APEX Ventures May Newsletter | European Milestones and Expansions
European deep tech startups achieve novel space firsts, secure major funding rounds, and forge strategic partnerships across quantum computing, healthcare AI, and clean energy sectors.
The deep tech ecosystem delivered extraordinary breakthroughs throughout April and May, with our portfolio companies achieving historic space firsts, securing major funding rounds, and earning prestigious industry recognition across quantum computing, healthcare AI, and advanced technologies:
ATMOS Space Cargo made history in April as the first private European entity to attempt space re-entry with its PHOENIX 1 capsule, launched aboard SpaceX's Bandwagon-3 rideshare mission. Meanwhile, OKAPI:Orbits secured €13M in seed funding led by Ventech to advance its space traffic management solutions globally, whilst OroraTech successfully launched the world's first wildfire detection satellite constellation and expanded to the US market with operations in Denver. Yuri achieved significant recognition with Co-founder and CEO Maria Birlem's nomination for the Female Founders Award by the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany, alongside successfully launching nutrition payloads to the International Space Station.
planqc garnered multiple industry accolades, being named "Startup of the Week" by both WirtschaftsWoche and The Innovator, whilst securing recognition as one of 10 global winners in the World Economic Forum's Quantum for Society Challenge.
The healthcare sector witnessed substantial progress with Upfront Diagnostics securing $4.3M in funding led by Phoenix Investments to commercialise its LVOne rapid stroke detection device. Mindpeak received recognition from Dr. Marilyn Bui, President of the Florida Society of Pathologists, and Quibim strengthened its leadership with a new Board of Directors, including industry veteran Tom Tynes. contextflow was featured in ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA's magazine and joined the IAEA's ZODIAC project for global health emergency response.
Our team maintained a strong presence across the European deep tech landscape, with Ion Hauer delivering keynotes at FutureSAX Roadshow and leading our successful April Deep Tech Meetup with Infineon in Berlin, focusing on optical computing innovations. Vera Kunz participated in "Deeptech Unplugged" at UCL London, whilst our team served as jurors at Deep Tech Momentum and attended HTGF Family Day, where portfolio companies kiutra, ATMOS Space Cargo, and Refined Laser Systems gained significant investor interest.
Looking ahead, connect with us at SuperVenture (2-4 June, Berlin), HHL SpinLab Investors Day (18 June, Leipzig), and 1E9 Festival der Zukunft (3 July, Munich).
OKAPI:Orbits, a European leader in space traffic management, has secured €13M in seed funding led by Ventech, with participation from Matterwave Ventures and Christian Miele and existing investors, including the Amadeus APEX Technology Fund, to advance space safety and sustainability solutions. The German startup's engineered platform provides critical coordination protocols for orbital operations, addressing the growing challenge of satellite congestion as it serves customers across Europe, Asia, and the United States.
The funding will fuel the company's global expansion as demand for space traffic management solutions increases alongside the rapid growth in satellite deployments, with investors positioning themselves as long-term business partners in this critical infrastructure sector.
Learn more from Tech Funding News.
Upfront Diagnostics has secured $4.3M in funding led by Phoenix Investments with participation from Cambridge Enterprise Ventures and non-dilutive support from SBRI Healthcare to advance commercialization of its LVOne rapid stroke detection device. The proprietary fingerstick blood test measures two biomarkers, GFAP and D-dimer, in minutes to enable faster treatment decisions and improve patient outcomes by reducing long-term disability risks. The funding will support UK and European market entry, US regulatory approval processes, and expanded R&D capabilities.
Read more in Business Weekly.
Upfront Diagnostics’ co-founders Edo Gaude (far right) and Gonzalo Ladreda (second right) and Marcos Ladreda (far left) with investors
Amadeus APEX Technology Fund
ATMOS Space Cargo made history in April when it became the first private European entity to attempt space re-entry with its PHOENIX 1 capsule, launched aboard SpaceX's Bandwagon-3 rideshare mission. The German startup's lightweight re-entry capsule, equipped with an innovative inflatable heat shield, successfully carried four commercial payloads including biological and technological experiments from partners across the UK, Germany, and Japan.
The company has capitalized on this technical achievement with significant business expansion, securing new investment from Expansion Ventures and establishing a French subsidiary in Strasbourg to support operations. ATMOS has also formed a strategic "Space Defence Alliance" with ARX Robotics to create what they describe as the world's first orbit-to-ground civil and defense logistics platform, while joining the European Commission's flagship Cassini Business Accelerator program. The moves position ATMOS as a key player in the rapidly expanding space logistics market.
GEMESYS’ Co-founder and CEO, Moritz Schmidt joined NRW’s Science Minister Ina Brandes in discussing deep tech’s role in regional innovation. Learn more.
