Brandon buys a French rival. Brembo launches a corporate venture capital fund

Brandon, tech company active in marketing, founded in Naples in 2012 that has developed a system to help companies sell more and better on online marketplaces, has acquired 100% of the French company Acs. The operation was supported by a capital increase subscribed by Cdp venture capital, Credem private equity And First ventures. Brandon’s platform offers its customers a “dynamic price” platform that allows, by crossing supply and demand, to define the best price for each individual product.

Because it’s important. The marketplace market is growing at a very fast pace. According to the latest data from Mirakl’s Enterprise Marketplace Index 2022, sales on marketplaces in 2021 recorded an increase of 25% compared to 2020, growing more than double the increase in pure ecommerce, which, year on year, increased by 12. %. The acquisition of Brandon increases the group’s market share, with the addition of 60 marketplaces in its portfolio and the opening of two new offices in France, and access to the French company’s cutting-edge technology.

1. Brembo launches Brembo Venture

Company active in the development and production of braking systems, Brembo he threw Brembo Venturesa venture capital investment unit that aims to accelerate the development of innovative solutions for the mobility of tomorrow.

Because it’s important. Brembo Ventures will turn its attention above all to startups active in Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, sensors, mechatronics, energy efficiency and sustainability that can find application in the automotive sector. According to data from Future Market Insights, the global automotive performance components market is expected to grow from $ 339.32 million in 2022 to $ 532.02 million by 2032.

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2. Out Of (smart lenses), round of 712 thousand euros

Out Ofa startup from Brescia, active in the smart lenses sector, closed a round of 712 thousand euros underwritten by a group of investors signed by iN3 ventures. In October 2020 the company had already raised 1 million from an equity crowdfunding campaign on Mamacrowd, while last February it raised another 2 million.

Technology. Out Of has developed a ski goggle with a lens capable of adapting alone and in real time to changes in ambient light, maintaining uniformity of vision. The capital raised will make it possible to develop the technology and take it into new industrial fields, such as in the sector of motorcycle helmets, law enforcement, defense, sunglasses and prescription lenses.

3. PhotonPath (photonic circuits) gets new investments

The Milanese startup PhotonPathestablished in 2019 as a spinoff of the Politecnico di Milano and which develops products based on integrated photonics, has announced the closure of a round (amount not disclosed) led by Brembo, a company active in the development and production of braking systems. They also participated in the round 360 Capital Partnersformer investor in the startup, e RoboITthe technology transfer center of which Cdp venture capital is the main investor.

Because it’s important. PhotonPath will collaborate with Brembo to develop sensing systems for solutions based on its integrated photonic circuits to accelerate the development of the vehicles of the future. A leap forward as regards communication and detection applications that go beyond the limits of electronic technology: we are talking about cars that are increasingly and better connected, with devices of reduced size and weight.

4. The 8 startups of the Motor Valley Accelerator

Motor Valley Acceleratorthe program, part of the National Accelerators Network of Cdp Venture Capital, created to support startups and innovative projects in the mobility sector, presented the 8 startups that participated in the second acceleration path. They are Inventio.ai, Recarbon, Fast charge engineering, Racing teams app, Hmdrive, Vizen analytics, Galvani power and Gedy trass. The call for applications to participate in the third acceleration course is now open. HERE to apply.

5. Exit for Wavision

Antares Visionan Italian company active in software for traceability and quality control (develops sensors capable of intercepting physical contaminants, overcoming the limitations of current control tools such as X-rays and metal detectors), has detected the majority of Wavision, startup born at the Polytechnic of Turin, which designs and markets inspection sensors with microwave-based technology. Antares invested through the subsidiary FT System and took over the investment held by 4U srl, a vehicle belonging to the fund Vertis 3 tech transferhandled by Vertis ventures.

Because it’s important. Antares Vision will use the technology developed by Wavision to design a series of inspection machines in the Food & Beverage sectors. The export of Made in Italy is worth 52 billion euros, but the counterfeiting of the same reaches double. Systems capable of testing and certifying the origin, quality and good conservation of wines and foods will be increasingly required, both by the market and by the law. We also talk about it HERE.

6. The announcement

There is time until November 4th to apply for One to Zero Challengenotice of Plenitudea company controlled by Eni, aimed at startups, scaleups, Innovative SMEs, and university spinoffs able to propose solutions already commercially validated in the energy field: in particular, new solutions are sought in the sector of renewables, energy sales and development the network of charging points for electric vehicles. HERE to apply.

7. What’s happening in Europe

Artificial intelligence. The Dutch startup Axelera AIco-founded and led by the Italian, Fabrizio Del Maffeo closed a $ 27 million Series A investment round this week. The funding will support the launch and production of Axelera AI, the AI ​​acceleration platform. We also talk about it HERE.

Health. The Spanish girl Therapychat closed a € 6.5 million Serie A round supported by NextChance, Mediaset Italy And Mediaset España. Based in Madrid, but co-founded in 2016 by Alessandro De Sario, Italian from Turin, Therapychat is a platform that is proposed as a meeting point between psychologists who wish to offer their services online and people or companies interested in improving their well-being psychological.

The data. The platform, active in Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom, has raised a total of € 14.5 million since its foundation thanks to a 3 million seed round in 2016 and a 5 million pre-Serie A round in 2021.