European startups raise fresh AI funding across marketing, materials and engineering

Helsinki-based Ambio raised €5.1 million in a seed round led by b2venture, with participation from Montis and existing investor Lifeline Ventures. Founded in 2023 by Tommi Bergström and Elmo Pakkanen, two former members of the Slush team, the company is developing an AI-native, end-to-end procurement platform for recycled plastics covering the full cycle from material discovery and sampling through to long-term deliveries. Bergström told Tech.eu that the recycled plastics market remains broken, citing fragmented supply, unpredictable quality, inefficient pricing and the absence of a reliable way to trade and move materials. According to the coverage, roughly 50,000 companies in the European Union use plastics as raw materials, compared with about 1,500 companies recycling them. Ambio notes that plastic recycled and used in Europe stays within the regional supply chain, supporting resilience and reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels used in virgin plastics. b2venture partner Mathias Ockenfels said the firm is convinced Ambio will become the central marketplace for recycled plastics in Europe and beyond, as reported by EU-Startups.

Oslo-based Solvera raised $6.3 million in a pre-seed round led by Seedcamp, with participation from Construct Venture, Inception Fund, Momentum, Obos Ventures, PSV Tech, Sondo and The Nordic Web Ventures, alongside angel investors including Spacemaker founders Anders Kvåle and Håvard Haukeland. Founded by Arif Mirza (CEO), Pål Rasmussen (CTO) and Thorvald Thorsnes (CCO), Solvera is building an AI-native engineering firm for the construction industry. Rather than selling software licences or billing consulting hours, it provides end-to-end engineering services, taking projects from initial requirements to construction-ready designs. Its operating system uses AI agents to automate a growing share of engineering tasks while human engineers retain judgement and key decisions. The company is initially focusing on mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) engineering.

The Refugee Venture Fund opens with £300,000 in initial capital, aiming to build a track record ahead of a planned £10 million fund for refugee-founded businesses.