Project A

JD Vance's speech at the AI Action Summit two weeks ago led to a continued discourse here on Linkedin around the EU's approach to AI regulation and governance. My personal take is, the tech community needs to find a way to push its agenda of deregulating AI through a regulatory system that is fostering innovation while being in line with the European value system. Our shared value system is what makes us so strong. And I am confident this can be done without normalizing populist speech, from public figures who have a real and threatening impact on the lives of so many people, even if you might not be one of them. And JD Vance's speech three days later at the Munich Security Conference hopefully proved the importance of that. Jan and I had a conversation about this debate and the impact of AI regulation on European innovation. This is too big of a topic for a 35 minute podcast of course (in which, due to its name, we also had to cover ground on a funding round announcement ;), but it is likely and hopefully a conversation that will be expanded over the next weeks and months. Thanks as always to Jan and Startup Insider for the chat! Link in bio (in German).

We have been deep diving into #datacentres over the last few months meeting founders building cooling tech, #semiconductor, good o’fashioned #inference middleware and even newer full stack bricks and mortar data centers! Sharing some exciting questions (and some answers!)we uncovered with Anne Sraders @ Sifted along side our friends Namratha Kothapalli @ Speedinvest and Alexandre Flamant @ HCVC Please do reach out to us if you are building in this space! Mila Cramer Jannic Meyer https://lnkd.in/eTDJiynE

Excited to share that METYCLE has raised a €14m Series A, led by 2150, just one year after we led their Seed round at Project A. Their AI-powered marketplace is transforming metal recycling by seamlessly connecting collectors, recyclers, and smelters while managing quality assurance, logistics, and payments. By scaling their smart sorting strategy and increasing transparency, METYCLE is taking a major step toward a truly circular metal industry – cutting emissions by up to 95% compared to primary production. Rafael, Sebastian, and team consistently beating their own financial plans is testament to their hard work and extremely focused execution, driven by deep domain expertise. It's exciting to be a part of this journey together with Mart, Jacek, Alison, and now Rahul and Max from 2150 – let's go!

Every year, millions of tons of metal waste are discarded, contributing to the 12% of global CO₂ emissions caused by metal production. METYCLE is changing that. ♻️ Just one year after its seed round, METYCLE has secured a €14.1M Series A to scale its AI-powered marketplace, which connects metal collectors with recyclers and smelters worldwide. By handling the entire trading process—including quality assurance, logistics, and payments—METYCLE makes metal recycling seamless and significantly more efficient. The result? Up to 95% lower carbon emissions compared to primary metal production. The funding round was led by 2150, with continued backing from Project A, DFF Ventures (Dutch Founders Fund), Market One Capital, and Partech. Congratulations on this milestone Rafael Suchan, Sebastian Brenner, and the entire METYCLE team. We’re proud to support your journey in building a more sustainable and circular metal industry. Read the exclusive at TFN, link in comments 👇

Demokratie ist nicht selbstverständlich. Ich glaube an eine wehrhafte Demokratie, die sich nicht nur auf Papier verteidigt sondern auch in den Herzen und Körpern der Menschen. In diesem Sinne - Geht wählen. Für Demokratie. Für Freiheit. Für unsere Zukunft. Project A C_SR (Creative Social Responsibility) 2hearts #ZusammenfürDemokratie

In the 2021 election, 23.4% of eligible voters in Germany chose not to vote. As we approach Sunday's election, 38% of voters still haven’t decided which way they'll go. Politics can be disheartening, and it might seem like no party truly reflects your values. However, democracy is about finding compromises that most of us can accept. While you might not find a party you completely agree with, don't let that discourage you from being part of our democratic process. Be willing to compromise, but please make sure you vote! Project A x C_SR (Creative Social Responsibility)

Freedom isn’t guaranteed. The past years have made that clearer than ever. Vigilance is the price of freedom—and democracy is the foundation we must protect. Germany and Europe are at a crossroads. The path forward must be built on strength, unity, and democratic values. Vote. CC Project A, C_SR (Creative Social Responsibility) #ZusammenFürDemokratie #BTW2025 #GermanElections #Elections #Bundestagswahl #WaehlenGehen

Demokratie ohne Wähler ist wie eine Firma ohne Mitarbeiter - sie ist nichts wert Also: Beweg Dich und geh wählen! - Democracy without voters is like a company without employees – it’s worthless. So: Get moving and go vote! Proud that Project A is member at C_SR (Creative Social Responsibility) who initiated this project! #ZusammenFürDemokratie #GoVote #TogetherForDemocracy

As investors looking into the supply chain tech space, we see warehousing as one of the key frontiers for automation. With larger inventories, fewer workers, and rising consumer expectations, robotics are stepping in to optimise: ✅ Order picking – Smarter robotic arms & AI-powered sorting ✅ Warehouse ops – AMRs & AGVs streamlining logistics ✅ Inventory tracking – AI & drones reducing stock errors But challenges remain: long sales cycles, high costs, and the build vs. buy dilemma. Will we see a universal robotics platform, or will niche solutions dominate? We explore this in our latest Supply Chain Tech Newsletter—link in the comments. Where do you see robotics making the biggest impact?👇 #SupplyChain #Logistics #Automation #Robotics #AI #VC

Proudly introducing FabONE - our new home.    In January, we moved our operations to our new headquarters in Aachen, to develop the world's first graphene photonic pilot line. FabONE offers one thing above all else: space. Up to 15.000 sqm for cleanroom and infrastructure construction. The installation of our 300mm pilot line starts this year, to be commissioned in 2026. Pilot production will begin already in 2027, enabling the start of volume production in 2029. Right on schedule!    Our CEO Daniel Schall says: "The establishment of FabONE allows us to take our ongoing technology developments of graphene photonic chips to the next level and accelerate them significantly. We look forward to continuing to deliver on our vision of the next generation of chip connectivity.”    On top, our new office space scales as fast as our team - the current headcount of 50 people will double this year. Searching for a challenge? We have space for You: https://lnkd.in/ekfNRdVQ Thank you to everyone who made this possible and especially to the city of Aachen. Stay tuned! #BLK #BlackSemi #Graphene #NewHome #FabONE