A New Generation of European Boldness
Across Europe, a quiet renaissance is unfolding driven not by legacy corporations, but by fearless founders, futuristic ideas, and a hunger to solve real human problems.
From Barcelona, where Masia emerges with €20 million to back overlooked founders and build a diverse startup ecosystem, to Oslo, where NoMy is leveraging the regenerative power of fungi to reimagine food systems, and now to Eindhoven, where Salvia BioElectronics is inserting empathy into medtech, these ventures all signal a continental shift in innovation strategy.
This is not just capital meeting code it’s courage meeting crisis. Whether it’s the climate emergency, healthcare access, or systemic funding inequities, these startups aren’t waiting for permission. They are inventing new futures, armed with mission-first models and grounded science and more importantly, they’re doing it the European way with sustainability at the core, regulation embraced and a vision that includes rather than exploits.In a world of unicorns and hyper-growth headlines, the founders of Masia, NoMy, and Salvia are shaping a different narrative.
Startups as systems-changers. Innovation with soul from funding to food to health, this new generation is proving that Europe doesn’t need to follow Silicon Valley’s footsteps. It’s already building its own road.
Masia Launches €20M Angel Fund to Propel Barcelona’s Startup Ecosystem
In a significant boost to Barcelona’s burgeoning tech scene, Masia has officially launched a €20 million angel fund aimed at accelerating early-stage startups in the region. This initiative underscores the city’s growing reputation as a leading European innovation hub.
Strategic Investment Focus
Masia’s fund is designed to provide initial investments ranging from €100,000 to €500,000, with provisions for follow-on funding for high-performing ventures. While sector-agnostic, the fund will prioritize startups in artificial intelligence, fintech, digital health, and climate innovation areas where Barcelona has demonstrated increasing strength.
Empowering Founders Beyond Capital
Beyond financial support, Masia aims to offer mentorship and access to a robust network of industry experts. The fund’s leadership comprises seasoned entrepreneurs and investors committed to fostering a culture of long-term ownership among founders.
Barcelona’s Evolving Startup Landscape
Barcelona’s startup ecosystem has witnessed remarkable growth, with over 2,285 startups now operating in the region a 9% increase over the previous year. This positions Barcelona as the leading startup hub in Southern Europe and the second most preferred location for startups in the European Union, just behind Berlin .
Notable success stories such as Glovo, Wallbox, and Letgo have not only achieved significant milestones but have also reinvested in the local ecosystem, inspiring a new generation of entrepreneurs. The city’s appeal is further enhanced by its strong academic institutions, including the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and IESE Business School, which contribute to a steady pipeline of skilled talent .
A Catalyst for Sustainable Growth
Masia’s launch is timely, aligning with a broader trend of increased investment in Barcelona’s tech sector. In 2024 alone, Catalan startups raised €1.15 billion in venture capital investments, a 65.5% increase from the previous year . The city also benefits from significant international interest, with 60% of funding to Barcelona’s startup ecosystem coming from international funds
Power of Fungi” - Norwegian Startup NoMy Raises €1.25 Million to Revolutionize Sustainable Protein with Mycoprotein Tech
In a major stride for sustainable food innovation, Oslo-based biotech startup NoMy has secured €1.25 million in funding to expand the production of its fungi-based protein alternative. The round was led by Japanese conglomerate Nippon Beet Sugar Manufacturing Co. (Nitten), with backing from impact-driven firms TD Veen, EIT Food, and Farvatn.
Founded in 2020 by Ingrid Dynna and David Andrew Quist, NoMy is on a mission to revolutionize how we think about food systems by harnessing the natural power of fungi. Their core innovation lies in producing mycoprotein through fermentation, turning underutilized food industry byproducts into a nutritious, sustainable protein alternative. Mycoprotein is already being hailed as a climate-resilient, cost-effective ingredient that can transform both the human food and animal feed industries.
Dynna, with her background at tech giants like Google and YouTube, brings a commercial edge to NoMy’s vision, while Quist a renowned microbiologist and environmental advisor anchors the startup’s deep biotech foundation. Together, they are reimagining the future of food: one not reliant on livestock farming or carbon-heavy supply chains, but on circular systems powered by microbes.
