💸 From Seed to Series C: The Sectors Driving This Week’s $1.44B | Capital Movements Vol. 16
The state of deep tech capital: who’s raising, who’s betting, and why.
Welcome back to Deep Tech Capital Moments! Every week, we track funding rounds, new funds, and major strategic moves in deep tech
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The Next $100B Deep Tech Market No One Is Talking About
For the last two decades, the industry has been optimized for software—scalable, capital-light, and asset-free. That playbook worked. It minted giants. But the next frontier isn’t digital.
It’s physical.
Right now, a new class of startups is pushing the boundaries of materials science, reshaping aerospace, semiconductors, energy storage, and defense.
Lighter, stronger composites that redefine manufacturing.
Next-gen semiconductors that push AI beyond silicon’s limits.
Battery breakthroughs that eliminate dependence on lithium.
And yet, most VCs are still looking the other way.
The common narrative? Too slow. Too hard to scale. Too different from software.
The reality? Industrial giants, corporate venture arms, and sovereign wealth funds are already moving in.
The next billion-dollar companies are being built right now. The investors who understand how to evaluate, fund, and scale these businesses will gain an edge that few others see coming.
This piece is built on the distilled wisdom of leading investors and founders, combined with deep research from academic and institutional sources. Now, let’s dive into the patterns, tactics, and dynamics that can shape a powerful framework for capturing value in this space.
✨ Deep Tech Capital Movements Vol. 16
Dear Friends,
A glance at this week’s deep tech capital flows reveals not just where capital is landing, but where long-term industrial bets are quietly compounding. In total, 39 deals were tracked across global regions, totaling approximately $1.44 billion in fresh capital deployment. Behind that headline number is a shifting landscape — one where the fog of market noise is beginning to clear, revealing serious builders backed by increasingly serious money.
What stands out most this week is not the sheer volume of deals, but their substance. There is a growing orientation toward physical infrastructure, mission-critical autonomy, and sovereign-grade systems — an industrial recalibration hiding in plain sight. Space defense ($260M) and aerospace ($200M) led the week’s fundraising by a wide margin, underscoring a renewed willingness to back companies tackling logistical complexity, hardware-software integration, and national capability gaps at scale.
This wasn’t an anomaly. Three of the top five sectors by capital raised — space defense, aerospace, and defense tech (≈$144M) — point to a sustained alignment between venture-scale innovation and geopolitical urgency. It’s no longer rare to see dual-use platforms closing rounds north of $100M with a mix of equity, debt, and strategic partners. These are not speculative moonshots; they are operational machines with government customers, manufacturing pipelines, and procurement pathways already in place.
One can sense a structural maturation here. From Denver to Berlin, from Palo Alto to Bangalore, the playbooks are evolving — with investors asking harder questions, and founders showing more operational muscle. And while North America dominated with 26 of the 39 deals, it’s not the only story. Europe’s 8 deals this week showed both diversity and depth — from PET imaging platforms in Belgium to ZK-powered data privacy infrastructure in the UK and Germany. Asia contributed 3 rounds, including a significant move in orbital thermal imaging, while Africa and LATAM each added a meaningful signal from the frontier.
Twelve seed rounds this week give a glimpse of the next generation of platform companies taking shape. These are not “AI wrappers” chasing hype cycles, but founders applying engineered proteins to extract rare earths, building no-code AI ecosystems for non-technical users, or recovering silicon and copper from discarded solar panels. In each case, the ambition isn’t novelty — it’s systems-level transformation.
Among mid-stage companies, Series A and B rounds (8 and 6 respectively) reinforced several macro themes: bioelectronic medicine breaking into wearables, continuous biomanufacturing processes reducing unit costs by orders of magnitude, and AI extending not just into cloud optimization (Cast AI, $108M), but all the way to grid-edge devices built to orchestrate renewables and EVs in real-time (Utilidata, $60M).
It’s worth pausing on that last point. AI in deep tech is increasingly embedded — inside physical networks, inside the cell, inside mission hardware. We are no longer in the era of software-only abstractions. The new battleground is sensor-rich, latency-bound, and deeply material. Investors are following suit, with infrastructure and applied AI funds now underwriting technical risk previously reserved for industrial conglomerates.
