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Funding News
SiliconCanals
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Image Credit: SiliconCanals
Italy’s Zanichelli turns a new page: 166-year-old publisher’s €60M tech bet on future of learning
- Italy’s Zanichelli Editore has launched ZNEXT, a €60M initiative focusing on developing technology businesses in education, work, lifelong learning, and wellbeing.
- ZNEXT will invest in edtech and other technology companies through a venture builder model and M&A arm, led by Elena Lavezzi.
- The initiative is fully funded by Zanichelli Editore, aiming for long-term revenue growth in the learning market.
- Funds will be allocated to a venture builder for early-stage funding and an M&A arm for high-growth startups.
- ZNEXT will provide support and resources to help portfolio companies grow.
- This marks a strategic expansion for Zanichelli Editore, known for its educational publishing legacy.
- The initiative complements the existing Zanichelli Venture fund, marking a significant move into technology investment.
- Elena Lavezzi brings experience from Uber and Revolut to ZNEXT, focusing on unlocking human potential through technology.
- Unlike traditional VC models, ZNEXT is designed for sustainable growth with a focus on human development technologies.
- Ferrante Enriques, a major shareholder, highlights the importance of investing in technology for human adaptability.
- ZNEXT and Zanichelli Editore aim to enable individuals worldwide to adapt to evolving lifestyles through technology.
- The initiative reflects a long-term commitment to education and human development.
- Elena Lavezzi emphasizes Zanichelli’s history and the importance of adapting to change.
- The focus is on diversification and innovation, aligning with the company’s longstanding evolution.
- ZNEXT represents a new chapter in Zanichelli’s history, paralleling the continuous innovation over 150 years.
- The initiative is aimed at unlocking human potential through world-class technology, driven by energy and ambition.
- The company's perspective is focused on long-term human development and adaptability to societal changes.
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Eu-Startups
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Italian publishing house Zanichelli Editore launches €60 million EdTech push to “unlock human potential”
- Zanichelli Editore launches ZNEXT, a €60 million EdTech initiative.
- ZNEXT will invest in EdTech, Future of Work, Lifelong Learning, and Wellbeing technology.
- Led by Elena Lavezzi, ZNEXT aims to back startups and acquire stakes in high-potential businesses.
- Zanichelli Editore, founded in 1859, is known for its contributions to Italian culture and science.
- The company has a history of innovation in publishing and education.
- ZNEXT marks a strategic shift for Zanichelli towards venture building and acquisitions.
- Elena Lavezzi emphasizes the importance of diversification and innovation.
- ZNEXT will offer funding, operational support, and network access to selected ventures.
- This initiative aligns with Zanichelli's commitment to education and lifelong learning.
- Ferrante Enriques spearheaded the creation of ZNEXT as an advocate for technology-driven human adaptability.
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Fintechnews
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89
Image Credit: Fintechnews
TBC Bank Uzbekistan Secures $12.5M from Triple Jump
- TBC Bank Uzbekistan has secured $12.5 million in financing from Dutch impact investment firm Triple Jump.
- The funding aims to diversify TBC Bank Uzbekistan's funding base and enhance financial inclusion in Uzbekistan, especially through the introduction of a new SME lending product.
- The financing consists of $5 million from the Global Gender-Smart Fund and $7.5 million from Triple Jump’s ASN Microkredietpool Fund, focusing on supporting financial services in emerging markets, with an emphasis on women-owned or led businesses.
- The capital injection will enable TBC Bank Uzbekistan to expand lending to underserved communities, particularly improving access to finance for women and women-led enterprises.
- Nika Kurdiani, CEO of TBC Uzbekistan, highlighted the importance and impact of the funding on SME lending, aiming to enhance access to financial services and promote economic growth in Uzbekistan.
- Jarri Jung, Director of Financial Institutions at Triple Jump, expressed optimism that the investment will bolster TBC Bank Uzbekistan's efforts in financial inclusion and expanding access.
- This financing brings Triple Jump's total commitment to TBC Bank Uzbekistan to $22.5 million, with previous investments totaling $45 million from various entities.
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SiliconCanals
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205
Image Credit: SiliconCanals
Cedars-Sinai launches €43.4M Coronet Ventures Netherlands Fund to back Dutch health tech startups
- Cedars-Sinai Technology Ventures launches Coronet Ventures Netherlands Fund to support Dutch health tech startups.
