EstBAN Syndicate
EstBAN (Estonian Business Angels Network) is a member-led, non-profit organization established in 2012 to grow the quantity and quality of seed-stage investments in Estonia and neighboring countries. It aims to connect startups with angel investors, providing access to capital, experience, mentoring, and connections. EstBAN operates through its members, offering various membership statuses including business angel members, associated members, and fund members. EstBAN empowers startups by offering them visibility and access to over 250 angel investors, and it supports angel investors by providing a community, resources, deal flow, and educational materials. EstBAN facilitates syndicated investment rounds for investors to co-invest with experienced angels. The organization's strategy is to create synergy between startups and angel investors by focusing on early-stage investments. EstBAN partners with local and international business angel organizations, venture capitalists, and startup ecosystem players, expanding its reach and network. It actively supports cross-border investments through programs and training, such as the New Nordic Leads program and the Connect2Scale project, aiming to improve startup investment readiness and educate lead angels in the Baltics. EstBAN gives out annual awards to recognize outstanding investors, companies, and partners, celebrating their contributions to the ecosystem. Through various projects, EstBAN aims to create cross-border connections for both angel investors and startups, fostering growth and collaboration within the region. They are part of the European Trade Association for Business Angels, Seed Funds, and other Early Stage Market Players (EBAN) and the Estonian Venture Capital Association (EstVCA), partnering with sister BANs in Europe like FiBAN, LatBAN, LitBAN, and DanBAN. EstBAN's activities are supported by EU funding, enabling projects such as 4NGELS and REACH, which focus on training, investment programs, and the development of data-fueled startups. By connecting startups to smart money early on, EstBAN seeks to support them on their entrepreneurial journey and help them succeed.
Estonian Business Angel Network
EstBAN is a member-led organization focused on connecting startups with angel investors. Their core mission is to find, fund, and mentor ambitious young companies, guiding them from initial pitch to a successful exit. EstBAN aims to build synergy between startups and investors by providing access to deal flow, capital, experience, mentoring, and connections. They provide a platform where startups can bridge the gap between friends and family funding and later-stage VC funding. EstBAN operates through a network of over 250 members. EstBAN also facilitates syndicated investment rounds, offering investors the opportunity to co-invest alongside experienced business angels. This approach aims to provide valuable mentorship and guidance to startups, while also giving investors access to curated deals. They empower startups and investors through various events, including the EBAN Congress Tallinn 2024 and the Female Angel Training program. The organization's activities also include knowledge-sharing, as highlighted by their free law seminar on understanding standard investment documents with a Nordic perspective. EstBAN also focuses on promoting female participation in angel investing. They welcome new members, including deal flow managers, to enhance their network and deal sourcing capabilities. EstBAN acts as a bridge between early-stage funding rounds. It empowers startups and investors in the Estonian and broader Nordic startup ecosystems through curated deal flow, mentorship, and networking opportunities.
Evercurious VC
Invests in founders solving world’s hardest problems through breakthroughs at the intersection of hardware and software, focusing on long-term value creation across deep tech sectors. Specializes in pre-revenue, iterative startups with complex R&D cycles, bridging EU deep tech hubs and fostering European ecosystem connections.
ExtraVallis
ExtraVallis is a venture capital firm investing in early-stage European startups with the goal of bridging them to the US market. They focus on curating the best European startups in Pre-seed, Seed, and Series A rounds, adding value through mentorship and defining KPIs to allow continued investment through exit. They believe that Europe has the potential to approach Silicon Valley success and aim to provide US investors access to the best companies there. ExtraVallis believes that a high ROI can be achieved by focusing on 'dragons' rather than unicorns. They highlight that European startups have relatively low valuations compared to US startups, enabling an early-exit ROI strategy. They focus on select industries and geographies where they have deep expertise to enhance alignment with investors, reduce failure rates, and further improve return on investment. They seek motivated and coachable founder teams who can execute in large markets. The firm emphasizes immersion, discipline, and focusing on value in startup discovery. They are hands-on and tailored to address the gaps in the European startup ecosystem. They start relationships early, often at the university level, primarily investing in Germany, the Netherlands, the Baltics, and Scandinavia. Contrary to typical European practice, they lead funding rounds and build personal relationships with founders long before they seek venture capital, providing unique value and guidance from inception to US or European exit. ExtraVallis is committed to discovering and supporting unique founders, including women and other under-represented groups. Their dedication to these principles ensures they not only invest in businesses but also nurture the leaders who will drive future innovation.
