In addition to existing investors, new backers also joined the round, including HENDER GmbH, Scholl Venture Partner from the BayStartUP investor network, D11Z, Bayern Kapital, the superangels, and experienced business angels. The round was initiated and facilitated by the BayStartUP investor network, which has been supporting traplinked since its early growth stages.
From academy participant to angel investor: How traplinked won new backers
traplinked met its two new angel investors at the BayStartUP Business Angel Academy — an exclusive format aimed at aspiring private investors interested in startup investments who want to enter the field professionally. traplinked was one of four startups invited to present during a practical session and immediately impressed.
About the Angel Academy:
The Academy’s goal is to provide knowledge and confidence for making first-time startup investments. In compact sessions, experts from the venture capital industry share their know-how, accompanied by peer-to-peer exchange and networking. With this format, BayStartUP is strengthening the business angel culture in Germany — a key lever for early-stage startup financing.
As an active member of the Business Angels Netzwerk Deutschland (BAND) and with a growing network of more than 600 institutional and private investors, BayStartUP creates an environment where both new and experienced investors can thrive — and where startups like traplinked meet committed partners who bring more than just capital.
Catching mice was yesterday – traplinked makes monitoring smart
Whether supermarkets, food producers, logistics providers, or hotels — any business handling sensitive products must protect against pests like rats and mice. Until now, that meant manually checking thousands of control points — a massive time and cost burden.
traplinked offers a digital solution: through a central software platform, pest controllers can easily manage and monitor IoT hardware — in real time, 24/7. The sensors automatically detect if a trap has been triggered. The app only sends alerts in the event of an incident — saving up to 80% of the control effort.
What makes it special: traplinked also integrates third-party systems into its platform. This creates the first true ecosystem for digital pest control — offering maximum flexibility to users.
Industry-First: IoT Monitoring that (almost) does it all
traplinked is currently the only provider on the market offering a software platform that allows professional pest controllers as well as companies in retail, production, logistics, and hospitality to set up, manage, and control a wide range of IoT devices — regardless of the manufacturer.
The benefits: seamless 24/7 monitoring, automatic alerts when traps are triggered or movement is detected — and a massive reduction in manual checks. Pest controllers only need to take action when there’s an actual alert. This saves time, reduces costs, and improves operational safety.
Exceptionally flexible: traplinked’s platform supports not only its own sensors but also third-party devices. This enables the use of the best equipment for every environment and control point — all managed through a single interface.
An underrated market with global potential
"Pest control" may sound like a niche, but it affects nearly every business. In Germany alone, there are nearly 900,000 facilities that actively require pest protection. Globally, the market is worth over €25 billion — and it's growing.
Already, more than 330 pest control companies across 11 European countries use traplinked’s technology. With over 80,000 devices sold, around 5,000 sites operated by 3,000 companies have been digitized. And this is just the beginning: from 2026, non-infestation-based permanent baiting will be legally prohibited in Europe — making digital solutions like traplinked’s not just a nice-to-have, but a regulatory necessity.
"The pest controllers of tomorrow will be digital," says founder and CEO Tim Kirchhof. "Starting in 2026, deploying poison baits without signs of infestation will be largely restricted by law. This will further drive demand for digital control systems. We’re excited to use the new funding to accelerate our growth. We’re especially proud of the trust shown by our investors and the strong support from the BayStartUP investor network."
BayStartUP Managing Director Barbara Dombay adds:
“traplinked solves a critical problem for its target customers while dramatically reducing the time and personnel costs traditionally associated with pest control — in an industry that, despite its importance, has long been technologically overlooked. With changing regulations and growing demands for documented safety, traplinked offers a modern, scalable solution.”
From internship to market-ready platform – The founding team
traplinked was founded in 2019 by Tim Kirchhof, who developed the idea during an internship at a pest control company. Co-founder Sergei Khymlov, a software development expert, took charge of building the technical platform. Moritz Weigert, an experienced entrepreneur with a successful exit behind him, leads marketing and operations. Together, they combine technical excellence, market understanding, and business know-how.
Capital for scaling, innovation – and Camera Hero TOM
With the new funding, traplinked plans to scale further, open up new sales channels, and expand its product portfolio. A key focus is on the camera-based system TOM, which is set to launch a new generation at the end of the year.
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Photos: traplinked