Beyond AI: Six startup opportunities in Europe
Six sectors where European expertise, needs and regulatory changes are opening up new markets.
Read on Substack- Matching funds
- 22
- Total
- €3.1bn
- Median
- €75m
- Threshold
- From €10m
Funds
Updated 21 Oct 2026
Growth fund for European defence and security technology
- Sectors
- Defence & Security
- Invests in
- Pan-European
- Track
- Fund 1
- First Close
- 24 Sept 2026
- Public LPs
- EIFO, SmartCap
Fund backing female-led European startups at pre-seed and seed
- Sectors
- Generalist
- Invests in
- DACH
- Track
- Emerging manager, fund 2
- Final Close
- 1 Sept 2026
- Public LPs
- EIF
Angel, pre-seed and seed investments
- Sectors
- Generalist
- Invests in
- Europe
- Track
- Fund 3
- Final Close
- 11 Jun 2026
Pre-idea to seed fund for applied and physical AI across Europe
- Sectors
- AI
- Invests in
- Pan-European
- Closed
- 4 Jun 2026
Early-stage fund for AI applications, software infrastructure and deep tech
- Sectors
- AI, B2B Software, Deep Tech
- Invests in
- Pan-European
- Track
- Fund 8
- Closed
- 30 Apr 2026
- Manager
- Earlybird Venture Capital
Growth capital for deeptech scale-ups, initial cheques up to EUR 15m
- Sectors
- Deep Tech, Defence & Security, Climate & Energy, Mobility
- Invests in
- Europe
- First Close
- 12 Mar 2026
Impact fund backing early-stage European founders
- Sectors
- Generalist
- Invests in
- DACH
- Track
- Fund 5
- First Close
- 19 Jan 2026
- Public LPs
- EIF, NRW.BANK
Energy tech fund for digital, asset-light grid and flexibility solutions
- Sectors
- Climate & Energy
- Invests in
- Pan-European
- Track
- Emerging manager, fund 2
- Closed
- 16 Dec 2025
- Public LPs
- EIF, KfW Capital, BGK
Dedicated Italy energy tech fund, fully financed by CDP
- Sectors
- Climate & Energy
- Invests in
- Italy
- Track
- Emerging manager
- Closed
- 16 Dec 2025
- Manager
- Future Energy Ventures
- Public LPs
- CDP Venture Capital
Impact-driven investing in the global food system and food supply chain tech
- Sectors
- Food & Agri
- Invests in
- Europe
- Track
- Fund 2
- Final Close
- 11 Nov 2025
- Public LPs
- KfW, EIF
Electrification fund backing early-stage founders in Europe
- Sectors
- Climate & Energy, Mobility
- Invests in
- DACH
- Track
- Emerging manager, fund 1
- Final Close
- 9 Sept 2025
- Public LPs
- EIF, NRW.BANK
Early-stage tech in Rhineland/NRW and Euregio Meuse-Rhine, pre-seed and seed
- Sectors
- Deep Tech, Health & Bio, B2B Software, Industrial Tech
- Invests in
- Germany (NRW)
- Track
- Fund 2
- Final Close
- 17 Jul 2025
- Manager
- TVF Management
- Public LPs
- NRW.BANK
Regional early-stage and growth fund for eastern Ruhr area tech startups
- Sectors
- Generalist
- Invests in
- Germany (NRW)
- First Close
- 2 Jul 2025
- Manager
- VORNvc (Lars Hane, Nico Hemmann)
- Public LPs
- NRW.BANK
Tickets up to EUR 1m in German and European startups, Mittelstand network
- Sectors
- Industrial Tech, Climate & Energy, B2B Software
- Invests in
- Germany | Europe
- Track
- Emerging manager, fund 1
- Final Close
- 1 Jul 2025
Pre-seed and seed fund with operational platform for European tech
- Sectors
- Fintech, AI, Defence & Security
- Invests in
- Pan-European
- Track
- Fund 5
- Closed
- 24 Jun 2025
- Manager
- Project A Ventures
European tech for construction, real estate and skilled trades (decarbonisation, digitalisation)
- Sectors
- Industrial Tech, Climate & Energy
- Invests in
- Europe
- First Close
- 17 Jun 2025
- Manager
- Realyze Ventures (Bitstone Capital)
Follow-on capital for top portfolio plus new investments in gen AI, cyber, climate
- Sectors
- AI, Climate & Energy
- Invests in
- Europe
- Track
- Fund 2
- Final Close
- 26 May 2025
- Manager
- Picus Capital
Pre-seed deeptech with technical in-house expertise, about 20% in US outside Bay Area
- Sectors
- Deep Tech, AI
- Invests in
- Europe | US
- Track
- Fund 2
- Closed
- 20 May 2025
Pre-seed deep tech fund for industrials, energy and compute
- Sectors
- Deep Tech, Industrial Tech, Climate & Energy
- Invests in
- Pan-European
- Track
- Emerging manager, fund 2
- Closed
- 23 Apr 2025
Specialist fund for planetary and societal health startups
- Sectors
- Climate & Energy, Health & Bio
- Invests in
- Pan-European
- Track
- Emerging manager, fund 2
- Closed
- 10 Apr 2025
- Public LPs
- EIF
Consumer health fund, mainly Series A, backed by Schwabe
- Sectors
- Health & Bio, Consumer
- Invests in
- Europe | North America
- First Close
- 18 Feb 2025
Early-stage flagship plus opportunity fund for Series B and later
- Sectors
- Generalist
- Invests in
- Pan-European
- Track
- Fund 5
- Closed
- 4 Feb 2025
- As reported
- USD 500m across two vehicles, split not disclosed
Showing 12 of 22 funds