F VENTURES
F Ventures is an independent venture capital firm based in Fukuoka, Japan, specializing in seed-stage investments. They focus on backing digital native founders and younger generations who are building the future. The firm aims to support startups that can dramatically change the world, similar to Google and Facebook, originating from Fukuoka and Japan. They express a desire to partner with founders on the same level, rather than offering top-down "support." Their core belief is that future innovation will be driven by digital natives, and they strive to foster this ecosystem through events like TORYUMON, which connects young entrepreneurs with investors and resources.
FFVC
ff Venture Capital (ffVC) is a global family of funds with a 15-year track record of identifying and investing in high-potential seed-stage companies. They adhere to due diligence rigor and well-defined investment criteria, aiming to deliver strong performance to investors. ffVC enhances its competitive advantage through significant and proprietary deal flow. The firm takes a highly engaged approach, helping founders build sustainable businesses, leading to higher survivorship. ffVC invests at the earliest stages, often as the lead investor with active Board participation. They seek driven problem solvers with industry expertise and the ability to lead, building teams where ffVC can add value. They look for companies with a path to a $100 million revenue run rate and strong defensive moats. ffVC's investment approach focuses on long-term value creation, making initial investments of $300,000 to $700,000 for 8-10% of a company with a post-money valuation target of less than $10 million. They lead rounds and gain board participation, following on through pre-money valuations of approximately $50 million. ffVC invests in only 5% of the 3,000 deals reviewed annually. Beyond capital, ffVC provides extensive resources to help companies grow, including access to their exclusive accounting firm, a network of 35,000+ founders and investors, and an investment team that advises on product development, sales & marketing, and revenue generation. In addition to their USA fund, ffVC has a European fund based in Warsaw, Poland, focused on Tech + Gaming innovations from Series Seed through Series B. This initiative is a partnership with Totalizator Sportowy, PFR Ventures, and the Polish National Center for Research and Development to invest and nurture companies in the Central European region. The European fund targets founders with a Polish footprint deploying products globally in e-commerce, fintech, gaming, cybersecurity, enterprise software, and AI/big data, with investments ranging from PLN 1m – PLN 12m.
FIBAN
FiBAN (Finnish Business Angels Network) is a non-profit association of private investors focused on inspiring private investments in Finland and beyond. Their vision is to make Finland the best country for growth-company investing. They aim to achieve this by matching startups with investors, offering certified investor education, and representing the public interests of private investors. They are one of the largest and most active business angel networks in the world, with over 600 members and a significant track record of investments. FiBAN's strategy revolves around facilitating early-stage funding for startups, particularly those seeking up to 300,000 euros. They offer startups access to a network of experienced angel investors through application processes and pitching opportunities. The organization also actively promotes angel investing by producing research and insights on the Finnish angel investment landscape and providing a platform for investors to connect and co-invest. FiBAN also supports specific areas of investment, as demonstrated through their "Creative Angels" initiative. This initiative focuses on unlocking the investment potential of the creative industries and connecting investors with creative entrepreneurs. The initiative addresses the gap in funding for creative companies by fostering cross-industry collaboration and providing support for scalable growth. FiBAN joined the Advisory Board of Creative Economy of Finland to shape national growth strategy. Furthermore, FiBAN emphasizes collaboration within the investor community and strives to create long-term impact through shared learning and practical decision-making that supports a strong Finnish business ecosystem. They also provide educational and networking opportunities for their members to continuously learn and improve their investment strategies.
Feast Ventures
Feast Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on investing at the intersection of agriculture, food, and health, with the goal of enabling a new nutrition epitome. They aim to back founders who are delivering on a mission to create a more sustainable and regenerative food system. The firm believes that the food and agtech industry is a cornerstone of global economic, planetary, and individual health. Feast Ventures' investment strategy revolves around supporting entrepreneurs and management teams in achieving their ambitions within the agrifoodtech space. They dedicate themselves to supporting companies that demonstrate the potential to address shortcomings in today's food system. They aim to position agrifoodtech as a cornerstone of global economic, planetary, and individual health equally. The firm takes a thesis-driven, sector-specialized approach, working with founders and innovation partners who share their values and ambition to solve the food industry’s biggest challenges. They focus on opportunities in (Pre)Seed stages. They are backed by a selection of food entrepreneurs, family offices and selected thought leaders.
