Euro Startups
Spain-Based AI Startup Reply Next Raises $455K Pre-Seed Funding to Scale Multi-Location Brand Management Platform
The 4Founders Capital-led round will support product development, recruitment and new AI agents for multi-location businesses.
Spanish artificial intelligence startup Reply Next has raised €400,000 in its first Pre-Seed funding round to develop its platform for brands operating across multiple physical locations.
Independent venture capital firm 4Founders Capital led the round, with participation from technology entrepreneurs and angel investors including Juanjo Mostazo and David Alcobero.
Reply Next will use the capital to expand its technology and sales teams, accelerate product development and build additional AI agents capable of automating digital management processes for brands.
Centralising Fragmented Digital Interactions
Founded by telecommunications engineer Miguel Peñate, Reply Next helps companies manage the digital presence of hundreds or thousands of establishments through a single platform.
Businesses with multiple locations frequently receive reviews, messages, ratings and customer questions across Google Maps, Booking, Google Play, Apple’s App Store and other digital channels. Managing those interactions separately can make it difficult for companies to maintain consistent responses or understand how individual locations are performing.
Reply Next brings those signals into one environment, allowing companies to monitor customer feedback, identify recurring issues and manage interactions according to their brand guidelines.
The platform is primarily aimed at restaurants, travel companies, retailers and mobile applications, where online visibility and customer reviews can directly influence purchasing decisions and visits to physical locations.
Moving From Monitoring to Automated Action
Reply Next is developing AI agents that can act on the information collected by its platform rather than simply displaying it through dashboards.
The agents can respond to customer reviews while following a company’s tone of voice, identify repeated complaints and highlight issues affecting specific locations. They are also designed to monitor competitors and recommend actions intended to improve digital visibility.
Peñate has described the company’s objective as creating a “digital brain” for each establishment, giving individual locations access to continuous information that would normally be available only to large central teams.
According to Reply Next, nine out of ten businesses cannot accurately determine how much revenue their locations generate through Google Maps, while fewer than 10% appear in AI-powered search results. These figures are company estimates and have not been independently verified.
Funding Product Development and Recruitment
The fresh capital will support the development of new AI agents and strengthen Reply Next’s commercial capabilities.
The company has recruited Tony Santana, who previously worked at Trivago and Tripadvisor, as Head of Sales. Diego Martín Hernández has also joined the startup as Chief Technology Officer.
Reply Next currently manages several thousand digital channels on behalf of its customers. Its client base includes brands and corporate groups such as KFC, Air Europa and Comess Group, the restaurant operator behind chains including Lizarran and Levaduramadre.
The startup also plans to make its technology accessible to smaller chains operating five, ten or twenty locations. These businesses face many of the same digital management challenges as multinational groups but often lack dedicated teams for reputation management, local search and customer engagement.
Investor Backing for Location-Level Intelligence
Jesús Monleón, co-founder of 4Founders Capital, said managing the digital presence of thousands of establishments has become a growing challenge for multi-location brands.
The investor cited Reply Next’s ability to centralise information and translate it into actions, along with Peñate’s previous experience at Google, as factors supporting the investment.
Reply Next was founded in 2023 and operates as a business-to-business software company. Its platform was initially focused on multilingual review management but has expanded to cover a broader range of digital interactions and location-level intelligence.
Preparing for International Expansion
Spain remains Reply Next’s main market, but the company designed its platform to support businesses operating across different countries and languages.
The startup says approximately 15% of its business already comes from international markets. Italy, the United Kingdom and Mexico are among the countries it has identified for near-term expansion.
Its immediate priority is to consolidate its position in Spain while establishing the commercial and technological infrastructure required for broader international growth.
With its first external funding secured, Reply Next will now focus on proving that automated management of reviews, messages and other digital signals can generate measurable improvements for individual locations. Its ability to serve both large groups and smaller chains will be important as it seeks to establish itself as a central operating platform for multi-location brands.