Several deals this week also suggest a quiet resurgence of hardware in climate and circular economy domains. Whether it’s Glacier’s AI-driven sorting robots for recycling centers, or eeden’s chemical depolymerization of cotton-poly blends, the capital is flowing toward companies willing to build real-world throughput — not just models in a lab. These are high-CapEx ventures, but with strong tailwinds from policy, regulation, and the mounting cost of ecological delay.
A new class of hybrid companies is also emerging. Startups like Terminal 3 (Hong Kong) and Miden (US) are fusing blockchain primitives with AI to deliver infrastructure built for sovereign-grade privacy, modularity, and scale. These deals signal a growing convergence of technologies once considered separate domains — cryptography, edge compute, identity management — now essential components of the AI-era data stack.
Meanwhile, activity at the fund level continues to evolve. The launch of University of Sydney’s $25M pre-seed fund and Aldea Ventures’ €50M for micro-VCs reflects an intentional move to build high-trust, high-context capital vehicles at the earliest stages. There’s a sense that emerging managers — close to science, close to operators — are better positioned to identify the right asymmetries before the institutional capital arrives. The pipeline, after all, starts long before a Series A term sheet is signed.
In sum, this week’s data reveals a market reallocating — not away from risk, but toward fundamentals. Toward building things that last. The flows we track each Monday are more than investment headlines; they are directional signals of a world tilting back toward production, toward defense, toward energy, and toward complexity.
Enjoy the read,
Giulia and Nicola
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Startup Deal Tracker
🔸 Sunthetics Raises $4M Seed to Accelerate Chemical R&D with AI
Sunthetics secured $4M in seed funding led by L’ATTITUDE Ventures to scale its ML platform for chemical and pharmaceutical R&D. The company’s technology reduces development time and material waste using small datasets, helping industry leaders bring products to market faster and more sustainably.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: US, North America
Industry: AI/Chemicals
Sector: R&D Optimization
Tech: ML, Process Automation
🔸 SatLeo Labs Secures $3.3M Pre-Seed for Thermal Earth Observation Satellites
India-based SatLeo Labs raised $3.3M in pre-seed funding to develop thermal imaging satellites for Earth observation. Backed by Merak Ventures and others, the startup is building proprietary payloads and targeting early regulatory milestones, with $25M in LOIs already secured.
Deal: Pre-Seed Round
Region: India, Asia
Industry: Spacetech
Sector: Remote Sensing
Tech: LEO, Thermal Imaging
🔸 OnePlanet Raises $7M Seed to Launch Industrial Solar Panel Recycling Facility
Florida-based OnePlanet secured $7M in seed funding led by Khasma Capital to advance River City, a $90M industrial-scale solar panel recycling facility. Designed to process over 2 million PV modules annually, the plant will recover high-purity materials like silicon, copper, and aluminum, supporting a closed-loop domestic solar economy.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: US, North America
Industry: Climate Tech
Sector: Clean Energy Infrastructure
Tech: Recycling, Advanced Materials
🔸 Alta Resource Raises $4.4M to Scale Protein-Based Rare Earth Separation Platform
Colorado-based Alta Resource secured $4.4M in additional seed funding co-led by DCVC and Voyager to advance its biochemical rare earth element (REE) separation platform. Using engineered proteins developed with Lawrence Livermore National Lab, Alta targets sustainable recovery of critical minerals like neodymium and dysprosium from unconventional sources.
Deal: Seed Round (Extension)
Region: US, North America
Industry: Materials Science
Sector: Critical Minerals
Tech: Protein Engineering, Bioseparation
🔸 iwell Raises €27M to Expand Smart Energy Storage Across Europe
Dutch cleantech iwell raised €27M in a round led by Meridiam (GIGF), with Invest-NL and Rabobank. Funds will drive expansion into Germany and the UK, further develop its AI-driven EMS+BESS platform, and support energy transition across C&I sectors like logistics and manufacturing.
Deal: Series B
Region: Netherlands / Europe
Industry: EnergyTech
Sector: Energy Storage / Smart Grid
Tech: Battery Storage, EMS, AI for Energy Flow Optimization
🛡️$2B Defense Unicorn; ⛏️MiningTech Acquisition; 🌱Farming in Orbit; 🪨 Membranes for Rare Earth Extraction; 🚤 Maritime Hardware in 100 Days & more | Deep Tech Briefing #59
In Today's Briefing:
> The Big Idea – A $2B defense valuation redraws the line between venture asset and strategic infrastructure—capital conviction meets national urgency.
