Participated · Equity · Mar 2024

Vawlt builds long-term data storage solutions centered on a Supercloud concept that distributes data across multiple clouds and on-premises nodes simultaneously to ensure resilience and protection from outages and ransomware. The technology aims to create a resilient, secure, and efficient storage environment that maintains data availability even during cloud outages or security threats. Founded in 2018 and led by CEO Ricardo Mendes, the Lisbon-based startup closed a €2.15M funding round in March 2024. Vawlt intends to use the funds to expand its team, accelerate product innovation, and intensify support for its global Channel Partner Network. Backers in the round included Lince Capital, Basinghall Partners, Beta Capital, existing investors Armilar Venture Partners and Shilling VC, and individual investors Carlos Brazão and Alain Fiocco. The company focuses on accelerating and securing the transition to the cloud by facilitating solid, long-term data storage strategies.

Participated · Series A · Nov 2023

Retorio offers a behavioral intelligence platform that detects communication behavior and personality traits of candidates and team members and matches them to open positions and career opportunities. Its product includes an AI coach that integrates into employee workflows to deliver personalized, up-to-date training for sales and service teams. Customers include enterprises in the U.S., U.K., and Asia across industries such as automotive, insurance, telecommunications, and logistics. The company was founded in 2018 and is based in Munich, Germany. In November 2023 Retorio raised €9.0 million in a Series A funding round. The company plans to use the funds to expand its platform and prepare for expansion into the U.S. Retorio is a spin-off of the Technical University of Munich, founded in 2018 by Christoph Hohenberger and Patrick Oehler, that sells access to an AI platform on a subscription basis. The platform asks candidates and employees to respond to simulated video scenarios and automatically evaluates speech, facial expression, gesture and voice against psychologically grounded models to infer personality and behaviour. Results are matched to job and cultural requirements and can be used for selection, onboarding and training; customers can fill roles up to 70% faster, per the company. Retorio initially targeted communication training but expanded into hiring and internal analytics after early customers adopted it for selection; the product is used to build internal training programs and improve hiring decisions. The company says revenues grew roughly eightfold this year and it serves customers across the EU, UK, USA and India. Retorio has about 20 employees of ten nationalities and plans to further scale revenue and integrate its AI as a continual mentor for users; the company also offers a free public assessment at www.retorio.com.

Participated · Equity · Aug 2022

Founded in 2022 by Annika von Mutius and Larissa Leitner, Empion develops AI-driven tools to automate headhunting and deliver intelligent candidate matching. The founders say the use of AI in recruiting is nascent but already delivers significant efficiency and quality gains. Empion positions its product as a way to fundamentally change recruiting by enabling intelligent matching at scale. The company has attracted venture and angel interest, which the founders cite as validation of market fit. Financially, Empion raised an initial €2.4 million in summer 2022 and received a further €6 million investment more recently, according to company disclosures. Its team and backers portray the product as well aligned to current labor-market needs amid scarce skilled-workers supply. Empion is a Berlin HR startup building an AI-driven platform to automate headhunting and incorporate values and corporate culture into recruiting. The company was founded by Annika von Mutius and Larissa Leitner; it has existed since December and its product has been live since February. The platform currently lists around 350 companies. Investors including VR Ventures, Basinghall Partners and angel investors Robin Behlau, Constanze Buchheim and Emma Tracey have invested €2.4 million to date. Founders say they will continue to significantly develop the technology, prepare it for scaling, grow the team and build the Empion brand. They identify recruiting and assembling a strong team as their biggest ongoing challenge and use their own Empion method in hiring.

Participated · Series A · Nov 2021

Tended builds wearable geospatial positioning devices that alert rail workers when they exit designated safe zones and improve onsite safety. Organisations can map safe work zones in an online Dashboard and attach devices to assets including on-track plant (OTP), on-track machinery (OTM) and protection equipment. The devices display live locations to enhance worksite visibility and reduce risks such as points run throughs, collisions and objects left on the line. The company is led by CEO and Founder Leo Scott Smith and is based in Lincoln, UK. Tended intends to use the funds to grow its IP portfolio, accelerate development of its wearable device and increase headcount across sales and engineering. No operating metrics or prior funding details were mentioned in the article. Tended builds geofencing and geospatial products that let managers set 'safe' and 'unsafe' locations on a dashboard while wearables pinpoint workers and assets and alert users when they are unsafe. Its technology is deployed in heavy industries, with customers and partners including Network Rail, Siemens, Morgan Sindall and Amey. The company launched its Geofencing product in March 2023 and has secured contracts and pilots with Siemens Mobility. Tended says its tools provide insights to reduce the risk of accidents and incidents on-site. It is working in partnership with the European Space Agency on the next generation of its product and has secured major R&D funding to complete that iteration. Management states the product improves safety and efficiency in the rail industry and aims to reduce preventable fatalities in heavy industries. Tended develops wearable safety devices combined with behavioural psychology to transform safety in high-risk industries such as construction, manufacturing, utilities and logistics. Its platform uses psychometrics to uncover the drivers of unsafe behaviours and delivers personalised recommendations alongside wearable alerts. The company recently added a safety culture solution that provides in-depth insights and resources to drive positive behavioural change. Tended’s wearables reinforce safer actions by warning employees before entering hazardous areas. The startup counts customers including Siemens, Rolls‑Royce, Network Rail, Unilever and Babcock. Financially, Tended has raised a £2.4m Series A and now has £4.4m in total funding to support growth and further R&D.

Participated · Equity · Feb 2021

HUBX offers a cloud-powered platform that enables organizations to deploy modular, branded deal execution solutions and integrate with other services via standard APIs. The company works with startups, banking institutions, brokerages, exchanges, wealth managers, and corporate finance advisors to support private placements, deal syndication, and capital raising. HUBX’s technology aims to simplify marketing and deal execution through automation and data insights, delivered as a white-label solution. The firm was established in 2015 and in 2016 was chosen to operate ELITE’s capital raising platform. Management says the product roadmap will be advanced using newly raised funds, and the company emphasizes scaling its professional team and distribution capabilities. HUBX highlights that its investors and advisors include experienced banking CEOs, industry executives, and entrepreneurs.