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
- 29
- Total
- €7.8bn
- Median
- €200m
- Threshold
- From €10m
Funds
Updated 21 Oct 2026
Concentrated growth portfolio in marketplaces, financial services and software
- Sectors
- Fintech, B2B Software, Consumer
- Invests in
- Europe
- Track
- Fund 5
- Final Close
- 13 Oct 2026
- Manager
- Sprints Capital
Regional fund for innovative start-ups and SMEs based in Lazio, seed to late growth
- Sectors
- Generalist
- Invests in
- Italy (Lazio)
- Track
- Fund 8
- First Close
- 29 Sept 2026
- Manager
- Vertis SGR
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
Systematic growth-stage investing with proprietary AI model Aleph
- Sectors
- AI, Fintech, B2B Software, Health & Bio, Deep Tech
- Invests in
- Global
- Track
- Fund 2
- Closed
- 18 Aug 2026
- As reported
- USD 500m
Defence, security and resilience technology across the European defence stack
- Sectors
- Defence & Security, Deep Tech, AI
- Invests in
- Europe
- Track
- Emerging manager, fund 1
- Final Close
- 17 Jul 2026
- As reported
- USD 300m
Global fintech fund backed by Santander, seed to Series C
- Sectors
- Fintech, AI
- Invests in
- Global
- Track
- Fund 3
- First Close
- 19 May 2026
- As reported
- USD 400m (BeBeez: EUR 343.4m)
Industrial tech fund backing Industry 4.0 founders in Europe
- Sectors
- Industrial Tech
- Invests in
- Pan-European
- Track
- Emerging manager, fund 2
- Final Close
- 29 Apr 2026
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
Growth fund for proven European B2B climate companies
- Sectors
- Climate & Energy
- Invests in
- Pan-European
- Track
- Emerging manager, fund 1
- First Close
- 4 Feb 2026
- Public LPs
- EIF, Bpifrance
Growth fund for European deep tech and climate scale-ups
- Sectors
- Deep Tech, Climate & Energy, Defence & Security
- Invests in
- Pan-European
- Track
- Fund 5
- First Close
- 4 Feb 2026
- Manager
- Mundi Ventures (Kembara)
- Public LPs
- EIF
IP-driven European tech from pre-seed to Series B across AI, cybersecurity, techbio and industrial innovation
- Sectors
- B2B Software, AI, Deep Tech
- Invests in
- Pan-European
- Track
- Fund 5
- First Close
- 1 Feb 2026
- Public LPs
- Bpifrance
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
Dedicated European defence and security technology fund
- Sectors
- Defence & Security
- Invests in
- Pan-European
- First Close
- 18 Nov 2025
- Public LPs
- EIF
European founders building internationally scalable companies, lead tickets EUR 1-15m
- Sectors
- AI, Deep Tech, Climate & Energy
- Invests in
- Europe
- Track
- Fund 5
- First Close
- 17 Nov 2025
- Manager
- XAnge (Siparex Group)
- Public LPs
- EIF, Bpifrance
Asset-centric biotech company creation and investments at all stages
- Sectors
- Health & Bio
- Invests in
- Global
- Track
- Fund 5
- Closed
- 14 Nov 2025
European cybersecurity fund backing early-stage cyber founders
- Sectors
- Defence & Security
- Invests in
- Pan-European
- Track
- Fund 5
- Final Close
- 6 Nov 2025
- Public LPs
- EIF, Invest-NL
Biotech and green chemistry for industrial sustainability in food, agriculture, materials
- Sectors
- Food & Agri, Climate & Energy, Industrial Tech
- Invests in
- Europe | North America
- Track
- Fund 1
- Final Close
- 5 Nov 2025
- Public LPs
- KfW Capital, EIFO
Stage-agnostic quantum technology fund
- Sectors
- Deep Tech
- Invests in
- Global (Europe focus)
- Track
- Emerging manager, fund 1
- First Close
- 2 Oct 2025
- Public LPs
- EIFO
Fund for AI and energy transition founders in France and Europe
- Sectors
- AI, Climate & Energy
- Invests in
- France
- Track
- Fund 4
- First Close
- 1 Oct 2025
Growth fund backing best portfolio companies and selective external scale-ups in AI-driven business software
- Sectors
- B2B Software, AI
- Invests in
- Europe
- Track
- Fund 3
- Closed
- 30 Sept 2025
- As reported
- USD 130m (EUR 114m per Perplexity)
Global vertical AI fund across consumer, health, fintech and energy
- Sectors
- AI, Consumer, Health & Bio, Fintech, Mobility
- Invests in
- Global (approx. 50% Europe)
- Track
- Fund 3
- Final Close
- 27 May 2025
- As reported
- USD 1bn
Systematic data-driven investing in growth-stage outliers using proprietary AI model
- Sectors
- AI, Fintech, Health & Bio, B2B Software
- Invests in
- Global
- Track
- Emerging manager, fund 1
- Final Close
- 20 May 2025
- As reported
- USD 250m (hard cap)
Growth fund for sustainable tech scale-ups from Series B to IPO
- Sectors
- Climate & Energy, AI, Defence & Security
- Invests in
- Pan-European
- Track
- Emerging manager, fund 2
- Final Close
- 2 Apr 2025
- Public LPs
- EIF, Bpifrance
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
Fund for startups decarbonising rail, road, air and maritime transport
- Sectors
- Mobility, Climate & Energy
- Invests in
- Global (Europe focus)
- Track
- Emerging manager, fund 1
- Final Close
- 27 Jan 2025
- Public LPs
- EIF, Bpifrance
Digital health and medtech fund for European founders
- Sectors
- Health & Bio
- Invests in
- Pan-European
- Track
- Emerging manager, fund 2
- First Close
- 9 Jan 2025
- Manager
- Capricorn Partners
- Public LPs
- Invest-NL, PMV, finance&invest.brussels
Early and growth stage tech companies in Europe, avg ticket EUR 5m
- Sectors
- Generalist
- Invests in
- Europe
- Track
- Fund 3
- Final Close
- 7 Jan 2025
- Manager
- P101 SGR
- Public LPs
- EIF
Showing 12 of 29 funds
