💸 CellCentric $120M; Rivan £10M; Persist AI $12M; AstroLight €2.8M & more...| Deep Tech Capital Movements Vol. 19
The Week’s State of Deep Tech Capital: who’s Raising, who’s Betting, and why.
Welcome back to Deep Tech Capital Moments — the weekly analysis from The Scenarionist that tracks and highlights capital dynamics in deep tech, from early-stage funding rounds to major fund launches.
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Dear Friends,
Roughly $1.5 billion in new capital moved into deep tech this week, across both startups and funds, reflecting not just momentum, but a more deliberate capital posture. Investors are no longer pursuing category expansion or abstract scalability; they’re deploying into systems that reduce friction—technically, operationally, and geopolitically. What’s clear is that this new cycle of deep tech capital is being shaped by constraint awareness, not thematic enthusiasm.
Space infrastructure offered a clear view of this logic in motion. Sophia Space raised $3.5 million to bring compute to orbit—processing imagery and running inference closer to where data is captured, rather than relying on energy- and bandwidth-heavy downlink pipelines. AstroLight’s €2.8 million round, focused on MEMS-based optical terminals, reinforces the same principle: simplify architectures, shrink mass, and harden comms systems for small-sat deployment. PiLogic’s $4 million seed, enabling real-time probabilistic reasoning in constrained orbital environments, closes the loop: sensing, processing, and deciding—at the edge, by design.
Defense tech remains anchored in velocity. Line 5, still in stealth, secured $20 million to build a modular battlefield OS—signaling that investors are aligning around architectures that compress decision latency in tactical environments. In parallel, Poland’s DefGuard raised €1.2 million to rethink network security at the endpoint: ephemeral, policy-based access replacing brittle VPN topologies. Both raise the same question in different verticals: how fast can we deploy trust?
In energy and climate, compatibility is emerging as the true differentiator. Rivan’s £10 million seed round to produce synthetic e-diesel from captured CO₂ and green hydrogen isn’t a bet on new fuels—it’s a bet on seamless substitution. By designing for existing infrastructure, Rivan sidesteps the adoption frictions that stall so many climate technologies. India’s Alt Carbon followed a similar path, raising $12 million to expand enhanced rock weathering across half a million hectares of cropland, creating a soil-carbon revenue stack that folds naturally into local agricultural routines. What these rounds have in common is not chemistry—it’s deployment logic.
AI capital continues to shift from model development to edge execution. Rhino raised $15 million for its federated learning platform, focused on compliance-first sectors like healthcare and finance. Servo AI closed €1.2 million to generate retail analytics from legacy CCTV, turning passive footage into real-time operations intelligence without new hardware. Crosscheck’s $450K pre-seed goes even further—compressing invoice compliance review cycles from days to seconds using language models tuned on risk graphs. These aren’t bets on scale—they’re bets on embedded intelligence that plays nicely with existing stacks.
Healthcare rounds also favored deployability over novelty. Signatur Biosciences raised $7 million to commercialize a point-of-care microfluidic test that predicts chemotherapy response from a single blood drop in under two hours. ReproNovo’s $65 million Series B will expand its virtual-first fertility service, combining remote hormone testing, AI-optimized IVF protocols, and employer partnerships. The throughline? Not just accuracy, but access—especially in systems where time, cost, and availability continue to shape clinical outcomes.
Meanwhile, capital formation is becoming more strategic, more localized, and more tightly linked to public mandates. Keen Venture Partners secured €40 million from the EIF for a European defense tech fund—part of a broader push to align deep tech VC with regional resilience. Titan Capital launched a new vertical focused on Indian sovereign tech. PSV Tech and Lunar Ventures closed focused early-stage funds tied closely to institutional research ecosystemsin the Nordics and Germany. In all cases, the underlying logic is the same: fund formation is being retooled around national and industrial strategy, not just market timing.
Taken together, this week’s deals point to an investment landscape that’s moving from ambition to architecture. The companies attracting capital aren’t just solving problems—they’re structured for insertion, for scale, and for staying power. Investors aren’t underwriting disruption—they’re underwriting infrastructure fit.
