Startup Investment Opportunities

🌍 2,500+ Seed & Series A Venture Capitals - Europe, Mapped for 2025 We analysed ~14,500 EU Venture Capitals to find only the ones that focus on Seed and Series A rounds - so you don't have to :) Categorisation of such data is very important if you do the outreach. In terms of mapping the potential business-investor fit - we did the homework for investment rounds categorisation - there needs to be also the industry fit checked... But more about the problem and why we share this today: Fundraising in 2025 is a different game. VCs are pickier, cycles are longer, and “spray & pray” outreach is officially dead Founders who win rounds now have one thing in common: They know exactly which VC to approach, when to do it, and why that VC should care So over the last weeks, we did the heavy lifting for you. We collected data from dozens of sources, scraped what was publicly available, ran it through Clay, cleaned it, merged it, filtered it - and turned fragmented noise into something founders can use. 👉 Result: 2,500+ verified Seed & Series A VCs in Europe Mapped. Organised. Filterable. Ready for deep research. What’s inside? 🏢 Sector focus 💶 Ticket sizes & investment range 🎯 Preferred round (Seed / Series A) 🔗 Website + direct links to portfolios 📝 Short thesis / what they actually invest in Why this matters in 2025 VCs today expect: - clear traction-to-round fit - strong founder-market alignment - realistic capital planning - and… targeted, informed outreach, That’s where most founders lose momentum. Not because they’re “not fundable” - but because they approach the wrong VCs at the wrong time. If you’re: • preparing a fundraising round • validating investor-startup fit • mapping the European VC landscape • or helping a founder friend navigate Seed/Series A This dataset will save you weeks of research - and increase your chances of landing a real conversation. Clear structure. Only the data that matters. 📩 Want the full list? Add me to your network + like + comment “VC Europe” and I’ll send it over. If you have any insights from contacting the VCs - share them 🙏 ! #VentureCapital #Fundraising2025 #Startups #Seed #SeriesA #Europe #Vanderbuild

The biggest IoT buyer in 2026 won't be a tech company. It'll be an insurance company. Not because they love dashboards. Not because someone pitched them a "digital twin strategy" over lunch. But because a single frozen pipe in a vacant building costs them €50000 in claims, and a €200 sensor could have caught it on a Tuesday morning. Insurance doesn't care about your architecture diagram. They care about one number: claim frequency. And it turns out, a cheap temperature sensor connected to a cheap valve does more for that number than an entire department of risk analysts. Here's the thing no one talks about: 41% of insured property portfolios already require continuous monitoring. Not as a nice-to-have. As a condition of the policy. That number was nowhere near that two years ago. The shift is quiet but massive. Insurers are realizing they've been paying to fix damage that was entirely preventable. And the math is brutal - prevention costs pennies compared to payouts. So while the rest of the IoT world is still arguing about edge vs. cloud and which protocol will win, insurance companies are just buying sensors. Lots of them. Not because it's innovative. Because it's cheaper than writing checks. The most boring use case turned out to be the most profitable one. As usual. #iot #insurtech #smartbuilding #internetofthings

Financial Times: European football club takeovers 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿. This resonates with many discussions I’ve had with institutional and private investors in recent months—both already active in sports and looking to enter the space. ⚽ 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 has increasingly been seen as an attractive asset class, especially post-Covid, when distressed situations created opportunities to acquire clubs at a discount. However, the majority of these deals have yet to yield the expected returns through value appreciation and/or cash flow generation. There’s a stark difference between investing in established global powerhouses such as AC Milan and Chelsea Football Club and betting on lower-division team with hopes of creating value through promotion and brand-building (think Wrexham AFC, Venezia FC). Beyond these two investment theses, many tier-2 clubs show limited value creation without the prospect of promotion or European qualification. And 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. 📉 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗯 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 in the past 3 years according to UEFA’s upcoming Football Finance report: 𝟒𝟖 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 𝟒𝟒 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 𝟐𝟑 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 ❓ Why? 📺 Stagnant media rights growth 💰 Structural financial losses ⚖️ Uncertainty around new competitions (hi there, Super League) 📜 Regulatory concerns (cf. FIFA amending transfer regulations following Diarra ruling in December) Interestingly, UEFA also notes a rise in minority investments as investors seek a foothold in clubs—though managing and turning around a football club remains an operating risk in itself which in my opinion makes it absolutely necessary for investors to take an active role in the governance. But beyond football, plenty of opportunites are worth looking into in European sports 👇 Think about 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 (cf. my previous posts about opportunities there) at both domestic and continental levels. 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 gaining traction. 𝗣𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗹 (Hexagon Cup) The ongoing England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB)’s sale of stakes in The Hundred—which has valued 8 teams at a staggering £975 million so far—attracting investors such as Knighthead Capital Management, LLC (Birmingham Phoenix) and Cain International, backed by Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly, and Ares Management Corporation (Trent Rockets). 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀 & new formats—Freestyle Chess, Kings League, Baller League. 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀, from Formula E to MotoGP™ teams (pending Liberty’s deal). Not to mention our vibrant 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 ecosystem and ScorePlay's recent $13m Series A. The European sports landscape is not all about football.