- The fund aims to back early-stage health and life sciences startups in the Netherlands.
- James D. Laur highlights the goal of accelerating clinical translation and bringing breakthrough technologies to patients faster.
- Cedars-Sinai, based in Los Angeles, focuses on clinical care and research in areas like heart disease, cancer, and brain disorders.
- Coronet Ventures Netherlands will invest €43.4M over the next decade to support Dutch startups in biomedical and health tech solutions.
- Startups funded by the new fund will have access to Cedars-Sinai's clinical data environment and commercialization support.
- The initiative is part of Cedars-Sinai Technology Ventures to connect researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors for impactful healthcare solutions.
- Coronet Ventures Netherlands joins Cedars-Sinai's international portfolio alongside Coronet Ventures U.S. and Coronet Ventures Singapore.
- The partnership aims to facilitate a platform with deep clinical validation and support for companies to scale quickly into the U.S.
- The new venture fund extends the existing collaboration between Cedars-Sinai and Dutch innovators.
- HealthPlus.ai, an Amsterdam-based startup, predicts infection risk using health records and AI.
- Syntho, a company from Amsterdam, uses AI to generate synthetic healthcare data for medical researchers.
- Syntho has completed a pilot program with Cedars-Sinai and is discussing further collaboration with the organization's AI Lab.
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Eu-Startups
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Polish VC firm Movens Capital launches €60 million fund to back CEE tech Founders from pre-Seed to Series A+
- Warsaw-based VC firm Movens Capital has launched a €60 million multi-stage Fund 2 to invest in Founders from Central and Eastern Europe at pre-Seed to Series A+ stages.
- The fund is supported by the EBRD, PFR Ventures, and over 80 startup Founders, tech operators, and entrepreneurs.
- Movens Capital aims to provide capital and operational support for CEE Founders looking to achieve global growth.
- The firm, founded in 2018, offers expertise in tech and machine learning, assisting portfolio companies with various aspects of scaling.
- Movens' portfolio includes companies like Alokai, Packhelp, SKY ENGINE AI, and Talkie.ai, which have received global VC funding and scaled internationally.
- Movens plans to address the funding gap in CEE by backing startups in sectors like enterprise software, AI, FinTech, and healthcare.
- Fund 2 will focus on making investments across various countries in the region, including Poland, Hungary, and Ukraine.
- Movens is actively investing from Fund 2 and expects to announce deals this summer, targeting sectors like AI infrastructure and climate resilience technologies.
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Eu-Startups
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British AI startup PhysicsX raises €117.3 million for a new era of AI-native engineering and manufacturing
- PhysicsX, a London-headquartered company, has raised €117.3 million in Series B financing to support its global growth and industrial adoption of its AI enterprise software platform across multiple industries.
- The funding round was led by Atomico, with participation from Temasek, Siemens, Applied Materials, and July Fund, among others, and support from existing investors.
- Co-founder Jacomo Corbo stated that the investment reflects the importance of industrial manufacturing, with PhysicsX aiming to revolutionize engineering and hardware innovation using AI capabilities.
- Founded in 2023, PhysicsX is led by industry experts Robin Tuluie and Jacomo Corbo, focusing on bringing AI enablement to the engineering lifecycle in industries like aerospace, automotive, semiconductors, materials, and energy.
- The company's main goal is to empower manufacturing organizations to solve complex challenges faster and more efficiently with advanced AI tools.
- PhysicsX collaborates with leading companies in critical industries, providing support for their most complex challenges using AI-driven solutions.
- Through their innovative software stack, PhysicsX aims to transform engineering processes, shorten design cycles, reduce costs, and accelerate innovation in industries vital to the global economy.
- The company believes that AI-native engineering software can address key challenges like compressing timelines, enhancing performance, and unlocking new technologies in hardware innovation.
- Having grown rapidly since its Series A funding, PhysicsX now has over 150 employees and has quadrupled revenue over the past two years.
- The latest investment of €117.3 million brings the total funding to nearly €147.7 million, allowing PhysicsX to expand globally and develop advanced physics foundation models.
- Siemens believes in the potential of PhysicsX to revolutionize industrial innovation through the convergence of industrial expertise and AI capabilities, aligning with Europe's industrial strength and AI talent pool.
