Europe when being considered as a collective in terms of Venture Capital is fantastic for startups. There are numerous Top VC firms in Europe that have been consistently investing in local startups. Investments, in the UK during 2020 stood at 13.5 Billion Euros, Germany made 6.3 Billion and France with $5.6 Billion. Even aside from these three countries, there are many more that strengthen the European VC ecosystem.
1. HV Capital
Year Founded: 2000
HQ: Munich, Germany
Size: 11-50
Founders: Lars Langusch
HV Capital is a European VC firm that was founded in 2000 and is currently based in Munich, Germany. The company mainly provides startup funding and further support to startups that operate in the internet and technology markets. Their investments range from 500,000 Euros to 50 Million Euros in total.
Since HV Capital was founded, the company has managed a total of six investment funds. These funds have allowed the company to make a total of 348 investments in the two decades that they have been trading. From these investments, the company has successfully exited from a total of 77 investments.
2. Eurazeo
Year Founded: 1969
HQ: Paris, France
Size: 251-500
Founders: Formed By Merger
Eurazeo is a Venture Capital firm in Europe that was founded all the way back in 1969 and is currently operating from a headquarters in Paris, France. The company mainly focuses on investment into the SME market, with a wide variety of different funding types and amounts of funding being available from them.
Eurazeo has made a total of 30 acquisitions in its long trading life and has also made a total of 165 investments into businesses to help them reach the next level. From these investments, the company has managed to exit from a total of 47 of these investments.
3. Agoranov
Year Founded: 2000
HQ: Paris, France
Size: 11-50
Founders: Jean Charles Pomerol
Agoranov is a technology incubator that was founded in 2000 and is currently based in Paris, France. The company usually invests in technology and public science startups, of which it has already helped to raise a total of 700 Million Euros. The fund also offers mentorship, office space and a variety of other resources to help their businesses to succeed.
Since Agoranov was founded just over twenty years ago, the company has successfully made a total of 381 investments into growing businesses. From these investments, the company has currently exited from a total of 34 of these.
4. Entree Capital
Year Founded: 2004
HQ: London, England
Size: 11-50
Founders: Aviad Eyal, Martin Moshal
Entree Capital is a VC in Europe that was founded in 2004 and is currently based in the capital of England, London. The company offers startup funding and support across a variety of different business stages and also invests in companies, regardless of their location, so long as it makes commercial sense.
This European VC firm has successfully managed a total of six investment funds in its trading lifetime, which has allowed Entree to make a total of 182 investments into startups. Out of these investments, the company has successfully exited from a total of 18 of them.
5. LocalGlobe
Year Founded: 1999
HQ: London, England
Size: 11-50
Founders: Robin Klein, Saul Klein
LocalGlobe is a European VC that was founded in 1999 and is currently based in London, England. The company primarily focuses on companies that are in the seed funding stage of their investment journeys and they have worked with companies like Wise, Zoopla, Lovefilm and more.
The company has managed a total of seven investment funds since it was founded in 1999. From these funds, the company has made a series of 286 investments into startups. From these startups, the VC firm has successfully managed to exit from 43 of these companies.
6. Cherry Ventures
Year Founded: 2013
HQ: Berlin, Germany
Size: 11-50
Founders: Christian Meermann, Daniel Glasner, Filip Felician Dames
Cherry Ventures is a Venture Capital firm in Europe that was founded eight years ago and is currently based in Berlin, Germany. Cherry primarily focuses on providing seed funding to businesses and is backed by successful business owners that have previously scaled technology companies themselves.
Cherry has managed a total of three investment funds since it was founded in 2013. As a result of these investment funds, the company has successfully made a total of 118 investments. Out of these investments, the company has managed to exit from twelve of these startups.
7. Caixa Capital Risc
Year Founded: 2002
HQ: Barcelona, Spain
Size: 11-50
Founders: CriteriaCaixa
Caixa Capital Risc is a Spanish VC firm that was founded in 2002 and is currently based in Barcelona. The company is the VC section of the company called CriteriaCaixa. The team at this VC are known for investing in early and seed stage startups in both Spain and Portugal.
The company has managed a total of eight investment funds since it was founded nearly two decades ago. The money from these investment funds have allowed the Spanish VC to make a total of 149 investments. Caixa Capital Risc has managed to successfully exit from 18 of these investments.
