Deal Update: 10x Founders, Project A Ventures, The Icon League, Manex AI, FORWARD.one, Simon Capital and Capmont Technology

Berlin/Hamburg/Cologne/Munich, June 2025 – In recent weeks, YPOG has advised on a wide range of transactions in the startup sector. Among others, we have collaborated with renowned investors and companies such as 10x Founders, Project A Ventures, The Icon League, Manex AI, FORWARD.one, Simon Capital, and Capmont Technology. 

YPOG advises 10x Founders on funding round of Way 

Hamburg, June 2, 2025 - YPOG advised venture capital investor 10x Founders on the 2.6 million EUR pre-seed funding round of Helsinki-based technology start-up Way Data Technologies. The round was led by Pale blue dot, with additional participation from Greens Ventures and angel investors including Laura Modiano (OpenAI), Marianne Vikkula and Miki Kuusi (Wolt), as well as Tuomo Riekki (Zero, Smartly.io). 

Way is developing the Way Platform, a modern data infrastructure for managing commercial fleets. The platform consolidates vehicle and IoT data into a secure and easily integrable system, enabling efficient data management, electrification strategies, and AI-driven logistics operations. 

With the new funding, Way plans to expand its OEM integrations, roll out to additional pilot customers, and open key parts of its platform as open-source – particularly in light of the upcoming EU Data Act and to support AI-based applications in fleet management. 

Team 

Dr. Adrian Haase (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Hamburg 
Dr. Gerrit Breetholt (Transactions), Associate, Hamburg  

YPOG advises Project A Ventures on seed financing round of Atmen 

Berlin, June 3, 2025 - YPOG has advised Berlin-based early-stage investor Project A Ventures on the seed financing round of Munich-based SaaS start-up Atmen. As part of the round, Atmen secured 5 million EUR, bringing the company’s total funding to 6.3 million EUR. Project A led the round. In addition to existing investors Revent and Vireo Ventures, prominent angel investors joined the round, including Axel Stepken (former CEO of TÜV SÜD), Martina Merz (former CEO of Thyssenkrupp), and serial entrepreneur Christian Vollmann (Trivago, SumUp). 

Atmen is building a platform for the automated, real-time certification of green hydrogen and other energy-intensive industrial products such as steel, chemicals, and fertilizers. Its data-driven approach replaces sampling-based methods with continuous process monitoring, creating transparency in complex supply chains. 

With the new capital, Atmen aims to expand its market presence, broaden its product offering, and integrate new regulatory interfaces. The team will also be strategically strengthened to support the platform’s scaling into additional industrial sectors and markets. 

Team 

Dr. Frederik Gärtner (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Berlin  
Roman Pfeiffer (Transactions), Associate, Berlin 
Anna Eickmeier (IP/IT/Data Protection), Senior Associate, Berlin 
Dr. Christoph Cordes (IP/IT/Data Protection), Associate, Berlin 

YPOG advises The Icon League on prominent financing round 

Berlin, June 4, 2025 - YPOG has advised The Icon League on a financing round that brought several high-profile investors on board. Among the new shareholders are the family office of Jürgen Klopp, the venture capital arm of Luigi Berlusconi, and entrepreneur Thomas Hagedorn. The investment group is complemented by several angel investors – the league is valued in the triple-digit million range.  

The Icon League is a digital indoor football league that builds its reach primarily through platforms like Twitch, Instagram, and YouTube, already amassing more than 1.3 million followers. Founded by, among others, Toni Kroos and Elias Nerlich, the format combines competitive sports with entertainment and digital storytelling – making it one of the most widely followed leagues in the German-speaking region. 

The fresh capital will be used to expand the team, strengthen market positioning, and support international growth and the development of a franchise system. The aim is to transform the league’s agency-led structure into a scalable media and sports business. Looking ahead, The Icon League plans to open up to larger private equity investors and tap into new revenue streams – including media rights, ticketing, and merchandise.  

Team  

Dr. Benjamin Ullrich (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Berlin  
Tobias Lovett (Transactions), Associated Partner, Berlin  
Jörg Schrade (Tax), Partner, Munich  
Dr. Emma Peters (Transactions), Associated Partner, Berlin  
Dr. Benedikt Flöter (IP/IT/Data Protection), Partner, Berlin  
Theresia Heinrich (Transactions), Senior Associate, Hamburg  
Farina Weber (Transactions), Associate, Berlin  
Dr. Christoph Cordes (IP/IT/Data Protection), Associate, Berlin  
Ninetta Kleindienst (Tax), Associate, Munich  
Charlotte Petrasch (IP/IT/Data Protection), Associate, Berlin  

YPOG advises Manex AI on seed financing round 

Berlin, June 5, 2025 - YPOG has provided comprehensive legal advice to Manex AI on its 8 million EUR seed financing round. The round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and BlueYard Capital, with participation from Capmont Technology and the CDTM Venture Fund. 

Manex AI, based in Munich, develops AI-powered software solutions for industrial quality control and process optimization. Founded 18 months ago and formerly known as Datagon AI, the company already counts leading industrial players such as BMW, Audi, Stellantis, Henkel, and BSH among its clients. With its platform Qualitatio, Manex AI offers an end-to-end solution for data-driven optimization across the entire manufacturing chain – from order to finished product. Manex AI is the first provider of manufacturing optimization agents designed to enable autonomous factories, positioning itself as a pioneer in the transformation of industrial production. 

