U.S. Election 2020 – Why the race is so close by Dr. Jen Schradie

Europe’s industrial transformation is accelerating as companies seek sustainable alternatives to traditional resource extraction. At the forefront of this shift, Nordic Salt Cycle has secured €35 million in funding to advance its groundbreaking molten salt mineral recovery technology, positioning the company as a key player in the circular economy revolution sweeping across European manufacturing. The substantial investment reflects growing confidence in cleantech solutions that can address Europe’s critical raw material dependencies whilst meeting stringent environmental regulations. Nordic Salt Cycle’s innovative approach to mineral recovery from industrial waste streams offers a compelling alternative to traditional mining, particularly relevant as the EU tightens resource efficiency mandates. Strategic Investment in Molten Salt Recovery Innovation The funding round attracted a consortium of European investors focused on industrial sustainability and resource security. Lead investors recognised the strategic importance of reducing Europe’s reliance on imported raw materials, particularly in light of recent supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions affecting traditional mineral sources. Nordic Salt Cycle’s molten salt mineral recovery technology addresses a critical gap in European industrial processing. The company’s proprietary method extracts valuable minerals from waste streams using advanced thermal processing, creating a closed-loop system that transforms industrial byproducts into high-value resources. This investment timing aligns with increased European focus on strategic autonomy in critical raw materials. The European Commission’s Raw Materials Act emphasises reducing import dependencies, making Nordic Salt Cycle’s domestic recovery solutions particularly attractive to both investors and industrial partners. Market Positioning and European Expansion Strategy The funding will accelerate Nordic Salt Cycle’s commercial deployment across European industrial centres, with initial focus on regions with high concentrations of metal processing and chemical manufacturing. The company’s technology offers particular advantages in jurisdictions with strict environmental compliance requirements, where traditional disposal methods face increasing regulatory pressure. Nordic Salt Cycle’s approach differentiates from competitors through its integration of molten salt chemistry with advanced separation techniques. This combination enables recovery of multiple mineral types from single waste streams, improving economic viability whilst reducing environmental impact compared to conventional extraction methods. The company plans to establish processing facilities in key European industrial hubs, targeting partnerships with major manufacturers seeking sustainable waste management solutions. This strategy leverages Europe’s fragmented industrial landscape by offering localised recovery services that reduce transport costs and carbon footprints. The €35 million investment positions Nordic Salt Cycle to capture significant market share in Europe’s emerging circular mineral economy. As industrial sustainability requirements intensify and raw material costs continue rising, the company’s molten salt recovery technology offers a timely solution that aligns with both regulatory demands and commercial imperatives driving European industry transformation.

The European femtech sector is experiencing unprecedented momentum, with funding reaching record highs as investors recognise the massive addressable market of underserved women’s health needs. Bristol-based Emm exemplifies this trend, having secured €7.7 million in seed funding to advance its connected menstrual cup technology. The round positions Emm at the forefront of Europe’s digital health revolution, where regulatory advantages and sophisticated healthcare infrastructure create unique opportunities for innovative femtech solutions. Lunar Ventures leads femtech funding round with strategic vision Lunar Ventures spearheaded the €7.7 million seed round, demonstrating the firm’s continued commitment to backing European femtech pioneers. The investment aligns perfectly with Lunar’s thesis of supporting technology that addresses significant market gaps whilst leveraging Europe’s progressive stance on data privacy and healthcare innovation. “Emm represents exactly the kind of company that can thrive in Europe’s regulatory environment whilst building global market leadership,” explains a partner at Lunar Ventures. The funding round attracted additional strategic investors who bring both capital and sector expertise to accelerate Emm’s growth trajectory. This investor mix reflects the maturing European venture landscape, where specialised funds increasingly recognise femtech’s commercial potential beyond its social impact credentials. The backing provides Emm with not just financial resources but access to networks across European healthcare systems and retail distribution channels. Smart menstrual cup technology targets European market expansion Emm’s connected menstrual cup combines hardware innovation with data-driven health insights, addressing both sustainability concerns and personalised wellness tracking that resonates strongly with European consumers. The company’s approach leverages GDPR compliance as a competitive advantage, offering women control over their intimate health data whilst providing actionable insights through its companion app. The Bristol startup plans to utilise the funding for product development and strategic market expansion across key European territories, where regulatory frameworks support digital health innovation. “European women are increasingly demanding sustainable alternatives that don’t compromise on functionality or privacy,” notes Emm’s CEO. The company’s go-to-market strategy recognises Europe’s fragmented markets whilst capitalising on shared values around sustainability and data protection that transcend national boundaries. Emm faces competition from both traditional menstrual product manufacturers and emerging femtech players, but its connected technology approach and European regulatory positioning provide distinctive advantages. The funding enables accelerated R&D investment and market education campaigns essential for category creation in the nascent smart menstrual product space. This funding milestone signals growing investor confidence in femtech solutions that combine hardware innovation with software capabilities. For Europe’s startup ecosystem, Emm’s success demonstrates how regulatory advantages can become market differentiators when properly leveraged by innovative companies addressing real consumer needs.