Euro Startups
Italy-Based FinTech Startup Computis Raises €2M Pre-Seed Funding to Automate SME Accounting, Improve Financial Visibility
The Techshop Capital-led round will support Computis in developing its accounting automation platform, designed to help small and medium-sized businesses access financial information and make more informed decisions.
Founded in 2026, Computis aims to transform accounting from a primarily compliance-focused process into a financial management tool that helps business owners understand their financial position and make operational decisions. The startup combines automated accounting software with an internal operations team and a network of independent partner accountants to provide SMEs with more continuous access to financial information.
Computis Secures €2M Pre-Seed Funding Led by Techshop Capital
The €2 million investment will support Computis as it develops its technology-driven accounting services for smaller businesses. The startup is addressing the challenges SMEs face when managing financial records, monitoring cash flow and obtaining timely information about their business performance.
Many small businesses continue to rely on manual accounting processes and periodic financial reports, which can delay access to information needed for operational decisions. Computis aims to reduce these delays by automating routine accounting activities and organizing financial data into a more accessible format.
The company is developing a service model that combines software automation with professional accounting support, allowing business owners to access financial information without managing every administrative process themselves. This approach is intended to reduce administrative workloads while improving the availability of financial data for day-to-day business management.
Automating Accounting Processes for SMEs
Computis has developed a platform designed to automate several time-consuming accounting activities. Its technology supports document collection, recovery of invoices from foreign suppliers, bank reconciliation and invoicing, with these functions intended to reduce manual data entry and improve the organization of financial records.
By automating repetitive processes, Computis aims to help SMEs maintain more up-to-date accounting information and reduce the administrative workload associated with financial management. The platform also integrates an internal operations team and independent partner accountants who support businesses with accounting-related activities.
This hybrid approach combines digital tools with professional expertise rather than relying exclusively on software. Computis is positioning the service as a way for smaller businesses to access financial management capabilities that have traditionally been more common among larger organizations with dedicated finance teams.
Providing Real-Time Financial Visibility
A central objective of Computis is to help entrepreneurs understand their financial position throughout the reporting period rather than waiting for monthly, quarterly or annual accounting updates. The company aims to make financial information available closer to the time business decisions are made, reducing the gap between accounting activities and operational management.
This approach is intended to support activities such as monitoring financial performance, assessing operating costs and understanding the financial implications of business decisions. By organizing accounting information more continuously, Computis aims to provide business owners with a clearer view of their financial position.
CEO and Co-Founder Enrico Nicosia said the company’s objective is not to reinvent accounting but to use technology to eliminate unnecessary manual processes and make financial data more useful. He explained that many entrepreneurs only gain a clear understanding of their company’s financial position after receiving accounting reports at the end of a reporting period.
Computis aims to address this information gap by combining automated data processing with ongoing accounting support. The company intends to make financial information more accessible to business owners, allowing them to use accounting data as part of their regular decision-making processes.
Founded by Former Jet HR Team Members
Computis was founded in 2026 by Enrico Nicosia, Chief Executive Officer; Riccardo Donatelli, Chief Revenue Officer; and Leonardo Drici, Chief Product and Technology Officer. The three founders previously worked together at Jet HR, bringing experience in technology, business operations and product development.
Their professional backgrounds also include companies such as Spendesk, Amazon, Deliveroo and Eurostar. The founding team is applying this experience to develop an accounting service tailored to the operational requirements of small and medium-sized businesses.
The company’s strategy focuses on simplifying financial administration while improving access to information that supports business management. Through its combination of software and accounting expertise, Computis aims to help entrepreneurs spend less time managing routine financial processes and gain greater visibility into their business performance.
Zanichelli Venture Expands Beyond EdTech Investments
The funding round also includes participation from Zanichelli Venture, the corporate venture capital arm of Bologna-based publishing group Zanichelli. The investment reflects Zanichelli Venture’s expansion into technology businesses operating beyond its traditional education technology focus.
The investor has recently backed Gyver, a platform serving electricians and technical professionals, and Gamindo, which develops gamification solutions for corporate training. Its participation in Computis extends this investment activity into financial technology and business operations software.
