Free

Today in European Tech: Klarna and Hopin said to near monster rounds, EU Commission launches 'gig economy' consultation, and more

Robin Wauters 24 February 2021
Today in European Tech: Klarna and Hopin said to near monster rounds, EU Commission launches 'gig economy' consultation, and more
Send email Copy link

Hello!

Here's what happened today in European Tech.

Deals

- Swedish fintech scale-up Klarna is looking to raise up $1 billion at a $31 billion valuation.

- UK-based virtual events platform Hopin is reportedly nearing the end of a Series C fundraise in which it is looking to raise roughly $400 million at a pre-money valuation of $5 billion.

- US private equity giant Francisco Partners is acquiring Israel-based genealogy company MyHeritage. The companies didn't disclose the sum of the acquisition, but the deal is believed to be valued at $600 million and it may even increase further.

- Apax Partners, the majority owner of Spanish online real estate classifieds platform idealista until EQT acquired the company for €1.3 billion, has re-invested in the business, coughing up €250 million for a 17% stake.

- Wallapop, a virtual marketplace based out of Barcelona, has raised €157 million at a valuation of €690 million. The funding was led by Korelya Capital, a French VC fund backed by Korea’s Naver, with Accel, Insight Partners, 14W, GP Bullhound and Northzone — all previous backers of Wallapop — also participating.

- Israeli storage processor and database acceleration company Pliops announced today that it has completed a $65 million financing round led by Koch Disruptive Technologies.

- NIL Technology, a Danish specialist in advanced optical solutions has carried out a financing round of €26 million. The financing was co-led by Jolt Capital, NGP Capital and Vaekstfonden, with EIC Fund as a new significant investor.

- Israeli online car buying company Gettacar today announced the closing of a $25 million financing round, bringing the amount raised by the company to $48 million.

- Munich-based startup Everdrop has raised an €18 million Series A funding round led by Felix Capital, with participation from HV Capital and Vorwerk Ventures, for its dissolvable cleaning tablet.

- Founda Health, an Amsterdam startup that says it’s bringing fintech-style ‘platformization’ to healthcare, has raised a $15 million seed funding round from an undisclosed group of healthcare and fintech entrepreneurs.

- We also tracked a large number of (other) European tech funding rounds and M&A transactions, all of which we are putting in a handy list for you on Friday afternoon in our weekly roundup newsletter (note: the full list is for paying customers only). Also check out our European tech news section for ongoing coverage.

Worth Reading/Knowing

- Today, the European Commission launched the first-stage consultation of social partners on how to improve the working conditions for people working through digital labour platforms.

- Spain is preparing to push forward with pro-startup legislation, having recently unveiled a big and bold transformation plan with the headline goal, by 2030, of turning the country into ‘Spain Entrepreneurial Nation’.

- The EU Commission proposed today a new Roaming Regulation, which will prolong the current rules that are due to expire in 2022, for another 10 years.

- The European Payments Initiative, a bank-backed joint venture that aims to build a rival to Mastercard and Visa, has put out a Request for Information for 'qualified technical partners' to help build its central infrastructure.

- Some of the best known tech companies in Ireland have teamed up with the University of Limerick (UL) for a new and radically different computer science course. More than a dozen tech companies, including Stripe, Intercom and Workday, are partnering with the university for its new immersive software engineering programme.

- German micromobility company Tier has teamed up with Northvolt, a Swedish supplier of battery cells and systems, to improve the sustainability of e-scooter batteries, reduce raw material needs and lower associated emissions.

- Wildberries is Russia’s dominant web store, and now its billionaire founder is targeting western Europe.

- Buy now, pay later schemes are expected to account for 10 percent of all UK e-commerce sales by 2024, according to data compiled by Worldpay.

- Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing plans to make its debut in Western Europe, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg, as the company seeks new growth markets ahead of a long-awaited initial public offering.

Today's Top Tweets

Tell us what you think about this daily roundup and how we can improve it!

And follow us on Twitter of course.

Today in European Tech: Klarna and Hopin said to near monster rounds, EU Commission launches 'gig economy' consultation, and more
Comments
  1. Would you like to write the first comment?

    Would you like to write the first comment?

    Login to post comments
Follow the developments in the technology world. What would you like us to deliver to you?
Your subscription registration has been successfully created.