8. Point Nine Capital
Year Founded: 2009
HQ: Berlin, Germany
Size: 11-50
Founders: Christoph Janz, Kolja Hebenstreit, Lukasz Gadowski, Pawel Chudzinski
Point Nine Capital is a VC in Europe that was founded in 2009 and is currently based in Berlin, Germany. This Venture Capital Firm places an emphasis on making investments into early stage startups that operate in the SaaS and digital marketplace sectors.
Since it was founded in 2009, the European VC has successfully managed four investment funds. As a direct consequence of these funds, the company has been able to make 211 investments into the aforementioned businesses. From these investments, Point Nine has successfully exited from 29.
9. Atomico
Year Founded: 2006
HQ: London, England
Size: 11-50
Founders: Niklas Zennström
Atomico is a European Venture Capital firm that was founded in 2006 and is currently located in the English capital city. The company primarily targets companies that are in and around their Series A round of funding, and will also support founders in a variety of others ways. To date, they have worked with businesses like Uber, Spotify and many more.
Despite its relative infancy compared to some others on this list, Atomico has still managed five investment funds in its trading life. These funds have given the firm the capability to make 181 investments into growing businesses. From these investments, the VC firm has successfully exited from 35.
10. Atlantic Labs
Year Founded: 2008
HQ: Berlin, Germany
Size: 1-10
Founders: Christophe Maire
Atlantic Labs is a Venture Capital firm in Europe that was founded in 2008 and is currently headquartered in Berlin, Germany. They like to get involved in supporting and funding businesses at their earliest stages. Particular emphasis is placed on digital health, AI, mobility, industrial automation and more.
Atlantic Labs has made a significant number of investments, with 133 being made since it was founded in 2008. Following these investments, the company has so far managed to exit from a figure of 9.
11. Creandum
Year Founded: 2003
HQ: Stockholm, Sweden
Size: 11-50
Founders: Staffan Helgesson
Creandum is a Swedish Venture Capital firm that was founded in 2003 and is currently based in Stockholm, Sweden. They primarily focus on early-stage investment into businesses that operate in the consumer, software and hardware industries. They have previously worked with companies like Spotify and Depop.
Creandum has made a number of investments over the years, with the full figure standing at 178 successful investments. Since 2003, the company has managed to successfully exit from a total of 33 of its investments.
12. Seedcamp
Year Founded: 2007
HQ: London, England
Size: 1-10
Founders: Reshma Sohoni, Saul Klein
Seedcamp is one of the newer European VCs for seed funds, with the company being founded in 2007, with a current main base in London. The company works by identifying businesses and founders from an early-stage, so that they can be supported with expansion into global markets, accelerating their success.
The company has successfully managed five investment funds since it was founded in 2007. In that time, the company has used those funds to make a number of investments, standing at a figure of 411. There have been 43 exits from investments in these startups.
13. Bpifrance
Year Founded: 2012
HQ: Maisons-alfort, France
Size: 1001-5000
Founders: French Government
Bpifrance is a European financial solutions company that was founded in 2012 and is currently based in Maisons-alfort, France. In addition to investment, they also offer support and coaching for entrepreneurs. The company has already seen massive success in driving new businesses to succeed.
The company has managed a total of eight investment funds since it was founded nine years ago. In that time, the company has successfully made a series of 705 investments into growing businesses. Out of these investments, the company has exited from 82 of them.
14. Lakestar
Year Founded: 2012
HQ: Zurich, Switzerland
Size: 11-50
Founders: Klaus Hommels
Lakestar is one of the outliers on this list as this European VC is based in Zurich, Switzerland and was founded in 2012. The company focuses on investing in businesses with great founding teams, with a tendency towards businesses that operate within the American and European markets.
Despite being founded nine years ago, the firm has already managed five investment funds. These funds have allowed Lakestar to make a total of 123 investments into new, or growing businesses. The company has only exited from a total of 15 companies so far.
15. Acton Capital
Year Founded: 1999
HQ: Munich, Germany
Size: 11-50
Founders: Christoph Braun, Frank Seehaus, Jan-Gisbert Schultze, Paul-Bernhard Kallen
Acton Capital is a European Venture Capital firm that was founded in 1999 and is currently based in Munich, Germany. The company enables businesses to get access to growth-stage funding if they are businesses that are tech-enabled. The main businesses that they invest in fintech, SaaS, health, logistics, education and work technologies.