The investment aligns with a broader interest in digital platforms that improve professional workflows, automate administrative processes and support decision-making. Through Computis, Zanichelli Venture is backing a company focused on applying technology to financial administration and management within smaller businesses.
Targeting Digital Transformation in SME Financial Management
Computis enters the market as small and medium-sized businesses increasingly seek digital tools to simplify financial administration and improve operational efficiency. While accounting software has become more widely available, many businesses still face challenges integrating financial records, automating workflows and obtaining timely insights from their accounting data.
Computis aims to address these needs through a combination of automation, financial information management and professional accounting support. Its model is designed to reduce repetitive administrative tasks while helping business owners access financial information throughout the reporting period.
With €2 million in Pre-Seed financing, the startup will continue developing its platform and business model for the SME market. Its longer-term objective is to make accounting information more accessible and useful for entrepreneurs, enabling smaller businesses to incorporate financial data into everyday operational decisions.
Euro Startups
Bulgarian VC Firm LAUNCHub Ventures Secures €65M First Close for Third Fund to Back Early-Stage Startups Across CEE and SEE
The Sofia-based venture capital firm is targeting more than €75 million to invest in approximately 25 Pre-Seed and Seed-stage startups across Central and Southeastern Europe.
The Sofia-headquartered firm plans to invest in approximately 25 startups over a five-year investment period, focusing on Pre-Seed and Seed-stage companies across the region and its international founder diaspora.
The fund is backed by institutional investors, including the European Investment Fund (EIF) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), alongside regional entrepreneurs, family offices and founders of previously backed startups. LAUNCHub Ventures has already begun deploying capital from the new fund, leading investment rounds in three technology startups.
LAUNCHub Ventures Secures €65M First Close for Fund III
The third fund will provide initial investments ranging from €300,000 to €3 million, with LAUNCHub Ventures able to lead or co-lead financing rounds of up to €7 million. The firm will also reserve capital for follow-on investments, allowing it to support selected portfolio companies as they progress toward Series A funding.
The investment strategy focuses on technology companies emerging from Central and Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe and the region’s founder diaspora. Target markets include Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Slovenia, Serbia and the wider Western Balkans, reflecting the firm’s regional investment mandate.
By investing at the earliest stages of company development, LAUNCHub Ventures aims to provide founders with access to capital and support as they build and scale their businesses. The firm expects to complete its final fundraising close at more than €75 million, which would provide additional capital for initial and follow-on investments.
Fund III Begins Investing in AI and Digital Platforms
LAUNCHub Ventures has already led three investment rounds through its third fund, backing startups operating in artificial intelligence and software. The initial investments include Nanogram, an AI-powered social gaming platform; Lenz, an AI content verification company; and 1Club, a software provider serving the sports and activities sector.
These investments reflect the firm’s interest in technology businesses developing products for digital markets. The fund’s broader mandate allows it to invest across technology sectors while maintaining a geographic focus on Central and Southeastern Europe.
LAUNCHub Ventures will continue identifying early-stage companies with opportunities to expand beyond their domestic markets, using its investment experience and regional network to support founders as they develop products and pursue commercial growth.
LAUNCHub Portfolio Companies Raise Over €700M
Founded in 2012, LAUNCHub Ventures has invested in nearly 100 companies through its first two funds and manages more than €100 million in assets. According to the firm, its portfolio companies have collectively secured more than €700 million in follow-on financing from other investors.
Approximately 75% of its portfolio companies have raised at least one subsequent funding round, while around 40% have progressed to Series A. These figures reflect the financing progress of companies backed by LAUNCHub Ventures as they move beyond their initial investment stages.
The firm’s portfolio includes companies such as Ampeco, FintechOS, Colossyan, Giraffe360, Veridion, Ferryhopper and Lace. These businesses operate across different technology segments, including financial technology, enterprise software, artificial intelligence and digital platforms.
LAUNCHub Ventures has also recorded 18 exits, including the acquisition of cybersecurity startup SPLX by Zscaler in 2025. Other exits include sports streaming platform FITE, acquired by Triller, and workplace management software company OfficeRnD, acquired by Blue Star.
