
Beyond AI: Six startup opportunities in Europe
Six sectors where European expertise, needs and regulatory changes are opening up new markets.
Read on SubstackSince 1 Jan 2025
by Kai Marek
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Updated 21 Oct 2026
Capital-efficient B2B software plus pre-seed deeptech via Nauta Labs
Early-stage Nordic deeptech with industrial investors as LPs and partners
Pre-seed to Series A, technology: B2B, deeptech and SaaS
Pre-seed/seed in CEE, SEE and diaspora, cheques EUR 0.3-3m
Third fund of MuleSoft founder Ross Mason, focused on AI infrastructure
Eighth European early-stage fund with an AI focus
Regional fund for innovative start-ups and SMEs based in Lazio, seed to late growth
Deep tech spin-offs and startups from research to industrialization
Pre-seed fund for Belgian B2B SaaS founders
Early-stage fund for learning and future-of-work startups
Nordic seed to Series A fund for fintech and AI-driven B2B
Vertical AI B2B software, at least 70% in EU/EEA companies with Italian establishment
Fund backing female-led European startups at pre-seed and seed
Ninth early-stage fund dedicated to Europe and Israel
Founder-backed fund supporting new technology companies, incl. AI and robotics
Defence, security and resilience technology across the European defence stack
Fund backing European defence and security founders early
Italian therapeutic startups bridging science to later-stage investability, with BII platform
Seed fund backing repeat founders in Europe and North America
Debut seed fund for cybersecurity startups in the UK and Canada
Impact fund for market-first European startups
Flagship early-stage fund for European founders in software, AI and science
AI-enabled company building in food and agriculture (agtech, animal health, crop protection)
Angel, pre-seed and seed investments
AI-native companies, concentrated portfolio of 25-30 startups
All-female GP medtech and women's health fund for UK startups
Vertical AI fund for early-stage European founders
Pre-idea to seed fund for applied and physical AI across Europe
Founder-first Nordic early-stage fund, community-powered model
AI-only pre-seed and seed fund backed by AI founders
Global fintech fund backed by Santander, seed to Series C
Pediatric health fund investing in research-based spinouts from academia and hospitals
Early-stage fund for AI applications, software infrastructure and deep tech
Industrial tech fund backing Industry 4.0 founders in Europe
Venture creation and early-stage biotech fund for therapies for severe diseases
UK impact fund for health, essential services and sustainable consumption
Solo-GP fund for AI-first companies, mainly early stage
Deeptech fund built with Politecnico di Milano ecosystem
Energy transition and industrial tech fund for Poland
Fund backing founders outside traditional venture networks in France
Deeptech seed fund for French and European B2B founders
Early-stage fund for European digital businesses
Early-stage fund for quantum and physics-based startups
University-research-based startups via network of 50+ universities
IP-driven European tech from pre-seed to Series B across AI, cybersecurity, techbio and industrial innovation
Fund backing European science-driven deeptech founders
Industry-agnostic early-stage, deep tech and AI, about 35 startups
Green transition deeptech fund for the Nordics
Impact fund backing early-stage European founders
Science-based deeptech and university spinouts in the Nordics
Fund backing Spanish and European founders at seed and Series A
Pre-seed and seed fund for European digital health startups
Frontier tech founders (AI, spacetech, cyber), helping European startups reach the US
Founder-first Europe fintech fund, seed and Series A, cheques EUR 0.5-4m
Impact fund for startups serving vulnerable groups, decarbonisation and ecosystem regeneration
Dedicated European defence and security technology fund
European founders building internationally scalable companies, lead tickets EUR 1-15m
Flagship early-stage biotech and medtech fund
Asset-centric biotech company creation and investments at all stages
Pre-seed and seed fund for frontier-tech founders with global ambition
Impact-driven investing in the global food system and food supply chain tech
Early-stage impact tech with at least one underrepresented founder on core team (climate, health, education)
Seed fund for Italian tech founders as first institutional investor
8-12 early-stage European B2B software companies, backing founders
Impact fund backing early-stage Dutch founders solving societal problems
Largest single VC fund raised in Finland, first Luxembourg fund of Lifeline
Early-stage European healthtech founders, first tickets about EUR 0.5m
Stage-agnostic quantum technology fund
Barcelona-based fund backing early-stage Iberian and European founders
Vertical AI, recommerce platforms and marketplaces, cheques EUR 0.25-2.5m
Sixth fund backing early-stage European AI startups
Debut pre-seed and seed fund for Baltic and Nordic founders
Electrification fund backing early-stage founders in Europe
Early-stage climate tech across power, transport, buildings, industry, agriculture, circular economy
Network-driven debut fund for early-stage European founders
Impact fund for early-stage founders solving global problems
Early-stage tech in Rhineland/NRW and Euregio Meuse-Rhine, pre-seed and seed
Estonian fund backing pre-seed and seed defence-tech founders
Super-angel style debut fund for pre-seed and seed startups
Regional early-stage and growth fund for eastern Ruhr area tech startups
Nordic fund for AI and enterprise software startups
Tickets up to EUR 1m in German and European startups, Mittelstand network
Early-stage gaming startups
Pan-CEE generalist pre-seed to Series A, about 25 startups, up to EUR 20m follow-on reserve per company
Pre-seed and seed fund with operational platform for European tech
CEE fund investing from pre-seed to Series A
European tech for construction, real estate and skilled trades (decarbonisation, digitalisation)
Agrifood fund for Nordic startups transforming food systems
Early growth tech companies beyond start-up stage with hands-on support
Early-stage deep tech fund for Baltic founders
Global vertical AI fund across consumer, health, fintech and energy
Follow-on capital for top portfolio plus new investments in gen AI, cyber, climate
NHS-anchored fund for health tech, now transatlantic
Late-seed and Series A fund for energy, defence and dual-use tech
Specialist fund for planetary and societal health startups
First institutional fund for early-stage European B2B and AI startups
Early-stage AI fund backing startups founded by Greeks abroad
Biotech accelerator creating and backing European biotechs
Fund for cybersecurity, applied AI and digital infrastructure startups
Early-stage fund for AI and data-driven software founders
Vienna fund backing female-led European startups at pre-seed and seed
Consumer health fund, mainly Series A, backed by Schwabe
Early-stage flagship plus opportunity fund for Series B and later
Nordic tech and life science companies at startup and growth stages
Seed deeptech in France and Europe: materials, medtech, semiconductors, quantum, energy transition
Pre-seed and seed, EUR 100k to 1m+ tickets, technology startups with a Cyprus connection
Digital health and medtech fund for European founders
Early and growth stage tech companies in Europe, avg ticket EUR 5m
Showing 12 of 108 funds


Six sectors where European expertise, needs and regulatory changes are opening up new markets.
Read on Substack