GEMESYS’ Moritz Schmidt (second from right) met with NRW’s Science Minister, Ina Brandes (forth from right), at BRYCK.COM. Together with Claas Ahrens (forth from left) and Dr. Maximilian A. Hartmann (first right) from vGreens as well as Max Krause from Simplyfined (third from the right), they discussed the deep-tech innovation in the Ruhr area.
HyperHeat has been recognised as a Top Cleantech Startup by Cemex Ventures! They've earned a spot on the prestigious Cleantech Construction Map 2025. More here.
planqc has been named "Startup of the Week" by both WirtschaftsWoche for its neutral-atom quantum computing approach and The Innovator for leading Europe's quantum frontier and building fault-tolerant quantum computers for real-world use cases across climate, manufacturing, and aerospace sectors. The company was also selected as one of 10 global winners in the World Economic Forum's Quantum for Society Challenge, recognized specifically for its work on neutral atom quantum computers and supply chain optimization. Additionally, planqc hosted Bavarian MP Maximilian Böltl, where founders Sebastian Blatt and Alexander Glätzle engaged in discussions about technological sovereignty and the strategic vision for the Munich Quantum Valley, highlighting the company's role in advancing European quantum computing capabilities.
planqc co-founders with Bavarian MP Maximilian Böltl
UniSieve partnered with MOL group to recover propylene, the second largest class of high-value chemicals, from a complex gas stream using a compact add-on unit. The attractive value proposition of UniSieve's product is accelerating the implementation of a commercial unit.
UniSieve’s demo unit for chemical recovery
Vertus Energy received recognition from Energy Capital Ventures in The Green Molecules Journal, showcasing how they turn waste methane into renewable fuels like hydrogen and methanol — a crucial move in the RNG transition. Read on.
APEX Medical
CardiaTec Bio has been spotlighted among Cambridge’s best AI spinouts, recognized for pioneering work in cardiovascular drug discovery. See the whole list.
Lyfegen has published its Q1 2025 Drug Pricing & Access Trends Report, analyzing 339 public reimbursement agreements across 30 countries to provide real-world intelligence for pricing, market access, and policy teams navigating high-cost therapies and access demands. Key insights include the primary drivers behind coverage decisions—ranging from unmet medical need and orphan status to advocacy efforts and end-of-life exceptions—alongside tactical guidance for pharmaceutical teams negotiating access for gene therapies and specialty drugs, offering a comprehensive data-backed perspective on current market access trends and future developments. Download the report.
Mindpeak's AI model for HER2 breast cancer diagnostics has received recognition from Dr. Marilyn Bui, President of the Florida Society of Pathologists, who highlighted the company's diagnostic precision capabilities in pathology during a recent presentation. The German AI pathology company has also partnered with DigitCells to integrate its breast cancer AI tools into DigitCells' digital pathology workflow, initiating a full US market rollout in collaboration with GoPath Diagnostics.
Quibim announced the formation of a new six-member Board of Directors in April to drive growth and strategic expansion. The board includes CEO and Co-Founder Dr. Ángel Alberich-Bayarri alongside key investors Pierre Socha (Amadeus Capital), Romain Lavault (Partech), Guillem Masferrer (Asabys Partners), and José Mesa (Columbus Venture Partners), plus new independent director Tom Tynes, founder of T2 MedTech. Tynes brings 30 years of medical device experience, having pioneered transformative diagnostic imaging innovations including DynaCAD, the industry-leading breast MRI computer-aided detection system, and will guide Quibim's US market expansion as the company's advanced imaging solutions are now utilized across more than 180 sites worldwide.
The Spanish company has also forged strategic partnerships to expand its AI capabilities, joining Friends of Cancer Research for the ai.RECIST project—an AI-based approach to standardizing tumor measurement in clinical trials and reducing reader bias—while announcing a collaboration with Blackford to bring AI prostate cancer detection to more radiologists through its QP-Prostate system.
Tom Tynes, Founder of T2 MedTech and new Quibim board member
Solvemed recently launched the PuRe score – a lighting-invariant, ML-based measure for assessing pupil reactivity, facilitating reliable and convenient assessment of neurological function. See how it works. The company also partnered with the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences to monitor astronaut vision in real-time, helping to tackle Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS) using its AI pupillometry system.
Yuri’s Co-founder and CEO Maria Birlem has been nominated for the Female Founders Award by the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany, recognizing her leadership in driving innovation and breaking barriers in the space technology sector. This recognition comes as the company achieves significant technical milestones, successfully launching and installing a nutrition payload aboard the International Space Station via SpaceX CRS-32 to investigate microalgae-based protein production in microgravity conditions.
