The pan-European deep tech scaling programme concludes its 30-month journey with results that significantly exceed its original targets.

After 30 months, two cohorts, and 102 supported ventures across 25 European countries, the D2XCEL programme — funded by the European Innovation Council — has reached its conclusion in April 2026 with measurable, lasting impact across investment, partnerships, and ecosystem building.

Investments that speak for themselves

The programme's most headline figure: €109.67 million in new investments raised by 30 D2XCEL portfolio companies after joining the scaling programme — representing a 43.23% collective funding growth rate, and more than double the original €50 million target. The full portfolio of 102 ventures collectively holds €350.28 million in total funding, backed by 464 active investors and employing 1,589 people across Europe.

Cohort 1 companies, which had up to 18 months post-programme to close deals, raised €84.78 million across 15 ventures. Cohort 2, whose mentoring concluded in November 2025, has already secured €24.89 million — with further rounds expected as investment processes continue to mature.

Partnerships and grants: another target exceeded

Beyond equity, D2XCEL ventures secured an estimated €52.9–82.9 million in strategic partnership value, anchored by Atlas Metrics' acquisition by Novata and spanning collaborations with globally recognised organisations including Volvo Group, Samsung E&A, Munich Airport, NATO Allied Land Command, and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. Portfolio companies also secured approximately €17.75 million in competitive public grants from European and national institutions, bringing the combined impact to an estimated €70–100 million — surpassing the programme's €50 million partnership target even under conservative estimates.

Mentoring quality that participants actually valued

Numbers aside, what may be most telling is what participants said: 98.1% of respondents said they would recommend the D2XCEL mentoring programme to other startups. The average individual mentoring satisfaction score across both cohorts was 4.55 out of 5, based on 507 feedback responses. Satisfaction improved meaningfully from Cohort 1 to Cohort 2 across all three mentoring tracks — individual, ecosystem, and horizontal — reflecting the programme's commitment to learning and adapting in real time.

Events that opened real doors

Across its 30-month lifecycle, D2XCEL delivered 24 investment events,  tracking 146+ one-to-one investor meetings and ensuring additional free networking opportunities. The 13 partnering events, including the flagship NEXUSxD2XCEL International Innovation Conference at the Port of Sines and the D2XCEL Startup City Day in Nuremberg, generated 138+ leads and direct connections with senior corporate and institutional decision-makers across Europe and beyond.

A community that continues

As the funded period closes, the D2XCEL Alumni Network — now counting 80+ members, including ventures, mentors, investors, and partners — ensures the relationships and connections built over 30 months continue to generate value. All programme resources, including Roadmap Reports, Venture Spotlight Stories, Market Opportunity Videos, and Case Studies, remain publicly accessible at www.d2xcel.eu.

D2XCEL has demonstrated that a well-designed, human-centric scaling programme — one built on expert matching, sustained relationships, and real market exposure — can generate disproportionate and lasting value for European deep tech ventures. The sectors it serves — sustainable logistics, energy, transport, construction, and smart cities — are not peripheral to Europe's future. They are central to it.