Observed Signal · May 21, 2025 · Funding · Source: Trending Topics · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Lunar Ventures Closes €50M DeepTech Pre-Seed Fund
Berlin-based venture capital firm Lunar Ventures has closed its second fund at €50 million, focusing on pre-seed investments in DeepTech startups. The fund will allocate 80% to Europe and 20% to underserved U.S. regions outside Silicon Valley. Key investment areas include AI infrastructure, techbio, and real-world infrastructure systems. The fund plans investments of €750,000 to €1 million per startup. Lunar Ventures' first fund of €40 million supported 25 companies, including Deepset, Zama, Electric, Molecule, and Hathora. Investors in the new fund include Isomer Capital, the Intesa San Paolo Foundation, and the Grinnell College Foundation, with Ethereum founders also reported as backers. Already, eight investments have been made, including in Berlin-based data science platform Bruin. General Partner Alberto Cresto highlighted Europe's strong fundamentals but noted a lack of growth capital.
Venture funding for DeepTech including AI infrastructure indicates investment momentum in AI sector, relevant to AdTech's AI-driven evolution, but not directly impacting AdTech operations.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Lunar Ventures closed its second fund at €50 million.
- The fund focuses on pre-seed DeepTech startups, with 80% of capital for Europe and 20% for underserved U.S. regions.
- Investment areas include AI infrastructure, techbio, and real-world infrastructure systems.
- The first fund of €40 million backed 25 companies, including Deepset, Zama, Electric, Molecule, and Hathora.
- Investors include Isomer Capital, the Intesa San Paolo Foundation, the Grinnell College Foundation, and Ethereum founders.
- Eight investments have already been made from the new fund, including in Berlin-based Bruin.
Connected Companies & Entities
4 Entities mapped“die später von amerikanischen VCs wie Upfront Ventures, Spark Capital, Google Ventures, SignalFire und Founders Fund finanziert wurden....”
“die später von amerikanischen VCs wie Upfront Ventures, Spark Capital, Google Ventures, SignalFire und Founders Fund finanziert wurden....”
“die später von amerikanischen VCs wie Upfront Ventures, Spark Capital, Google Ventures, SignalFire und Founders Fund finanziert wurden....”
“die später von amerikanischen VCs wie Upfront Ventures, Spark Capital, Google Ventures, SignalFire und Founders Fund finanziert wurden....”
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European Defense Tech Funding to Hit $10.5B Record
European defense tech startups have raised $7.4B in venture capital this year, nearly triple all of 2025 ($2.6B), according to the 'State of Defence Tech 2026' report by Dealroom and Resilience Media. The report projects year-end total to reach $10.5B. US investors now provide 47% of funding, up from 17% in 2020, with Accel, Founders Fund, General Catalyst, Lightspeed, and Y Combinator most active. Germany leads with $3.5B, driven by Munich firms Helsing ($1.8B round, $18B valuation) and Quantum Systems ($1.2B, $8B valuation). Defense tech now represents 11.1% of European VC, up from 4%. However, mega-rounds dominate (>85% of funding), exits remain scarce, and procurement hurdles persist in Germany and Britain.
European defencetech hits record $7.4B as investment nearly triples
European defense technology startups have raised $7.4 billion in venture capital in 2026, nearly triple the $2.6 billion raised in 2025, according to the 'State of Defence Tech 2026' report by Dealroom and Resilience Media. Mega-rounds of over $1 billion account for more than 85% of funding, led by companies like Helsing, Quantum Systems, and others. The sector now represents 11.1% of European VC investment, up from 4% a year ago. Germany leads with $3.5 billion, driven by Munich-based Helsing ($1.8B) and Quantum Systems ($1.2B). For the first time, US investors contribute a larger share (47%) than European investors, up from 12-17% in 2020. Despite rapid growth, challenges remain, including limited exits and procurement hurdles, with year-end funding projected at $10.5 billion.
LAUNCHub Ventures Closes €65M for Third Fund
LAUNCHub Ventures, a Sofia-based venture capital firm, has announced the first close of its third fund at €65 million, targeting €75+ million total. The fund will continue its pre-seed and seed investment strategy across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and South-Eastern Europe, with first checks ranging from €300,000 to €3 million and reserves for Series A follow-ons, with follow-on capacity up to €7 million. The firm plans around 25 investments over five years. Additionally, LAUNCHub has promoted Raya Yunakova and Petar Tsachev to General Partners and added Vedran Blagus as Associate Partner. The fund is backed by the European Investment Fund, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the International Finance Corporation, with additional support from the EU's NextGenerationEU programme and Romanian/Bulgarian governments. Fund III has already invested in Nanogram, Lenz, and 1Club. LAUNCHub has backed nearly 100 companies with 18 exits and a 40% Series A conversion rate.
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