The ISS mission utilizes Yuri's proprietary ScienceShell bioreactors and Yuri-SABL-Interface-Tray technology to enable scalable biological experiments for customer Sophie's BioNutrients, with additional partnership support from the European Space Agency's ScaleUp Programme, the Danish Technological Institute, and BioServe Space Technologies. Building on this success, Yuri is preparing a commercial microalgae fermentation payload for the ISS in under 12 months, positioning the company to advance sustainable protein production capabilities through space-based biotechnology and demonstrate the commercial viability of microgravity manufacturing for Earth-based applications.
Yuri’s experiments are to be launched in the International Space Station, set to launch aboard SpaceX32.
Zetta Genomics has been shortlisted for the NHS Wales Sustainability Conference & Awards 2025 in the “Improvement and Innovation” category, for its genomic tech’s impact in public healthcare.
APEX One
contextflow has been featured in ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA's FRESH VIEW Magazine as a leader in digital diagnostics, with the article highlighting how its AI solutions are advancing accuracy and speed in modern radiology workflows. The company has also expanded its commercial reach through a strategic partnership with FUJIFILM Healthcare Europe, making its ADVANCE Chest CT solution available on FUJIFILM's SYNAPSE PACS platform to support seamless integration of AI technology into scalable radiology systems across healthcare networks. In addition to its commercial partnerships, contextflow has joined the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s ZODIAC project, bringing its AI capabilities into the global health emergency response toolkit and demonstrating the company's commitment to addressing critical healthcare challenges on an international scale.
The Artificial Intelligence in Public Health Research Symposium
Elucidate has been shortlisted as a finalist for the ICA Compliance Awards 2025 for innovation in financial crime prevention, while also announcing a strategic partnership with Ankura, an expert-led risk and change management consulting firm, to enhance precision in evidence-based financial crime risk management.
kiutra’s L-Type Rapid cryostat was purchased by the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS for research on qubits and the qualification of superconducting systems.
Frozen puck for mounting and sample insertion into the “L-Type Rapid”. Photo credit © Fraunhofer IPMS
Mobius Labs' founder Hicham Badri discusses challenges of bfloat16 with Triton kernels. Definitely worth a read!
OroraTech has expanded its US operations by establishing a presence in Denver to support national resilience efforts and extending wildfire protection to Silicon Valley through a partnership with the Santa Clara County FireSafe Council, helping San Jose Water safeguard nearly 25,000 acres of watershed and critical drinking water systems in California, and integrated its thermal data with SkyFi's Earth Intelligence platform to provide faster decision-making tools for US emergency services, insurers, and infrastructure leaders.
A thermal image of the Grand Canyon in the United States. Photo credit: OroraTech
SpleenLab was nominated as the sole startup in the €17M SAFE AI ENGINEERING Consortium, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Mercedes-Benz, Bosch and Continental. Learn more.The company also released its first hardware product: DevKit Payload – a plug-and-play DevKit built for Global Navigation Satellite Systemx (GNSS)-denied environments and running its VISIONAIRY AI stack (SLAM, VIO) for UAVs, UGVs, and USVs.
SpleenLab’s DevKit Payload
After conquering Germany, sewts set its sights on the U.S. market. Alexander Bley, Co-founder and CEO, shares a glimpse of the kick-off in NYC, meeting customers and investors aligned with their mission to excel in automation with industrial-grade expert AI models.
sewts co-founders planning the US expansion
With its 4th-gen Laser LCoS Light Engine now live, VitreaLab is enhancing AR display precision via their proprietary quantum light chip, offering enhanced image sharpness, superior stability, and unmatched control.
VitreaLab’s Laser LCoS Light Engine
VividQ’s CEO Darran Milne, received the Ben Sturgeon Award for his remarkable achievements in advancing holographic displays.
VividQ’s CEO Darran Milne and the Ben Sturgeon Award
The AI boom across Europe has created unprecedented demand for computing power, presenting significant opportunities for startups focused on the future of compute including efficient computing, chip design, and computing security.
Similarly, European hardware startups, especially those in AI chips, robotics, and wearables, are thriving due to shifting global supply chains and increased demand for local tech.
Ion Hauer and Andreas Riegler shared insights with Sifted about how this surges driving investment and innovation across the sector, with European venture capitalists identifying promising companies positioned to capitalize on these market dynamics. Read all about them here:
👉 Compute power featuring Skycore Semiconductors and Luxtelligence.
👉 Hardware featuring SemiQon and Equal 1.
🎉 The Deep Tech VC Fellowship is live! We’re delighted to welcome Ragini Bal Mahesh, Doctoral Researcher at theGerman Aerospace Center, on board as a PhD fellow! 🎉
Her research focuses on developing novel deep learning frameworks by integrating physics and domain knowledge (self-supervised learning) to bridge the gap between traditional models and deep learning techniques for satellite imagery.
