediengruppe) and business angels such as Ravin Mehta, Manfred Großert and Ulrich Meier have already invested a seven-figure sum in the young company. More about Nenna AI
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