Female Founders Fund
Founders Forum Group is a global community and group of businesses empowering entrepreneurs at every stage of their journeys. They champion entrepreneurial innovation and prioritize the needs of founders through networking & events, education, professional services, investment, and philanthropy. The group's vision is to create an environment for collaboration among founders, investors, CEOs, and leaders to discuss the future of tech-enabled industries, new technologies, and evolving business models. The organization convenes invitation-only forums in various locations to unite successful founders, thought leaders, and investors to address significant questions. They aim to be key drivers of the startup ecosystem, enabling connections, deal-making, and supporting entrepreneurs through various stages of their company lifecycle, from pre-seed to post-exit.
Fiedler Capital
Fiedler Capital is a pre-seed VC firm focused on funding breakout companies on the peripheries of Europe. They aim to be the first check investor for overlooked founders from these ecosystems. They back founders who are defying the odds and building significant companies.
Fifty Years
Fifty Years is a pre-seed and seed-focused VC firm that invests in founders using technology to solve significant global challenges. Their investment strategy centers around backing scientists, engineers, and hackers who are building massive businesses while addressing critical issues such as the climate crisis, disease, connectivity, and malnutrition. The firm's ethos is deeply rooted in supporting founders; they see themselves as founders and are backed by a network of successful founders of billion-dollar tech companies who provide mentorship and guidance to their portfolio companies. They aim to be more than just investors; they want to provide a cheat code for starting a deep tech startup.
Final Frontier
Final Frontier is a Nordic VC fund focused on backing visionary founders building critical space and defence tech to help Europe regain control of its future. They believe Europe has the potential to lead again in these sectors, and their investments reflect this ambition. They aim to support startups across the space and defence technology value chain, from satellite systems and propulsion to drones, cybersecurity, and autonomous platforms. The fund focuses on pre-seed and seed stage companies, preferring teams with working prototypes ready for real-world deployment. They are particularly interested in companies that contribute to European sovereignty and address critical needs in the space and defence sectors. Their long-term strategy involves scaling up fund sizes over time to continue supporting companies as they grow.
FireID
FireID helps skilled 'makers' build businesses to solve meaningful problems, supporting founders from idea research to global scaling. Focuses on high-impact industries like insurance, fintech, education, and developer tools.
Firgun Ventures
Firgun Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on investing in Series A/B quantum computing companies. They aim to address the funding gap that often occurs at the Series A/B stage in the quantum technology sector, where most capital is directed towards early seed rounds. The firm seeks to partner with exceptional quantum entrepreneurs and help them scale their companies into category leaders, delivering significant economic impact. Firgun brings years of quantum investing experience and a network of world-class advisors to identify and support promising companies. Firgun's investment approach is underpinned by conviction, expertise, and strong values, with a commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion and advancing access to capital for female entrepreneurs.
First Check Africa
FirstCheck Africa is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on backing exceptional female-led startups in Africa. They address the gender funding gap by providing high-conviction "first checks" to diverse teams building for scale and sustainability. Their mission is to empower female founders with the financial, social, and belief capital needed to build category-defining companies. The firm is sector-agnostic, welcoming applications from founders in any high-growth industry. FirstCheck Africa aims to be an early believer in a generation of African women in tech, investing in companies across various sectors. They are committed to helping female entrepreneurial talent in Africa build great companies and play a meaningful role in shaping the continent's tech landscape. They recognize that the early-stage funding ecosystem often disadvantages women and are working to correct this imbalance. The firm's investment approach focuses on economics, rather than solely on social impact, recognizing that women-led startups tend to perform better. They are creating a community of millennial and mid-career women to become angel investors themselves, further supporting female founders in the African tech ecosystem. FirstCheck Africa acknowledges the biases female founders face and aims to address them by providing early-stage capital and support. They understand that female founders often have to work harder to achieve the same level of success and are committed to being a part of their journey, recognizing that the next generation of visionaries will stand on their shoulders.
First Spark Ventures
Investing in foundational technological insights across Advanced Compute, Digital Biology & Biotech, and Cyber-Physical Systems to drive scalable productivity and societal impact.
Flat6Labs
Flat6Labs is an entrepreneurship platform focused on accelerating the future in emerging markets. They empower entrepreneurs by providing the resources to build, launch, and grow transformative ideas through acceleration programs, ecosystem development, and innovation services. Flat6Labs has established a regional presence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with a strong focus on fostering entrepreneurial ecosystems and offering support to startups in various countries. Their strategy involves offering programs, such as seed programs and accelerators, tailored to the specific needs of each region while also connecting founders with a wider network of investors and mentors. Flat6Labs also prioritizes contributing to local economies and fulfilling national visions by providing access to opportunities and enabling startups to reach regional and global markets. Flat6Labs focuses on creating ideal business environments for startups through resources such as lowering startup costs and providing tax incentives. The organization's expansion throughout the MENA region, with presences in countries such as Egypt, KSA, Bahrain, Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Lebanon, Iraq, UAE, Palestine and Pakistan, reflects their commitment to supporting the growth of the startup ecosystem within each region. They have various programs tailored to the needs of each specific location.
