YPOG recently advised a broad range of innovative growth companies and investors on financing rounds, exits and strategic transactions across healthtech, biotech, fintech, smart city and foodtech.
YPOG advises Tacalyx on EUR 11 million seed extension financing round
Berlin, 29 April 2026 – YPOG advised Tacalyx on the first closing of its EUR 11 million seed extension financing round. The fresh capital will fuel the advancement of Tacalyx's first clinical candidate, TCX-201 – an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) targeting solid tumours – toward the clinic. The round was supported, inter alia, by investors Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF), Kurma Partners, High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), Eurazeo, Creathor Ventures and Thuja Capital. A further closing with additional investors is planned.
Berlin-based Tacalyx specialises in the discovery and development of antibody therapies targeting Tumour Associated Carbohydrate Antigens (TACAs). TACAs are glycan structures that are specifically expressed or overexpressed on tumour cells and play a significant role in tumour progression, including cell adhesion, immune evasion and metastasis. Tacalyx has built a proprietary discovery platform that for the first time enables the identification and development of high-affinity antibodies against these previously hard-to-access targets. These antibodies can be further developed into novel therapeutic formats.
The proceeds will be used to fund the preclinical development of TCX-201 through to the clinical trial application (CTA) submission, while simultaneously advancing the company's broader development pipeline. The selection of the next clinical candidate is planned for the end of 2026.
Team
YPOG
Dr. Martin Schaper (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Berlin
Benjamin Müller (Transactions), Senior Associate, Berlin
Commeo
Isabel Oest (Competition), Partner, Frankfurt
Christopher Brendel (Competition), Associate, Frankfurt
YPOG advises Burda Principal Investments on EUR 11 million financing round of Berlin-based healthtech startup Patronus
Berlin, 30 April 2026 – YPOG advised Burda Principal Investments on its participation in an EUR 11 million financing round of the Berlin-based startup Patronus. The round was led by 3TS Capital Partners. In addition to the lead investor, Grazia Equity as well as existing investors Burda Principal Investments, Singular Adjacent, NAP, and UVC Partners also reinvested in the company.
Patronus develops technology solutions for older adults with the aim of enabling a safe, independent, and connected life in old age. Its core product is the Patronus watch, an emergency smartwatch that connects users to a trained emergency response center at the push of a button and enables immediate assistance in critical situations. Through the accompanying Patronus app, up to 50,000 connected family members can monitor whether the watch is being worn, whether the user has left the house, or whether an emergency has occurred. The platform has around 25,000 active users. Patronus previously completed a EUR 6 million seed round and a EUR 27 million Series A in October 2022.
The new capital will be used to further expand the core platform, support expansion into additional European markets, and develop an AI-powered companion assistant for the watch.
YPOG most recently advised Burda Principal Investments in 2025 in connection with the EUR 240 million financing round of Berlin-based company AMBOSS.
Team
Dr. Benjamin Ullrich (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Berlin
Matthias Kresser (Transactions), Partner, Berlin
Jörg Schrade (Tax), Partner, Munich
YPOG advises Simon Capital on sale of Sastrify to Deel
Hamburg, 6 May 2026 – YPOG has advised Simon Capital on the sale of its stake in Sastrify GmbH to HR and technology company Deel. The exit takes place as part of the full acquisition of Sastrify by Deel, which is strategically expanding its IT and software management offering through the transaction. Previous Sastrify investors included, among others, Endeit Capital, HV Capital, FirstMark Capital and Reimann Investors alongside Simon Capital.
Sastrify is a Cologne-based SaaS platform that supports companies in the procurement and management of software-as-a-service solutions. The company provides an AI-powered procurement and management service for SaaS tools and infrastructure services that gives finance, procurement and tech teams central transparency across their software landscape. Through the platform, customers gain insights into, among other things, usage, costs and contract terms of their software, can leverage benchmarks and conduct renegotiations more efficiently.
With the acquisition of Sastrify, Deel is expanding its existing Deel IT offering with comprehensive capabilities for software management, license administration and cost optimization. The goal is to provide companies with an integrated solution that combines hardware provisioning, SaaS procurement and spend management in a single platform.
Team
Dr. Adrian Haase (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Hamburg
Benjamin Müller (Transactions), Senior Associate, Berlin
YPOG advises smart city startup ENVIOTECH on EUR 1 million pre-seed funding round
Hamburg, 7 May 2026 – YPOG has provided legal advice to ENVIOTECH GmbH in connection with its latest pre-seed funding round. The round amounts to over EUR 1 million and was led by former Deutsche Bank Co-CEO Jürgen Fitschen. Further investors include, among others, Joachim Drees, Alexander Eyhorn and Danilo Jovicic-Albrecht.