> The Key Updates – Maritime autonomy ships in 100 days. Industrial heat gets modular and dispatchable. Space servicing consolidates. Mining software scales upstream. Swedish cleantech relocates to LA. Rare earth membranes signal extraction shift. Battery deals anchor IRA compliance. Green hydrogen hits economic friction. Flow batteries test grid viability.
> Deep Tech Power Plays – Europe deploys €910M in defense R&D. UK drafts integrity standards for carbon and nature markets. Hawaii reopens nuclear policy debates.
> Breakthroughs and Discoveries – Microgravity fermentation for food sovereignty, fusion magnet milestones, nature-inspired ion separation, algorithmic efficiency for field robots, ammonia-free urea production, rapid gene editing in corn, cleaner fly ash cement, reflective plasma heat, and quantum algorithms that may finally deliver.
🔸 Arda Biomaterials Raises $5.25M Seed to Scale Leather-Free Textiles From Beer Waste
London-based Arda closed a $5.25M seed round led by Oyster Bay VC to scale its "New Grain" textile platform made from spent barley sourced from breweries. The startup is targeting fashion and automotive sectors with high-performance, tannin-rich leather alternatives derived via supramolecular chemistry.
Deal: Seed
Region: UK
Industry: BioMaterials / Circular Economy
Sector: Alt Textiles / AgriWaste
Tech: Upcycled Protein Polymers, Non-Toxic Leather Alternatives
🔸 Kofa Secures $8.1M Pre-Series A to Scale Battery Swap Network in Africa
Ghana’s Kofa raised $8.1M (mix of equity, debt, grants) to expand its urban battery-swapping ecosystem for e-mobility and energy access. Co-led by E3 Capital and Injaro, the round supports Kofa’s AI-based battery management platform and geographic rollout in Ghana and Kenya.
Deal: Pre-Series A
Region: Africa
Industry: Energy Access / e-Mobility
Sector: Battery Swapping
Tech: Modular Lithium Batteries
🔸 Adaptive Raises $7M Seed to Let Non-Coders Build Personalized AI Ecosystems
San Francisco-based Adaptive closed a $7M seed round led by Pebblebed to scale its no-code platform for personalized computing. The platform lets users connect AI-driven apps into seamless, self-updating workflows—redefining the concept of a personal computer in the AI era.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: US
Industry: AI
Sector: Productivity
Tech: AI
🔸 Arondite Secures $10M Seed to Enhance Human-Machine Teaming in Defence
UK-based Arondite raised $10M in seed funding led by Index Ventures to build a unified software platform for managing autonomous systems in defence. Founded by a former British Army officer, the platform integrates drones, robotics, and other systems for coordinated operations and real-time decision-making.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: UK, Europe
Industry: Defense Tech
Sector: Autonomous Systems
Tech: AI, Multi-Agent Coordination
🔸 Scandalous Foods Raises New Seed Capital to Scale B2B Indian Sweets
India-based Scandalous Foods is raising new seed capital, having secured ₹2 crore (~$240K) in its latest tranche led by New Age India Fund. The startup produces preservative-free, single-serve Indian sweets for HoReCa channels and aims to expand its product line and distribution to fuel B2B2C growth.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: India, Asia
Industry: FoodTech
Sector: B2B Food
Tech: Shelf-Stable Packaging, SME Supply Chain
California-based Pow.Bio has closed a pre-Series B bridge round to scale its AI-controlled continuous fermentation platform, a key enabling tech for bio-based products like alternative proteins. Backed by Synthesis Capital, the company’s system slashes unit costs by up to 80% compared to fed-batch fermentation, while offering broad industrial applicability and minimal retrofit costs for biomanufacturers.
Deal: Pre-Series B Bridge Round
Region: California, USA
Industry: Biotech
Sector: Biomanufacturing
Tech: AI, Continuous Fermentation
🔸 Yeda Health Raises $300K Pre-Seed to Personalize Diabetes and Obesity Treatments in LATAM
Uruguayan healthtech startup Yeda Health closed a $300K pre-seed round led by OurCrowd LATAM Labs to advance its AI-powered app for diabetes and obesity management. Yeda combines meal photo tracking, fitness data, and continuous glucose monitoring to deliver personalized, real-time treatment recommendations.
