Funding Recap Oct 13 2026: AI Health, Energy Tech, and Climate Raises

Series B and Growth Rounds Lead the Day

The largest disclosed equity raise of the day came from the health tech space, with Scarlet closing a sizable Series B.

• Scarlet raised $50M in a Series B led by Headline, with participation from Notion Capital and existing investors. The company operates as a certification body for AI and software-based medical devices, helping manufacturers navigate regulatory approval faster.

On the energy side, German unicorn 1KOMMA5° confirmed a fresh financing round that pushed its valuation to $1.35B. The Hamburg-based company, which sells solar, heat pumps, and AI-powered energy management software, raised approximately €70M and plans to channel €100M into its energy AI platform. IPO plans remain on hold for now, but the company is clearly building toward a public market event.

Climate and Infrastructure Tech

Two European startups building hardware for a cleaner physical world closed notable rounds this week.

• CarbonFarm raised €7M in an oversubscribed Series A led by Colam Impact, with participation from Proparco, Suma Capital, elea, and Working Capital Fund. The Paris-based startup focuses on reducing methane emissions from rice farming, an often-overlooked agricultural emissions source.
• HyLight raised €13M from Rubio Impact Ventures, DRW, and Teampact Ventures, with existing backers Y Combinator and Ring Capital also participating. The French company builds autonomous hydrogen-powered airships for inspecting critical infrastructure such as pipelines and power lines across Europe.

Defense and Dual-Use Technology

Defense tech continued to attract capital at the early stage.

• Monopulse (operating as MNP Technologijos) raised over €2M from Lithuanian and international investors. The Danish-Lithuanian company manufactures unmanned aerial vehicles designed to resist electronic warfare, a capability that has grown in demand across NATO-aligned defense budgets.

Edtech and Emerging Markets

• Mesa School of Business raised Rs 110 Cr (approximately $13M) in a round co-led by Dharana Capital and Elevation Capital. Founded in 2023 by Ankit Agarwal and Varun Limaye, the school plans to expand its AI-first curriculum, launch new programs, and build partnerships within the startup ecosystem.
• Infinite Partners closed a $169M fund to back established South African mid-market businesses. Early portfolio companies include enterprise software firm e4 and digital infrastructure company CYNK. The fund targets growth-stage businesses rather than early-stage ventures, a segment that has historically been underserved by institutional capital in sub-Saharan Africa.

IPO Watch

• Zetwerk, the Indian manufacturing marketplace, set its IPO price band at Rs 143 to Rs 151 per share, targeting a raise of Rs 5,012 Cr at a valuation of roughly Rs 25,583 Cr. The listing marks one of the larger Indian manufacturing IPOs of the year.

Editorial Perspective

Today's raises reflect a few converging signals. First, AI is no longer just a software story: both Scarlet in medical certification and 1KOMMA5° in energy management show that AI is being woven into highly regulated, capital-intensive industries where the compliance and operational moats are significant. Second, European hardware startups, whether hydrogen airships or drone manufacturers, are finding investors willing to back physical infrastructure plays at meaningful check sizes. Third, the Mesa and Infinite Partners raises point to sustained investor appetite in markets outside the traditional US-Europe-China triangle, as India and sub-Saharan Africa continue to generate fundable businesses at scale. The common thread across today's deals is that founders building in hard, regulated, or overlooked verticals are finding capital more readily than might have been expected even two years ago.