SMELA secures over 2,5 million Euro for further growth.

At a glance:

● Energy efficiency for sustainable production: SMELA reduces the energy consumption of industrial drives by up to 90 per cent.

● Targeted growth strategy: Funds are being channelled into sales, marketing and production optimisation.

● Strong investor confidence: the Companisto network and bmp Ventures contributed a total of €2.55 million to the funding round.

Energy efficiency for sustainable production

SMELA develops compact electric linear actuators for short-stroke movements that consume up to 90 per cent less energy than conventional pneumatic solutions. With their space-saving design and high performance, they offer companies an economically attractive alternative to existing systems. This not only helps to reduce operating costs but also lowers CO₂ emissions in production.

Targeted use of capital for growth and market penetration

The capital raised will be used specifically to expand sales and marketing activities in order to further increase market acceptance. In addition, SMELA is investing in optimising its production structure to capitalise on economies of scale and reduce costs. The involvement of strategic partners is intended to accelerate entry into international markets and ensure stable growth structures in the long term.

Strong investor confidence

Nicky Hughes, Senior Investment Manager at Companisto, comments on the investment: “At SMELA, we were impressed by the combination of energy efficiency, high performance and compact design. This makes the drive technology the ideal choice for industrial and high-tech applications.” In addition to the Companisto Business Angels who participated in the funding round, bmp Ventures also supported SMELA’s growth strategy as aco-investor – a strong signal of the technology’s potential.

“We are delighted to welcome the Companisto business angels to our circle of shareholders. With this joint investment, we are driving forward our successful expansion,” says Ywes Israel, Principal at bmp Ventures.

SMELA concludes: “The funding round with Companisto was characterised by a high level of professionalism. The keen interest and the technical questions from Companisto’s investors demonstrated that this is a network of experts. For all of us, the highly successful conclusion came as a more than positive surprise, and we are building on this momentum. We look forward to scaling up our business with and through our (new) shareholders.” Benjamin Horn, Managing Director of SMELA GmbH.

About SMELA GmbH

SMELA GmbH develops, manufactures and markets electromechanical actuators for linear motion in automated industrial systems. Compared with pneumatic systems, these actuators can save up to 90 per cent in energy consumption, and compared with existing electrical solutions, they can save up to 80 per cent in installation space within the systems. The actuators are used in production lines, machine tools, the packaging industry and logistics.

About the IBG Funds

The IBG Funds, based in Magdeburg, are the venture capital funds of the State of Saxony-Anhalt. They support young, innovative technology companies with above-average growth potential and based in Saxony-Anhalt by providing equity capital. At the end of 2023, the new venture capital fund RKF IV was launched with a volume of EUR 63 million. It is financed by the State of Saxony-Anhalt and the European Union and invests instart-ups in the seed, early-stage and growth phases. The IBG Funds are managed by bmp Ventures AG.

About bmp Ventures

bmp Ventures is one of the most experienced venture capital investors in Germany and has a track record of more than 250 investments across almost all technology sectors, the majority of which are at an early stage. In addition to direct investments, bmp has also managed venture capital funds for the KfW Banking Group and DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft. bmp currently manages the IBG funds in Saxony-Anhalt and employs around 20 staff at its offices in Berlin and Magdeburg.

About Companisto

Companisto is the investment platform for start-ups and growth companies. Business angels and investors jointly contribute venture capital to groundbreaking innovations, promising ventures and ideas that make history. As a fintech company, we stand for streamlined processes, specialist knowledge and efficient solutions. We are the driving force behind innovation in the field of professional online corporate finance. In a diverse society, we take responsibility for the start-up culture in Germany and Europe.

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