The firm is drawing on this investment history as it raises capital for its third fund and expands its early-stage investment activities. Its previous investments and exits also provide experience in supporting portfolio companies through fundraising, growth and acquisition processes.
EIF and EBRD Back LAUNCHub’s Third Fund
The new fund has attracted commitments from institutional investors, international financial organizations, regional entrepreneurs and family offices. Its investor base includes the European Investment Fund and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, alongside investors with experience in the region’s technology ecosystem.
More than 10 founders of LAUNCHub-backed companies that have completed exits have also committed capital as limited partners. Their participation brings former portfolio founders into the fund’s investor base, providing an additional connection between the firm’s previous investments and its future startup portfolio.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), which invested in LAUNCHub Ventures’ second fund, is also considering participation in the third fund’s second close. However, its participation has not yet been confirmed, and the firm continues working toward its targeted final fund size.
LAUNCHub Ventures Expands Leadership Team
Alongside the new fund, LAUNCHub Ventures has announced changes to its investment and management team. Raya Yunakova and Petar Tsachev have been promoted to General Partners, joining Todor Breshkov, Stanislav Sirakov, Rumen Iliev and Irina Dimitrova, who have been involved with the firm since its establishment in 2012.
Lyuben Belov and Stephane Gantchev will continue supporting the firm as venture partners and advisors. LAUNCHub Ventures has also added Vedran B. as Associate Partner and Nikoleta Popkostadinova as Head of Marketing, expanding its investment and operational capabilities.
The expanded team will support the firm’s investment activities, portfolio management and fundraising efforts as it deploys its third fund. These appointments come as LAUNCHub Ventures prepares to increase its investment activity across Central and Southeastern European technology markets.
Supporting Early-Stage Startups Across Central and Southeastern Europe
With €65 million secured at first close, LAUNCHub Ventures will continue investing in early-stage technology companies across its target markets. The fund’s strategy combines initial Pre-Seed and Seed investments with follow-on financing opportunities for portfolio companies reaching later stages of development.
Its planned 25 investments over five years will focus on startups seeking to develop scalable technology products and expand internationally. The firm’s existing portfolio, institutional investor relationships and network of former founders will support its investment activities and provide connections across the regional startup ecosystem.
As LAUNCHub Ventures works toward a final close exceeding €75 million, the third fund will provide additional early-stage financing capacity for technology entrepreneurs across Central and Southeastern Europe, while allowing the firm to continue supporting selected portfolio companies through subsequent funding rounds.
Euro Startups
UK-Based Quantum Computing Startup Universal Quantum Raises Over $100M Series A to Expand Global R&D and Build Singapore Hub
The DCVC and Firgun Ventures-led funding round will support Universal Quantum’s scalable trapped-ion quantum computing technology, establish a Singapore research hub and expand operations in the US, Japan and Germany.
The company plans to use the new capital to accelerate the development of its trapped-ion quantum computing technology, establish a research and development (R&D) centre in Singapore, and expand its international operations. Founded in 2018 as a spinout from the University of Sussex, Universal Quantum develops modular quantum computing systems designed to overcome the technical challenges associated with scaling quantum processors. The company describes the financing as the largest Series A funding round secured by a UK-based quantum computing company.
Universal Quantum Secures Over $100M Series A Funding
The Series A investment will support Universal Quantum’s efforts to develop large-scale quantum computing systems and strengthen its international research infrastructure. DCVC and Firgun Ventures co-led the funding round, with participation from EDBI and other global investors. The financing brings together investors focused on deep technology, advanced computing, and the development of quantum computing infrastructure.
Universal Quantum intends to direct the investment toward research, engineering, and international expansion. A central component of its strategy is the establishment of a new R&D centre in Singapore, which will become the company’s first research facility outside Europe. The startup will also strengthen its existing operations in Hamburg, Germany, while expanding activities in the United States and Japan.
The investment comes as Universal Quantum continues developing trapped-ion computing systems designed to support increasingly complex computational applications.
