Get your startup in front of 200+ top-tier VCs this June in Leipzig. When: June 3, 2026 | 13:00 – 21:00 Where: LOFFT Theater, Leipzig The Format: A 4-minute pitch + Q&A and an exclusive Investors Dinner. Deadline: Apply by February 9, 2026. Contact person: Gaia Amatteis at gaia@spinlab.co Participation fee: from 0 to 200€ per startup (all details at the apply button below)   👉Apply here to pitch! 👉See the full agenda here.  

SpinLab kicked off with its 20th cohort as an anniversary class. The new class comprises 10 startups working on solutions to challenges in the fields of energy, construction, circular economy and digital health. Over a period of six months, the teams are supported in the further development of their business models and in validating their solutions in the market. A key focus is on collaboration with established companies through the venture clienting approach, in which startups work with corporate partners at an early stage as technology providers to implement real-world use cases. Here are the 10 new SpinLab Startupsbiddingground is an independent B2B platform that makes corporate energy procurement digital and transparent. Commercial, industrial, and residential real estate companies can tender their energy demand and receive comparable, binding offers from vetted suppliers. Intelligent matching brings tenders and energy providers together in a targeted way, reducing effort and inefficiencies on both sides. The structured competitive process ensures market-based pricing and fair allocation. HammerDrum has designed a novel drilling technology for horizontal drilling that addresses a key industry challenge: efficiently and economically drilling through hard rock. The solution uses conventional drilling fluid to generate a powerful percussive effect, without the need for additional equipment such as compressors or special pumps. This enables drilling companies to work significantly faster while using substantially less drilling fluid. Hydroyal is working on key components for the cost-effective and scalable production of green hydrogen. The company manufactures innovative membranes for electrolyzers that do not rely on expensive precious metals and are made from readily available materials. An industrially scalable manufacturing process enables efficient and resource-saving production. The technology reduces costs, lowers dependence on scarce raw materials, and improves the recyclability of electrolyzers. KauSchlau offers a digital self-therapy app for people suffering from teeth grinding (bruxism) and related temporomandibular joint disorders. The app provides a personalized, evidence-based exercise program that adapts to users’ progress using computer vision and short questionnaires. Live AR feedback accompanies massage, stretching, strengthening, and relaxation exercises to support correct execution. A digital pain diary helps users identify individual triggers and track progress. Navou converts vacant buildings into modern, affordable housing in a fast and reliable manner. Properties are comprehensively refurbished and equipped with a proprietary, sustainable construction system that makes conversions significantly cheaper and faster than conventional renovations. The highly standardized approach substantially reduces time and cost risks. At the same time, a digital assessment process allows the suitability and economic potential of a building to be evaluated even before acquisition. In this way, Navou provides an efficient solution for reducing vacancy and creating new housing in a resource-efficient manner. FiberFlow has developed a process technology that mechanically separates mixed textile waste into its individual fiber components for the first time. This addresses a central obstacle in textile recycling: many textiles consist of inseparable material blends and therefore cannot currently be recycled. FiberFlow’s technology makes these fiber blends sortable and creates high-quality raw materials for further processing. As a result, recycling processes can be implemented at industrial scale for the first time, keeping large volumes of textiles that were previously incinerated or landfilled within the circular economy. levelbuild provides a no-code platform that significantly reduces digital complexity in the construction industry. Many companies currently work with a patchwork of legacy systems, isolated solutions, and Excel files—a situation that leads to errors and high costs. Instead of replacing existing systems, levelbuild integrates them into a central, reliable data source that employees in all roles can access in real time. This allows companies to map their processes without programming, reduce software costs, and digitize step by step. VON KAI has developed a voice-based AI companion that provides everyday companionship for older people in Germany and promotes social participation. The solution deliberately relies on landline telephones and enables natural, empathetic conversations without apps, screens, or technical barriers. The underlying voice-to-voice AI is GDPR-compliant, specialized in the German language, and designed for trustworthy communication. Points2BIM uses an AI-based solution to automatically convert building scans into precise digital building models compliant with BIM standards. This replaces time-consuming manual modeling processes that often take weeks and incur high costs, particularly for existing buildings. With Points2BIM’s technology, digital building models can be created up to 90 percent faster and implemented at scale for the first time. Owners of large real estate portfolios gain a reliable digital foundation for planning, renovation, and operations. nextract energy operates an intelligent energy management system for controlling large-scale storage solutions such as batteries and electrolyzers at wind and solar parks. The software optimizes system operation in real time and significantly reduces curtailment losses caused by grid constraints. By intelligently coordinating generation, storage, and market prices, operators can use their assets more efficiently and generate additional revenue. The system integrates technical asset data, grid connections, weather forecasts, and market signals in a manufacturer-independent model

Dear SpinLab Community, We are happy to announce that we have a new takeaway on Public Value available on our Academy! 🚀🚀🚀 Discover how startups can create positive impact in society while profiting. Start learning today!

