As January 2026 winds down, Europe's startup ecosystem showed no signs of slowing, with a flurry of funding rounds totaling well over €1 billion (equivalent to approximately $1.1 billion at current exchange rates). Investors poured capital into a diverse mix of sectors, from AI and biotech to fintech, space tech, and sustainability. This week's activity included everything from modest pre-seed injections to massive growth-stage hauls, reflecting sustained confidence amid global economic uncertainties. Highlights include mega-raises by unicorns like Pennylane and Mews, alongside strategic investments in deep tech and climate solutions. Below, we break it down by stage and key themes, drawing from the latest announcements.
Early-Stage Momentum: Pre-Seed and Seed Rounds Fuel Innovation in AI, Biotech, and Hardware
Early-stage deals dominated the headlines, with founders securing capital to build prototypes, hire talent, and validate market fit. A notable trend: heavy emphasis on AI infrastructure and biotech breakthroughs.
- CoolSem Technologies (AI / Semiconductors): Raised an undisclosed pre-seed round to advance low-power, AI-focused semiconductor solutions for high-efficiency computing.
- Utrecht-Based Comper (HR / Comparison Tech, inferred): Secured pre-seed funding to develop its platform, likely aimed at talent or market comparison tools.
- Asymmetric Security (Cybersecurity): Closed a $4.2M pre-seed round to bolster asymmetric security protocols for enterprises.
- Anzen Industries (Biotech / Enzyme Manufacturing): Nabbed $2.2M in pre-seed to commercialize cell-free enzyme production, with plans for US expansion.
- Sparkli (EdTech / AI Learning): Raised $5M to scale its AI-powered learning platform, enhancing personalized education tools.
- Stilla (AI / Human-AI Collaboration): Secured $5M to streamline workflow integrations for enterprise AI adoption.
- Antidote (LegalTech / AI): Pulled in $5M seed to automate billing compliance for law firms, minimizing revenue losses.
- Gutology (HealthTech / Consumer): Raised €2M to expand microbiome-friendly oral care products into US and German markets.
Eye-catching stat: Early-stage AI deals alone accounted for over 40% of this week's pre-seed/seed activity, signaling investors' bet on foundational tech amid the generative AI boom.
Series A and B: Scaling Ambitions in AI, Biotech, and Industrial Tech
Growth-stage funding focused on expansion, with companies eyeing international markets and product maturation. Biotech and AI continued to shine, but industrial and logistics players also drew significant interest.
- Sinpex (AI / RegTech): Raised €10M Series A to grow its AI-driven Know Your Business (KYB) compliance platform.
- Elyos AI (AI / Enterprise): Secured €11.1M to develop automation tools for business processes.
- Helin (Industrial Tech): Closed €10M to expand industrial solutions across Europe.
- Octarine Bio (Biotech / Synthetic Biology): Raised €5M to accelerate growth in bio-based innovations.
- Agileday (EdTech / Agile Software, inferred): Nabbed €6.4M Series A to enhance agile project management tools for teams.
- ABZ Innovation (Drones / Industrial): Secured €7M to scale heavy-duty drones for logistics and heavy industry.
- GeneralMind (AI / Enterprise): Raised €10.2M for AI optimization and automation platforms.
- BRUM EdTech (EdTech): Closed €5M to modernize interactive digital learning tools in Italy and beyond.
- Cancilico (HealthTech / AI Diagnostics): Secured €2.5M to advance AI for early disease detection.
- One.five (Logistics / Marketplace): Raised €14M to optimize last-mile delivery via AI.
- NEOintralogistics (Logistics / AI): Nabbed €3M to democratize AI-driven warehouse automation.
- Dripl (Robotics / Logistics): Closed €4M to deploy autonomous robots in Brussels and expand.
- Exciva (Biotech): Raised €51M Series B to fuel drug development in Germany.
- ErVimmune (Biotech / Immunology): Secured €17M Series A for immunotherapy trials and manufacturing.
- Orbem (AI / Mixed Reality): Closed €55.5M Series B to expand enterprise MR solutions.
- Optalysys (AI / Photonic Compute): Raised €26M to develop photonic chips for high-performance AI.
- Allocation Strategy (Fintech / Asset Management): Secured £1.6M to enhance data-driven portfolio tools.
- Finst (Fintech / Crypto): Raised €8M to grow European crypto investment platforms.
- TeamFeePay (Fintech / Sports Tech): Closed £9M to streamline grassroots sports management in Ireland and Europe.
Key highlight: Biotech Series A/B rounds totaled over €140M, underscoring Europe's push toward health innovation post-pandemic.
Late-Stage and Mega Rounds: Fintech Unicorns and SaaS Giants Dominate
Mature startups locked in big-ticket funding to fuel global ambitions, with fintech and SaaS leading the pack.
- Pennylane (Fintech / Accounting): Raised €175M to expand its SME platform across borders, solidifying unicorn status.
- Mews (Hospitality SaaS): Secured $300M in a Series round to scale hotel management software internationally.
- Stoïk (InsurTech): Closed €20M Series C for embedded insurance solutions in Europe.
- Stream (Fintech / Workplace Finance): Raised €76M Series D to broaden employee financial tools in the UK and US.
- Preply (EdTech): Secured $150M Series D to grow online tutoring globally from Ukraine.
- Fractall (PropTech / AI): Raised $35M to expand real estate analytics and management.
Stat spotlight: Late-stage fintech raises exceeded $600M this week, highlighting the sector's resilience despite regulatory headwinds.
Space, Climate, and Impact: Strategic Investments in Future-Proof Tech
Sustainability and space tech attracted targeted funding, often from public or impact-focused backers.
- Shield Space (Space Security): Raised £2M to boost orbital security efforts.
- SWISSto12 (SpaceTech / Satellites): Secured €73M from the ESA for its HummingSat program.
- PureTerra Ventures (Greentech / WaterTech): Launched €150M Fund II for sustainable water innovations.
- Ananda Impact Ventures (Impact / VC Fund): Closed €73M first close to back socially driven startups.
- Vanagon Ventures (Tech VC Fund): Raised €20M to invest in AI, healthtech, and green tech early-stagers.
Notable: Climate-focused funds like PureTerra's represent a 50% increase in committed capital compared to similar launches last quarter, per industry trackers.
Acquisitions, Partnerships, and Other News
Beyond funding, the week saw strategic moves:
- ClearScore acquired UK mortgage tech provider Acre to expand fintech offerings.
- NUNC Capital invested in AnGard Microwave to boost microwave tech innovations.
- Schneider Electric highlighted sustainability at the WEF Annual Meeting.
- Kalmar signed a digital automation deal with OSTP Finland for logistics.
- Tourmanagement.com was acquired by Beatswitch to enhance travel tech.
- Demium rebranded as Mussion, focusing on startup acceleration.
Outlook: Resilience and Optimism for 2026
This week's €1B+ haul—spanning 40+ deals—paints a picture of a vibrant European ecosystem. AI and biotech led with 35% of total capital, followed by fintech (25%) and climate/space (20%). Despite macroeconomic jitters, investor appetite remains strong, particularly for scalable tech addressing real-world challenges like climate change and digital transformation. As we head into February, watch for follow-on rounds in AI hardware and green tech. For more details, check sources like Silicon Republic and TechCrunch.
