Berlin-based NexDash hauls in €5 million to electrify Europe’s freight

NexDash, a German-based logistics startup, has raised €5 million in a Seed round to build Europe’s first “Neo-Carrier” for electric trucks, just three months after its founding.

The round was led by Extantia Capital with participation from Clean Energy Ventures, supporting NexDash’s aim to accelerate the shift from diesel to electric freight through a digitally orchestrated, zero-emission trucking network.

“Germany’s electrification starts with logistics,” says founder and CEO Michael Cassau. “We consolidate, transform, and electrify diesel fleets – building Trucking-as-a-Service made in Europe. The last decade was about neobanks; the next is about neo-carriers.”

EU-Startups has previously featured Michael Cassau in both an announcement of his participation at the EU-Startups Summit 2025 and an earlier appearance on the EU-Startups Podcast in 2022, underscoring his ongoing visibility within the European startup ecosystem.

In 2025, several European startups active in logistics electrification and adjacent mobility infrastructure secured new funding, including Delta Charge (€3.7 million, Sweden/Germany) to scale truck-charging depots and battery-enabled industrial hubs, Evera (€2 million, France) to expand its subscription-based electrified fleet model, Deftpower(€12.5 million, Netherlands) to broaden its AI-powered EV-charging platform, and Hyperdrives (€3 million, Germany) to scale electric drive systems for industrial mobility.

Together, these rounds amount to roughly €21.2 million and illustrate a steady flow of capital into the electrification of transport – spanning fleet models, charging infrastructure and drivetrain innovation.

Set against this backdrop, NexDash’s €5 million Seed round adds another German case to the year’s activity and positions it within a broader movement to decarbonise heavy-duty logistics, alongside neighbouring investments in the enabling technologies required for Europe’s shift away from diesel.

Joern-Carlos Kuntze, Partner at Extantia Capital, adds: “Electrification in heavy-duty transport doesn’t fail because of technology, but because of orchestration. NexDash integrates software, infrastructure, and capital where it matters most – in operations.”

Founded in 2025, by Michael Cassau, the entrepreneur behind tech-rental unicorn Grover, NexDash is tackling one of Europe’s most carbon-intensive sectors.

EU-Startups has covered Grover extensively throughout its growth, recent coverage includes their 2024 €50 million raise, and their 2022 €270 million raise.

According to data provided by NexDash, heavy-duty trucks generate roughly 35% of transport-related CO₂ emissions, while more than 90% of logistics operators rely on small, ageing diesel fleets with minimal digital infrastructure and limited capital. The transition to electric trucking has been sluggish due to high upfront costs, operational complexity, and a lack of charging networks.

NexDash seeks to overcome these barriers through its proprietary AI-powered operating system NexOS, which orchestrates fleets, energy supply, and financing in real time. This system enables the coordination necessary for scalable electrification and, in the longer term, autonomous logistics.

NexDash will use the funding to acquire mid-sized logistics operators, electrify their fleets via scalable structured financing, and manage operations through its Trucking-as-a-Service (TaaS) platform. The aim is to build a fully electric freight network that is digitally managed, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable.

Cassau is joined by Karsten Sachsenröder, a former executive at DB Schenker, bringing industry expertise to the table. Together, they are designing a model that blends digitalisation, electrification, and consolidation – addressing not just the tech, but also the capital and operational roadblocks that have kept logistics stuck in the diesel age.

Daniel Goldman, Managing Partner at Clean Energy Ventures, highlights the company’s scalable, data-driven model in a sector “ripe for disruption.”

The Seed funding will finance early electric truck deployments, support charging infrastructure through partnerships with energy providers, fund acquisitions, and power the continued development of NexOS.

With its sights set on a Europe-wide rollout, NexDash is positioning itself as a foundational player in the continent’s green logistics future.

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