With the fresh capital, Manex AI aims to further expand its software and establish itself as a key technology for the step-by-step automation of manufacturing processes. The goal is to help manufacturers around the world make their operations more efficient, resilient, and future-ready, paving the way for autonomous factories. 

Team  

Dr. Benjamin Ullrich (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Berlin  
Tobias Lovett (Transactions), Associated Partner, Berlin  
Dr. Benedikt Flöter (IP/IT/Data Protection), Partner, Berlin  
Theresia Heinrich (Transactions), Senior Associate, Hamburg  
Farina Weber (Transactions), Associate, Berlin  
Charlotte Petrasch (IP/IT/Data Protection), Associate, Berlin 

YPOG advises Project A Ventures on 12 million EUR financing round in Baobab 

Berlin, June 5, 2025 - YPOG has advised existing investor Project A Ventures on the 12 million EUR financing round in Berlin-based insurance start-up Baobab. The round was led by Viola FinTech and eCapital, with participation from Project A, Augmentum FinTech, and Christof Mascher, former Allianz board member and current advisory board member at Baobab. 

Founded in 2021 by Vincenz Klemm, Baobab offers insurance solutions for cyber risks, such as CEO fraud, where criminals impersonate executives to trick employees into making payments or disclosing sensitive information. The company operates as an insurtech provider, selling policies under its own name and handling claims processing, while the actual underwriting risk is carried by established insurers such as Zurich and Ergo. 

With the new capital, Baobab plans to expand into additional European markets. Currently, the company operates in Germany and Austria. A key factor for investors was Baobab’s AI-driven risk monitoring, which continuously analyzes potential threats to insured companies. 

Team 

Dr. Frederik Gärtner (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Berlin  
Roman Pfeiffer (Transactions), Associate, Berlin 

YPOG advises FORWARD.one on 15 million EUR Series B financing round in Voltfang 

Hamburg, June 18, 2025 – YPOG has advised Dutch climate-tech investor FORWARD.one on its 15 million EUR Series B financing round in Aachen-based energy storage startup Voltfang. The company secured the double-digit million euro investment to build a gigafactory for sustainable battery storage systems. 

Voltfang, founded in 2021 by David Oudsandji, Afshin Doostdar, and Roman Alberti, develops stationary energy storage systems based on recycled EV batteries. With the fresh capital, Voltfang plans to significantly scale up production at its new facility in Aachen. The site is set to expand into a full-scale gigafactory by 2026, ultimately increasing production capacity tenfold and enabling the annual output of several thousand battery storage units – supporting carbon-neutral energy solutions for businesses and municipalities. 

FORWARD.one is an Amsterdam-based venture capital fund focused on European high-tech and climate-tech startups. The fund supports early-stage, technology-driven companies with capital and strategic guidance. Existing investors such as PT1 – PropTech1 Ventures and several business angels also participated in the round.  

Team 
Dr. Adrian Haase (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Hamburg 
Dr. Gerrit Breetholt (Transactions), Associate, Hamburg 

YPOG advises Simon Capital on seed funding round in EdTech startup TukToro 

Hamburg, June 19, 2025 – YPOG has advised Berlin-based early-stage investor Simon Capital on a 2.5 million EUR seed funding round in the EdTech startup TukToro by a2zebra. The investment will support the further development of TukOS – an innovative learning platform that combines artificial intelligence with interactive, physical gameplay. 

TukToro is a digital-haptic learning companion for mathematics that helps children develop math skills in a playful and personalized way. The goal is to rethink education for the 21st century and enable child-friendly learning experiences at scale. 

In addition to Simon Capital, the round included participation from Dieter von Holtzbrinck Ventures, Schadeberg Family Office, IBB Ventures, Angel Invest, Falk Family Office, as well as Patric Fassbender and Marcus Stahl, the founders of tonies. 

Simon Capital is a Berlin-based venture capital fund focused on technology-driven startups in the fields of consumer, health, and productivity. The fund supports founders with capital, strategic expertise, and access to a strong network. 

Team 
Dr. Adrian Haase (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Hamburg 
Dr. Gerrit Breetholt (Transactions), Associate, Hamburg 

YPOG advises Capmont Technology on 18 million USD funding in Sifflet 

Berlin, June 23, 2025 – YPOG has advised the investor Capmont Technology on a successful funding round of the data observability startup Sifflet. The Paris-based company secured an additional 18 million USD, with participation from existing investors EQT Ventures and Mangrove Capital Partners, as well as Capmont Technology as a new investor. Alongside YPOG, French law firm Gide advised Capmont Technology on French law aspects of the transaction. 

Founded in 2021, Sifflet offers a comprehensive data observability platform that helps companies monitor the quality, reliability, and availability of their data in real time. Sifflet’s solution is already used by global enterprises such as Carrefour, BPCE, and Nextbite. With the new funding, Sifflet plans to expand further into the U.S. market, grow its engineering team, and enhance its AI-powered platform capabilities. 

Capmont Technology is a Munich-based venture capital fund with a focus on industrial technologies and enterprise software. Capmont Technology was founded in 2016 and invests from the current €100m fund in early growth stages. The focus is on investments in Europe, especially in the DACH region, as well as selectively in the US - with a strong focus on technology and outstanding founding teams. 

Team 
Dr. Benjamin Ullrich (Co-Lead, Transactions), Partner, Berlin 
Tobias Lovett (Co-Lead, Transactions), Associated Partner, Berlin 
Wolfram Dickersbach (Transactions), Senior Associate, Berlin