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.

We launched a new batch in Dresden, bringing together nine startups from semiconductors, medical technology, energy, space, and robotics. Current challenges highlight the importance of strengthening Europe’s competitiveness and reducing dependencies. Innovation made in 🇪🇺 is needed to. Welcome to our community: ChemReclaim, èlevit, FlexPower, NGScopes, RATLOG, SilTest Semiconductors, SONOJET,Tethys Robotics and veiio. Head over to the ExciteLab website to learn more about our newbies.

Investors include lead investor Axeleo Capital, alongside the EIC Fund, NBank, BONVENTURE, and seed investor Dr.-Ing. Frank Jenner. Founded in 2019 in Quakenbrück, Germany, BIOWEG develops biodegradable ingredients to replace microplastics. Using food-industry leftovers and bacterial fermentation, the startup produces cellulose, which it refines with eco-friendly methods into sustainable substitutes for conventional plastics. The funding will enable the construction of a first-of-its-kind bacterial cellulose production facility in Germany, scaling from pilot to industrial volumes and supporting industries such as cosmetics, home care, Hashtag#agriculture, and pharmaceuticals. We are proud to see our alumni BIOWEG reach this milestone and to see such important innovation coming from Lower Saxony. 

We’re halfway through 2025 and already looking ahead: In 2026, our accelerator program will take place for the 20th time! Once again, we’re on the lookout for exciting startup teams. The last application round showed that personal recommendations are one of the best ways to connect with great founders. 👉So, please help spread the word about the current application phase. Startups can apply until October 7. You’re also welcome to send us teams you think we should have on our radar. We’re excited to see our community continue to grow. Thank you for your support!

Deftpower was part of the 12th SpinLab class. The round was led by Endeit Capital, with participation from existing investors Proeza Ventures, 4impact capital, Rethink Mobility, and business angel Jan Fredriks. Founded in 2020 by Jacob van Zonneveld, Marc Diks, and Remco Tjeerdsma, Deftpower develops an AI-powered EV charging platform offered as a white-label solution for eMobility service providers. Its technology optimises charging by shifting demand to periods of abundant renewable energy and low prices, reducing costs for consumers, cutting CO₂ emissions, and reducing grid congestion. Deftpower’s scalable infrastructure is designed to handle millions of transactions transparently and efficiently. Its platform already supports over 40 clients across 10 European countries. 

Founded by former hoteliers and AI experts, Onsai develops digital employees that help hotels streamline guest communication, manage reservations in real time, and automate repetitive tasks. This relieves staff and enhances service quality. This is a crucial step in times of severe labor shortages. With SIVentures as lead investor and renowned industry leaders such as Willem van der Zee and Wolfgang M. Neumann on board, the Leipzig based startup gains not only capital but also valuable expertise and a powerful network for its growth journey. We are proud to support Onsai through our accelerator program and wish the team all the best for the next phase.

With Batch #7, our second location RootCamp in Hannover is launching a new round of its accelerator program. Together with our partner K+S, six startups from Germany, Serbia, Latvia, Belgium, and France have been selected. In the coming months, they will receive support to refine their technologies, connect with experts and investors, and test their ideas in pilot projects with industry partners. The startups focus on practical solutions for agriculture, packaging, water and waste management, and CO₂ removal. Their work includes digital tools for field trials, plastic-free packaging, efficient microorganism production, and methods to increase the ocean’s capacity as a natural CO₂ sink.

As the operator of the largest district heating network in Western Europe, BEW Berliner Energie und Wärme supplies around one-third of Berlin’s households with heating and hot water. Owned by the federal state of Berlin, BEW plays a vital role in the city’s energy transition and decarbonization efforts. For our energy startups, this partnership opens the door to an established infrastructure provider with over 140 years of operational experience and deep expertise in scaling complex energy systems. It also creates opportunities to co-develop innovative solutions that support decarbonization, digitalization, and modernization in urban energy supply.

New faces in our community. We just kicked off the new SpinLab class in Leipzig. The startups from class 19th are working on solutions ranging from AI-powered platforms for the construction industry to digital health assistants, as well as innovations in the energy and environmental sectors. Whether it’s smart electricity tariffs, non-invasive building diagnostics, playful apps for child-friendly therapy, or multilingual AI hotel assistants, these teams are bringing fresh approaches to industries facing major challenges. Welcome: AI Spaces, docjo.health, Einklang New Energy, Emulate, Muotech, MonsterShack, Regascold and Onsai.    

More than 75% of the fund is already committed. The new fund targets B2B startups in the pre-seed and seed stages and has already made four investments in the areas of AI, software development, and enterprise software. Additional potential investments are currently undergoing due diligence. SIVentures aims to invest in approximately 30 startup teams, primarily in the DACH region, with initial investments of up to €500,000 per company.