NoMy’s newly announced investment will supercharge its R&D capabilities and help scale its production pipeline to meet growing European and Asian demand. It also solidifies NoMy’s commitment to industrializing climate-friendly ingredients. In 2024, the company partnered with Fenja BioSolutions to accelerate the rollout of mycoprotein at a pan-European level an initiative aligning closely with EU Green Deal goals on sustainable agriculture.
Additionally, the company’s expansion into Asia is being spearheaded through its Japanese subsidiary, NoMy Japan, which aims to apply the same fermentation tech to aquafeed production. Given Japan’s heavy reliance on imported fishmeal and its vulnerability to global supply shocks, NoMy’s entrance could present a timely, localized solution.
“The global food system is in need of a serious rethink,” said co-founder David Quist in a recent statement. “With fungi, we have a regenerative ally that can help us close the loop on food waste, reduce emissions, and provide essential nutrition at scale.”
The funding arrives at a time when climate-conscious consumers and food producers alike are seeking alternatives to traditional protein sources. While plant-based meats have made headlines in recent years, fungi-based proteins offer an edge: naturally fibrous textures, lower processing needs, and the ability to grow rapidly with minimal environmental input.
In a world battling population growth, resource depletion, and climate breakdown, startups like NoMy represent more than a trend they symbolize a turning point. With the support of cross-continental investors and a vision grounded in both science and sustainability, NoMy may very well become a European leader in the next generation of food tech.
As the company gears up for its next phase of growth, its success could ripple beyond protein innovation impacting food security, circular economy policy, and biotech entrepreneurship across the globe.
Dutch Startup Salvia BioElectronics Raises $60M to Battle Migraine Giants with Ultra-Thin Brain Implant
In a bold move that signals Europe’s rising leadership in medical innovation, Salvia BioElectronics has secured $60 million in Series B funding to scale its revolutionary migraine treatment technology. With a mission to disrupt the longstanding dominance of Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and Abbott, this Dutch startup is proving that deeptech innovation doesn’t only live in Silicon Valley.
Headquartered in Eindhoven, Salvia is pioneering a new category of patient-controlled, neuromodulation-based therapy aimed at treating one of the world’s most misunderstood and underestimated conditions chronic migraine. Far beyond your average headache, chronic migraine affects over a billion people globally, forcing many into a life of isolation, missed work, and endless trial-and-error treatments.
Salvia’s signature innovation is a flexible, paper-thin implant designed to rest under the skin, delivering electrical stimulation to cranial nerves responsible for migraine episodes. Patients use a discreet external wearable to trigger the device when symptoms begin. This seamless interaction between bioelectronics and behavior makes Salvia’s approach both radically personal and radically effective.
Co-founded in 2017 by Hubert Martens, Daniel Schobben, and Wim Pollet, Salvia was born out of a shared frustration with the slow progress in migraine treatment and a belief that the nervous system holds the key to better answers. The company’s patient-first ethos and cutting-edge design have already earned them Breakthrough Device Designation from the U.S. FDA fast-tracking its regulatory path.
But here’s what sets Salvia apart: it’s not just building another medical device. It’s architecting a future where smart implants become as intuitive and personal as a smartwatch, and where sufferers of chronic neurological disorders reclaim control over their lives.
With this latest round led by Innovation Industries and joined by global players like Invest-NL, EIC Fund, Inkef, SHS Capital, and Dolby Family Ventures, Salvia is preparing for the next major leap: the commercial launch of MySalvia Therapy in the U.S., Europe, and Australia. The funds will also power its pivotal RECLAIM clinical trial it is an ambitious global study focused on real-world, long-term migraine outcomes.
“Chronic migraine is invisible, but its impact is loud,” CEO Hubert Martens said. “We’re not just building tech, we’re restoring freedom. We’re giving people their lives back.”
As it prepares to challenge industry titans, Salvia is also making a play in adjacent markets like cluster headache treatment backed by an additional €5.1 million from the EIC Accelerator program. If successful, it could position Salvia as a global pioneer not only in migraine care, but in the broader space of non-invasive neurotech.
At a time when tech founders often chase headlines, Salvia is chasing healing and in doing so, setting the pace for Europe’s deeptech future.