As digital fraud losses surge past €4.2 billion annually across Europe, the continent’s identity verification sector is attracting unprecedented investor attention. Romanian fraud prevention specialist TMT ID has secured €34 million in growth funding from BGF, marking one of the largest fraud prevention investments in Eastern Europe this year. The Bucharest-based company, which provides AI-powered identity verification and fraud detection solutions, will use the capital to accelerate expansion across European markets whilst bolstering its technology platform to address the continent’s mounting digital trust challenges. BGF backs fraud prevention technology amid rising digital threats Business Growth Fund’s investment in TMT ID reflects growing institutional confidence in European fraud prevention technologies. The London-based growth capital firm, which typically invests £2-10 million in scaling businesses, sees significant opportunity in the identity verification sector as regulatory pressure intensifies across EU markets. “The fraud prevention market in Europe is experiencing a perfect storm of regulatory demand and technological innovation,” said a BGF spokesperson regarding the investment. “TMT ID’s proven track record in complex markets like Romania positions them uniquely for pan-European expansion.” BGF’s investment thesis centres on TMT ID’s proprietary AI algorithms, which can process over 100,000 identity verifications per hour whilst maintaining compliance with GDPR and emerging AI Act requirements. This technical capability becomes crucial as European financial services face stricter KYC obligations under the upcoming AML6 directive. The funding round positions TMT ID alongside other European fraud prevention unicorns like London’s Onfido and Berlin’s IDnow, both of which have secured significant US investment despite their European origins. Romanian fintech eyes Western European expansion strategy TMT ID’s expansion strategy focuses on Germany, France, and the Netherlands, where fraud losses have increased 23% year-on-year according to European Central Bank data. The company’s technology currently processes over 2 million identity checks monthly for Romanian banks and telecommunications companies. “We’re seeing massive demand from Western European enterprises who need fraud prevention solutions that understand both local regulations and cross-border criminal patterns,” explained TMT ID CEO regarding the company’s growth trajectory. The Romanian company differentiates itself through multi-language support and deep understanding of Eastern European fraud patterns, which increasingly impact Western markets as criminal networks become more sophisticated. This regional expertise proves valuable as European banks struggle with cross-border fraud detection. TMT ID’s client roster includes major Romanian financial institutions and telecommunications providers, with the company reporting 150% revenue growth over the past 18 months. The fresh capital will fund technology development, regulatory compliance infrastructure, and strategic hires across key European markets. This investment signals broader confidence in Eastern European fintech capabilities, following similar growth rounds for Polish payment processor PayU and Czech Republic’s Bohemia Interactive. European fraud prevention remains a strategic priority as digital transformation accelerates across traditional industries.