APEX Ventures Newsletter | Entering the quantum realm this October
From Copenhagen to Munich and from Berlin to Vienna, September has rushed by following a month of great events, discussions and achievements across the APEX Ventures portfolio.
We gathered together with some of the greatest founders, investors and network partners in European tech in Munich for Bits and Pretzels to don our lederhosen, discuss all things deep tech and, of course, enjoy Oktoberfest together.
From the Amadeus APEX Technology Fund, Amadeus Capital Partners recently hosted an innovation showcase, while ATMOS Space Cargo shined at EUROCONTROL and OKAPI: Orbits won awards for significant impact in the tech sector.
Across our medical startups, there has been a big leap forward in development for teams this month. Upfront Diagnostics began clinical trials in England, contextflow released its first white paper on the lung segmentation method, and ImageBiopsyLab has begun testing its software in hospitals in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Quibim successfully released its FLUTE platform for precise prostate cancer diagnosis, and CardiaTec was selected by Sifted as a top AI-driven drug discovery startup for 2023.
Read on for more details and a sneak peek into what’s coming from us in October. 🚀🌟
Upcoming Events
- QBN Quantum Industry Summit and Quantum Effects — October 10–11, Stuttgart, Germany — Ion Hauer
Meet the team at Quantum Effects, a prominent conference focusing on practical quantum technologies, to collaborate with industry experts, scientists, and policymakers, bolstering Europe’s leadership in this groundbreaking field. Ion Hauer will moderate the panel “Is the European Deeptech Innovation just an illusion?”.
- Invest Europe Venture Capital Forum — October 11–12, Paris, France — Wolfgang Neubert, Andreas Riegler
Join us at the Venture Capital Forum 2023, a hub for LPs and GPs actively engaged in VC activities, and learn more about the evolving landscape of VC investments and future trends.
- Hightech Venture Days — October 17- 18 — Dresden, Germany — Andreas Riegler, Wolfgang Neubert, Ion Hauer
Hightech Venture Days is a unique matching program that brings together international startups and investors with a special focus on industrial ventures.
- Stage Two 2023 — October 19, Berlin, Germany — Ion Hauer, Andreas Riegler
We’re thrilled to be part of Stage Two, Europe’s premier startup competition for university spin-offs, where Ion will engage with the brightest entrepreneurial minds emerging across Europe.
- Heilbronn Slush’D — October 19 — Heilbronn, Germany — Wolfgang Neubert
Experience Germany’s exclusive startup festival, Heilbronn Slush’D, on October 19th. Join founders, startups, experts, and investors for co-innovation and insights. Wolfgang from APEX Ventures will be there. Showcase your brilliance, gain a competitive edge, and stay “One Step Ahead.”
Portfolio Company Updates
Amadeus APEX Technology Fund
- Amadeus Capital Partners hosted an innovation showcase event at the Wellcome Trust in London, bringing together executives from its portfolio, investors, and co-investors. This event provided a platform to celebrate pioneering technologies and discuss the latest innovations in deep tech.
- ATMOS Space Cargo’s founder, Sebastian Klaus, discussed atmospheric re-entry challenges during the EUROCONTROL webinar. The company showcased its know-how in space technology and re-entry solutions, reinforcing its dedication to solving complex challenges in space exploration.
- OKAPI:Orbits’ CEO, Kristina Nikolaus, secured a prestigious spot on the European Patent Office’s “50 Leading Tech Voices” list. The company was also named one of the “11 Space Tech Startups to Watch” by Global Corporate Venturing. And if that wasn’t enough OKAPI:Orbits also signed the Washington Compact in collaboration with The Hague Institute for Global Justice, emphasising its commitment to responsible commercial space operations and civil space cooperation.
APEX Medical
- CardiaTec Biosciences is one to watch! This month, it was selected by Sifted as a top AI-driven drug discovery startup for 2023 and awarded the Cambridge Independent Science and Technology One to Watch Award 2023. These recognitions validate its impact on the pharmaceutical industry and its potential for revolutionising drug discovery.
- It was a busy month for Upfront Diagnostics as the company received its US patent! It also started clinical trials in four emergency departments with over 30 recruited patients across the North East of England. The company impressed as one of four companies invited to pitch at a House of Commons event, presenting its “LVOne” stroke blood test technology to MPs, government agencies, the NHS, and industry stakeholders.
