Antisense oligonucleotides, a legal copilot, Netflix's gaming strategy, France's nuclear renaissance, and many more...
What's Up Tech? #164
Welcome to our 164th newsletter, written with 🖤 by Grégoire Loisance, Arnaud Savouré, and Justine Pelisson.
Fundraisings from last week with Vico Therapeutics, Bumper, ENYO Pharma, Robin AI and Nabla
News from last week with Netflix’ new gaming-driven revenue strategy and France’s €1bn investment in nuclear solutions
Internships & Job offers of the week
Enjoy the read! 🌞
🧠 Vico Therapeutics secured $60M for breakthrough neurological treatments (🇳🇱)
Netherlands-based genetic medicines company Vico Therapeutics just announced a €54M in Series B funding. Vico Therapeutics is a clinical-stage genetic medicines company focused on developing therapies for severe neurological diseases, utilizing novel antisense oligonucleotides (ie, an approach that modulates RNA!). 🧬
The investment will fund the Phase 1/2a trial of VO659, targeting spinocerebellar ataxia and Huntington’s disease. 👏
🚗 Bumper raised $48M to drive car repair payments expansion in Europe (🇬🇧)
Sheffield-based FinTech Bumper secured $48 million in Series B funding to propel its growth in flexible car repair payments. Bumper's platform enables drivers to split repair bills into interest-free installments, simplifying payment for car owners and boosting profitability for dealers and repair shops. 💰
The capital will be used to expand its technology and reach. Currently available at 5,000 dealers, Bumper aims to double its presence annually. Bumper's CEO, James Jackson, expresses enthusiasm for becoming the leading payments solution for European car dealers, emphasizing the win-win for retailers and customers alike. 💳
💊 ENYO Pharma raised €39M for kidney disease research and treatment (🇫🇷)
ENYO Pharma, the Lyon-based biopharmaceutical company, just secured €39 million in funding to help find new treatments for kidney diseases. Their lead candidate, Vonafexor, got the green light from the U.S. FDA to start a Phase 2 clinical trial for a rare kidney condition called Alport syndrome.🚦
CEO Dr. Jacky Vonderscher expresses confidence in addressing unmet needs, emphasizing Vonafexor's potential impact on patients and on greater research for other kidney problems. 🧑🔬
🌐 Robin AI raised $26M to revolutionize legal work with AI (🇬🇧)
Robin AI, a London-based legal copilot, just announced $26M in funding. The AI-powered legal copilot is transforming the legal sector by automating contract drafting and review. ✍️
Its unique hybrid model blends generative AI and proprietary contract data, attracting major clients like Pepsico and PwC. CEO Richard Robinson envisions an AI platform that revolutionizes legal tasks globally. 🌐
The investment will fuel US expansion, team growth, and entry into Asia Pacific. 🚀
🧑⚕️ Nabla raised $24M in Series B to expand across U.S. healthcare system (🇫🇷)
Nabla, the French leading AI assistant for physicians, recently closed a $24M Series B funding. The startup offers physicians an AI-driven assistant, creating clinical notes by actively listening to patient consultations. 🩺
This brings Nabla's total funding to over $43M, empowering the company to further expand across U.S. healthcare systems and revolutionize care delivery through its ambient AI assistant. 🇺🇸
Paris-based AI Startup Nabla Raises $24m Series B to Boost US Expansion
⏯ Netflix examines strategies to generate revenue from gaming, considering in-app purchases and advertising
A recent report revealed that Netflix is considering revenue avenues for its gaming business, potentially introducing in-app purchases and ads. The streaming giant has developed over 75 mobile games, including popular titles like Grand Theft Auto and Love Is Blind. The move aims to tap into the lucrative mobile gaming market, projected to reach $111.4 billion in consumer spending by 2024. 📈
While Netflix previously emphasized a focus on player enjoyment without ads or in-game payments, discussions about monetization methods - including premium pricing and ads for ad-tier subscribers - have been ongoing. The potential shift aligns with Netflix's recent workforce cut and price hikes amid subscriber stagnation in early 2023, indicating a strategic move to boost revenues. 💰
Despite prior dismissals, Netflix's history of adapting plans suggests potential changes in its gaming monetization strategy…🗝
Netflix Considers Adding In-App Purchases and Ads to Games, Report Says
☢️ The French government has committed €1bn to foster France’s Nuclear Renaissance (🇫🇷)
France, once aiming to reduce nuclear reliance, is now heavily investing in nuclear industry startups to help meet its climate goals. Shifting focus due to rising gas prices and climate concerns, the government supports EDF in constructing six reactors and allocates €102.1 million to eight startups. ♟
The aim is to address longstanding issues associated with nuclear power in Europe, such as waste volume and the recycling of nuclear materials, while implementing innovative financing models. ♻️
France bets €1bn on Startups Building Bus-Sized Nuclear Reactors to Fight Climate Change
Internships
VC Analyst - 50 Partners Health (Paris)
PE Analyst - Crédit Mutuel Impact (Paris)
Visiting VC Analyst Growth - Redalpine (Berlin)
Jobs
VC Investment Analyst - Metis Search (London)
Investment Analyst - Dartmouth Partners (London)
VC Associate - Allocator One (Remote or Vienna)
👉 If you’d like to discover more offers, you can check our job board just here or fill this form to submit a new one.
You can also read more about baby vc on our website and follow our updates on LinkedIn, or directly reach out to us at hello@baby-vc.co! 🤝
The whole baby vc crew 🖤