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TechCrunch
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Image Credit: TechCrunch
SMB-focused Finom closes €115M as European fintech heats up
- Finom, a challenger bank focusing on European small and medium-sized businesses, has closed a €115 million Series C equity round, following a recent $105 million growth funding round from General Catalyst.
- The company offers a financial platform combining banking, invoicing, and AI-enabled accounting services, aiming to reach one million business customers by 2026.
- AVP led the Series C round, with participation from Headline Growth, Cogito Capital, General Catalyst, and Northzone, emphasizing Finom's potential impact on Europe's 26 million SMBs.
- Finom's unique funding structure includes non-traditional financing from General Catalyst's Customer Value Fund, earmarked solely for growth purposes.
- The funding will support strategic acquisitions and the expansion of Finom's product line, including horizontal (deposits and loans) and vertical (taxes, reporting) offerings, driven by AI technology.
- The company's focus on utilizing AI extends to internal operations, where they plan to leverage AI agents for automation and efficiency.
- With licensing limitations in some markets, Finom is exploring opportunities in lending and other financial services, targeting areas where traditional banks are underserving small businesses.
- The leadership structure at Finom has evolved, with CEO Andrey Petrov taking on a more prominent role, supported by advisors Yakov Novikov and Oleg Laguta.
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SiliconCanals
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Image Credit: SiliconCanals
London’s AI startup PhysicsX raises €117.4M in Atomico-led round to reshape engineering and manufacturing
- London-based PhysicsX, a deeptech startup, secures $135M in Series B funding led by Atomico.
- Total funding raised by PhysicsX now stands at nearly $170M.
- The Series B round sees participation from Temasek, Siemens, Applied Materials, and July Fund, among others.
- Siemens believes in the potential of AI and industrial expertise to revolutionize design and manufacturing.
- PhysicsX is praised for enabling engineers to solve complex problems efficiently with AI-powered engineering software.
- PhysicsX is developing AI-native engineering software for industrial applications to optimize the engineering lifecycle.
- The company aims to reduce time, improve performance, and unlock new categories of machines and processes.
- PhysicsX combines AI-driven physics inference with numerical simulation to enhance product development and performance.
- The funding will fuel global growth and adoption of PhysicsX's platform across various sectors.
- The co-founders of PhysicsX bring a blend of experience in high-performance motorsport and advanced AI development.
- Previous funding included a $32M Series A round in November 2023, leading to rapid growth and revenue increase for PhysicsX.
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Getfullyfunded
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Image Credit: Getfullyfunded
5 Steps to Create a Simple Social Media Plan
- Creating a successful social media presence, especially for nonprofits, requires a well-thought-out plan.
- A nonprofit social media plan helps in communicating with followers effectively and gaining support for the mission.
- Having a structured plan saves time and ensures consistent messaging.
- Building a social media calendar including holidays, fundraising dates, and events is crucial.
- Understanding your target audience and tailoring content to engage them is essential.
- Diversifying content with informative, engaging, entertaining, and call-to-action posts is key.
- Utilizing original and shared content, videos, memes, and photos to engage followers is recommended.
- Choosing the right social media platforms based on your audience demographics is crucial for success.
- Determining the best times to post and maintaining a balance between informative and promotional content is important.
- A self-care approach to social media planning involves building relationships and providing valuable content.
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Eu-Startups
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Finnish startup CloEE raises €520k to accelerate AI-driven process manufacturing
- Helsinki-based startup CloEE raises €520k in pre-Seed funding to scale its AI-powered platform for discrete manufacturing in the Nordics, Italy, and the US.
- The funding round was led by angel investor Miro Vertanen and the Innovestor Angel Co-fund, with additional participation from Cariplo Iniziative and FiBAN members.
- CloEE addresses manufacturers' need for affordable, plug-and-play AI solutions to improve equipment efficiency by analyzing data directly from industrial machines.
- The platform has expanded within clients' facilities organically, currently being piloted by a US customer for a possible three-year contract.
- CloEE, founded in 2022, leverages generative AI for real-time data analysis from equipment, MES, and ERP systems to drive continuous improvement in manufacturing operations.
- The startup has already generated significant revenue growth and improvements in energy consumption and operational efficiency through AI implementation.
- CloEE's solution focuses on optimizing overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), automating operations, enhancing productivity, and reducing quality defects.
