Lakestar

Exciting news from the Lakestar portfolio! We are thrilled to announce that our portfolio company, ZBD (formerly known as Zebedee), a cutting-edge Bitcoin Lightning fintech firm, has been approved by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) to receive a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) license. It positions ZBD at the forefront of innovation and compliance in the rapidly evolving European crypto market, and once the MiCA regulation takes effect on December 30, ZBD will be poised to offer comprehensive crypto custody and exchange services across the European Union. This significant milestone reflects the dedication and hard work of the ZBD team in navigating the regulatory landscape and paving the way for broader crypto adoption in the EU. Congratulations to the entire ZBD team on this important achievement! For more information, read the full article: https://lnkd.in/d4J_sDi8 #MiCA #CryptoInnovation #EUCompliance #BlockchainRevolution

We are thrilled to announce that our portfolio company, Neverless, has secured a $6.7 million pre-seed funding round to transform the world of digital asset investment and trading. This round was led by Lakestar and Connect Ventures, with support from prominent European angels and tech industry veterans.   Neverless, founded by former Revolut executives Phuc To, Arthur Johanet, and Mikael Peydayesh, is set to become the 'Skyscanner' of digital assets. Their innovative platform allows users to effortlessly convert cash to almost any cryptocurrency, commission-free, and at the best available price. Neverless has also secured a MiFID licence, positioning them among the first to align with the upcoming EU MiCA regulations.   Congratulations to Phuc, Arthur, Mikael, and the entire Neverless team on this impressive achievement!   #FinTech #DigitalAssets #Crypto Nina Odefey

Lakestar is proud to announce two partner promotions from across the investment team, underlining the strength and depth of talent at the firm. We are delighted to share that Georgia Watson and Enrico Mellis have both been promoted to Partner. Georgia joined Lakestar from Goldman Sachs, while Enrico began his investment career at Project A following an operational role at Foodora/Delivery Hero. Both joined in 2022 as Principals. Georgia is focussed on the growth portfolio based out of London and Enrico on early-stage investments from Berlin. Our team is at the heart of the European tech scene to support entrepreneurs locally, wherever they may be, and build strong, successful, and resilient companies both in Europe and internationally. The promotions further cement our strong positioning within the European tech ecosystem. Lakestar’s recent investments include Neko Health, poolside, Swan, Nelly Solutions, and Timefold. Our portfolio counts more than 130 companies, and to date we have raised and invested USD 2bn across Europe and the US. We have a presence in London, Berlin, and Zurich with a 50:50 male / female team from 18 different countries.

Our portfolio company Auterion is partnering with Rheinmetall, Germany’s largest defense company, to develop unified operating standards for autonomous drone systems. The collaboration addresses a critical challenge: ensuring interoperability among diverse unmanned systems.   Drones are expected to be used in large quantities, and like computers and smartphones, they need a common operating system. Auterion’s software forms the backbone of this initiative, enabling scalable solutions that allow drones from multiple manufacturers to operate seamlessly within a shared architecture.   Lakestar is proud to support Auterion as they drive innovation in dual-use technology, and we look forward to their continued impact in advancing autonomous systems.   Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eYMb2cKr   #Innovation #Deeptech

Our Founder and CEO, Klaus Hommels, spoke with Harry Stebbings from 20VC earlier this month. At Lakestar, we have always believed that transformative innovation requires bold thinking, and few embody this better than our founder, Klaus Hommels. Recently, Klaus shared his perspective on the nuances of venture capital, the challenges Europe faces in becoming a global innovation leader, and the stories behind some of the world’s most iconic companies. From backing Spotify, Facebook, and Airbnb to serving as Chair of the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF), Klaus’ journey reflects a deep conviction in the power of concentrated investments, contrarian thinking, and relentless ambition. The episode tackles complex topics like the systemic challenges holding Europe back, under-financing, and the bold steps needed to reposition Europe as a global powerhouse. At Lakestar, we are navigating a rapidly evolving global landscape, and these insights are a call to action for investors, policymakers, and innovators alike to think bigger and act bolder. Explore the full conversation below for an in-depth look at how Klaus’ principles continue to shape our mission at Lakestar: Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eP8hxHPy YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eTYFPSKa #VentureCapital #Innovation #Founders

