IonKraft, a start-up based in Aachen, Germany, has closed a €3.5 million (US$3.7 million) first equity funding round to scale up the production and sales of IonKraft’s coating machines and drive a circular packaging economy. The round was co-led by M Ventures, the strategic investment arm of Merck, and TechVision Fund (TVF), with High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) also participating.