StartupsNov 4, 2026, 3:53 AM UTC·2 min read

Granter raises €1.6M to take its AI EU-funding tool across Europe

Portuguese startup Granter has closed a €1.6 million round led by 3XP Global to expand its AI grant assistant into Spain, Germany, Italy and later the US.

Founders of the Portuguese startup Granter presenting their AI platform for applying to European funding. — Image: El Referente

SUMO

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Portuguese startup Granter has closed a €1.6 million investment round to expand its AI-based platform for accessing European funds. The round was led by 3XP Global through its Impact Innovation Fund, under the Venture Capital Programme of the Fundo de Capitalização e Resiliência (FdCR), which is managed by Banco Português de Fomento, Portugal's public development bank. Celtis Venture Partners, Gateway Ventures (with investors from Austria and Germany) and the US HR unicorn Deel also took part.

Expansion and hiring

Granter plans to more than double its team by the end of the year and enter new markets. Portugal remains its main market, but the company now targets Spain, Germany and Italy, where it already has investors and early commercial connections. The United States is a medium-term priority, with doors opened through this round.

The company won PITCH, the startup competition at Web Summit, in November 2025. It says it has since helped more than 140 companies apply for over €30 million in funding. Clients include ANA Aeroportos, MC Sonae, Galp, the Portuguese Navy and Fidelidade. Granter also aims to help SMEs and startups reach European funding.

A relaunched product

Alongside the round, Granter is relaunching its AI Grant Consultant with a chat-based interface. Each organisation talks directly to an AI agent to identify funding opportunities, prepare applications and manage approved projects. The platform now also offers a free trial period, so users can begin preparing an application from day one.

According to the company, work that once took weeks and often required specialist consultants can now be done in under an hour. The new money adds to €400,000 previously raised from Techstars, Mission and AngelsWay, bringing total funding to €2 million.

CEO and co-founder Bernardo Seixas said thousands of companies with solid projects miss out on public funding not for lack of merit, but because they lack the time, team or knowledge to handle complex bureaucracy. Rita Branco, board member at 3XP Global, said Granter fits the fund's focus on companies that create economic value while supporting a more sustainable and inclusive economy.