The Recursive’s weekly roundup aims to cover key tech developments across Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the growing impact of CEE-born founders on the global stage. Take a look at the latest news in funding, startup milestones, and emerging trends tied to the region’s innovation potential.
CEE news & deals
Bulgarian Dronamics has announced its entry into Japan, alongside a strategic investment from Asia Air Survey (TSE: 9233). As part of the move, Dronamics is establishing a local subsidiary, Dronamics Japan Holdings Co., Ltd., positioning itself within one of the most technologically sophisticated and industrially advanced markets globally. The investment comes through Asia Air Survey’s Corporate Venture Capital arm, making it the first Japanese backer of Dronamics and a key partner for deploying drone-based geospatial solutions both in Japan and internationally.
Polish-based GRAI has secured $9 (€7.65) million in seed funding in a round co-led by Khosla Ventures and Polish Inovo VC, as the startup looks to redefine how users engage with music in the age of AI. Other investors in the round include Tensor Ventures, Tiny.VC, Flyer One Ventures, the a16z Scout Fund, and a group of angel backers with backgrounds across AI and consumer tech.
Bulgarian BlackPeak Capital has invested €7 million in Fasal Bio, marking its first direct investment in Croatia. This is the final investment from BlackPeak’s current fund, SE Growth Equity Fund I. The funding will support the global expansion of Fasal Bio’s proprietary Naturion™ platform, a renewable composite material designed to reduce reliance on fossil-based plastics.
Polish investment firm Warsaw Equity Group has led a €5 million Series A funding round in German EV charging technology company &Charge, joining forces with Porsche Ventures and existing backers including InnoEnergy and Redstone. The investment underscores growing interest from both financial and strategic investors in solving one of Europe’s most pressing electromobility challenges: the reliability of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.
Bulgarian Quillon, an AI platform for technical accounting and financial reporting, has raised $1.5 (€1.28) million in pre-seed funding and rebranded from Acclara AI. The round was led by 42CAP, with participation from angel investors linked to NVIDIA and Roblox. Founded in 2023 by Nikolay Dakov, Ivaylo Stefanov, and Atanas Dobrev, the company is based in Sofia with operations in San Francisco. It focuses on technical accounting, handling complex standards and producing detailed reports for auditors and regulators like the SEC.
Zynt, a Polish startup developing a signal intelligence platform for B2B sales, has raised $0.5 (€0.43) million in a pre-seed funding round. Founded by Cezary Raszel and Wojciech Ozimek, the company received backing from Poland-based fund 24Ventures, along with a group of angel investors. The funding will be used to further develop the technology, prepare the product for enterprise clients, and support international expansion.
CEE related updates
German-ATMOS Space Cargo, a company focused on orbital transport and re-entry vehicles, has secured €25.7 million in a Series A funding round. The investment will be used to build an initial fleet of three PHOENIX 2 vehicles, launch ATMOS WORKS targeting government and defence clients, and continue development of PHOENIX 3, its next-generation orbital return system.
The round was co-led by Balnord and Expansion, with additional participation from Keen Defence and Security. The European Innovation Council (EIC) also contributed through its Accelerator programme, using a mix of grants and equity funding. Other investors include OTB Ventures, High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), APEX Ventures, Seraphim, Faber, E2MC, and Kirch Ventures, Lennertz & Co., Mätch VC, MBG Baden-Württemberg, and Czech-based Tech Horizons.