- The company's flexible deployment options include on-premise, offline, or cloud setups, requiring minimal time and cost for implementation.
- Global AI in manufacturing market is projected to reach over €199.5 billion by 2034, driven by AI automation, predictive maintenance, and quality control technologies.
- CloEE emphasizes user-friendly AI platforms for future engineers, aiming to address anticipated skill shortages in advanced digital manufacturing roles.
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Medium
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Image Credit: Medium
Why VCs Are Betting Big on Europe’s €800B Defense Boom
- Europe is investing €800 billion into defense, attracting venture capitalists who were previously hesitant about military-related investments.
- The defense sector in Europe is experiencing a transformation with technologies like AI-powered drones and satellite surveillance startups playing a key role.
- The focus is not just on war but also on sovereignty, security, and capitalizing on technological opportunities.
- Europe had a wake-up call after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, leading to a shift in the security landscape.
- The confidence in external protection wavered, pushing Europe towards investing more in defense capabilities.
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Pymnts
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28
Image Credit: Pymnts
Ex-OpenAI Tech Chief Raises $2 Billion for New AI Startup
- Thinking Machine, a startup founded by an ex-OpenAI executive, has reached a $10 billion valuation following a $2 billion funding deal.
- The recent funding round was one of the largest seed funding rounds in Silicon Valley's history.
- Thinking Machine utilized the reputation of former OpenAI technology chief Mira Murati to attract investors.
- Mira Murati left OpenAI in September and launched Thinking Machine in February with the goal of advancing AI.
- She played a key role in product launches like ChatGPT and DALL-E at OpenAI.
- Mira Murati was involved in raising concerns about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman before his temporary removal and her brief stint as interim CEO.
- Former OpenAI executives are starting new AI startups, such as Periodic Labs and Safe Superintelligence.
- These initiatives reflect the growing importance of AI in both startup ventures and enterprise applications.
- AI technology has evolved from an experimental phase to becoming a critical component of back-office infrastructure.
- The application of AI is now more focused on real-world utility and operational necessity.
- AI startups and investments continue to attract significant attention in the tech industry.
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Moneyweb
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151
App and web-based based funding solutions for SMEs
- SMEgo by Old Mutual is a digital platform and app designed to assist South African SMEs in running and growing their businesses.
- SMEgo provides SMEs with a network of businesses and various funding options, aiming to address the significant challenge of funding for SMEs.
- The app features a 'funding concierge' bringing together internal and external funders offering different funding products on one platform.
- Funding options include business loans, asset finance, contract finance, purchase-order finance, early-invoice discounting, personal loans, and overdrafts.
- SMEs benefit from the platform's assistance in linking them to the most suitable funder based on their profile and funding requirements.
- SMEgo introduced a 12-month revolving funding facility with an interest-only payment structure to improve SMEs' cash flow.
- The platform aims to provide quick turnaround times for funding applications, with requirements including financial statements and bank accounts.
- SMEgo continues to evolve with new features like The Marketplace and enhancements to financial management tools.
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Medium
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Image Credit: Medium
Fund Momentum — Fresh Funds Ready to Deploy #17
- Michael Schneider, a serial founder, operator, VC scout, and startup advisor, launched his fundraising consultancy, Seedraisr.
- He supports early-stage startup founders and family offices with deal flow and venture scouting.
- In his biweekly newsletter, he shares insights on developments in the venture capital market.
- The latest edition covers 18 VC & PE funds raised in early June 2025.
- The newsletter includes details on the funds and offers a special partner section.
- It also features a segment on new funds in the making or under the radar, presented by Specter.
- Seedraisr offers additional insights on the fresh funds.
- The full breakdown of 18 funds can be accessed by subscribing to the newsletter.
- There is an option to become a founding member for complete access to the fund list spreadsheet.
- The newsletter provides value to those interested in venture capital investments.
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Medium
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Image Credit: Medium
You don’t need more features. You need better logs.
- Product managers sometimes treat engineers as mere extensions of their roadmap spreadsheet due to market pressure and constant demands for updates.
- Collisions between the push for rapid development and a team lacking the courage to address being 'flying blind' can lead to operational chaos.
- Stopping development often feels like a failure to many product managers as it implies less data, iteration, and fewer chances to showcase progress.
- The problem is not about good or bad product managers but rather the overlooking of the critical aspects like logs, metrics, and observability by some brilliant PMs.
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