Until next week,
- Giulia
From STEM to Deep Tech VC
Venture capital is evolving. And in deep tech, the next generation of investors won’t just speak the language of finance—they’ll speak the language of science.
As deep tech transforms industries like food systems, energy, and climate, the need for investors who understand research, not just markets, is more urgent than ever.
💥 Excited to announce that a new episode of VC Guide is now live!
In the 8th episode of VC Guide, we’re proud to welcome Chloë Payne, Principal at Ponderosa Ventures, for an exclusive, high-resolution conversation on how scientists can successfully transition into the world of deep tech investing.
Whether you’re entering VC from academia or engineering—or already in venture and looking to sharpen your edge—this one’s for you.
What You’ll Learn in This Edition:
🔹 The core financial and analytical skills scientists must master to operate at the investor level
🔹 How to build and maintain high-trust networks that drive deal flow—even if you're not a natural extrovert
🔹 What real-world VC judgment looks like when data is incomplete and timelines are compressed
🔹 How to recognize whether a breakthrough is just interesting... or truly fundable
🔹 The daily rhythms of an investor’s role—from founder calls to IC memos to portfolio strategy
🔹 How to develop the kind of pattern recognition and asymmetric insight that compounds over time
For anyone coming from academia, R&D, or engineering into venture capital, this episode is your blueprint.
Startup Deal Tracker
🔸 QSensato Secures €0.5 M Pre-Seed to Advance Chip-Scale Quantum Sensors
QSensato raised €500 000 to miniaturize quantum-interference sensors for navigation and medical imaging. The photonic chips promise pico-tesla magnetic-field resolution without cryogenics, opening handheld devices for geosurvey and cardiology. Funding supports tape-out of its first integrated atom-interferometer ASIC.
Deal: Pre-Seed
Region: Italy, Europe
Industry: Quantum Tech
Sector: Quantum Sensing
Tech: Atom Interferometry, Photonic ICs
🔸 Persona AI Raises $27 M to Develop Purpose-Built Humanoid Robots for Shipyards
Robotics firm Persona AI closed a $27 million Series A round led by maritime-focused VC funds to build humanoid robots tailored to shipyard operations. Its machines combine bipedal mobility with manipulator arms, enabling them to perform tasks such as welding, inspection and heavy-lifting in complex industrial environments. The investment will expand Persona AI’s engineering team, finalize its first pilot units and secure regulatory approvals for maritime deployment.
Deal: Series A
Region: United States, North America
Industry: Robotics
Sector: Humanoid Robots
Tech: Bipedal Locomotion, Industrial Manipulation
🔸 Rivan Secures £10 M to Scale Synthetic Fuel Production
UK-based Rivan raised £10 million to build a pilot plant that converts captured CO₂ and green hydrogen into drop-in e-diesel. The company targets aviation and maritime customers seeking net-zero fuels without engine retrofits. Funds will finalize EPC contracts and secure offtake agreements.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: United Kingdom, Europe
Industry: E-Fuels
Sector: Synthetic Hydrocarbons
Tech: CO₂ Hydrogenation, Modular Reactors
🔸 Alt Carbon Raises $12 M Seed to Scale Carbon Removal in India
India-based Alt Carbon closed a $12 million seed round to expand its enhanced-rock-weathering (ERW) program across 500 000 hectares of farmland. The startup spreads basalt dust on croplands, permanently locking away CO₂ while boosting soil health and farmer income. New capital will fund larger field pilots, in-house lab capacity, and machine-learning models that verify carbon removal at scale.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: India, Asia
Industry: Climate Tech
Sector: Carbon Removal
Tech: Enhanced Rock Weathering, Remote-Sensing MRV
🔸 Quantum Light Closes $1 M Pre-Seed Round to Commercialize Nobel Prize Nanotech
Quantum Light raised $1 million in pre-seed funding to develop its quantum-dot nanofabrication platform based on Nobel Prize–winning research. The startup aims to manufacture next-generation optoelectronic components for displays, sensors and biomedical imaging. The proceeds will fund pilot production of high-uniformity quantum-dot inks and integration with device makers.
