In the West Midlands, the startup ecosystem is getting a boost from an unlikely source: local pension funds and the combined authority. Involved from the start of this innovative approach is Rupert Lyle, Principal of the West Midlands Co-Investment Fund. This pioneering fund, launched two years ago, is changing how regional businesses get financed, offering a blueprint for how pension capital can fuel homegrown innovation.

Rachel Curtis spent three decades in financial services, building a career focused on customer experience, operations, and marketing. But it was a digital transformation project that opened her eyes to the potential of a new kind of technology, and the gaping need for it.

Property management software Hospitable announced it has raised over $1.5 million in funding directly from its own customers and employees.

NGP Capital announced the results of its third, annual data-driven deep dive into the DACH startup ecosystem’s investment landscape. Comparing data from the 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025. 

For many startups, “going global” used to be an aspiration saved for later stages of growth. But today, ambitious young companies are thinking differently. They’re building globally distributed teams from the outset, treating international hiring not as an expansion strategy, but as a foundation for growth. 

Beyond Aero has reached Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL6) for its hydrogen-electric powered aircraft. This achievement is validated by a full-scale propulsion system test campaign in a representative environment, a critical milestone moving Beyond Aero from laboratory promise to real-industrial viability.

A new report from MIT recently sent shockwaves through the AI world: 95% of enterprise generative AI pilots deliver zero return on investment. Companies are moving fast with AI; some argue too fast. A wave of products are rushing to bolt on generative models, often with the same pattern: “Look what it can do!” But rarely: “How is this improving customer experience?”

Clarifeye, the platform enabling organisations to build expert AI agents at scale, has announced that it has raised a €4 million pre-seed round led by EQT Ventures. The round also includes participation from Drysdale Ventures, Olivier Pomel (CEO and founder Datadog), Jean-Luc Robert (ex-CEO Kyriba), Alexandre Berriche (Fleet), and other prominent angel investors.

HyET Solaris, the Dutch innovator in ultra-lightweight solar foils, announced it has entered into agreement with UK-based investors Aequitas Carbon Ltd and Abbeydale Partners LLP to fund the company with €60 million growth capital. The investment will finance the development of a new 50megawatt modular production facility in the Netherlands, with test production set for mid-2026 and full commercial output of flexible perovskite PV modules expected by Q4 2027.

The British Business Bank’s Debt Funds programme has made a positive impact on the UK debt market and finance ecosystem, according to an independent evaluation published today.

Digital Catapult has announced a £400,000 investment in deep tech startup Immersely to scale its solution and expand across the UK’s creative industries. Immersely’s tool could redefine the creative economy and fuel a steady pipeline of compelling new content, particularly in the design and development of video games.  

Qovery, a SaaS platform that automates DevOps and makes application deployment effortless on any cloud, has raised $13 million (€11.3 million) in Series A funding.

This autumn, Vienna will once again become a global epicentre where culture and technology join forces to bring positive societal changes. From 22nd - 23rd October, the CultTech Summit returns for its highly anticipated second edition. Set in the Aula der Wissenschaften, the Summit will transform this historic venue into a high-energy hub for startups, investors, and innovators at the cutting edge of culture and technology. Following last year’s sold-out debut with over 650 attendees, the 2025 edition will host 1,000+ participants ready to explore how emerging technologies are reshaping the creative industries – and how startups can lead the charge.

 This October, Vienna will once again become a global hub where culture and technology join forces to bring positive societal changes. From 22nd - 23rd October, the CultTech Summit returns for its highly anticipated second edition, building on the success of last year’s sold-out debut, which gathered over 650 pioneers from across the cultural and tech sectors. 

South Summit Industry & Energy returns to Bilbao on 26th - 27th November 2025, to celebrate its fourth edition. Co-organised by South Summit and the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, the event will once again bring together leading experts, corporations, investors, and startups in Industry 4.0, the Energy Transition, and Mobility sectors at the BAT – B Accelerator Tower. 

Mimica has announced a $26.2 million Series B funding round led by Paladin Capital Group, with continued backing from Khosla Ventures, LGVP, and Entrepreneurs First.

IW Capital has invested £4 million into Navigator, a fast-scaling digital advertising platform that is redefining how brands reach millions of travelling consumers in a privacy-first world.

The founder of cybersecurity giant Mimecast has invested £3 million ($4 million) in Glasgow-based global recruitment technology platform Willo as the company accelerates development of tools designed to help employers automatically verify candidate credentials amid a surge in AI-generated job applications.

GoodFit, the AI-driven data platform redefining how companies go to market, has raised a $13M Series A led by Notion Capital, with participation from Salica Investments, Inovia Capital, Robin Capital, Common Magic, and Andrena Ventures.

SageMaster, co-founded by brothers Moyn Islam, CEO, and Ehsaan Islam, CTO, has been named the winner of Best Trading Solution at the Entrepreneur Middle East Tech Innovation Awards 2025, held in Dubai last night.