Startup Funding, Sunbathing & Sales Secrets

Hey everyone,

We hope you're enjoying the summer and you are reading this newsletter with a cocktail in your hand, while sunbathing at the pool/beach. :) If not, and if you are still working as usual, we feel you. Most of the EU-Startups team is doing the same.

Either way: Here comes your weekly dose of European startup news, and some fresh insights and opportunities:

🎧 EU-Startups Podcast: This week, we had a chat with Maxime Chareton, the Head of Sales at the European fintech giant Revolut! Maxime touches on how Revolut scaled a remote sales team across global markets, outperforming micromanagement, AI, Sales tips and much more!

🚀 Stuttgart Region’s Startup Welcome Package returns with a focus on IT hardware innovation. Startups that are keen to launch and/or expand in the German-speaking market can apply now for a fully-funded programme that blends online market discovery with an in-person deep dive.

🍗 FoodTech Highlights: London-based Better Nature bites just secured €1.2 million for its plant-based chicken meat alternative. Also based in London, Doughlicious raised €4.3 million in fresh funding to scale its gluten-free frozen cookie dough and gelato bites.

🏗️ AI-Powered Innovations:

• Estonian CleanTech Bisly just raised €4.3 million to accelerate AI-based building automation across Europe.
• London-based Tracelight secured €3 million to develop an AI engine for financial modelling.
• Madrid-based PropHero, a digital platform using AI to connect property investors with high-yield opportunities, landed €2.5 million in fresh funding.
• AIxBlock, a US-born privacy-focused company, was awarded €1.5 million in EU fudning to expand privacy-focused AI in Europe.
• Swedish AI startup Flox secured nearly €1 million to keep wildlife safe and help coexist without conflict

🛡️ Ready to Fast-Track Compliance for SOC 2, ISO 27001, or GDPR? Join Vanta’s on-demand product demo to see how 7,000+ companies automate security and save hundreds of hours on audit prep. Learn how to get compliant in weeks, not months, without slowing down your team.

🛎️ Hospitality Spotlight: From AI-powered guest messaging to app-free table ordering, this week we curated a list of 10 of the most promising European startups modernising the hospitality experience. If you are interested in hospitality and travel startups, make sure to join us at this year's FutureTravel Summit on October 30 in Barcelona.

🧬 HealthTech & MedTech Innovators: 

• Bristol-based Wanda Health just raised €2.1 million to reduce hospital readmissions through intelligent virtual care. 
• This week, we introduced you to 10 promising EU-funded HealthTech startups tackling everything from brain implants to AI-powered diagnostics and smart glasses. 
• If you are into HealthTech, don't forget to subscribe to our weekly HealthHack newsletter.

💰 Fresh VC Funds: German VC firm Smart Infrastructure Ventures just launched its €30 million SIVentures II fund to back early-stage startups across Europe.

🌱 Greentech & Sustainability:

• Lisbon-based Bling Energy secured €15 million to boost the energy transition in Portugal.
• Munich-based Tanso secured €12 million to expand its environmental compliance platform.
• Tallinn-based Sunly landed nearly €85 million to develop four new solar parks across Latvia.
• Cambridge-based PeroCycle just announced aa €4.5 million seed round with the goal to decarbonise steelmaking.

🗳️ Your Opinion About AI: Do you think AI will replace human-made music, movies, news media, etc. within the next 15 years? We asked our 126k Linkedin followers, and the poll is still open. Cast your vote here and see what others think!

That's all we had to share with you this week. You can now dive right back into that pool, make sure to use sunscreen, and don't drink too many cocktails... :)

Your EU-Startups Team