In March 2026, YPOG advised a broad range of investors and companies across eight transactions, including 10x Founders, EquityPitcher Ventures, Schooner Ventures and Benson Capital, Ventech, Vorwerk Ventures, Keyrock and 42CAP. Across all transactions, the deals span sectors including cybersecurity, robotics, artificial intelligence, fitness tech, and decentralized finance, underscoring YPOG's breadth as a legal advisor to venture and growth-stage investors.
YPOG advises 10x Founders on USD 125 million financing round of cybersecurity startup Kai
Berlin, March 18, 2026 – YPOG has provided comprehensive legal advice to early-stage investor 10x Founders on its investment in the US-based cybersecurity startup Kai. Kai has emerged from stealth with a total of USD 125 million raised in a combined seed and Series A financing round. In addition to lead investor Evolution Equity Partners, the round includes 10x Founders, N47 and other strategic backers.
Based in San Jose, California, Kai is developing an agent-based AI platform designed to protect enterprises across both IT and OT environments from increasingly automated cyberattacks. Founded by cybersecurity experts Galina Antova and Damiano Bolzoni, the startup consolidates previously siloed security solutions into a unified, AI-driven platform on which autonomous AI agents can flexibly and in real time execute security measures.
The funding will be used in particular to further expand research and development, scale the platform and support Kai’s international go-to-market strategy.
Team
Dr. Adrian Haase (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Hamburg
YPOG advises EquityPitcher on EUR 8 million financing round of robotics startup eternal.ag
Hamburg, 20 March 2026 – YPOG provided comprehensive legal advice to Swiss investor EquityPitcher Ventures in connection with its participation in the EUR 8 million financing round of Cologne-based robotics startup eternal.ag. In addition to EquityPitcher Ventures, Simon Capital, Oyster Bay Venture Capital, and Backbone Ventures are also participating in the funding round.
Eternal.ag develops fully autonomous harvesting robots for greenhouses that can operate for up to 22 hours per day and, with the help of AI, ensure consistently high harvest quality. The company’s first product is the “Harvester” robot, which has been specifically designed for tomato harvesting in greenhouses and is intended to be expanded over time as a modular platform to include additional functions and crop types.
With the new capital, eternal.ag aims to further develop its autonomous harvesting robots for greenhouses, drive European expansion and open up additional crops suitable for robot-assisted greenhouse cultivation. In doing so, eternal.ag is responding to the increasing labour shortage in the European greenhouse sector.
Team
Dr. Adrian Haase (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Hamburg
Dr. Miriam Peer (Transactions), Associate, Hamburg
YPOG advises Schooner Ventures and Benson Capital on financing round of KEWAZO GmbH
Berlin, Berlin 20, 2026 – YPOG provided German law legal advice to US investors Schooner Ventures and Benson Capital on a financing round of robotics company KEWAZO, alongside US law firm Gunderson Dettmer. In this round, in addition to lead investor Schooner Ventures and Benson Capital, Chevron Technology Ventures, Asahi Kasei, Mana Ventures, Gaingels and Atlas Ventures participated, alongside existing investors such as True Ventures and Cybernetix Ventures.
With its locations in Munich and Houston, KEWAZO is developing LIFTBOT, a robotics-based solution for the heavy industry and energy sectors that automates vertical material movements, increases safety and shortens project durations. The company is already deploying its technology at more than 20 industrial sites in North America and Europe, including refineries, petrochemical plants and power generation facilities.
Following the financing round led by Schooner Ventures, KEWAZO now has a total of around USD 35 million in capital at its disposal to drive the scaling of the LIFTBOT platform, additional use cases and the further development of its physical AI platform. With the support of Chevron Technology Ventures and Asahi Kasei, KEWAZO aims to further strengthen its position as a leading provider of robotics and AI solutions for the heavy industry.
Team
Dr. Benjamin Ullrich (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Berlin
Stefan Richter (Tax), Partner, Hamburg
Dr. Gerrit Breetholt (Transactions), Associate, Hamburg
Charlotte Petrasch (IP/IT/Data Protection), Associate, Berlin
Felix Schawaller (Tax), Associate, Hamburg
Silke Ricken (Corporate), Associate, Berlin
YPOG advises Ventech on EUR 4 million seed financing round of AI startup Bounti
Berlin, 20 March 2026 – YPOG provided legal advice to technology investor Ventech in connection with its participation in the EUR 4 million seed financing round of Berlin-based startup Bounti. The financing round was led by Ventech as lead investor, with participation from IBB Ventures, Robin Capital and Common Magic as well as several business angels, including Indeed founder Paul Forster and Framer founders Koen Bok and Jorn van Dijk.
Bounti is developing an AI platform to automate operational processes in the so-called physical economy, in particular in the restaurant, hotel and retail sectors. In doing so, the startup addresses key challenges in operationally driven industries such as staff shortages, high turnover, language barriers and rising costs. The startup’s customers already include, among others, L’Osteria, Peter Pane, Burgermeister, Coffee Fellows and further chain concepts in the restaurant and retail sectors. With the fresh capital, Bounti plans to further develop its AI platform and expand its use in companies with many locations.