Deal: Pre-Seed Round
Region: Uruguay, LATAM
Industry: Digital Health
Sector: Metabolic Care
Tech: AI, Wearables, Precision Health
🔸 Apex Raises $200M Series C to Ramp Up Satellite Bus Manufacturing
Los Angeles-based Apex raised $200M in a Series C round led by Point72 Ventures and 8VC to accelerate production of its Aries and Nova satellite buses. Existing investors including Andreessen Horowitz joined the round alongside new participants like Washington Harbour Partners and StepStone Group. The funding supports Apex’s mission to scale modular, high-volume satellite manufacturing.
Deal: Series C
Region: California, USA
Industry: Aerospace
Sector: Satellite Infrastructure
Tech: Space Hardware, Manufacturing Automation
🔸 Sevii Raises Pre-Seed to Build Agentic AI Defense Platform for Cybersecurity
US-based Sevii raised pre-seed funding led by Overline to launch its Autonomous Defense and Remediation (ADR) platform. Built for real-time response at the edge, the system deploys an ‘army’ of AI agents that actively triage and remediate cyber threats while integrating seamlessly into existing security stacks.
Deal: Pre-Seed Round
Region: US, North America
Industry: Cybersecurity
Sector: Autonomous Defense
Tech: Agentic AI, Edge Security
🔸 Terminal 3 Raises $8M Seed Round to Scale Decentralized Data Privacy Infrastructure
Hong Kong-based Terminal 3 secured $8M in seed funding to expand its decentralized data privacy infrastructure tailored for AI and enterprise applications. The round was co-led by Illuminate Financial and CMCC Titan Fund, with participation from Animoca Brands, 500 Global, and others. The platform enables self-sovereign data storage and identity solutions using blockchain and zero-knowledge cryptography.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: Hong Kong, Asia
Industry: Data Infrastructure
Sector: Privacy
Tech: Blockchain, ZK, AI Agents
🔸 Miden Spins Out of Polygon, Raises $25M Seed for ZK-Powered Blockchain
Miden, a Polygon spin-off, raised $25M in seed funding to develop Edge, a zero-knowledge blockchain for privacy-preserving apps. The round was co-led by a16z crypto, 1kx, and Hack VC. Miden aims to scale ZK-based infrastructure through client-side computation on edge devices.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: US
Industry: Blockchain
Sector: Privacy Infrastructure
Tech: ZK, Rollups, Edge Computing
🔸 Hoofprint Biome Closes $15M Series A to Boost Cattle Feed Efficiency and Cut Methane
Hoofprint Biome raised $15M in a Series A round led by SOSV to scale its enzyme-based feed additive that reduces methane emissions from cows while improving nutrient absorption. Backers include Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, Breakthrough Energy Fellows, AgriZeroNZ, and Alexandria Venture Investments. The startup’s microbiome-targeting approach could offer a productivity-first path to decarbonizing livestock.
Deal: Series A
Region: California, USA
Industry: AgTech
Sector: Methane Reduction
Tech: Enzymes, Microbiome Engineering
🔸 Stately Bio Raises $12M Seed Round to Advance ML-Powered Cell Imaging Platform
Palo Alto-based Stately Bio secured $12M in seed funding to scale its ML-enabled live-cell imaging platform for regenerative medicine. The round was led by AIX Ventures with participation from investors including Jeff Dean (Google DeepMind) and BoxOne Ventures. The platform enables real-time insights into stem cell identity and behavior, accelerating development of cell-based therapeutics.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: California, USA
Industry: Biotech
Sector: Regenerative Medicine
Tech: Machine Learning, Live-Cell Imaging
🔸 ARX Robotics Raises €31M Series A to Scale Autonomous Battlefield Robots
German defense tech startup ARX Robotics secured €31M to expand production of its autonomous ground robots and enhance its modular OS, Mithras. Backed by NATO Innovation Fund and HV Capital, ARX aims to retrofit 50,000 NATO vehicles and is already supplying Ukraine’s frontlines. The company is also building a UK facility to produce up to 1,800 war robots annually.