Establishing a Quantum Computing R&D Hub in Singapore
Universal Quantum plans to establish a research and development centre in Singapore as part of its international expansion strategy. The facility will support the company’s ongoing work in quantum computing technology and contribute to the development of its scalable hardware architecture, representing Universal Quantum’s first R&D centre outside Europe.
The company’s expansion into Singapore is also aligned with the country’s efforts to strengthen its position in advanced technologies, including quantum computing. EDBI’s participation in the funding round supports this international development strategy, while the Singapore facility is expected to contribute to research and engineering activities as Universal Quantum works toward more advanced quantum computing systems.
Alongside the new centre, the company will continue supporting its existing Hamburg operations and expand its presence in the United States and Japan, strengthening its activities across several major technology markets.
Developing Scalable Trapped-Ion Quantum Computers
Universal Quantum develops quantum computers based on trapped-ion technology, which uses electrically charged atoms, known as ions, to store and process quantum information. Trapped-ion systems are one of several technologies being developed for quantum computing, alongside approaches based on superconducting circuits, photonics, and neutral atoms.
The company focuses on creating modular computing architectures that can be expanded as additional processing capacity is required. Its technology is designed to connect multiple quantum computing modules rather than relying on a single processing unit, with the aim of addressing engineering challenges associated with increasing the number of qubits in quantum systems.
Universal Quantum is also developing an architecture intended to reduce reliance on complex laser-based control systems and photonic links used in certain trapped-ion approaches. These design choices form part of its strategy to simplify aspects of quantum computing infrastructure and support the development of larger systems.
Building Multi-Chip Quantum Computing Systems
A major focus of Universal Quantum’s research is the development of quantum computers capable of operating across multiple interconnected chips. The company is working on a $77 million contract with the German Aerospace Center to develop multi-chip quantum computing systems, supporting its broader objective of demonstrating architectures that can operate beyond individual processors.
Scaling quantum computers requires researchers to address challenges involving qubit control, system connectivity, and the integration of multiple hardware components. Universal Quantum’s modular approach is intended to make it possible to expand computing capacity through interconnected systems, while the company continues developing the hardware and supporting technologies needed to move toward larger quantum processors.
Its work with the German Aerospace Center forms part of its efforts to advance this technology from research toward more capable quantum computing infrastructure.
Investors Back Universal Quantum’s Modular Architecture
The Series A round attracted support from investors interested in the commercial development of quantum computing technology. Sebastian Weidt, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Universal Quantum, highlighted the international investor participation as an important step toward developing practical, large-scale quantum computers.
The company aims to use the funding to strengthen its engineering capabilities and accelerate the development of scalable quantum systems. James Hardiman of DCVC pointed to Universal Quantum’s architectural approach as a factor in addressing the challenges of scaling trapped-ion quantum computing.
The startup’s technology focuses on modularity and system integration, two areas that are important for increasing quantum computing capacity. The new investment will support further research and development as Universal Quantum works to demonstrate more advanced systems.
Founded as a University of Sussex Quantum Computing Spinout
Universal Quantum was founded in 2018 by Sebastian Weidt and Winfried Hensinger as a spinout from the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom. Its founders established the business to develop trapped-ion quantum computing technology capable of supporting large-scale computational systems.
Since its establishment, Universal Quantum has expanded its research and engineering activities internationally. The company currently employs more than 100 people working on technical projects across three global regions, with activities covering hardware research, quantum computing architecture development, and engineering projects aimed at improving system scalability.
The company’s international operations and research partnerships support its long-term objective of developing practical quantum computing infrastructure.
Expanding Global Quantum Computing Research
With more than $100 million in Series A financing, Universal Quantum plans to accelerate the development of its trapped-ion quantum computing technology and strengthen its international research network. The company will establish a new R&D centre in Singapore, expand activities in the United States and Japan, and continue supporting its Hamburg operations.
Its work will remain focused on modular quantum computing systems designed to scale through interconnected hardware components. The investment also provides additional resources for ongoing engineering projects, including its multi-chip quantum computing programme with the German Aerospace Center.
As Universal Quantum expands its research capabilities, the company aims to address the technical challenges involved in developing larger and more capable quantum computers.
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