Earlybird Venture Capital

Portfolio company TastyUrban raised EUR 6.5M in Series A funding from IBB Ventures & other investors to build the largest digital-first restaurant franchise. So how does it work? ???? TastyUrban partners with top international chefs to create delivery-first food concepts. ?? Host kitchens, using pre-existing personnel and infrastructure, gain access to exclusive brands and can generate new revenue channels through TastyUrban’s unique scalable licensing model. ?? Small businesses can license TastyUrban brands with lower investments than traditional franchises. ??Consumers enjoy delivery-optimized brands tailored for the digital market. TastyUrban’s end-to-end platform helps restaurants streamline costs and boost profitability. For what TastyUrban is cooking up, see coverage in the comments below! ??? cc: Fulcrum Global Capital, Monte Carlo Capital, Cardumen Capital, Felix Chrobog, Marc Hansell and Gerry Pidgeon #Restaurants #Urban #Food #Brands #FundingRound #Startups #VC

At a 4YFN side event in Spain last week, we tried something new. ???? ??? It was a memorable night at our MWC Poker Night & Cocktail Party in Barcelona! Gracias to our co-hosts Antai Ventures, JME Ventures, and PSG for an unforgettable evening at The Hoxton Poblenou during a busy week for Barcelona's tech calendar. The event started with an inaugural MWC Poker Tournament, where 50 of the tech ecosystem's finest competed for top honors and prizes. Competitive spirits were met with high-quality connections. Congrats to Stefano Gonelle Ribas from our investment team who was among the top 5 winners! As the tournament reached its final tables, we welcomed founders and investors from across Southern Europe and beyond for cocktails, delicious food, and great conversations. We later enjoyed a follow-up visit to our Berlin office by Barcelona-based IESE Startup & Entrepreneurship Club students. ???? Looking forward to more events with the Spanish VC & startup community! cc: Nina Mayer, Dr. Christian Nagel, Marta Egídio Pereira, Eduardo Salvo ?? Photos by Jordi Mora Igual #MWC2025 #Barcelona #Spain #Founders #TechEcosystem #VC #4YFN

February may be the shortest month, but the tech industry didn’t slow down. ?? From milestones in SpaceTech (Isar Aerospace) to funding in FinTech (Flanks) to key FemTech events, innovation kept moving full speed ahead. Also packed into last month: GTM insights from our Catalyst Program members Folley Ogundele & Luke Miller, plus networking across Barcelona, Zurich, London — you name it. Missed something? No worries. Catch up with our latest newsletter below, we know tech moves fast. ???? #Europe #VC #Founders #Startups #Ecosystem #News

?? At START Global’s annual summit, we’ll join over 7000 participants ready to ride Europe’s next wave of revolutionary technology. ??? This year, Earlybird Partner Dr. Andre Retterath speaks on stage with Julian Senoner of Earlybird portfolio company EthonAI on "EthonAI’s Business Strategy: Category Design as a Success Story." ??March 20th at 11:20 am. ?? Also at the event, meet Nikolaus Lutterotti – now part of our investment team, Nikolaus brings first-hand experience in data science and engineering from helping build our proprietary AI, EagleEye. ????This summit in St. Gallen empowers the next generation of rising entrepreneurs. Reach out if you’re attending & have a new idea we need to hear! Happy to meet you there. #Startup #Entrepreneurship #STARTGlobal #StartSummit #START25 cc: Ellie Sutin, Gabriel Schnabel, Laurin Class, Elisheva Marcus, Jay Anna Harris-Theis, Rylee Mora, Annika Schienbein

Are you protecting your brand at midnight? ?? When the world sleeps, threats don’t. That’s where Midnight Labs comes in. ? What started with Ceartas protecting individual content creators has evolved into something that works for major enterprises. Launched today, Midnight Labs operates in the dark hours when your brand needs protection most – specializing in real-time detection, contextualization, and enforcement of brand security. With AI-driven solutions and human expertise, they’re keeping watch, so you don’t have to. ?? ? Ready to secure your brand after hours? Reach out to Midnight Labs! cc: Daniel Purcell, Jonathan Smyth, Ivan O'Mahoney, Claudia Morrison, Akash Bajwa, Dr. Andre Retterath #MidnightLabs #BrandProtection #AI #Innovation

?? Open positions at Earlybird, link to apply in the comments section. If you’re looking to work with some of the most cutting-edge founders of our time and get an insider look at the European investment scene, you’re in the right place. Right now we’re on the lookout for talent to fulfill the following roles: Analyst Intern: Munich - 3 months (starting June/July or September/October) Analyst Intern: London - 6 months (starting June) Fund Controlling Intern: Berlin - 3-6 months (starting May) Engineering Intern: Munich or Berlin - 4-6 months (starting April) We encourage people of all backgrounds to apply, diverse perspectives are the driving force behind innovation. Cc: Dr. Andre Retterath, Paul Klemm, Tim Rehder, Elisheva Marcus, Jay Anna Harris-Theis, Annika Schienbein, Heidi Gorman

