Funding and prizes worth a total of over 200,000 euros went to the startups that pitched at Impact Hub Hamburg's 2nd Zebra Investment Night. E-TERRY alone raised 135,000 euros for a robot that helps with weed removal in agriculture.
Zebras combine impact and revenue
The 2nd Zebra Investment Night once again focused on startups that combine social or ecological value with economic success. Over 60 had applied, and eight were allowed to pitch to investors and an expert audience. conductr was the only Hamburg-based startup to compete with a service for accelerating approvals for renewable energy plants. Representing Kiel were nascit, with a process for bonding metals with plastics, and MySpirulina, with an algae farm for private use. koorvi travelled from Munich to present a resale-as-a-service model that allows companies to resell used equipment.
Female founder supports female founder
Almost all startups were rewarded for their presentations. The prizes included legal advice and so-called fast track tickets, which guarantee an individual pitch to investor networks. Four startups even received commitments for investments, subject to a positive subsequent review. 10,000 euros went to eco.fibr from Hanover, which turns waste from pineapple cultivation into fibres for paper production, among other things. Hamburg-based investor Vanessa Hansch is a founder herself; her startup Y2B organises wellbeing classes for companies.
A robot sets the record
Two startups from Berlin were also delighted by fundings. MARCH, a platform for sustainable building materials, received 20,000 euros. 35,000 euros went to foom for a technology that converts organic waste into fertiliser. E-TERRY set the record for the evening. While a total of 135,000 euros was raised at the premiere of Zebra Investment Night, the startup from Erfurt received this amount single-handedly. Five investors were enthusiastic about a robot that uses artificial intelligence to detect weeds and remove them from farmland. Further applications in agriculture are planned.