- Quibim successfully completed its role in the PRIMAGE project, a milestone in pediatric oncology and medical imaging. They also presented their progress in the FLUTE project. The team actively participated in prominent events such as SEOM2023 and LSIEurope23, to underline their commitment to advancing healthcare. Their research published in Cancers Journal underscores the dedication and rigorous research efforts of Quibim’s Medical Division and Clinical Studies teams.
- Yuri’s Co-founder, Mark Kugel, discussed space biotech on the Payload’s “Pathfinder” podcast alongside NASA, SpaceX, and other prominent space companies. The discussion explored Yuri’s expertise and contribution to the space industry and how they are becoming industry leaders in space biotechnology.
APEX One
- contextflow released its first user report from France and published a new whitepaper on lung segmentation methods in its journey to improving medical imaging and diagnosis by providing valuable insights into innovative solutions for the healthcare industry.
- ImageBiopsy Lab expanded its reach by deploying the IB Lab ZOO software in an “AI Center of Excellence’’ at a prominent hospital in Bosnia and Herzegovina, streamlining clinical workflows and enhancing patient care. The company also successfully secured the ISO13484 and achieved MDR/MedDev standards. This demonstrates ImageBiopsy Lab’s unwavering commitment to maintaining top-quality AI software in the medical field for its clients.
- OroraTech extended its partnership with the Forestry Corporation of NSW (FCNSW) to enhance wildfire management in Australia. The collaboration focuses on early fire detection, providing FCNSW with cost-effective detection and notification of bushfires, precise fire perimeter locations, and on-demand tasking services during crucial afternoon periods. This partnership is crucial for proactive wildfire management and safeguarding landscapes.
- Spleenlab GMBH joined forces with Apex.AI on a white paper exploring sensor fusion, safety, and cutting-edge technologies. The company also released a new model called VISIONAIRY Online Calibration on Apex.Grace which is an execution management framework in modern, complex, real-time systems, particularly in software-defined vehicles.
- TriLite Technologies announced a technology collaboration with ams OSRAM, integrating its sub-assembled RGB laser diodes into TriLite’s Trixel® 3 laser beam scanner (LBS). This collaboration ensures top-quality and reliable mass manufacturing for the Trixel® 3 and provides a significant boost to its laser technology capabilities. It was also shortlisted for the Global Incubator Network’s Go Tokyo Acceleration Program.
- VividQ was featured as ‘One to Watch’ in Sifted’s Extended Reality briefing and won the ‘Best Innovation: VR/AR’ award at the CogX Awards. The company was recognised as a Trailblazer by WIRED, affirming its position as a leader in augmented and virtual reality technologies.
Other Activities
Across September, our team joined a series of exciting tech and networking events.
One notable highlight was our presence at the Bits and Pretzels conference, where Andreas Riegler, Christoph Kanneberger, and Ion Hauer met with many founders and industry enthusiasts. The event was a dynamic blend of inspiring discussions and invaluable connections, fostering interactions among a diverse group of international and national founders and investors.
Continuing our exploration of emerging tech ecosystems, Andreas Riegler and Ion Hauer embarked on a journey to Copenhagen to familiarise themselves with Denmark’s vibrant quantum tech community. Their journey even led them to Niels Bohr’s office, an iconic moment seated at the desk of the Nobel laureate himself.
We are delighted that Lexology acknowledged APEX Ventures as one of the most active VC investors in Austria, a testament to our commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
Ion Hauer engaged in a thought-provoking conversation with Rahul Thayyalamkandy on the Understanding VC podcast. They touched on the history, potential, and challenges of quantum computing with insights into the opportunities for venture capital in this transformative space. Ion emphasised the importance of enterprises investing in quantum computing now to gain a competitive edge, encouraged students to pursue quantum-focused education, and highlighted the broader scope of quantum technologies beyond computing.
APEX Ventures co-hosted its first Deep Tech Munich Meetup together with German Entrepreneurship. Ion Hauer and Elena Dikova joined kiutra, sewts, QuantumDiamonds, MQI — Munich Quantum Instruments, tech enthusiasts, and investors for an evening of insightful discussions. The event provided a platform for investors to deepen their understanding of the tech ecosystem and for startups to exchange valuable experiences and insights.
Job Highlights
Here are the latest jobs available from our portfolio companies.
contextflow
TriLite Technologies
SENISCA