?? Earlybird portfolio company Greenlyte Carbon Technologies will receive multi-million euro funding to develop a first-of-its-kind Direct Air Capture (DAC) to eMethanol facility, marking a major milestone in scaling liquid renewable energy. Co-financed by the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the EU, this development will showcase Greenlyte’s affordable and scalable approach, paving the way for full commercial deployment. “Our mission at Greenlyte is to turn CO2 from a liability into a valuable resource—making sustainable liquid renewable energy accessible and economically viable,” says CEO and Co-Founder ???? Florian Hildebrand. ?? ClimateTech made in Europe has the potential to propel the future of industry and economic prosperity. #ClimateTech #DAC #Fundraising #Startups cc: Dr. Niklas Friederichsen, Martin Schmickler, Britt Knautz Alexander Elz Dr. Hendrik Brandis, Dr. Frédéric du Bois-Reymond

Experimenting with a distributed AGM format, we’re enabling closer connections with founders, LPs, and Earlybirds. Session themes included AI, EnergyTech, teams, timing, and value. ??At our Berlin-based AGM last week, Partners Dr. Christian Nagel and Tim Rehder welcomed guests with an optimistic look at how when markets and exit windows inevitably reopen, it’s key to be ready! ?? They noted breakout companies increase with every fund generation, corresponding value increases, and ever more prominent co-investors. ?? Although we’ve been investing in AI long before the trend hit, we’ve lately seen robust developments in Gen AI companies. As Christian noted: “It’s not just software eating the world, it’s AI.” ?? We shared key updates on our EagleEye platform, engineering team, a refreshed brand, and our Catalyst Program launch, where the first cohort of Venture Partners bring strategic GTM expertise. ??Highlight of the evening: a panel moderated by Principal Dr. Moritz Belling sparking a discussion among portfolio companies terralayr (Philipp Man) and Marvel Fusion (Dr. Nicolas Burkardt), plus two additional startups trawa and Enter. “There is no cheaper alternative than renewables,” says Philipp. Together they sparred with CDU representative Thomas Jarzombek on how Germany’s future business-minded government can be more conducive to energy startups. ?? Topping things off: a traveling magician (Manuel Beissel - The Magician), delicious drinks, and nibbles. Thank you to all the dedicated LPs, startup guests, and fellow Earlybirds who made the evening memorable! Cc: Paul Klemm, Dr. Andre Retterath, Dr. Hendrik Brandis, Nina Mayer, Ferdinand Dansard, Moritz Scholl?hn, CAIA, Elle Muller, Jochen Küst, Daniel Caspar, Johannes Ziegler, FRM, SCR, Jay Anna Harris-Theis, Elisheva Marcus, Rylee Mora, Vanessa Schmitz #Europe #Germany #AI #Energy #BatteryStorage #TechStartups

?? Recently, we hosted an evening session in our London office with Alexandre Berriche, Founder and Executive Chairman of Fleet, and Earlybird Principal Akash Bajwa. The conversation was focused on scaling globally. Alexandre shared how Fleet expanded across Europe, using a data-driven approach to assess market size, competition, and ease of entry—so far, Fleet has successfully expanded into Spain, Germany, and now the UK! We also discussed the balancing act between centralizing operations and maintaining local GMs on the ground and reinforcing how crucial it is to preserve company culture when entering new markets. ?? From hiring scrappy teams to knowing when to pivot, we covered the essential traits and considerations a founder must take into account for successful expansion. Thanks to everyone who joined us and stay tuned for more sparring sessions to come. Cc: Stefano Gonelle Ribas, Baptiste Petelle, Elisheva Marcus, Rylee Mora #scaling #global #startup #founder #sparringsession

Last week, Earlybird Health cohosted the European Breaking 7% Dinner in Zurich sponsored by Potter Clarkson, bringing together a dynamic group of women in healthcare investment and BD sectors. This time, we introduced a new format – adding a self-development coaching session before the dinner. Moderated by Dr. Matthias Müller-Lindenberg, the session focused on stress awareness and stress management, helping attendees recognize how different stress states impact decision-making, communication, and leadership. ?? Among many valuable learnings from this event, two key takeaways stood out: 1?? Shared experiences create strong connections. The session resonated well with everyone, as attendees found that, despite unique journeys, they faced similar challenges. They highlighted the value of community and mentorship in fostering personal and professional growth. 2?? Confidence evolves at every stage. Even the most experienced leaders continue to refine their presence in high-stakes environments. Attendees emphasized the importance of continuous growth, self-awareness, and support networks in strengthening their voice and impact. ?? We're grateful for the collaboration of our fellow European cohosts Rabab Nasrallah, PhD and Zeynep Nisan Gündüz from Earlybird Health, Anastasiya Sybirna, PhD from F-Prime, Emma Johnson from British Patient Capital, Gabriela Ecco from +ND Capital, Magdalena Plotczyk, PhD from MTIP, Marion Pouillard from Gilde Healthcare, Noémie Timsit from JEITO, Siwen Pan from Goldman Sachs, Vanessa Carle from Forbion, Wallace W. from Oxford Science Enterprises, Laura A. from Ysios Capital, and Marie Tai from Spacewalk VC. ? A special acknowledgment goes to Fiona Law, and Esmé Swindells from Potter Clarkson for sponsoring the event. If you’d like to join us for future events, please register here: https://bit.ly/4kkQ2Xx #VC #Breaking7 #Healthcare #Leadership #Zurich #Europe