Participated · Series A · Apr 2026

&Charge provides an operations platform that merges digital monitoring with a decentralized execution layer, using a community of EV drivers and local service partners to collect field data and perform on-site tasks. The platform aggregates field and usage data to prioritize actions, dispatch service partners, and verify resolutions, aiming to reduce downtime and improve the charging experience. The startup currently supports major charging-point operators including Ionity, Electra, and Allego and manages over 50,000 charging points. &Charge is headquartered in Frankfurt. Financially, the company raised €5 million in a Series A led by Warsaw Equity Group with participation from InnoEnergy, Redstone, and Porsche Ventures, and had an earlier investment from InnoEnergy in December 2023. The firm plans to use the new capital to build a control layer for daily operations and to expand across European markets.

Participated · Equity · Dec 2025

South 8 Technologies develops a proprietary liquefied gas electrolyte called LiGas and manufactures high-performance, resilient lithium-ion battery cells. The company's LiGas platform is positioned to improve safety, enhance extreme-temperature performance, enable faster charging, and extend cycle life compared with traditional electrolytes. South 8 emphasizes a fully domestic supply chain, with gas-based components produced at industrial scale in the United States. Following the grant, the company plans to expand its San Diego operations to reach annual production capacity of 100 MWh for electrolyte and 2 MWh for lithium-ion battery cells. Its customers and target markets include defense, aerospace, mobility, and global automotive manufacturers working on next-generation battery qualification programs. The company highlighted that the expansion supports job creation and local economic benefits aligned with California's zero-emission transportation goals.

Participated · Series B · Aug 2025

Bumper provides an automotive payments platform focused on its PayLater product, which allows drivers to finance vehicle repairs and servicing by spreading costs over several months. The company positions itself as a tool to make car ownership more affordable and keep motorists on the road. Headquartered in Sheffield, Bumper has been steadily scaling across Europe, supported by both equity and credit facilities. Since 2021 it has partnered with Secure Trust Bank Commercial Finance (STB CF), gradually expanding its borrowing capacity to fuel growth. In 2023 the firm also closed an £8 million Series B extension to accelerate product rollout and European expansion. The newly enlarged £60 million STB CF facility gives Bumper significant firepower to onboard more garages and grow its customer base. Management emphasizes that the additional capital will specifically drive wider adoption of PayLater while enabling further investments and potential acquisitions. No revenue, user or profitability metrics were disclosed in the article.

Led · Equity · Jun 2024

Black Semiconductor develops a novel approach to link chips using graphene-enabled optical connections that enable chips to communicate almost as if they were one. The company says its technology speeds data communication, improves energy efficiency, and cuts manufacturing complexity by around 60% through fewer production steps. It is building hardware and processes for optical chip-to-chip connections and plans pilot 300 mm wafer manufacturing in Aachen. With funding in hand, the company will accelerate R&D and establish pilot-line production, targeting a pilot facility opening by 2026 and mass-production readiness by 2031. Black Semiconductor plans to expand headcount from about 30 today to roughly 120 by 2026, adding 90 high-tech roles. The company was founded in 2020 by Dr. Daniel Schall and Sebastian Schall and is based in Aachen, Germany. Black Semiconductor GmbH is a hi‑tech startup based in Aachen focused on developing and manufacturing extremely high-performance microchips that incorporate photonic switching circuits. The company's core product line centers on photonics-based microchips designed for high performance. The founders completed a seed financing round described as being in the millions, involving multiple international investors. Named participants in the round include Vsquared Ventures, Cambium Capital Partners and Project A, alongside other international investors. AULINGER (led by Axel Staudt) advised the founders on the transaction. No operating metrics, founding year or prior rounds were disclosed in the article.

Led · Series A · May 2024

Founded in Aachen in 2022, Cylib develops proprietary recycling processes that recover up to 90 % of materials from end-of-life and production-scrap batteries while reducing greenhouse-gas emissions by 80 % versus primary extraction. The company has progressed from laboratory work to a proven pilot plant and now employs 120 people preparing an industrial facility at Chempark Dormagen. When fully built, the Dormagen site will offer 60,000 tonnes of annual capacity—enough to recycle roughly 140,000 electric-vehicle batteries—and will be Europe’s first plant able to handle both NMC and a dedicated 30,000-tonne LFP line. Cylib’s “lithium-first” approach uses closed-loop water systems and minimal waste generation to meet EU Battery Regulation standards. Production is slated to begin in 2027 with additional ramp-up phases thereafter. To date, the company has secured more than €140 million in total funding through a mix of non-dilutive grants and a Series A equity round, reflecting strong public and private confidence in its technology and market position. The latest grant also supports the creation of 180 new jobs in North Rhine-Westphalia, underscoring Cylib’s role in Europe’s drive for battery-material independence.