3TS Capital Partners
Vienna, Austria · AcceleratorFounded 2000. VC and growth equity firm investing across Central and Eastern Europe in technology and media.
AcceleratorSeries B+TechnologyMediaCEE
Directory
European startups, investors, and accelerators
Filter the directory by category, geography, or sector to find the right partners.
Accel (London)
London, United Kingdom · Venture CapitalAccel is a top-tier global venture capital firm with a dedicated European team based in London. Established in Silicon Valley in 1983, Accel expanded to London in the early 2000s and has since become a leading backer of European tech unicorns. The Accel London fund invests broadly in consumer and enterprise technology companies from seed through growth stage. Accel’s Europe portfolio reads like a who’s-who of success stories – it was an early investor in Spotify, Facebook, and Slack, and in Europe it has funded Klarna, Hopin, and Cazoo among others. For example, Accel’s London team led rounds in Hopin (virtual events) and Klarna (fintech), both of which achieved multibillion-dollar valuations. The firm often takes board seats and provides hands-on support to founders in scaling globally. Accel is known for its deep network in Silicon Valley and Europe, helping bridge entrepreneurs to US markets. It manages multiple funds dedicated to Europe, including Accel London and Accel Europe, and typically invests from Series A onward (with selective seed bets). Notably, Accel was the first Silicon Valley VC to establish a permanent presence in London, reflecting its conviction in Europe’s tech potential. With over three decades of VC experience, Accel has the distinction of having backed over 100 unicorns worldwide. Its London arm continues to actively invest across sectors – from fintech and SaaS to cybersecurity and web3 – making Accel a cornerstone investor in Europe’s startup ecosystem. In short, Accel (London) combines global reach with local insight, helping Europe’s breakout startups scale to international success.
Venture CapitalSeed to GrowthGeneralistTechnology
Amber Business Angels Network
Szczecin, Poland · Angel InvestorA network grown by the Polish Entrepreneurship Foundation in Szczecin, uniting ~50 investors from across Poland. Amber invests in projects that at least have a prototype or beta, focusing on those with high potential and market access. Notable focus: early post-prototype startups requiring angel funding to commercialize (diverse sectors, strong emphasis on the West Pomerania region).
Angel InvestorPre-Seed to SeedGeneralistTechnology
Atomico
London, United Kingdom · Venture CapitalAtomico is a leading European venture capital firm founded in 2006 by Niklas Zennström, the co-founder of Skype. Headquartered in London with roots in Stockholm, Atomico focuses on backing ambitious tech founders across Europe at Series A and beyond. The firm manages several billion dollars across multiple funds and has built a portfolio of household names. Atomico’s approach leverages Zennström’s global experience – the firm often helps startups expand internationally and recruits senior talent via its notable “Executive-in-Residence” program. Atomico has invested in companies spanning fintech, deep tech, software, and consumer internet. Notable successes include Klarna (the Swedish fintech giant), Supercell (Finnish gaming, acquired by Tencent), Graphcore (UK AI chips), and MessageBird (Netherlands communications platform). Atomico was also an early backer of Stripe in the US and Viagogo. The firm is known for publishing the annual “State of European Tech” report, reflecting its thought leadership in the ecosystem. In terms of investment size, Atomico typically leads or co-leads Series A–C rounds with cheques of $5–$50 million, and it has the capacity to follow-on through later stages. It closed its fifth fund of $820 million in 2020 and a $1.2 billion fund in 2022, underscoring investor confidence in European tech. Atomico’s team includes partners with experience at Google, Uber, Spotify, and more – providing operational support to portfolio founders. The firm also stands out for its commitment to sustainability and diversity, integrating impact considerations and backing companies tackling climate change. Atomico’s influence is evidenced by the fact that as of 2025 it has produced five IPOs and multiple $10B+ exits in Europe. In summary, Atomico has established itself as a premier VC “built by founders for founders,” fueling Europe’s ascent with capital, expertise, and global networks.
Venture CapitalSeries A+GeneralistTechnology
aws Gruenderfonds
Vienna, Austria · AcceleratorLaunched 2013. Federal venture fund co-investing in Austrian high-growth startups with long-term local support.