Are the worst days behind us? European startups raised €47.3bn in equity, debt and grant funding across 2,971 rounds from January to June this year, tracked by Sifted’s data team. Equity financing is slightly down compared to the second half of 2023, but higher than the same period last year. €18.7bn of that funding was debt. At the current pace, that figure will surpass 2022’s debt funding record of €28.1bn in Europe. There were also 63 equity megarounds — of $100m+ — the highest figure since the first half of 2022. Europe minted eight new $1bn companies in H1 — more than the whole of 2023. It included several AI upstarts, such as AI voice generator ElevenLabs and autonomous vehicle company Wayve — and three companies working on the CFO tech stack; DataSnipper, Pennylane and Pigment. Meanwhile, at the early stage, funding has been ticking up across the year, rising from €1.3bn in January to €1.8bn in June. And VCs are — although it might not always feel like it — landing capital too. Over €15bn of fresh capital has been raised by Europe's VCs so far this year — the most since H1 2022. Dig into 20+ charts and a whole heap of data on Europe's startup ecosystem in H1 2024 in our free-to-download report. https://lnkd.in/e2CAmaF5

⚽️ The biggest investment opportunity in the African creative industries - in terms of transaction size and volume - is Sports and Entertainment infrastructure. With African sports and music booming globally, the lack of venues, districts, and ecosystems capable of capturing that value on the continent is the obvious gap. 🏗  Concretely, this means arenas, stadiums and other mix-use venues of varying sizes that can host sports events, concerts, performances, festivals, or conferences - and provide the anchor for additional revenue streams from tourism, hospitality, retail, and media. But now, Big Money is finally going after that gap: 🔹 In July 2025, IFC - International Finance Corporation and Proparco made a $50M bet on Helios Sports and Entertainment Group, which has infrastructure at the core of its strategy 🔹 In January 2026, Premier Invest announced the launch of the African Sports and Infrastructure Fund (ASIF), an open-ended fund designed to provide equity financing for ten multipurpose arenas across key African cities 🔹 The Lagos Arena, a $100 million, 12,000-capacity venue financed as a Public-Private Partnership, seems (?) back on track after a 2-year delay 🔹 Morocco is deploying a multi-billion investment roadmap in stadiums and supporting infrastructure ahead of the 2030 World Cup, including the Grand Stade Hassan II in Casablanca, the world’s largest football stadium with 115,000 seats The latest move happened 10 days ago at the Africa CEO Forum: 🤝 IFC and Masai Ujiri’s Zaria Group Limited announced their partnership (aka, investment by IFC in Zaria Group) to develop sports and entertainment districts across major African cities including Nairobi, Lagos and Johannesburg. Zaria Group has emerged as a leading player in sports infrastructure, with the BK Arena, Amahoro Stadium, and the $26M mixed-use Zaria Court in Kigali under its belt. For too long, sports in Africa had only been seen through the lens of “social development” (and it is still seen that way by many). This attitude has kept the physical infrastructure under-invested for decades. But this perception is slowly changing. 💡 The reality is, sports and entertainment venues should be treated like ports and airports -- as essential, revenue-generating, and nation-building infrastructure. --- Hi, my name is Marie 👋🏽 I've been a strategic advisor, investor, and entrepreneur in the African Creative and Sports space for 20 years. I'm also a former TV journalist, a reformed producer, and an enthusiastic speaker and host. For business insights you cannot get anywhere else, there's my monthly HUSTLE & FLOW newsletter: https://lnkd.in/drBY8jnz, and now, my book Creative Cash Flow, available on Amazon and at creativecashflow.africa