We at Lakestar are thrilled to share the success of our participation on the ‘State of European DeepTech’ panel at Slush last week.   The event was a fantastic opportunity to engage with industry leaders and innovators to discuss Lakestar's upcoming 'European Deep Tech' report, and we are grateful for the overwhelming interest and attendance, with over 400 participants filling the room.   Our partner Stephen Nundy participated in the panel, highlighting the cutting-edge advancements in deeptech, spacetech, and AI, and we were proud to contribute to the conversation alongside other distinguished funds. The positive feedback received from attendees and peers underscores the impact of our joint efforts in shaping the future of European technology.   We look forward to sharing Lakestar's deeptech report at the beginning of next year, stay tuned!   #Deeptech #Innovation #Lakestar #Slush2024 Nicolas Autret - Walden Catalyst Ventures, Kelly Chen - NATO Innovation Fund (NIF), Julia Hawkins - LocalGlobe & Latitude, Katie King, PhD -BioOrbit, Marc-Olivier Luecke - Atlantic Labs, Adam Niewinski - OTB Ventures, Stephen Nundy - Lakestar, Yoram Wijngaarde - Dealroom.co

As longstanding advocates for Europe’s technological sovereignty, today we launch our inaugural report, “Towards a Resilient Europe: Innovations in Defence and Security”. European NATO allies have reduced defence budgets by 30% since the 1990s, leaving the continent increasingly vulnerable. Current industrial output and imports fall short of replenishing critical stock levels, while the US dwarfs Euopean R&D investment in critical defense technologies by 10 times. Beyond security, increased defence investment can also have a multiplier effect on the broader economy. GDP could increase by €70-180 billion as this investment fuels innovation that drives economic growth. Klaus Hommels, Lakestar Founder & Chairman says, “As geopolitical tensions rise, Europe's hesitance to invest adequately in innovation is eroding its influence on the world stage. The rapid pace of technological change demands more than just substantial investments in military hardware—it requires an ecosystem that fosters collaboration, strengthens our collective sovereign crisis response capabilities, and ensures long-term resilience.” https://lnkd.in/eizVrS7z Read the full study here: https://www.resilience.eu/ #Defence #Resilience #Innovation

We’re delighted to see our portfolio company Swan securing the second spot on the Sifted 50: France Leaderboard.   The Paris-based fintech is making waves with its remarkable revenue growth. This recognition underscores the success of Swan’s mission to help companies integrate banking features such as accounts, cards, and payments.   Congratulations to Co-founder and CEO Nicolas Benady, as well as the entire Swan team!   With their commitment to pioneering fintech solutions, we are confident that Swan will continue to set new standards in digital banking, driving innovation and growth. See here for the Sifted 50: https://lnkd.in/eKGXba_T #Fintech #Growth #Sifted50

Congratulations to our new portfolio company poolside on their $500M Series B round!   The round was led by Bain Capital Ventures, with participation from institutional investors like DST Global, StepStone Group, and notable corporates such as NVIDIA, Citi Ventures, and HSBC Ventures. This new funding will support poolside's mission of building the world’s most capable AI for software development, and software is just the beginning; the bigger mission is to reach true human-level intelligence, which only a small group of companies will be able to do.   poolside’s first product will deliver an intelligent code assistant to developers powered by its models to accelerate what they can build and ship. As the capabilities of their models increase over time, anyone in the world will be able to build software with poolside, distributing the power of increasingly capable AI to everyone.    Under the strong leadership of founders Jason Warner, Eiso Kant, and their talented team, the company has built a vision of the future where advancements in intelligence will ultimately benefit society as a whole. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e8GDKBw5 We wish them continued success in their journey! #AI #Investment

We are pleased to announce that our portfolio company Dexory, a UK-based leader in AI and robotics, has secured $80 million in Series B funding to continue its growth and drive significant advancements in the logistics industry. This round, led by DTCP with participation from Latitude Ventures, WaVe-X, Bootstrap Europe, and existing investors Lakestar, Atomico, and Capnamic, marks a significant milestone in Dexory's journey as businesses continue to manage challenges across their supply chains, amidst cost and service pressures. The investment will accelerate the deployment of Dexory’s autonomous robots and AI-powered features across its 'DexoryView' platform, serving customers such as GXO Logistics, Inc., MAERSK, and DB Schenker. A key focus will be on expanding in the US market where Dexory is already operational in seven states, and enhancing development facilities in the UK. We are proud to support Dexory as they transform logistics operations and lead the way in warehouse optimisation technology, congratulations to the whole team on their latest achievement! #AI #Robotics #Investment #Logistics