AcceleratorLate Seed to Series ATechnologyGeneralist
Balderton Capital
London, United Kingdom · Venture CapitalBalderton Capital is one of Europe’s most established venture capital firms focused on early-stage technology companies. Based in London, Balderton was founded in 2000 as the European arm of Benchmark Capital and became independent in 2007. It has since raised ten funds dedicated to European startups, with over $4 billion in assets under management. Balderton primarily invests at Series A, typically leading rounds of $5–15 million and taking significant minority stakes. The firm’s portfolio spans a wide range of sectors – from fintech and marketplaces to SaaS and gaming – reflecting Europe’s diversity. Notable investments include Revolut (fintech, which Balderton backed at Series A), The Hut Group (UK e-commerce, now public), Darktrace (cybersecurity, IPO 2021), MySQL (acquired by Sun Microsystems), Citymapper (urban transport app), GoCardless (payments) and Vestiaire Collective (fashion resale). Balderton has consistently been among the most active Series A investors in Europe; in 2022 it deployed capital into 20+ new companies and many follow-ons. The firm is known for its strong founder support and an ethos of “teamwork” – all partners share carry evenly, which encourages collective input on portfolio companies. General Partners like Bernard Liautaud (founder of Business Objects) and Suranga Chandratillake (founder of Blinkx) bring operator experience. In recent years Balderton also launched a liquidity fund to buy secondary shares from European tech founders and early employees, reflecting a maturing ecosystem. The firm has also been vocal on issues like startup diversity and European tech sovereignty. With successes such as Revolut’s rise to $33B valuation and Darktrace’s IPO (Balderton held ~18% at listing), Balderton has proven that European VCs can deliver world-class returns. It continues to invest actively across Europe – from Stockholm to Tel Aviv – aiming to partner with founders “with global ambition.” In the constellation of European VC, Balderton Capital is often mentioned alongside Accel and Index as the top choice for Series A funding, thanks to its track record and deep network built over two decades.
Venture CapitalSeries A to GrowthGeneralistTechnology
Cherry Ventures
Berlin, Germany · Venture CapitalEarly-stage generalist fund backing founders who build European platform companies.
Venture CapitalSeed to Series AGeneralistTechnology
DCU Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurship
Dublin, Ireland · Support OrganizationThe DCU Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurship is a not-for-profit startup support organization in Dublin, affiliated with Dublin City University and founded with philanthropic support from the Ryan family (of Ryanair fame). Since its establishment in 2010, the Ryan Academy has become a hub for accelerator programs, entrepreneurship training, and ecosystem initiatives in Ireland. It operates from DCU’s Innovation Campus and focuses on early-stage startups as well as fostering entrepreneurial skills among students and the general public. Two flagship programs define the Academy: Propeller Accelerator, which was one of Ireland’s first seed accelerators (launched 2011, focused on tech startups), and the Female High Fliers program, an accelerator exclusively for women-led startups. Through these, the Academy has accelerated dozens of startups – alumni include fintech startup CurrencyFair and data startup Logentries, both of which achieved successful exits. Startups accepted into Ryan Academy programs receive pre-seed funding (up to €30k), office space, mentorship from seasoned entrepreneurs, and investor introductions. The Academy also provides entrepreneurship training courses, both at DCU (to students via modules) and to the wider community via short courses. Uniquely, the Ryan Academy blends academic and practical aspects: participants can tap into DCU research expertise while getting hands-on workshops by industry practitioners. The Academy actively engages in EU projects and networks, e.g. it led the INSPIRE program to support immigrant entrepreneurs and partnered on the Startup Europe initiative. Impact-wise, the DCU Ryan Academy has supported over 500 entrepreneurs and helped secure follow-on funding for many. It is credited with improving diversity in Ireland’s startup scene (through Female High Fliers) and championing social entrepreneurship as well. Alumni like Boxever (AI in travel, acquired by Sitecore) got early support at Ryan Academy. With its mission to “develop Ireland’s next generation of entrepreneurs,” the Academy plays a pivotal role in the ecosystem. It effectively acts as a “support organization” bridging academia, industry, and startup community – offering not just programs but also research, events, and policy input to grow Ireland’s innovation capacity.
Support OrganizationEntrepreneurshipEducationTechnology
Draper Esprit
London, United Kingdom · Venture CapitalPublicly listed VC backing European founders from Series A onward with follow-on capital.
Venture CapitalSeries A+TechnologyEnterprise
Index Ventures
London, United Kingdom · Venture CapitalIndex Ventures is a globally renowned venture capital firm that originated in Europe and has been instrumental in scaling many of the continent’s top tech companies. Founded in Geneva in 1996 by the Daly brothers and Neil Rimer, Index later opened major offices in London and San Francisco, making it a transatlantic VC powerhouse. Index invests at all stages (seed to growth), though it is especially prominent in Series A/B in Europe. The firm has an extraordinary track record: it was an early backer of Skype (sold to eBay), Last.fm (sold to CBS), Supercell (acquired by Tencent), and MySQL (acquired by Sun) in the 2000s, and more recently of Deliveroo, Adyen, Figma, Revolut, Robinhood and Notion – to name a few. Index’s portfolio spans consumer and enterprise: it has seeded fashion marketplaces like ASOS and Farfetch, scaled up fintech stars like TransferWise (Wise) and Robinhood, and supported open-source and SaaS successes (Elastic, Confluent, Collibra). The firm manages multiple funds (it raised a $3B+ set of funds in 2022) and often co-invests across its early and growth funds to support companies long-term. Index is particularly known for its knack in consumer-facing startups and its ability to spot trends early (e.g., it led Patreon’s Series A in the creator economy space, and Discord’s seed in gaming communication). Partners at Index are a cosmopolitan bunch – with backgrounds ranging from gaming entrepreneurs to investment bankers – and they bring a strong network in both Silicon Valley and Europe. Uniquely, Index also has a life sciences arm (Index Life) that invested in companies like Moderna. In Europe, Index has been among the top three most active VCs by number of unicorns backed. For example, Index led Deliveroo’s Series B in 2014 and remained a major shareholder through its 2021 IPO. Similarly, Index was pivotal in Adyen’s growth (now a ~$50B payments giant). Culturally, Index is known for being founder-friendly and global in outlook – encouraging its European portfolio to expand to the US when needed and vice versa. It also frequently publishes insightful content (e.g., Bernard Dallé’s guides on SaaS metrics or interviews with founders). As of 2025, Index Ventures stands as a gold-standard VC, with a portfolio boasting dozens of IPOs and acquisitions, and a current crop of rising stars across continents.