ENVIOTECH is a smart city startup based in the Rhine-Main region that specializes in intelligent retrofit solutions for existing street lighting. The company develops retrofit kits that allow existing streetlights to be modernized and networked within minutes, without replacing the poles or carrying out extensive civil engineering works. The technology enables demand-driven, sensor-based control of lighting, reduces energy consumption by up to 80 percent and at the same time increases safety in public spaces. In doing so, ENVIOTECH addresses key challenges faced by many cities, ranging from rising energy prices and pressure on municipal budgets to sustainable, data-driven urban development.
The funds raised will primarily be used to further develop the retrofit platform, scale up production and expand pilot and rollout projects with municipalities.
Team
Dr. Johannes Janning (Lead, Transactions) Partner, Cologne
Paul Harenberg (Transactions) Associate, Cologne
YPOG advises Cherry Ventures on USD 35 million Series B financing round of fintech bunch
Hamburg/Berlin, 21 May 2026 – YPOG has advised Cherry Ventures on a Series B financing round in Berlin-based fintech startup bunch. The USD 35 million financing round was led by Portage, with participation from additional international investors as well as existing backers such as Cherry Ventures.
bunch is a Berlin-based fintech developing a technology platform for the European private markets sector. Through the platform, investors can efficiently set up, manage and automate fund and investment structures in private markets. The company primarily addresses operational processes around fund vehicles and investments and provides infrastructure that digitises previously highly fragmented and manual workflows.
The proceeds from the Series B round will primarily be used to further scale the platform, deepen automation and expand AI-driven solutions for fund and investment operations. In addition, bunch plans to expand its presence across Europe and to integrate new markets, asset classes and workflows into its existing infrastructure.
Team
Dr. Adrian Haase (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Hamburg
Benjamin Müller (Transactions), Senior Associate, Berlin
YPOG advises Simon Capital on EUR 7 million Series A funding round of Pacifico Biolabs
Hamburg/Berlin, 1 June 2026 – YPOG has advised Simon Capital on the Series A funding round of FoodTech startup Pacifico Biolabs. The round, with a total volume of EUR 7 million, was led by Stray Dog Capital, with participation from Simon Capital, TGFS Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen, Sprout & About Ventures, FoodLabs, as well as a regional brewery partner. Pacifico Biolabs is developing an innovative mycelium-based protein that serves as the basis for alternative meat and seafood products.
Pacifico Biolabs is a Germany-based FoodTech startup that uses mycelium fermentation to produce sustainable, protein-rich alternatives to conventional animal products. The company leverages existing brewery infrastructure to produce whole muscle structures in a scalable fermentation process. Its goal is to offer high-quality products with a convincing texture and taste that are suitable for both foodservice and retail.
The proceeds from the round will primarily be used to expand production capacity, scale the mycelium fermentation process and prepare for market entry in the DACH region and the Nordics. In addition, Pacifico Biolabs plans to further grow its team and develop additional product lines based on its mycelium protein platform.
Team
Dr. Adrian Haase (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Hamburg
Alexandra Tafel (Transactions), Senior Associate, Berlin/Hamburg
Dr. Miriam Peer (Transactions), Associate, Hamburg
Dr. Lutz Schreiber (IP/IT/Data Protection), Partner, Hamburg
Dr. Florian Wittner (IP/IT/Data Protection), Associate, Hamburg
Pressekontakt
About us
YPOG stands for You + Partners of Gamechangers – forward-thinking legal and tax advice. Supporting companies that are focused on emerging technologies, YPOG embraces change as an opportunity to develop cutting-edge solutions. The YPOG team offers comprehensive expertise in the areas of Funds, Tax, Transactions, Corporate, Banking, Regulatory + Finance, IP/IT/Data Protection, Litigation, and Corporate Crime + Compliance + Investigations. YPOG is one of the leading law firms in Germany for venture capital, private equity, fund structuring, and the implementation of distributed ledger technology (DLT) in financial services. Both the firm and its partners are regularly recognized by renowned national and international publications such as JUVE, Best Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, Leaders League, and Legal 500. YPOG is home to more than 180 experienced attorneys, tax advisors and tax specialists as well as a notary, working across offices in Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, Munich, Cambridge and London.
Further information: www.ypog.law/en/ and www.linkedin.com/company/ypog