Deal: Pre-Seed Round
Region: United States, North America
Industry: Nanotechnology
Sector: Quantum Dots
Tech: Nanomaterials, Precision Nanofabrication
🔸 Tan90 Secures ₹20 Crore Series A for Climate-First Cooling Solutions
Chennai-based Tan90 raised about $2.4 million in Series A funding to commercialize its phase-change-material (PCM) cold-chain boxes for dairy, produce, and vaccines. The passive units cut diesel consumption by up to 80 % versus ice-based logistics and remain effective at tropical temperatures. Funds will expand manufacturing and deploy “cooling-as-a-service” subscriptions across Southeast Asia.
Deal: Series A
Region: India, Asia
Industry: Clean Cooling
Sector: Thermal Logistics
Tech: Phase-Change Materials, IoT Telemetry
🔸 Crosscheck Raises $450 K Pre-Seed for Instant Procurement Audits
Ukrainian startup Crosscheck secured $450 000 in pre-seed capital to automate compliance checks on vendor invoices within seconds. Its AI engine detects fraud, tax errors, and ESG risks against 600 + public databases, replacing manual spreadsheet audits. Early pilots with Eastern-European retailers cut invoice-review time by 90 %.
Deal: Pre-Seed
Region: Ukraine, Europe
Industry: Automation
Sector: Spend Audit & Compliance
Tech: Large-Language-Model Extraction, Risk Graphs
🔸 AstroLight Banks €2.8 M Seed to Build Laser Space Links
Vilnius-based AstroLight attracted €2.8 million to commercialize high-rate optical terminals that move gigabits between satellites and ground stations. Its solid-state pointing unit cuts mass by 40 % relative to gimbaled systems, lowering launch costs for small-sat constellations. The round accelerates qualification flights slated for Q4 2026.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: Lithuania, Europe
Industry: Space Tech
Sector: Optical Communications
Tech: Laser Terminals, Fine-Pointing MEMS
🔸 DefGuard Raises €1.2 M Pre-Seed to Simplify Zero-Trust Access
Poland’s DefGuard closed a €1.2 million pre-seed round to replace corporate VPNs with device-based identity and policy controls. The platform issues ephemeral keys to every laptop and IoT node, enforcing least-privilege networking without manual firewall rules. Capital will fund SOC2 certification and a channel-partner program across the CEE region.
Deal: Pre-Seed
Region: Poland, Europe
Industry: Cybersecurity
Sector: Zero-Trust Networking
Tech: Client-Embedded PKI, Policy-as-Code
🔸 Servo AI Closes €1.2 M Seed to Turn CCTV into Real-Time Retail Analytics
London-/Bucharest-based Servo AI raised €1.2 million to convert legacy CCTV feeds into actionable store metrics such as queue length, dwell time, and service gaps. Early Game Ventures led the round after pilots showed 25 % faster table turns in cafés without new cameras. Funds will build a Romanian R&D hub and expand across CEE grocery chains.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: United Kingdom & Romania, Europe
Industry: Retail AI
Sector: Video Analytics
Tech: Edge Computer Vision, Behavior-Detection Models
🔸 SarSatX Raises $2.6 M Seed for All-Weather SAR Constellation
Saudi startup SarSatX secured $2.6 million to launch a three-satellite synthetic-aperture-radar (SAR) cluster covering MENA agricultural zones. The company will localize payload production in Riyadh and target defense and agritech customers needing night-and-cloud imaging.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: Saudi Arabia, Middle East
Industry: Space Tech
Sector: Earth Observation
Tech: X-band SAR, On-Board AI
🔸 PiLogic Raises $4 M Seed for Faster On-Orbit Inference
California-based PiLogic closed a $4 million seed round to commercialize probabilistic-reasoning engines that diagnose satellite faults and track debris in real time. Its physics-aware models require 100× fewer GPU cycles than deep-learning alternatives, making them suitable for CubeSats.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: United States, North America
Industry: Space AI
Sector: Autonomous Operations
Tech: Bayesian Inference, Edge SoC Integration
🔸 Sophia Space Raises $3.5 M Pre-Seed to Build Orbital Data Centers
Sophia Space secured $3.5 million to develop TILE, a modular, radiation-hardened compute block that processes imagery and AI workloads directly in orbit. Co-founded by former NASA and Microsoft veterans, the startup aims to cut downlink bandwidth and reduce Earth-side energy use. Funding accelerates engineering hires in Seattle and a 2026 demonstration mission.
