European Startup Funding Rounds Surge February 24-28, 2025

Recent developments in the UK insurance market reveal a significant uptick in mergers and acquisitions, with the number of deals rising from 112 in 2023 to 188 in 2024, and total deal value increasing to £4.6 billion. Aviva's acquisition of Direct Line Group for £3.6 billion is a key highlight, expected to elevate Aviva's gross written premium past £10 billion, marking a milestone for a UK insurer. Meanwhile, FloodFlash, a UK-based company, is set to be acquired by US firm NormanMax Insurance, maintaining its operations as an MGA. In the broader startup ecosystem, various companies have secured funding, including a $1.6 million seed round for Visalaw.ai focused on immigration law. Additionally, Kolkata-based Sisir Radar raised seed funding to enhance its SAR satellite technology, and Boss Wallah acquired edtech platform ffreedom to improve entrepreneurial education in India. DroneAcharya Aerial Innovations also achieved a major milestone with type certification for its agricultural drone, AgriVeer, ahead of a planned merger.