Venture CapitalSeed to GrowthGeneralistTechnology
Innogest Capital
Turin & Milan, Italy · AcceleratorFounded 2007. Early-stage fund investing in technology and life sciences with parallel focus on digital, IoT, and healthcare.
AcceleratorSeries ATechnologyIoTLife SciencesHealthcare
Inovo Venture Partners
Warsaw, Poland · AcceleratorFounded 2013. Late seed and Series A investor in Polish and CEE tech companies with global traction.
AcceleratorLate Seed to Series ATechnologyCEE
Kima Ventures
Paris, France · Venture CapitalHigh-volume seed investor accelerating founders through the critical first hires and pilots.
Venture CapitalPre-Seed to SeedGeneralistTechnology
LocalGlobe
London, United Kingdom · Venture CapitalSeed-stage venture firm backing mission-driven founders primarily in the UK and Europe.
Venture CapitalPre-Seed to SeedGeneralistTechnology
Nordic Makers
Copenhagen, Denmark · Angel InvestorCollective of Nordic angel investors backing early-stage founders.
Angel InvestorPre-Seed to SeedGeneralistTechnology
Partech
Paris, France · Venture CapitalParis and Berlin-based fund investing from venture seed through growth internationally.
Venture CapitalSeed to GrowthGeneralistTechnology
Robert Ługowski
Warsaw, Poland · Angel InvestorManaging partner of COBIN Angels, Poland’s largest angel network, Robert is both an investor and a key ecosystem builder. Under his leadership, COBIN Angels grew since 2015 to connect dozens of deals between angels and startups. He personally has invested in multiple ventures via the network and serves on the European Business Angels Network board. Associated startups: Numerous early-stage companies facilitated through COBIN Angels (various sectors from fintech to medtech).
Angel InvestorPre-Seed to SeedGeneralistTechnology
Seedcamp
London, United Kingdom · Venture CapitalEuropean seed fund partnering with breakout founders at the earliest stages.
Venture CapitalPre-Seed to SeedGeneralistTechnology
Sherry Coutu
Cambridge, United Kingdom · Angel InvestorSherry Coutu CBE is a prominent angel investor and entrepreneur known for championing the UK’s scale-up ecosystem. Originally from Canada, Coutu moved to the UK and in 1994 founded Interactive Investor, an online brokerage, which she led to an IPO in 2000. After exiting that venture, she became a full-time angel in 2000 and has since invested in 50+ tech companies, focusing on consumer internet, education, and fintech startups. Coutu has been an early backer of notable UK startups like Zoopla and LoveFilm, and holds LP stakes in several venture funds. Beyond investing her own capital, Sherry Coutu is famed for her advocacy of “scale-ups” – mid-stage companies poised for high growth. In 2014, she authored the landmark Scale-Up Report for the UK government, highlighting the economic importance of helping startups grow into larger firms. This led her, alongside LinkedIn’s Reid Hoffman, to found the ScaleUp Institute in 2015 – a nonprofit that provides resources, mentorship, and policy advocacy for scaling businesses. Coutu also founded Founders4Schools and Digital Boost, initiatives connecting students and small businesses with experienced entrepreneurs. She remains an active non-executive director on multiple boards – past roles include serving on the boards of the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), the University of Cambridge Finance Board, and Pearson plc. In the angel community, Sherry Coutu is respected not only for her investments but for her mentorship and network: she often provides board-level guidance and operational mentorship to founders. Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2013 for services to entrepreneurship, Sherry Coutu is a pivotal figure helping UK tech startups navigate the jump from startup to scale-up.
Angel InvestorPre-Seed to Series AGeneralistTechnology
Sterling Angels
Krakow, Poland · Angel InvestorAlso known as the Polish Business Angel Network, Sterling Angels is a community of private investors and some VCs who co-invest in early-stage companies. Based in Kraków, Sterling Angels not only provides capital but also mentoring and connections to help startups succeed. Notable focus: Southern Poland’s startup scene – tech startups in need of both funding and business expertise.
Angel InvestorSeedTechnologyGeneralist