News

DLR spin-off HyImpulse secures 50 Million Euro Series-A-Funding

03. September 2026

Helmholtz spin-off HyImpulse Technologies has raised more than €50 million in a Series A extension round. The spin-off from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) develops suborbital and orbital launch systems based on its proprietary hybrid propulsion technology.

With the new funding, HyImpulse plans to further advance the development and commercialization of its launch systems. This includes the next launch of its SR75 suborbital rocket, scheduled for later in 2026, as well as the maiden flight of its SL1 orbital launch vehicle. The company also plans to expand its production capacities and scale its commercial operations across Europe and international markets.

HyImpulse already has an order book exceeding €350 million. The successful financing round highlights the potential of its technology and marks another important milestone in the company’s journey from research to a growing international player in the space industry.

To HyImpulse → 

Start-up Days 2026: Two Days of Inspiration, Insights and Entrepreneurship

August 24, 2026

On 30 September and 1 October 2026, the 14th Start-up Days will take place in Berlin. The joint event organized by Helmholtz, Fraunhofer, Leibniz and Max Planck is aimed at researchers interested in entrepreneurship – from those exploring their first ideas to those already making concrete plans for their own start-up.

How can a scientific idea be turned into a viable business model? What financing options are available? And what should founders know about intellectual property, negotiations or finding the right customers? The Start-up Days offer practical insights into key aspects of starting a company.

The programme includes a keynote by Christian Hackenberger, co-founder of the biotech company Tubulis, first-hand experiences from founders, and interactive workshops on topics including business models, financing, AI tools for entrepreneurs and market potential. There will also be plenty of opportunities to connect with other researchers interested in entrepreneurship, experts and financing partners.

The event will take place at Spielfeld Digital Hub in Berlin. The participation fee is €60. Registration is now open.

More information & registration →

Strong Presence: Eleven Helmholtz Spin-offs at the Bio:cap Europe Investival

June 23, 2026

Bridging the gap between the lab and the market: From June 9–11, the inaugural Bio:cap Europe Investival in Berlin brought together the European life sciences and AI innovation community. Right at the center of the action were eleven promising spin-offs from the Helmholtz Association. The ventures utilized the platform to present their deep-tech solutions and pave the way for future collaborations, financing, and strategic growth.

The lineup of Helmholtz Enterprise alumni and startups featured pioneering players across biotechnology, digital health, and medical technology: CAVIGEN, brainQr Therapeutics, Deep Fiction, Allothera, Sensimply, Endurivac, DrugSeqSolutions, BlueHealthTech, SynTra, CARTemisTherapeutics and Citrapeutics.

Die intensiven Pitches und Networking-Sessions vor Ort unterstrichen nicht nur die wissenschaftliche Exzellenz der beteiligten The high-energy pitches and networking sessions not only highlighted the scientific excellence behind these ventures but also underscored a growing investor appetite for European deep-tech solutions. The discussions focused heavily on innovations capable of addressing major societal and healthcare challenges. This successful appearance in Berlin marks another significant milestone in the ongoing expansion and scaling of the Helmholtz transfer ecosystem.

HE Alumni Synera Closes $40M Series B Funding Round

April 17, 2026

The Helmholtz Enterprise Alumni spin-off Synera (AWI) – originally founded under the name ELISE (Evolutionary Lightweight Structure Engineering) – has successfully closed a Series B funding round of $40 million (approximately €35 million). The round was led by Revaia, with participation from Capgemini through ISAI Cap Venture, alongside all existing Series A investors including UVC Partners, BMW iVentures, Cherry Ventures, Venture Stars, and Spark Capital.

Founded in 2018 in Bremen by Dr. Moritz Maier, Sebastian Möller-Lafore, and Daniel Siegel, the company develops an agentic AI platform that simplifies complex engineering workflows in industrial product development. The platform integrates with more than 80 existing engineering tools – including solutions from Siemens, Autodesk, and Altair – enabling AI agents to autonomously handle tasks spanning design, simulation, cost analysis, and reporting, without replacing existing IT infrastructure.

Synera today serves more than 60 enterprise customers across 15 countries, including NASA, BMW, Airbus, Volvo Trucks, and Hyundai. In 2025, the company doubled its revenue. With the new capital, Synera plans to further expand internationally across the US, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region.

The successful growth from ELISE to Synera is a powerful example of how Helmholtz research can give rise to internationally scaling deep-tech companies.

To Synera →

Seed-Financing for DLR-Spin-off: ISPTech Revolutionizes Satellite Propulsion

March 4, 2026

The HE startup InSpacePropulsion Technologies (ISPTech) has secured €5.5 million in seed funding. A spin-off of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the company develops innovative propulsion systems designed to make satellite movement in orbit more agile and sustainable.

The focus is on "green" technologies such as the HyNOx system (for small satellites) and HIP_11 (for larger spacecraft). These utilize non-toxic propellants like nitrous oxide and ethane instead of highly hazardous chemicals like hydrazine. ISPTech thus provides a safe and efficient alternative for precise evasive maneuvers and course corrections in increasingly crowded Earth orbits.

With fresh capital from investors including Join Capital and HTGF, the team (founded in 2023) plans to build its own testing facility and scale up series production. The first space mission is already scheduled for 2026, marking a significant step for the sustainable commercial use of space.