Henry McVey and team's latest “Thoughts from the Road” report offers valuable insights on Europe's evolving investment landscape. From an infrastructure perspective, one finding stands out: the substantial funding gap since COVID is creating significant opportunities for private capital. At KKR, we're seeing real momentum - expecting to deploy $25 billion across EMEA in 2025, with Infra activity in both core and large opportunistic deals running above trend into 2026. Governments across Europe are increasingly partnering with private capital to deliver critical infrastructure projects, a trend we expect to accelerate. Germany's €500 billion infrastructure program is particularly compelling, with over half the funds to be deployed within five years. This should create strong opportunities for strategic partnerships. The fundamental need for private infrastructure investment is evident. The combination of available capacity, rising structural spending needs, and governments seeking experienced partners to deliver those projects positions infrastructure investors as a key beneficiary of Europe's ongoing transformation. Read the full report here: https://go.kkr.com/4qUzWqE

Over €2.5 billion in fresh capital 💸 Is European Tech back?? In recent weeks, the European tech scene has seen a series of major fund announcements from leading VC firms. VCs including Balderton Capital, Atomico, Outward VC and AENU have collectively raised over €2.5 billion, signalling strong confidence in European innovation and entrepreneurship. Why is this such good news? 👉 Despite global economic uncertainties, these funds demonstrate unwavering faith in European tech's potential. 👉 From climate tech to AI, these investments target areas crucial for Europe's future competitiveness. 👉 With funds covering early to growth stages, we're seeing a more robust funding pipeline for startups at all levels. 👉 There's a growing emphasis on "Impact Capitalism" and building sustainable, socially responsible businesses. 👉 These substantial funds put European tech firmly on the global investment map, potentially drawing more international interest. The details... Balderton Capital: Announced on August 12, 2024 ▶ Total: $1.3 billion (€1.17 billion) ▶ Two funds: $615 million Early Stage Fund IX and $685 million Growth Fund II ▶ Focus: Seed stage through IPO for European tech companies Atomico: Announced on September 9, 2024 ▶ Total: $1.24 billion (€1.12 billion) ▶ Two funds: $754 million Growth VI and $485 million Venture VI ▶ Focus: Series B to pre-IPO and early-stage investments Outward VC: Announced on September 10, 2024 ▶ Total: £51 million ($65 million) ▶ Focus: Early-stage fintech, data privacy, healthcare, and AI AENU: Announced on September 11, 2024 ▶ Total: €100 million ▶ Focus: Early-stage climate tech and social impact startups What do you think? Are we back?? LP ✌️ Pack GTM | SaaS Sales Recruitment in Germany #venturecapital #startups

In 2024, European startups experienced an encouraging rebound in both the amount of capital raised and valuations. According to PitchBook's annual European Venture Capital Valuations Report 2024, European companies raised significantly more deal volume, with valuations reaching record highs at most stages, including a 42% increase in pre-seed valuations. Notably, while deal size has increased, so has the time it takes companies to raise funding: early-stage startups now wait 1.4 years between rounds, up from 1.2 years a decade ago. This trend highlights the increasing focus on the quality of startups. In addition, the proportion of “down rounds” has decreased, indicating a stabilization of European venture capital markets. Although in some regions, such as the Nordic countries, the percentage of valuation haircuts remains higher, the overall outlook remains positive as valuations continue to rise. Looking ahead, the report notes that European IPOs are expected to resurge in 2025, with IPO valuations improving. WA4STEAM / AEBAN - Asociación Española Business Angels Networks #startups #VC #businessAngels #financing