Deal: Pre-Seed
Region: United States, North America
Industry: Space Infrastructure
Sector: Orbital Data Centers
Tech: Edge Compute Modules, Solid-State Thermal Management
🔸 Signatur Biosciences Snaps $7 M Seed for Point-of-Care Breast-Cancer Tests
Signatur Biosciences raised $7 million to commercialize a microfluidic assay that predicts chemotherapy response from a single drop of blood within two hours. The company targets community clinics that cannot afford centralized gene-expression tests. Proceeds will build a GMP lab and run EU-wide clinical validations.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: Belgium, Europe
Industry: MedTech
Sector: Breast-Cancer Diagnostics
Tech: Microfluidics, AI-Driven Signal Analysis
🔸 MDA Closes €3.3 M Seed to Teach Surgical Robots Clinical Wisdom
Leipzig-based MDA secured €3.3 million to encode expert surgeons’ decision patterns into real-time guidance software for robotic operations. The system ingests video, sensor, and EHR data to warn teams of complications before they escalate. Funds will double staff and integrate the “Virtual Proctor” platform with leading surgical-robot OEMs.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: Germany, Europe
Industry: Surgical AI
Sector: Robotic Assistance
Tech: Multimodal AI, Real-Time Decision Support
🔸 ReproNovo Raises $65 M Series B to Expand Accessible Fertility Care
ReproNovo closed a $65 million Series B to scale its virtual-first fertility service that bundles telehealth, at-home hormone tests, and AI-optimized IVF protocols. The platform reduces medication waste by 30 % and shortens time-to-pregnancy for patients in underserved U.S. regions. Capital will fund two new lab hubs and employer partnerships.
Deal: Series B
Region: United States, North America
Industry: FemTech
Sector: Fertility Services
Tech: AI-Optimized IVF, Remote Monitoring Kits
🔸 remberg Secures €15 M Series A to Battle Europe’s €500 B Downtime Crisis
remberg landed €15 million to grow its “Asset Relationship Management” cloud that predicts machine failures across factories, wind farms, and hospitals. The SaaS platform aggregates manuals, IoT signals, and work orders into one digital twin, cutting unplanned downtime by up to 25 %. Series A funds accelerate U.S. market entry.
Deal: Series A
Region: Germany, Europe
Industry: Industrial AI
Sector: Predictive Maintenance
Tech: Digital Twins, Multisource ML
🔸 Pydro Raises €1 M Pre-Series A for Self-Powered Water-Network Sensors
German startup Pydro closed an oversubscribed €1 million pre-Series A to mass-produce turbine-powered flow sensors that harvest energy from potable-water pipes. Utilities can now monitor leaks and pressure without batteries, slash maintenance, and feed data into digital-twin software.
Deal: Pre-Series A
Region: Germany, Europe
Industry: Water Tech
Sector: Smart Infrastructure
Tech: Energy-Harvesting Flow Sensors, NB-IoT
🔸 Field Materials Bags $10.5 M Series A to Digitize Construction Procurement
San-Francisco-based Field Materials raised $10.5 million to automate quote-to-invoice workflows for contractors. Its AI reads PDFs and photos, codes line items into ERPs, and flags tariff risks—saving project managers hours per purchase order. Cash will triple revenue and expand to residential builders.