Deal: Series A
Region: Germany, Europe
Industry: Defense Tech
Sector: Autonomous Systems
Tech: Robotics, AI, Military OS
🔸 True Anomaly Raises $260M Series C to Accelerate Space Defense Infrastructure
Denver-based True Anomaly raised $260M in Series C financing, combining equity and debt, to expand its vertically integrated space defense platform. Backed by Accel, Meritech, and others, the company builds autonomous spacecraft (Jackal), runs on-orbit software (Mosaic), and supplies the U.S. Space Force with hardware, flight services, and mission control. New deployments will include GEO and cislunar missions.
Deal: Series C
Region: Colorado, USA
Industry: Space Defense
Sector: National Security
Tech: Autonomous Systems, Spacecraft, Tactical OS
🔸 Cast AI Raises $108M Series C to Optimize AI and Kubernetes Workloads
Miami-based Cast AI secured $108M in Series C funding to scale its workload optimization platform for AI, Kubernetes, and cloud infrastructure. With customers like BMW, Hugging Face, and FICO, Cast helps enterprises slash GPU and compute waste. The round, co-led by SoftBank and G2VP, puts the startup near unicorn valuation as it expands across U.S. and European markets.
Deal: Series C
Region: Florida, USA / Eastern Europe
Industry: Cloud Infrastructure
Sector: AI Ops, Developer Tools
Tech: AI
🔸 Spark Biomedical Raises $15M Series A for Drug-Free Wearable Neurostimulation
Dallas-based Spark Biomedical closed a $15M Series A round led by WAVE Ventures to scale its bioelectronic medicine platform for neurological health, hemostasis, and women’s health. The company’s wearable tech stimulates vagus and trigeminal nerves to deliver non-invasive, drug-free relief, tapping into the growing demand for alternatives to pharmaceuticals in behavioral and chronic care.
Deal: Series A
Region: USA
Industry: Health Tech
Sector: Bioelectronic Medicine
Tech: Wearables, Neurostimulation
🔸 Near Space Labs Raises $20M Series B to Scale Stratospheric Imaging Network
Brooklyn-based Near Space Labs raised $20M in a Series B led by Bold Capital to expand its fleet of high-altitude Swift robots capturing ultra-high-resolution aerial imagery. Operating above planes but below satellites, the platform is designed for real-time geospatial data across industries, including AI-driven insurance workflows.
Deal: Series B
Region: USA
Industry: Geospatial Intelligence
Sector: Aerial Imaging
Tech: Stratospheric Robotics, Remote Sensing, AI
🔸 Veza Raises $108M Series D at $808M Valuation to Lead Identity Security
Redwood Shores-based Veza raised $108M in a Series D round led by NEA to expand its unified identity security platform. With strong enterprise traction, Veza delivers granular visibility and access governance across cloud and SaaS ecosystems. The platform manages over 20B permissions and is a key enabler for secure GenAI deployments.
Deal: Series D
Region: USA
Industry: Cybersecurity
Sector: Identity Security
Tech: IAM, Access Governance, GenAI Security
🔸 Astronomer Raises $93M Series D to Power AI Through Scalable Data Orchestration
Cincinnati-based Astronomer, the company behind Apache Airflow, raised $93M in Series D funding led by Bain Capital Ventures. Its managed orchestration platform, Astro, is becoming foundational for AI pipeline reliability across Fortune 500 firms. With adoption soaring in production AI, the company is positioned as a control plane for enterprise DataOps.
Deal: Series D
Region: Ohio, USA
Industry: AI Infrastructure
Sector: Data Orchestration
Tech: Apache Airflow, MLOps, Cloud Workflow Automation
🔸 Nuclivision Secures €5M to Launch AI-Powered PET Imaging Platform
Belgian medtech Nuclivision raised €5M in a round led by LUMO Labs and Heran Partners to commercialize Nuclarity, its ML-powered software that enhances PET scan precision while reducing scan time and radiation exposure. Target applications include oncology and Alzheimer’s diagnostics.