The company has managed five investment funds since it was founded over two decades ago. Since that time, the VC has used these funds to make a total of 104 investments into growing businesses. Out of these investments, Acton Capital has successfully exited from 34 of these investments.
16. Venrex
Year Founded: 2002
HQ: London, England
Size: 1-10
Founders: Mark Esiri, Tom Fleming
Venrex is a European VC firm that was founded in 2002 and is currently based in London, England. The company supports businesses that have creative founders in an effort to help them launch and grow their businesses at the earliest stages. It should be noted that 43% of their investments involve a female founder.
Venrex has managed a total of 10 investment funds since it was founded nearly two decades ago and these funds have allowed the business to make 156 investments into growing businesses. Out of these investments, the businesses has currently managed to exit from 10 of them.
17. Northzone
Year Founded: 1996
HQ: London, England
Size: 11-50
Founders: Bjorn Stray, Ingar Ostby, Karl-Christian Agerup, Tellef Thorleifsson
Northzone is an English Venture Capital firm that was founded in 1996 and is currently based in the city of London. The company has previously worked with businesses such as Spotify, iZettle, Klarna and many more. The main funding types that the company offers are seed and venture funding.
Northzone has successfully managed a total of nine funds in its trading lifetime and the use of these funds has allowed the company to make 220 investments into new businesses. From these investments, the company has currently successfully exited from 43 of these.
18. Project A Ventures
Year Founded: 2012
HQ: Berlin, Germany
Size: 101-250
Founders: Anton Waitz, Ben Fischer, Christian Weiss, Florian Heinemann, Thies Sander, Uwe Horstmann
Project A Ventures is a German VC firm that was founded in 2012 and is currently based in Berlin, Germany. The company mainly provides early stage funding and further business operations support to startups across a wide variety of industries.
Project A has managed a total of four investment funds in its nine years of trading and in that time it has successfully made a total of 146 investments. Out of these numerous investments, the company has exited from a total of 22 of these businesses so far.
19. INKEF Capital
Year Founded: 2010
HQ: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Size: 11-50
Founders: Multiple
INKEF Capital is the only Dutch inclusion on this list, with the VC firm being founded in 2010, with a current headquarters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The company focuses on early stage investment into businesses that operate in healthcare and life science companies that use technology to innovate their industry.
The company has managed a sole investment fund since it was founded just over ten years ago. From that investment fund, the VC firm has successfully made a total of 65 investments. Out of these investments, the company has managed to exit from 8 of these so far.
20. Walerud Ventures
Year Founded: 2002
HQ: Stockholm, Sweden
Size: 1-10
Founders: Bengt Walerud, Caroline Walerud, Jane Walerud
Walerud Ventures is a European VC firm that was founded in 2002 and is currently based in Stockholm, Sweden. The company primarily focuses on early stage investment into deeptech companies that place emphasis on their environmental impact and being climate positive in their approaches.
Walerud Ventures has made a total of 23 investments in its trading lifetime and from these investments, the company has managed to successfully exit from a total of 8 of these investments.
21. Hoxton Ventures
Year Founded: 2013
HQ: London, England
Size: 1-10
Founders: Hussein Kanji, Rob Kniaz
Hoxton Ventures is another example of an English Venture Capital firm that was founded in 2013 and is currently based in London, England. The company provides funding at the pre-seed, seed and Series A stages of funding and will typically part with between $500,000 and $5 Million to help these businesses grow.
The company has managed two investment funds since it was founded eight years ago. From these investment funds, Hoxton Ventures has successfully managed to make a series of 59 investments. From these investments, the company has managed to successfully exit from 11 of these investments so far.
FAQs
How Many Startups Are There in Europe?
Calculating the exact number of startups in Europe is an impossible task- however, calculations based on startup rates and startup death rates place the figure at anywhere between 80,000-200,000.
Which Countries In Europe Have The Strongest Startup Ecosystems?
The countries in Europe with some of the strongest startup ecosystems are the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden.
How Much VC Funding Comes Through Europe?
VC funding in Europe has exploded in 2021, H1 of 2020 yielded $18.5 Billion and H2 yielded $24.5 Billion. Alternatively, in the first half of 2021, European startups raised a total of $59 Billion.