Deal: Series A
Region: United States, North America
Industry: ConTech
Sector: Procurement Automation
Tech: Document AI, ERP Integrations
🔸 ZeroAvia Seeks $150 M Series D to Commercialize Hydrogen Aircraft Engines
Clean-aviation firm ZeroAvia is in talks to raise about $150 million to certify its 600 kW ZA600 fuel-cell powertrain for 9- to 19-seat planes. The capital would fund flight testing with RVL Aviation and build a UK assembly line targeting 2027 entry into service.
Deal: Series D
Region: United Kingdom/United States
Industry: Aero Hydrogen
Sector: Propulsion Systems
Tech: Proton-Exchange-Membrane Fuel Cells, Cryo Hydrogen Tanks
🔸 GDI Adds $11.5 M to Series A for Silicon-Anode EV Batteries
New York-based GDI brought in an extra $11.5 million, bringing its Series A to over $20 million to scale 30 % higher-energy silicon anodes at its Netherlands pilot plant. The company targets sub-15-minute EV charging and has a joint-development pact with a battery-cell manufacturer.
Deal: Series A (Extension)
Region: United States & Netherlands
Industry: Battery Materials
Sector: Silicon Anodes
Tech: Nano-Porous Silicon, Roll-to-Roll Coating
🔸 Kofa Raises $8.1 M Pre-Series A to Scale Battery-Swap Networks in Africa
Accra-based energy startup Kofa secured $8.1 million (equity, debt, grants) to expand its AI-driven battery-swap stations for electric two-wheelers across Ghana and Kenya. The platform enables $1 rapid swaps, lowering transport costs for couriers and small businesses.
Deal: Pre-Series A
Region: Ghana, Africa
Industry: E-Mobility
Sector: Battery Swapping
Tech: AI Battery-Management System, Modular Packs
🔸 Line 5 Raises $20 M Seed to Build Battlefield-Ready Defense Tech
Israeli founders Gigi Levy-Weiss and Redis co-creator Yiftach Shoolman launched Line 5 with a $20 million seed—the country’s largest defense-tech seed to date. Still in stealth, the startup aims to integrate AI, edge sensors, and autonomous drones into a unified battlefield operating system that reduces soldier risk.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: Israel, Middle East
Industry: Defense Tech
Sector: Integrated Combat Systems
Tech: Edge Sensor Fusion, Tactical AI
🔸 Rhino Federated Computing Raises $15 M Series A for Privacy-Preserving AI
Tel-Aviv-based Rhino secured $15 million to expand its federated-learning platform that lets hospitals and banks train AI models without moving sensitive data. The company already supports biopharma protein-design consortia and fraud-detection pilots with global banks.
Deal: Series A
Region: Israel, Middle East
Industry: AI Infrastructure
Sector: Federated Learning
Tech: Secure Aggregation, Cross-Jurisdiction Data Mesh
🔸 Saildrone Raises $60 M to Expand European Presence
Autonomous-vessel startup Saildrone secured $60 million in a Series C round led by Denmark’s Export and Investment Fund, with participation from other European investors. Saildrone’s uncrewed surface vehicles collect oceanographic and meteorological data for applications in climate research, defense and maritime surveillance. The funding will accelerate deployment of its fleet in European waters, strengthen partnerships with regional agencies and enhance its data-analytics platform.
Deal: Series C
Region: United States & Europe
Industry: Maritime Technology
Sector: Autonomous Surface Vehicles
Tech: Uncrewed Surface Vehicles, OceanData Analytics
🔸 Wi-Charge Secures $20 M for Infrared Wireless Charging Technology
Israeli startup Wi-Charge raised $20 million in a Series C round to advance its patented infrared beam-based wireless power system. The company’s technology directs safe, focused IR beams to power devices at distances up to several meters, targeting IoT sensors, smart home gadgets and medical devices. The new funds will be used to accelerate commercialization, expand global partnerships and further R&D on higher-power modules.
Deal: Series C
Region: Israel, Middle East
Industry: Wireless Power
Sector: Energy & Power
Tech: Infrared Wireless Charging
🔸 Ray Kurzweil’s Humanoid-Robot Startup in Talks for $100 M Investment
Ray Kurzweil-backed robotics startup is negotiating a $100 million funding round to accelerate development of its advanced humanoid robots. The firm focuses on companion-grade AI with dexterous hands and expressive avatars, targeting applications in eldercare, education and customer service. Proceeds will fund hardware miniaturization, AI model training and larger-scale manufacturing.