We’re excited to launch our new Alumni Growth Membership, created exclusively for founders who’ve been part of the SpinLab Group (SpinLab, ExciteLab & RootCamp). This membership gives you continued access to the resources, expertise, and community that helped you grow, tailored to the next stage of your journey. Our new Growth Alumni Membership gives former teams ongoing access to the essentials that help you move forward: Coaching: 25% discount + first hour free across strategy, fundraising, marketing, sales, HR, and finance.Community: HubClub access with founder updates, E-learning content, and selected free event tickets. Workspace: 12 flexdesk days and 20 meeting-room hours per year, plus preferred booking at our locations. Claim your membership and benefit from the early-bird price until December 31st. Full details are outlined here.

ExciteLab has launched the application phase for its fourth batch, targeting startups working in Robotics, IoT, Sensors, Semiconductors, or Quantum technologies. During the 6 month hyprid program, participants benefit from hands-on guidance provided by experienced mentors and industry experts, direct access to investors and corporate partners such as Infineon, ZEISS and  more. Know someone? The ExciteLab team welcomes recommendations and would greatly appreciate your support in helping to spread the word through your networks.  

The SpinLab Group consisting of SpinLab in Leipzig, RootCamp in Hanover, and ExciteLab in Dresden was recognized as “Startup Ecosystem Star 2025”(SES) in the category “Exceptional Industry Support.” The Startup Ecosystem Stars Awards are organized by the International Chamber of Commerce and Mind the Bridge, in collaboration with the OECD and the European Commission. The SES Awards are considered one of the most important international benchmarks for innovation ecosystems. Shoutout to everyone who contributes to this success, from our teams and founders to partners, mentors, and investors. Your support is the true driving force behind this achievement. And we’re excited to move into 2026 with many new projects and initiatives already in development.

Alixabs from Batch #2 closed their funding round. The funding round was led by Navigare Ventures, Industrifonden, and FORWARD.one. Moreover STOAF from Sweden as well as Global Brain, an independent Japanese venture capital firm that manages strategic funds and invests in semiconductor startups, joined the round. The global semiconductor industry faces rising capital intensity, soaring energy demands, and an urgent need to decarbonize production. AlixLabs develops technology to make semiconductor manufacturing more efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective. Their unique method, Atomic Layer Etch Pitch Splitting (APS™), enables the production of smaller and more powerful chips without requiring complex and expensive manufacturing steps. This approach reduces energy consumption, lowers costs, and supports the advancement of European semiconductor production. 

HandsOn Robotics, a Dresden-based startup, secured seed funding from Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen, Gigahertz Ventures, superangels and business angel Thomas Heimann. Their robotic systems tackle the most repetitive, ergonomically demanding kitchen tasks, starting with cutlery sorting. The approach? Plug-and-play retrofit within a single workstation footprint. No rebuilding lines. The fresh capital advances product development, expands pilot deployments with reference customers, and prepares for serial production launch mid-2026.

The TGFS Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen is investing a seven-figure amount in SaxonQ , a  startup from Leipzig that’s making quantum computing practical and mobile. Today’s quantum computers usually need extreme conditions, cooled down to almost -273°C, housed in large labs, and supported by complex infrastructure. SaxonQ takes a completely different approach: they use tiny diamond chips with special atomic structures (NV centers) to store and process quantum information. This allows their quantum computers to run at normal room temperature. No cooling systems, no lab setup, just plug and play and can be used directly in research and industry.  

SpinLab startup Unbound Potential secures €14.4 mio. The round was led by Founderful and co-led by Kvanted, with participation from Zürcher Kantonalbank. Additional non-dilutive support came from SPRIND - Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen, Innosuisse, Migros-Pionierfonds, and the KlimUP initiative of the City of Zurich.  Unbound Potential is developing a membrane-free redox-flow battery technology that has the potential to make long-duration energy storage more affordable, scalable, and reliable. Global demand for batteries is expected to exceed supply threefold by 2040. With the simplest and fastest-to-manufacture battery in the world, Unbound Potential is uniquely positioned to close this gap and accelerate the transition to a resilient renewable energy system.