#FinTech | #Startups: Financing Frenzy: Billions Pouring into FinTech The FT Partners report showcases a robust month for investments, with a mix of growth-stage, series, and strategic deals. Here’s what stands out: Mega Deals Dominate: ACRISURE led the pack with a massive $2,100M growth round from Bain Capital Special Situations in the InsurTech space (USA). This signals strong confidence in tech-driven #insurance solutions! Other notable raises include Rippling’s $450M Series G (Fin. Mgmt. Solutions, USA) and Airwallex’s $300M Series F (Payments, Singapore). (1) Diverse Sectors: Wealth & Capital Markets Tech saw significant action, with ADDEPAR raising $230M (Series G, USA) and a $150M pre-IPO round in India led by the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation. Payments, Fin. Mgmt. Solutions, and Banking/Lending Tech also attracted hefty sums, reflecting the breadth of innovation across FinTech. (2) Global Reach: While the USA dominated with 12 of the 15 listed deals, Singapore and India also made their mark, highlighting the global appetite for FinTech solutions. Total disclosed financing? A whopping $4,266M across these deals—proof that investors are doubling down on tech to transform finance! 💰 (3) M&A Momentum: Strategic Mergers and Buyouts Heat Up The M&A side of the report is equally compelling, with blockbuster deals reshaping the industry: (4) Crypto & #Blockchain in Focus: Coinbase’s $2,900M strategic merger with Deribit (UAE) stole the show, signaling a major consolidation in the crypto space. WonderFi’s $179M merger with Robinhood (Canada) further underscores the growing maturity of blockchain and crypto solutions. (5) Cross-Border Activity: Domain’s $1,920M strategic merger with CoStarGroup (Australia) and a $852M deal in Banking/Lending Tech from Slovakia show FinTech’s global footprint expanding. While some deal amounts weren’t disclosed (e.g., FINASTRA’s Treasury and Capital Markets Business Unit buyout by Apay, UK), the scale and diversity of these transactions point to a vibrant M&A market. 🌍 Sector Spotlight: Where’s the Action? It’s clear that Fin. Mgmt. Solutions, Wealth & Capital Markets Tech, and Crypto & Blockchain are hotbeds of activity. Real Estate Tech and Banking/Lending Tech also grabbed attention, reflecting how FinTech is infiltrating adjacent industries like real estate and healthcare (e.g., a $90M Series C for Healthcare FinTech in the USA). What’s Driving This Surge? Digital Transformation: Businesses and consumers alike are demanding faster, smarter, and more secure financial tools—FinTech is delivering. Investor Confidence: From growth giants like Blackstone and Thoma Bravo to strategic players like Sea, the capital flow shows trust in long-term value. Global Expansion: Deals in Singapore, India, UAE, and beyond highlight FinTech’s role in bridging markets and solving universal challenges.

The next wave of insurtech exits is (finally) here!! 🚀 🤝 NEXT Insurance — acquired by ERGO/Munich Re ($2.6B) 📈 Slide — IPO (priced at $2.6B, raised $408M). 📈 📝 Neptune Flood — S-1 filed (priced at $2.76B, raised $368M) 📝Ethos — S-1 filed (pricing TBD) And the “class of 2020–2021” looks stronger: 💪 Lemonade: improving loss ratios + scaling with healthier cash dynamics 📊 Root: underwriting profitability with sub-100 combined ratio in recent quarters 📝 Hippo: loss ratio down, first positive operating income We've learned some hard lessons since the 2020–2021 ‘growth at all costs’ era: ✅ Quality of risk matters ✅ CAC discipline matters ✅ Unit economics matter ✅ A real path to profitability matters However, core opportunity remains: huge markets, messy legacy operations, and customer experiences that don’t match how digital-first consumers want to buy. Yes, life insurance saw some of the hardest hits- Assurance IQ, Health IQ, iptiQ- fueled by unprofitable growth, upside down unit economics, rate volatility, and distribution hurdles. But the $3T industry opportunity hasn’t shrunk, it’s grown, and the writing is on the wall for transformation. 📉 Coverage down: U.S. household ownership fell from 77% (1989) to 60% (2013); only ~51% of adults report owning life insurance in 2024. 🛒 Digital preference: Since 2023, consumers say they prefer to shop & buy online. 🧓 Distribution crunch: 20–40% of life agents are within 10 years of retirement; the avg independent agent is ~62. 🔁 Channel shift: Independent/digital channels keep gaining share Today’s consumer is digital-first, education-seeking, convenience-driven and their trust lives online, not over the kitchen table. How are we serving them amid volatility, rate moves, inflation, and massive wealth transfer? At Amplify, founded in 2020, we’ve ridden the highs and lows, and we believe there’s never been a better moment to pay attention to insurance and insurtech. The shakeout left a mature cohort of real businesses powered by modern tech and AI. Let’s get ready for the next wave of insurtechs. This one’s going to be the best yet. 🌊✨ #insurtech #insurance #lifeinsurance #innovation #fintech #digitaltransformation