Deal: Growth Round (Target)
Region: United States, North America
Industry: Robotics & AI
Sector: Humanoid Robotics
Tech: AI-Driven Robotics, Advanced Actuators
🔸 Beyond Imagination Raises $100 M to Advance Humanoid Robots
AI-robotics startup Beyond Imagination secured $100 million in Series B funding to develop its autonomous humanoid platform. Its robots blend large-language AI with compliant actuators, enabling natural interaction, object manipulation and situational awareness in unstructured environments. The capital will drive the rollout of its first commercial units for enterprise and public-service use.
Deal: Series B
Region: United States, North America
Industry: Robotics
Sector: Humanoid Robots
Tech: LLM-Powered Control, Soft Robotics
🔸 Persist AI Raises $12 M Series A and Launches Cloud Lab
Machine-learning startup Persist AI closed a $12 million Series A round led by Alven Capital to accelerate its “Cloud Lab” virtual experimentation platform. Researchers can spin up AI-driven simulation environments for drug discovery, materials science and advanced chemistry, reducing time-to-insight. The funding will scale infrastructure, enhance AI simulation kernels and onboard pharmaceutical partners.
Deal: Series A
Region: France, Europe
Industry: AI & Simulation
Sector: Scientific R&D Platforms
Tech: Virtual Experimentation, ML-Accelerated Simulation
🔸 FononTech Secures €8.5 M Seed Round, Delivers First Machine
Dutch startup FononTech closed an €8.5 million seed round to launch its laser-based semiconductor processing systems. Its photonic “machine” enables sub-nanometer precision in wafer inspection, etching and deposition steps. With the fresh capital, FononTech will ramp up manufacturing of its first commercial unit and expand its engineering team.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: Netherlands, Europe
Industry: Semiconductor Equipment
Sector: Advanced Photonic Manufacturing
Tech: Laser Micromachining, Nanoprecision Fabrication
🔸 Rhizome Secures $6.5 M in Seed Funding for Organizational Resilience Platform
Enterprise-software firm Rhizome raised $6.5 million to commercialize its AI-driven platform for business resilience and continuity planning. The system models climate, supply-chain and operational risks to help enterprises anticipate disruptions and optimize response strategies. Proceeds will enhance scenario-simulation modules and onboard Fortune-500 pilot clients.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: United States, North America
Industry: Enterprise Software
Sector: Risk & Resilience Management
Tech: AI-Based Scenario Modeling, Predictive Analytics
🔸 Promethean Energy Raises $2 M in Pre-Series A to Advance Carbon Capture
Indian cleantech startup Promethean Energy closed a $2 million pre-Series A round to scale its electrochemical carbon-capture modules for industrial flue gases. Its electrolysers selectively extract CO₂ at ambient conditions, offering lower energy consumption than conventional methods. The funding will support pilot installations with steel and cement manufacturers in India.
Deal: Pre-Series A
Region: India, Asia
Industry: Clean Technology
Sector: Carbon Capture
Tech: Electrochemical CO₂ Separation
🔸 Eeden Closes $20 M Round to Scale Chemical Textile Recycling
German startup Eeden raised $20 million in Series A funding to commercialize its solvent-based process for depolymerizing mixed textile waste into virgin raw polymers. The technology enables upcycling of blended fabrics that are otherwise landfilled or incinerated. With new capital, Eeden will commission its first commercial recycling plant and secure offtake agreements with apparel brands.
