One of the big names of the Berlin startup scene had big news this morning: 6Wunderkinder announced it had raised $4.2 million in funding from Atomico. The London-based investment firm are in town this week as part of their worldwide Open Office Programme. The announcement was no doubt orchestrated to coincide with the speech of Niklas Zennström, Skype co-founder and CEO of Atomico, at the Technische Universität in Berlin this evening. The speech is meant to give inspiration to students about becoming entrepreneurs, and there’s no better example to use than the news of his company’s large investment in a local enterprise.
Niklas Zennström had this to say about the investment:
“We are delighted to make this investment. The company has brilliant management, has already got great traction in the market, and has a huge opportunity in front of it. We were particularly impressed by the international outlook of the team, and the potential for growth in markets across the world. This is precisely the kind of investment that we love to make at Atomico.”
This sizable amount of investment in a German technology company could well mark a milestone in the rapid rise of Berlin as the hotspot of startup activity in Europe. You can read more about the announcement at 6Wunderkinder’s Blog.
Also, if you are planning on attending the speech today, don’t forget the special Silicon Alle meet up afterwards.