Johannes Janning’s team regularly advises Ventech on investments in German startups, most recently in connection with the financing round of Custom Surgical.
Team
Dr. Johannes Janning (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Cologne
Janic Salcedas (Transactions), Associate, Cologne
Laura Franke (Transactions), Senior Project Lawyer, Cologne
Dr. Miriam Peer (Transactions), Associate, Hamburg
Dr. Benedikt Flöter (IP/IT/Data Protection), Partner, Berlin
Anna Eickmeier (IP/IT/Data Protection), Associated Partner, Berlin
Charlotte Petrasch (IP/IT/Data Protection), Associate, Berlin
YPOG advises Vorwerk Ventures on EUR 5 million pre-seed financing of pace club
Hamburg, March 24, 2026 – YPOG has advised Vorwerk Ventures on its investment in Munich-based fitness startup pace club. The company raised EUR 5 million in a pre-seed financing round led by Vorwerk Ventures.
pace club was founded by Dominik Clemm, Benedikt Ess and Benjamin Burkhardt and operates a boutique gym concept that combines performance-focused training with data-driven management of capacity and utilisation. The aim is to increase space efficiency in fitness studios through software-based processes while offering a training experience tailored to performance-oriented users.
The company currently operates locations in Munich and London and intends to use the fresh capital to expand across the EMEA region and to further develop its proprietary software platform, which manages studio operations.
Team
Dr. Adrian Haase (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Hamburg
Alexandra Tafel (Transactions), Senior Associate, Berlin / Hamburg
Dr. Miriam Peer (Transactions), Associate, Hamburg
Matthias Treude (IP/IT/Data Protection), Senior Associate, Hamburg
YPOG advises Keyrock on acquisition of fija finance
Cologne, March 24, 2025 – YPOG has provided legal advice to Belgian crypto investment firm Keyrock on the acquisition of all shares in fija finance GmbH, a Munich-based fintech focused on DeFi vault technology. With this transaction, Keyrock strengthens its on-chain presence and integrates the infrastructure developed by fija into its core business in the field of digital asset liquidity.
Fija Finance offers financial institutions a technical platform to structure the investment of crypto holdings and generate yield-like returns based on strategies from the field of decentralized finance (DeFi). At the core of the technology are smart contract-based capital pools (“vaults”) into which investors can contribute digital assets that are managed automatically according to predefined strategies, with returns distributed proportionally.
By integrating fija into Keyrock’s organization, the Munich-based company gains access to a broader international client base as well as additional regulatory infrastructure. Keyrock aims to scale fija’s vault technology internationally and incorporate it into an expanded on-chain offering to provide scalable DeFi solutions for institutional investors.
The parties have agreed to keep the financial details of the transaction confidential.
Team
Dr. Johannes Janning (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Cologne
Dr. Tim Walter (Transactions), Senior Associate, Cologne
YPOG advises 42CAP on nexwise financing round
Hamburg, March 30, 2026 – YPOG advised early-stage investor 42CAP on its participation in the financing round for the Munich-based AI startup nexwise.
nexwise is developing an AI-based infrastructure designed to make complex product knowledge accessible at scale within industrial manufacturing companies. The rationale is that many manufacturers work with very large and complex product portfolios and serve numerous markets, while at the same time only a few experts possess the necessary detailed knowledge. nexwise uses artificial intelligence to systematically make this knowledge available across teams, markets, languages, and customer interfaces, thereby unlocking growth and efficiency potential.
The company, which has its roots at the Technical University of Munich, is already in use at its first industrial clients and plans to use the funds to further expand its technology and scale its market activities.
Team
Dr. Frederik Gärtner (Lead, Transactions) Partner, Berlin
Anna Eickmeier (IP/IT/Data Protection), Associated Partner, Berlin
Sjard Seeger (Co-Lead, Transactions), Senior Associate, Berlin
Dr. Jannik Zerbst (Funds), Senior Associate, Berlin
Charlotte Petrasch (IP/IT/Data Protection), Associate, Berlin
Cyra Dittberner (Transactions), Associate, Munich
YPOG advises 42CAP on USD 3.2 million seed funding round of Spanish AI startup Galtea
Berlin, March 30, 2026 – YPOG has advised Munich‑based early‑stage investor 42CAP on the seed financing round of Barcelona‑based AI startup Galtea. The company raised a total of USD 3.2 million in a round led by 42CAP and with participation from Mozilla Ventures.
Galtea is developing a testing and evaluation platform that enables enterprises to systematically assess their AI models to improve accuracy, reliability, and fairness. The company aims to eliminate the “invisible bottlenecks” in enterprise AI processes and accelerate the adoption of responsible, high‑performing AI solutions.
With the fresh funding, Galtea plans to further develop its product, expand its engineering team, and strengthen its presence across the European market.
Team
Dr. Frederik Gärtner (Co-Lead, Transactions) Partner, Berlin
Dr. Ferdinand Cadmus (Co-Lead, Transactions), Associated Partner, Berlin/Hamburg
Dr. Benedikt Flöter (IP/IT/Data Protection), Partner, Berlin
Anna Eickmeier (IP/IT/Data Protection), Associated Partner, Berlin
Sarah Sostak (Corporate), Associate, Berlin