Deal: Series A
Region: Germany, Europe
Industry: Circular Economy
Sector: Textile Recycling
Tech: Solvent Depolymerization, Polymer Recovery
🔸 Verdi Raises $6.5 M to Automate Aging Farm Infrastructure
Canadian agtech startup Verdi closed a CA$6.5 million (US$4.7 million) seed round to retrofit legacy farm equipment with IoT-enabled actuators and sensors. Its plug-and-play devices automate irrigation, fertilization and monitoring tasks, boosting yields while reducing labor. Proceeds will fund North American pilot deployments and integration with leading OEMs.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: Canada, North America
Industry: AgTech
Sector: Farm Automation
Tech: IoT-Enabled Smart Modules
🔸 Biostate AI Raises $12 M Series A to Advance RNA-Based Molecular Diagnostics
In an exclusive round led by Accel, Biostate AI secured $12 million to scale its AI-driven RNA sequencing platform that predicts disease progression and treatment efficacy. The startup aims to democratize molecular testing with a cloud-native pipeline that integrates seamlessly into clinical workflows. Proceeds will fund cloud expansion, data-model optimization and strategic partnerships with hospital networks.
Deal: Series A
Region: United States, North America
Industry: Biotechnology
Sector: Molecular Diagnostics
Tech: Cloud-Native Sequencing, Predictive AI
🔸 CellCentric Secures $120 M to Advance Multiple Myeloma Trials
Pfizer-backed biotech CellCentric closed a $120 million Series C to advance its oral p300/CBP inhibitor, inobrodib, into late-stage multiple myeloma trials. Early studies showed a 75% response rate in relapsed patients, prompting rapid progression to phase 2/3 studies. The capital will support global trial expansion, manufacturing scale-up and regulatory submissions.
Deal: Series C
Region: United Kingdom, Europe
Industry: Biotechnology
Sector: Oncology
Tech: Epigenetic Small Molecules
🔸 Kincell Bio Raises $22 M for Cell Therapy CDMO Platform
North Carolina CDMO Kincell Bio secured $22 million in Series A funding led by NewSpring Capital and Kineticos Life Sciences to expand its cGMP cell-therapy manufacturing services. The company offers end-to-end process development and clinical-to-commercial production capabilities for gene and cell therapies. Funds will bolster its cleanroom capacity, automation systems and regulatory affairs team.
Deal: Series A
Region: United States, North America
Industry: Biotechnology
Sector: Contract Manufacturing (CDMO)
Tech: cGMP Cell Therapy Production
🔸 Sention Technologies Secures £3.7 M Seed Round for Battery Diagnostics
Sention Technologies closed a £3.7 million seed raise to commercialize its ultrasonic AI scanner for real-time, non-invasive battery health monitoring. The platform visualizes internal defects and degradation in electric-vehicle and grid-scale batteries, enabling predictive maintenance. Proceeds will launch its first commercial product line and initiate OEM partnerships.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: United Kingdom, Europe
Industry: Energy Technology
Sector: Battery Diagnostics
Tech: Ultrasonic Imaging, AI Analytics
🔸 Converge Raises $22 M to Decarbonize Concrete with AI
Converge closed $22 million in Series A financing led by ABN AMRO Sustainable Impact to scale its sensor-embedded concrete platform. By feeding real-time curing data into AI models, the system cuts CO₂ emissions by up to 40% and reduces waste in construction. Funding will expand installations across Europe and accelerate sensor miniaturization.
Deal: Series A
Region: United Kingdom, Europe
Industry: Construction Technology
Sector: Sustainable Materials
Tech: IoT-Enabled Sensors, AI Optimization
🔸 Pixee Raises $15 M to Automate Code Security for GenAI Development
Pixee secured $15 million in seed funding from Decibel and Wing VC to enhance its AI-powered code-security assistant. Integrated directly into developer IDEs, Pixee uses agentic AI to triage vulnerabilities and propose fixes, achieving an 87% auto-merge rate for pull requests. The capital will drive integration with major dev platforms and expand its ML model library.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: United States, North America
Industry: Cybersecurity
Sector: Application Security
Tech: Agentic AI, DevSecOps Automation
Venture Capital & Funds to Watch
🔹 Kunal Bahl’s Titan Capital launches investment vertical to invest in defence-tech startups
Titan Capital, one of India’s most active seed-stage VCs led by co-founder Kunal Bahl, has launched a specialized vertical dedicated to funding startups in the defence and strategic technology space. The new arm will target deep-tech ventures across advanced hardware, aerospace, cybersecurity, and manufacturing, aiming to bolster national security while catalyzing India’s indigenous innovation. As part of this initiative, Titan will collaborate with veterans, scientists, and technologists to provide strategic guidance and domain expertise, reinforcing its founder-first ethos and deep-tech focus.
