Beyond AI: Six startup opportunities in Europe
Six sectors where European expertise, needs and regulatory changes are opening up new markets.
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FundStageHQClosedSize €m
- 455.0
Growth fund for European defence and security technology
- Defence & Security
- Pan-European
- Fund 1
- 24 Sept 2026
- DTCP
- EIFO, SmartCap
- 41.0
Regional early-stage and growth fund for eastern Ruhr area tech startups
- Generalist
- Germany (NRW)
- 21 Sept 2026
- VORNvc (Lars Hane, Nico Hemmann)
- NRW.BANK
- 33.3
Fund backing female-led European startups at pre-seed and seed
- Generalist
- DACH
- Fund 2
- 1 Sept 2026
- Auxxo
- EIF
- 88.2
Makes a few high-conviction bets per year on post-product-market-fit B2B software founders aiming to redefine their categories, and supports them with go-to-market and international expansion to reach a larger growth round.
- B2B Software
- Europe
- USD
- Fund 4
- 25 Jun 2026
- Senovo
- more than USD 100m (Senovo partners)
Angel, pre-seed and seed investments
- Generalist
- Europe
- Fund 3
- 11 Jun 2026
- Angel Invest
- 103.0
Pre-idea to seed fund for applied and physical AI across Europe
- AI
- Pan-European
- 4 Jun 2026
- Merantix Capital
- 360.0
Early-stage fund for AI applications, software infrastructure and deep tech
- AI, B2B Software, Deep Tech
- Pan-European
- Fund 8
- 30 Apr 2026
- Earlybird Venture Capital
- 77.0
Growth capital for deeptech scale-ups, initial cheques up to EUR 15m
- Deep Tech, Defence & Security, Climate & Energy, Mobility
- Europe
- 12 Mar 2026
- UVC Partners
- 90.0
Back enterprise AI startups focused on secure, governed and cost-controlled AI adoption, leading or co-leading rounds with EUR 0.5 to 1.5m initial tickets.
- Generalist
- Europe
- Fund 3
- 28 Jan 2026
- seed+speed Ventures
- 20.0
Back founders with deep domain expertise who use AI and deep tech to rebuild established industries, as first institutional or lead investor.
- Deep Tech
- DACH
- Emerging manager, Fund 1
- 19 Jan 2026
- Vanagon Ventures
- 73.0
Impact fund backing early-stage European founders
- Generalist
- DACH
- Fund 5
- 19 Jan 2026
- Ananda Impact Ventures
- EIF, NRW.BANK
- 47.0
Backs technology leaders with real-world application in key European industries, emphasising sustainability, responsibility and a founder mindset.
- Europe
- Fund 3
- 15 Jan 2026
- Futury Capital
- KfW Capital
- 205.0
Energy tech fund for digital, asset-light grid and flexibility solutions
- Climate & Energy
- Pan-European
- Fund 2
- 16 Dec 2025
- Future Energy Ventures
- EIF, KfW Capital, BGK
- 30.0
Dedicated Italy energy tech fund, fully financed by CDP
- Climate & Energy
- Italy
- 16 Dec 2025
- Future Energy Ventures
- CDP Venture Capital
- 100.0
Impact-driven investing in the global food system and food supply chain tech
- Food & Agri
- Europe
- Fund 2
- 11 Nov 2025
- Oyster Bay
- KfW, EIF
- 30.0
Regional early-stage fund backing B2B, AI, industrial automation and climate start-ups in Münsterland and neighbouring regions.
- Generalist
- Münsterland, Ostwestfalen-Lippe, Osnabrück region
- Emerging manager
- 30 Sept 2025
- May Ventures
- NRW.BANK
- 50.0
Electrification fund backing early-stage founders in Europe
- Climate & Energy, Mobility
- DACH
- Emerging manager, Fund 1
- 9 Sept 2025
- Vireo Ventures
- EIF, NRW.BANK
- 50.0
Early-stage tech in Rhineland/NRW and Euregio Meuse-Rhine, pre-seed and seed
- Deep Tech, Health & Bio, B2B Software, Industrial Tech
- Germany (NRW)
- Fund 2
- 17 Jul 2025
- TVF Management
- NRW.BANK
- 49.0
Tickets up to EUR 1m in German and European startups, Mittelstand network
- Industrial Tech, Climate & Energy, B2B Software
- Germany, Europe
- Emerging manager, Fund 1
- 1 Jul 2025
- Match VC
- L-Bank
- 325.0
Pre-seed and seed fund with operational platform for European tech
- Fintech, AI, Defence & Security
- Pan-European
- Fund 5
- 24 Jun 2025
- Project A Ventures
European tech for construction, real estate and skilled trades (decarbonisation, digitalisation)
- Industrial Tech, Climate & Energy
- Europe
- Emerging manager
- 17 Jun 2025
- Realyze Ventures (Bitstone Capital)
- 250.0
Follow-on capital for top portfolio plus new investments in gen AI, cyber, climate
- AI, Climate & Energy
- Europe
- Fund 2
- 26 May 2025
- Picus Capital
- 50.0
Pre-seed deeptech with technical in-house expertise, about 20% in US outside Bay Area
- Deep Tech, AI
- Europe, US
- Fund 2
- 20 May 2025
- Lunar Ventures
- 35.0
Pre-seed deep tech fund for industrials, energy and compute
- Deep Tech, Industrial Tech, Climate & Energy
- Pan-European
- Fund 2
- 23 Apr 2025
- First Momentum Ventures
- 100.0
Specialist fund for planetary and societal health startups
- Climate & Energy, Health & Bio
- Pan-European
- Fund 2
- 10 Apr 2025
- Revent
- EIF
- 100.0
Consumer health fund, mainly Series A, backed by Schwabe
- Health & Bio, Consumer
- Europe, North America
- Emerging manager
- 18 Feb 2025
- naturalX Health Ventures
- 383.8
Corporate venture fund of Hitachi for startups in data centers, distributed energy, future of work, industrial AI, bio, quantum, fusion, life science and space.
- AI, Climate & Energy, Deep Tech, Health & Bio
- Global (Europe, North America, Asia)
- USD
- Fund 4
- 5 Feb 2025
- Hitachi Ventures
- USD 400m
- 483.8
Early-stage flagship plus opportunity fund for Series B and later
- Generalist
- Pan-European
- USD
- Fund 5
- 4 Feb 2025
- Cherry Ventures
- USD 500m across two vehicles, split not disclosed
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