?????? European Defense, LLMs Observability, AI-Based Tutoring & more (1.11.25)

Welcome to this week’s Friday Roundabout, where we highlight the latest in early-stage investment activity across Europe ???? ??. In this edition, five rounds which represent the best of what has happened over the last few days in the European early stage activity ??

Explore the best local and global law firms for startups, founders and VCs.

Law For Venture is a free directory designed to connect startups, venture-backed businesses, and investors with law firms that specialize in venture capital and startup law. Whether you’re navigating a funding round, handling intellectual property matters, or scaling your business, Law For Venture provides a curated list of legal firms which have experience with venture ecosystem.

Rounds

1?? UnitPlus ???? (Fintech / Smart Investment Accounts) is revolutionizing personal finance with an API-based platform that combines everyday spending and long-term investing in one account.

The platform’s unique value proposition allows users to spend directly from their investment portfolios, maintaining liquidity while growing wealth—a significant advantage for retail and institutional clients alike.

According to EU-Startups, "The focus on SMEs comes at a crucial time, as small and medium-sized enterprises across Europe face increasing challenges in managing their liquidity effectively. Traditional banking solutions often fail to meet the specific needs of SMEs, who typically have between €100,000 and €5 million in cash reserves that need active management"

UnitPlus aims to simplify capital market access for consumers, blending financial efficiency with convenience.

?? UnitPlus raised €4.7 million in seed funding, led by Pact VC and joined by Seed X, Robin Capital and backed by plethora of angel investors like Franz de Waal, Christian Rebernik, Jonas Rieke, and several industry experts and angel investors.

2?? Verax AI ???? (AI / LLM Management) is revolutionizing enterprise adoption of large language models (LLMs) by providing solutions for visibility, control, and optimization. Founded by Leonid Feinberg and Oren Gev, Verax AI is designed to help businesses harness LLMs for various applications, ensuring operational efficiency and security.

By leveraging Verax’s advanced LLM observability tools, companies can monitor model usage, manage costs, and optimize deployment strategies. The platform targets industries with high data sensitivity, such as finance and healthcare, offering features that mitigate risks and enhance AI performance.

?? Verax AI raised $7.6 million in seed funding, led by TQ Ventures with participation from Concept Ventures, Seedcamp, XTX Ventures, and others. The funds will be used to expand its technology stack, refine AI observability capabilities, and grow its team to meet increasing demand from enterprises.

3?? Origin Robotics ???? (DefenseTech / Precision Weapon Systems) is revolutionizing military drones with BEAK, a precision weapons platform designed to bridge the gap between cost-effective loitering munitions and expensive Western missile systems. With BEAK, Origin Robotics offers an agile and efficient solution to modern battlefield demands, aiming to enhance military effectiveness while controlling operational costs.

Founded by Agris Kipurs and Ilja Nevdahs, Origin Robotics draws on years of experience in drone technology from their earlier venture, AirDog, the world’s first action sports drone. With this expertise, they pivoted to defense technology to address gaps in existing combat drones, building a solution uniquely positioned to meet the needs of modern conflicts.

?? Origin Robotics raised €4 million in a seed round led by Change Ventures, with additional participation from international investors focused on advancing defense innovations. The funds will be used to scale production of BEAK and expand R&D to further push the boundaries of defense-focused UAV technology.

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4??? Diffblue ???? (AI / Generative AI for Code) – Oxford-based Diffblue is pioneering the use of generative AI to automate code creation and testing, aiming to boost developer productivity and accelerate software delivery. The company’s flagship product, Diffblue Cover, autonomously generates unit tests for Java codebases, reducing manual coding tasks and allowing development teams to focus on higher-value work.

Here is how the company explains their differentiation: "Unlike LLMs or code completion tools, our technology uses reinforcement learning to generate code that is guaranteed to run, compile and be correct — every time. Plus, we operate on-prem so your code stays within your own environment, never seen and never shared."

Diffblue’s generative AI technology not only enhances code quality but also mitigates the risk of software bugs, improving overall software reliability. The platform is especially valuable in sectors where high software quality and compliance are critical, such as finance and healthcare.

?? Raised €5.8 million to fuel further growth, with participation from Oxford Sciences Innovation, AlbionVC, Citi Institutional Strategic Investments and others.

5?? Buddy.ai ???? (EdTech / AI Tutor for Children) – Buddy.ai, a Montenegro-based startup, is on a mission to transform early education with its AI-driven tutoring platform designed for children under 12.

The platform offers interactive learning experiences, fostering foundational skills in math, reading, and science through engaging activities and adaptive learning paths; with pariticular focus on teaching kids English as a second language.

With a friendly AI tutor, Buddy.ai aims to make education accessible and enjoyable, especially for young learners who benefit from personalized, gamified interactions.

Buddy.ai’s approach to education leverages conversational AI to adapt lessons to each child’s pace and progress, promoting curiosity and retaining attention. This makes it particularly useful for children who thrive in interactive and hands-on environments.

?? Funding: Buddy.ai has closed a €10.2 million funding round to expand its educational content, enhance AI capabilities, and scale its operations across Europe; led by BITKRAFT Ventures with participation from One Way Ventures, J Ventures, and Point72 Ventures.

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend everyone! ????