🔹 Amsterdam-based VC firm Keen Venture Partners secures EIF backing for €40 million defence tech fund
Keen Venture Partners has secured a €40 million commitment from the European Investment Fund (EIF) for its newly launched European Defence and Security Tech Fund. The capital will be deployed across early-stage European startups working in cybersecurity, information superiority, robotics, AI, autonomous systems, and space technology to accelerate strategic innovation. This marks the EIF’s first equity investment under its Defence Equity Facility and aligns with the InvestEU Space mandate, underscoring Europe’s push for greater defence autonomy and security resilience.
🔹 Germany’s Lunar Ventures nabs €50 million for second deep tech fund
Lunar Ventures has closed its second fund at €50 million, a 25 percent increase over its debut fund, backed by investors including Isomer Capital, Exor NV’s Lingotto, Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, Grinnell College’s Endowment, RSJ Investments, and Aldea Ventures. The firm continues its thesis-led approach, focusing on European deep-tech companies poised for breakout growth. With this fresh capital, Lunar aims to deepen its engagement with portfolio founders and strengthen its support network across the region.
🔹 Danish VC PSV Tech launches Fund II to accelerate deep tech innovation in the Nordics
Copenhagen-based PSV Tech has officially launched its second vehicle, PSV Tech Fund II, to fuel early-stage Nordic deep-tech startups from inception through scale. The fund emphasizes sharper focus, deeper access, and increased capital, and is backed by leading institutions such as ATP Pensions, EIFO, and IDA, alongside seasoned founders including Sebastian Knutsson and Henrik Printzlau. Leveraging proprietary engineering talent and close ties to the Technical University of Denmark, PSV Tech aims to cultivate tomorrow’s tech champions across the region.
🔹 EU contributes €40 million to dedicated defence fund
The European Investment Fund has made its inaugural €40 million contribution to a dedicated European defence tech fund managed by Keen Venture Partners, marking a landmark public-backed investment in the sector. The commitment underpins a target €125 million fund close, with follow-on fundraising slated for Q3 2025 and plans to support 20–25 strategic startups. This move highlights the EU’s strategic pivot towards public–private collaboration in defence innovation and complements broader initiatives like the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) credit facility.
🔹 UNSW startup accelerator offers $200 K to the next generation of Australian deeptech unicorns
UNSW Founders has partnered with Luminary Partners to invest $200 000 each into 18 early-stage Australian deep-tech startups in 2025, making it the country’s best-funded accelerator program. This landmark public-private collaboration underscores the accelerator’s mission to uncover the next wave of health, climate, and sovereign-capability ventures. The program aligns with the Federal Government’s National Reconstruction Fund priorities and provides recipients with both capital and access to critical infrastructure like prototyping labs and testing facilities.
🔹 Factorial Funds Launches Second $200 M Fund
Menlo Park’s Factorial Funds has launched its second institutional vehicle, closing at $200 million in committed capital to expand its investment footprint. The fund secured anchor commitments from Hyundai Motor Group and Kia Corporation, signaling strong strategic industry support. Factorial plans to deploy capital across the AI value chain, cloud and data infrastructure, robotics, and scaling software companies to capitalize on emerging technology trends.
QuantumLight, the quantitative VC firm founded by Revolut’s Nik Storonsky, has closed its inaugural $250 million fund at hard cap, backed by a global roster of top-tier LPs including billionaire tech founders and major institutions. Since its 2023 inception, the firm has leveraged its proprietary AI model, Aleph, to systematically invest across AI, Web3, Fintech, SaaS, and Healthtech sectors. Concurrently, QuantumLight released its second public operating playbook, Hiring Top Talent, offering a structured recruitment framework to help founders build world-class teams.