Deal: Seed Round
Region: Belgium, Europe
Industry: MedTech
Sector: Medical Imaging
Tech: AI Diagnostics, PET Imaging, Radiopharma
🔸 DeepUll Raises €50M Series C to Advance Rapid Blood-Based Sepsis Diagnostics
Barcelona-based deepull closed a €50M Series C round co-led by Columbus Venture Partners, Panakès Partners and Mérieux Equity Partners. Funds will drive clinical validation and FDA approval for UllCORE, a fully automated blood-based diagnostic platform for rapid sepsis pathogen identification — with results delivered in under 1 hour.
Deal: Series C
Region: Spain
Industry: MedTech
Sector: Infectious Disease Diagnostics
Tech: Culture-Free Pathogen ID, Molecular Diagnostics
🔸 EnChannel Medical Raises $82.2M Series B to Transform Atrial Fibrillation Therapy
China-based EnChannel Medical raised $82.2M in an oversubscribed Series B co-led by Dragonball Capital and Lilly Asia Ventures. The company is developing a 5D full-chamber cardiac mapping and pulsed-field ablation platform to personalize treatment of atrial fibrillation.
Deal: Series B
Region: China / USA
Industry: CardioTech
Sector: Electrophysiology
Tech: 5D Mapping, Pulsed-Field Ablation, Intracardiac Imaging
🔸 Zucara Therapeutics Closes $25M Series B to Advance Hypoglycemia Prevention Therapy
Toronto-based Zucara closed a $25M Series B round with participation from Sanofi and the T1D Fund. Proceeds will fund Phase 2a trials and preclinical work on a once-weekly version of ZT-01, a novel SST2 antagonist to prevent hypoglycemia in insulin-dependent diabetes.
Deal: Series B
Region: Canada
Industry: Life Sciences
Sector: Endocrinology / Diabetes
Tech: Peptide Therapeutics, SST2 Antagonists
🔸 Epicore Biosystems Expands Series B to $32M to Scale Sweat-Sensing Wearables
Cambridge-based Epicore Biosystems added $6M in new funding, expanding its Series B to $32M. Its Connected Hydration wearable platform is now deployed across the U.S. Air Force, Chevron, and professional sports, and is scaling into Asia and the Middle East with real-time sweat analytics for workforce safety and athlete health.
Deal: Series B
Region: USA
Industry: Digital Health
Sector: Wearables / Industrial Health
Tech: Sweat Biomarkers, Hydration Monitoring, Haptics
🔸 CND Life Sciences Raises $13.5M Series A for Parkinson’s Diagnostics Expansion
Arizona-based CND Life Sciences raised $13.5M in Series A to scale adoption of its Syn-One Test, which detects pathological alpha-synuclein via skin biopsy to diagnose Parkinson’s and related neurodegenerative disorders earlier and more accurately.
Deal: Series A
Region: USA
Industry: NeuroDiagnostics
Sector: Parkinson’s & Dementia
Tech: Biomarkers, Skin-Based Diagnostics
🔸 Mach Industries Raising $100M to Scale Space-Edge Defense Systems
MIT dropout Ethan Thornton’s Mach Industries is closing a $100M round led by Khosla Ventures and Bedrock, valuing the defense tech startup at ~$470M. The company is developing precision VTOL missiles and modular microfactories for rapid defense manufacturing.
Deal: Series B (Pending)
Region: USA
Industry: Defense Tech
Sector: Strategic Weapons & Manufacturing
Tech: VTOL Cruise Missiles, Rapid-Fab Infrastructure
🔸 Utilidata Raises $60M to Bring AI to the Power Grid Edge
Utilidata raised $60.3M to scale its AI-enabled grid-edge devices built with Nvidia’s Jetson Orin chipsets. These smart meters process sub-second grid data and enable real-time decision-making to manage renewables, EVs, and distributed energy. Partners include Sunrun, Aclara, and multiple U.S. utilities.
Deal: Series C
Region: USA
Industry: ClimateTech
Sector: Grid Infrastructure
Tech: Edge AI, Smart Meters, Hardware
🔸 Craif Raises $22M to Expand Urine-Based Early Cancer Detection Platform
Japanese healthtech Craif raised $22M in Series C to bring its urine-based, miRNA-driven early cancer detection test miSignal to the U.S. market. Already revenue-generating in Japan with 20,000 users, Craif aims for FDA clearance by 2029 and $15M ARR by end of 2025.
