Mike Butcher
TechCrunch
United Kingdom
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Recent articles by Mike:
Calling Bucharest VCs: Be featured in The Great TechCrunch Survey of European VC –
TechCrunch is embarking on a major project to survey the venture capital investors of Europe, and their cities. Our survey of VCs in Bucharest and Romania will capture how the country is faring, and what changes are being wrought amongst investors by the coronavirus pandemic. We’d like to know how Romania’s startup scene is […] → Read More
proSapient raises $10M Series A led by Smedvig Capital to expand expert network platform –
For several years there has been talk about how to leverage ‘experts’ online. How do you ‘suck their brains’ for information in an efficient manner, whether it be for research into companies or sectors, often for investment purposes. Major players in this arena include GLG, Third Bridge, Guidepoint and Alphasights. With the pandemic destroying many […] → Read More
After a record year for Israeli startups, 16 investors tell us what’s next –
Israel’s startup ecosystem raised record amounts of funding and produced 19 IPOs in 2020, despite the pandemic. Now tech companies across industries are poised for an even better year, according to more than a dozen investors we talked to in the country. Mainstay sectors like cybersecurity continue to matter, they said, but are maturing (more […] → Read More
Minna Technologies, a subscription management tool for banking customers, raises $18.8M –
With the proliferation of subscription services, combined with our lives becoming almost 100% digital, there’s a rising need to be able to manage these services. But most banks don’t have much of an answer. Step in Minna Technologies, which sells in its subscription management services into banking apps. It’s now raised $18.8 million (€15.5m / […] → Read More
Digital road freight forwarder Sennder raises $160M Series, plans European expansion –
Sennder, a large digital road freight forwarder based out of Germany, has raised $160m in Series D financing. The round was led by an unnamed party, but round participants included Accel, Lakestar, HV Capital, Project A and Scania. To date, Sennder has raised more than $260m, allowing it to lay claim to a potential $1bn […] → Read More
UK on-demand supermarket Weezy raises $20M Series A led by NYC’s Left Lane Capital –
Weezy — an on-demand supermarket that delivers groceries in fast times such as 15 minutes — has raised $20 million in a Series A funding led by New York-based venture capital fund Left Lane Capital. Also participating were UK-based fund DN Capital, earlier investors Heartcore Capital and angel investors, notably Chris Muhr, the Groupon founder. […] → Read More
Rho, a startup bank aimed at high-growth businesses, raises $15M Series A led by M13 Ventures –
Rho Technologies, the NYC-based fintech behind Rho Business Banking, has raised a $15 million Series A round led by M13 Ventures with participation from Torch Capital, and Inspired Capital. The company will use the proceeds to further expand their commercial banking platform aimed at high-growth businesses, starting with today’s launch of Rho AP. The platform […] → Read More
UK tests ‘Space Tug’ capable of refiring its engine several times in orbit, and collecting space junk –
UK SpaceTech startup Skyrora is currently the only private company capable of launching rockets from UK soil. On Christmas Eve at its testing facility in Fife, Scotland, the team performed a third-stage static fire engine test onboard a new vehicle that will ultimately carry satellites to their final destination. But what’s more interesting is that […] → Read More
LAUNCHub Ventures heading towards a $85M fund for South Eastern European startups –
LAUNCHub Ventures, an early-stage European VC which concentrates mainly on Central Eastern (CEE) and South-Eastern Europe (SEE), has completed the first closing of its new fund at €44 million ($53.5M), with an aspiration to reach a target size of €70 million. A final close is expected by Q2 2021. Its principal backer is the European […] → Read More
Curve says closing its new $95M Series C funding caused the delay on accounts filing –
Curve, the London-based fintech that combines multiple cards and accounts into one smart card and an app, has secured a Series C finding round of $95 million. The financing was led by IDC Ventures, Fuel Venture Capital and Vulcan Capital (the investment arm of the estate of Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Paul G. Allen), with […] → Read More
Lisbon’s startup scene rises as Portugal gears up to be a European tech tiger –
Lisbon — and Portugal generally — is becoming a magnet for digital nomads with talent. → Read More
Bristol’s Brightpearl raises $33M Series C round led by Sage to boost its platform for retailers –
Brightpearl, which allows retailers to streamline their operations thus boosting sales, has raised $33 million in funding to scale its business. This Series C round was led by Sage, which has put $23 million into the UK company. Previous backers Cipio Partners, Notion Capital and Verdane also participated, puting in $10 million. The Bristol, UK-based startup […] → Read More
Yayzy app automatically calculates the environmental impact of your spending –
Ahead of the turning of the New Year, many people are wishing they could do something about the environment. Now, a UK startup hopes to make our environmental impact more personal. Yayzy has now launched an iOS app (but Android is coming) which literally links to your bank account to work out the environmental impact […] → Read More
AI-driven energy startup Octopus hits $2Bn mark after $200M investment from Tokyo Gas –
You’ve heard of challenger banks? Now meet the challenger energy suppliers. The UK’s Octopus Energy has attained a $2.06 billion valuation (£1.5 billion) after attracting a $200 million (£150 million) investment from Tokyo Gas for a 9.7% stake, in order to launch a joint venture. Octopus will own 30% of the venture, with Tokyo Gas […] → Read More
After lockdowns boost gaming marketplace Eneba, it raises $8M from Practica and InReach –
Eneba, a marketplace for gamers that sells games and other products, has raised a $8M round of funding from Practica Capital and InReach Ventures. The funding is described as a ‘combination’ of a Seed and Series A round. Also participating in the funding for the Lithuanian startup was FJ Labs and a group of Angel […] → Read More
Lockheed Martin acquires rocket engine maker Aerojet Rocketdyne for $4.4Bn as Space heats up –
Lockheed Martin (LM), the US’s largest defence contractor will acquire Aerojet Rocketdyne (AR), a rocket engine and missile manufacturer, for $4.4 billion including debt and net cash, giving the company a larger stake in space and hypersonic technology. The move comes amid the context of increasing competition in the Space and Defence industries. In a […] → Read More
Foresight raises $15M for its construction workers compensation platform –
When an accident on a building site resulted in the death of their friend, the founders of Safesight were inspired to launch the platform to digitize safety programs for construction. The data from that gave birth to a new InsurTech startup this year, Foresight, which covers workers’ compensation. The startup has now released, for the […] → Read More
Umba, a digital bank for emerging markets, raises $2M Seed funding to expand across Africa –
Umba, a digital bank for emerging markets and aiming first at Africa, has secured a $2 million seed funding round from new investors including Lachy Groom, ex-Head of Issuing at Stripe; Ludlow Ventures; Frontline Ventures and Act Venture. Currently operating in Kenya and Nigeria, Umba offers a digital financial service alternative to legacy African banks. […] → Read More
Poland’s GeneMe secures €5.2M seed funding for its rapid COVID-19 test –
GeneMe, Poland-based biotechnology company with a COVID-19 test, has secured a €5.2M round of seed funding led by Robin Tombs, co-Founder of Yoti and previously of Gamesys, and other angel investors. The startup has developed and patented a universal protein (polymerase) for RT-LAMP testing, which allows the production of highly accurate, rapid, molecular genetic COVID […] → Read More
Walnut raises $3.5M from Ron Conway and others to stop remote sales pitches breaking –
Amid the rise of remote selling due to the pandemic, Walnut, billing itself as a ‘Wix for Sales teams,’ has raised $3.5m from SV Angel (Ron and Topher Conway) and A.Capital by Ronny Conway and former a16z partners. This brings its total amount raised to $6m. Other investors include NFX, Joe Montana, Wix CEO, Immad […] → Read More