Packed with insightful sessions related to AI model efficiency, bottlenecks in next-gen chips, cybersecurity of grid, scaling spatial omics for broader applications, robotics in construction and many others, this program will help individuals to connect deeper with Munich's tech and VC ecosystem.
Learn more about this fellowship here and stay tuned for updates in the next few months!
💡In April, Ion Hauer, Principal at APEX Ventures, gave a keynote at the FutureSAX Roadshow. Geared towards industry leaders and disruptors, he discussed key market insights in advanced computing and electronics, covering topics like artificial intelligence, edge computing, and quantum computing.
Ion Hauer at the FutureSAX Roadshow event
Ion Hauer was also present at Stuttgart's inaugural Applied Deep Tech Fest, contributing both his strategic investor perspective and technical expertise. He participated in the opening panel discussion alongside leading figures, including Dr Frédéric du Bois-Reymond from Earlybird Venture Capital and Prof Dr Thomas Bauernhansl from Fraunhofer IPA, examining current trends and future opportunities in the deep tech landscape. Ion subsequently led the semiconductors deep dive session, sharing the stage with Dr Eric Heintze from NXTGN and Dr Michael Jetter from the University of Stuttgart, demonstrating APEX Ventures' commitment to bridging academic innovation with commercial applications.
Ion Hauer (middle) at the Applied Deep Tech Fest’s panel talk on trends, challenges, and future opportunities in the Deep Tech landscape.
🚀Our April Deep Tech Meetup with Infineon in Berlin was equally successful. Focused on computing at the speed of light, discussions centered on how computing will drastically increase compute performance while reducing energy consumption. We were joined by Akhetonics and Linque founders who explained their exciting product developments in the field during a panel discussion led by our very own Ion Hauer.
Left to right: Michael Kissner, Arkhetonics Founder, Samarth Vadia, Linque Co-Founder and Ion Hauer, APEX Ventures’ Principal
🎙️Vera Kunz, Associate at APEX Ventures, successfully participated in "Deeptech Unplugged: Real Talk from the VC Frontlines" in April, at UCL London, sponsored by the Marie Curie Doctoral Training Network "Storage," an economic training program focused on sustainable energy investment for approximately 50 PhD students, European professors, and industry representatives including Umicore battery materials from Belgium. Alongside speakers including Xin Hao from Bank of China, Chelsea Nickels from Orsted, Leo Guo from LLP Capital Management, and Jeffrey Currie from the Carlyle Group, Vera and Julia Wagner from Positron Ventures conducted a seminar on transitioning from PhD research in mathematics and chemistry to deeptech venture capital, followed by a comprehensive panel discussion covering all presentation topics.
Deep Tech Momentum, Europe’s largest growth engine for deep tech, proved to be an excellent event. Our Principal Ion Hauer presented a key session on “The Deep Tech Transfer Playbook: Transforming University IP into Successful Ventures”. Moreover we were proud to have our team serve as jurors for pitch competitions: General Partner, Andreas Riegler participated in the Semi-Final New Space pitch competition while Ion Hauer was on the jury of the Future of Computing Semi-Final Pitch Competition. Vera Kunz, Investment Associate, was there as well, taking it all in - she shares her favourite takeaway from the Google X Moonshot Factory event: "Always go for an improvement of 10x, not 10%.
Upper left photo: Ion Hauer (left), Vera Kunz, and Andreas Riegler at Deep Tech Momentum
Our team also attended the HTGF Family Day in May, where we were proud to see portfolio companies kiutraATMOS Space Cargo, and Refined Laser Systems stand out and gain interest among investors and the industry.
Here are three insights from our very own Tim Hos from the event:
Deep tech demand is driving growth, from energy and semiconductors to space.
European VCs are delivering results, with top 10 funds (Q4 2024) showing strong DPI returns (3.3–13.3).
Tech sovereignty is maturing, with reduced supply chain dependencies and stronger innovation in robotics, manufacturing, and energy.
APEX Ventures’ General Partners Andreas Riegler (left), Wolfgang Neubert (center) and Investment Associate Tim Hos (right) at HTGF Family Day
Meet the APEX Ventures team at the following events in the upcoming months:
▶️ SuperVenture / 2-4 June / Berlin, Germany / Andreas Riegler, Wolfgang Neubert
▶️ HHL SpinLab Investors Day/ 18 June / Leipzig, Germany / Ion Hauer
▶️The Saxon Investors' Day 2025 / 26 June / Dresden, Germany/ Ion Hauer
▶️ 1E9 Festival der Zukunft / 3 July / Munich, Germany/ Ion Hauer