Deal: Series C
Region: Japan / USA
Industry: Oncology Diagnostics
Sector: Early Detection
Tech: Urinary microRNA
🔸 Glacier Raises $16M to Expand AI-Powered Recycling Robot Fleet
San Francisco-based Glacier raised $16M Series A to scale its vision-guided recycling robots deployed across U.S. cities. Backed by Amazon Climate Pledge Fund and Ecosystem Integrity Fund, the company’s AI models outperform human sorting and provide data insights for MRFs and regulators.
Deal: Series A
Region: USA
Industry: Robotics / Circular Economy
Sector: Waste Tech
Tech: AI + Vision Robotics, Smart MRF Analytics
🔸 Field Materials Raises $10.5M Series A for AI in Construction Procurement
Field Materials secured $10.5M Series A to scale its AI platform for automating procurement in construction. Using LLMs to digitize invoices, quotes and POs across 4,500+ projects, the platform boosts margins and cuts material processing time by 90%.
Deal: Series A
Region: USA
Industry: ConstrucTech
Sector: Procurement AI
Tech: LLMs, AI
🔸 OSSTEC Raises £2.5M to Launch 3D-Printed Bone-Like Joint Implants in US
Imperial College spinout OSSTEC raised £2.5M (led by Empirical Ventures) to seek FDA approval and begin clinical trials for its 3D-printed orthopedic implants that mimic natural bone structure — starting with partial knee replacements.
Deal: Seed
Region: UK / USA
Industry: MedTech
Sector: Implants & Biomaterials
Tech: Bone-Mimetic 3D Printing, Biomechanical Design
🔸 eeden Raises €18M Series A to Scale Circular Textile Recycling Tech
German startup eeden closed €18M led by Forbion BioEconomy Fund to build a demo plant for its chemical recycling process that separates cotton-polyester blends into PET monomers and cellulose — enabling high-quality lyocell, viscose, and recycled polyester production.
Deal: Series A
Region: Germany
Industry: Circular Economy / Cleantech
Sector: Textile Recycling
Tech: Chemical Depolymerization, Circular Fiber Regeneration
🔸 Ace Aquatec Raises €11.7M to Expand Smart Aquaculture Tools
Scottish startup Ace Aquatec raised €11.7M (led by Stolt Ventures) to grow its portfolio of welfare-first aquaculture technologies. Tools include AI-driven fish monitoring, humane electric slaughter, acoustic seal deterrents, and sea lice removal systems.
Deal: Series A
Region: UK / LATAM
Industry: BlueTech / AgriTech
Sector: Aquaculture Automation
Tech: AI Cameras, Acoustic Biosecurity, Humane Electric Systems
Venture Capital Watch
🔹 University of Sydney Launches $25M Pre-Seed Fund for Home-Grown Startups
The University of Sydney has launched a $25M pre-seed fund to support the commercialisation of academic research into high-growth startups. Investments of up to $500K will support ventures in fields including life sciences, carbon capture, and advanced drug delivery. The initiative is part of a broader effort to bridge research and venture capital within Australia’s innovation ecosystem.
🔹 EWOR Receives €60M To Back Early Stage Founders
Berlin-based EWOR has raised €60M to scale its fellowship model supporting early-stage founders. Half the capital goes to its operating company, while the other half is deployed via a Luxembourg-based investment fund. Each fellow receives a €500K investment package and ongoing support from unicorn founders and a global mentor network. EWOR alumni have gone on to raise up to €11M during the program.
🔹 Aldea Ventures Secures €50M to Back Frontier Micro-VCs
Aldea Ventures has reached a €50M first close for its second fund, continuing its strategy of backing specialist early-stage VC managers in deep tech. The fund targets emerging micro- and nano-VCs with expertise in AI, climate, robotics, and next-gen computing. Aldea aims to deepen its European presence while selectively expanding into North America.
🔹 Uncork Capital Raises $300M to Support Category-Defining Startups
Uncork Capital has closed $300M across two new funds: a $225M seed fund (Uncork VIII) and a $75M growth fund (Uncork Plus IV). The firm plans to continue backing early-stage companies across B2B software, infrastructure, and developer tools, while supporting breakout portfolio companies as they scale.