Flori Ventures
Flori Ventures is a seed-stage fund investing in entrepreneurs building the future financial system and climate crisis solutions. They aim to back founders and leaders who tap into financial and climate innovation to solve real-world problems at scale. The firm believes in supporting founders from pre-seed to pre-series A stages. They have backed 80+ startups with $30M+ to help founders solve impactful problems in big markets.
Forbion Capital Partners
Forbion is a global venture capital firm focused on building and scaling innovative biotech companies and sustainable solutions to improve human and planetary health. They invest across multiple fund strategies, covering all stages of (bio-)pharmaceutical drug development. They leverage their biotech expertise beyond human health to address planetary health challenges through their BioEconomy fund strategy, which invests in companies developing sustainable solutions in food, agriculture, materials, and environmental technologies. Forbion aims to select impactful investments that will positively affect the health and well-being of people and the planet, as well as meet its financial return objectives. Their human health investment strategy includes Ventures, Growth, and Formation (spin-outs/company creation). The Ventures strategy builds and supports pre-clinical and early clinical companies. The Growth strategy focuses on providing capital for clinical stage drug development, primarily as private growth capital, and selectively as crossover and public investments. The Formation strategy runs a joint venture with BioGeneration Ventures (BGV) for early-stage investments, particularly in Benelux and Germany. Forbion's Planetary Health strategy focuses on innovative companies that leverage biotechnology to clean and feed the planet across four sectors: Food, Agriculture, Materials, and Environmental Technologies. The BioEconomy fund enables and grows companies in Series A+ rounds. Forbion seeks to identify companies with strong science, experienced teams, and clear paths to meaningful impact. They aim to shape category-defining therapeutics with global impact.
Forward.one
Forward.one invests in smart, defensible innovations that target large markets, with exceptional teams hyper-focused on scaling. Their investment strategy centers around backing resilient founders with a strong emphasis on commercialization, speed, and pragmatism. They aim to partner with ventures that possess a competitive edge, offer solutions that customers find indispensable, and address sizable, expanding markets. The firm prefers to enter at the early seed stage but will support winning companies through further rounds. Forward.one positions itself as more than just an investor, acting as a true partner to its portfolio companies. They prioritize transparency, direct communication, and cooperation with entrepreneurs and limited partners (LPs). With a team comprising diverse skills and backgrounds across engineering, business development, and finance, they aim to understand and navigate the complexities of scaling innovative ventures effectively. The firm looks for companies that can become European tech champions. This involves identifying and supporting businesses with strong foundations and the potential for significant growth and impact in their respective industries. They are ambitious, like the entrepreneurs they invest in, and actively work to unlock stellar returns for their investors. Forward.one demonstrates a commitment to long-term success and alignment with LPs and GPs. They look for innovative ventures that align with sustainability goals, evidenced by investments in climate tech and energy storage. This focus showcases a dedication to creating a positive impact through their investments, driving Europe towards energy efficiency, reduced dependence on external resources, and significant reductions in CO2 emissions.
Founder Lake
FounderLake is a 'talent investing' firm focused on helping founders find the right co-founders to build successful companies, primarily in Germany. They aim to address the difficulties and inefficiencies of the co-founder search process, offering an alternative to traditional company builders and accelerators that often require mandatory bootcamps, offer low valuations, and have large, potentially dilutive intakes. They source co-founders through their network and active search, handling initial interviews and supporting candidates and founders throughout the process. Their model prioritizes quality over quantity, working with founders who have proven professional experience. FounderLake differentiates itself by offering co-founder matching in exchange for equity. If the co-founder search is successful, they become a shareholder in the company. They charge EUR 60,000 for the successful search, which is then invested into the company through a convertible note with a cap of EUR 2 million. If the company has already raised a round, they are open to investing at the terms of that round. Founded by individuals with experience at McKinsey, BCG, Barclays Capital, TUM, LSE, INSEAD, and the Studienstiftung, FounderLake aims to support exceptional talent in building companies in Germany. In addition to their co-founder matching services, they also work with leading scaleups, growth companies, and DAX 30 companies on their digital hiring needs, bringing valuable expertise to the talent ecosystem.
Founders AS
Founders AS focuses on early-stage investing and company building, particularly in the healthtech and fintech sectors. Their approach is highly specialized, focusing on pre-product and pre-market stages. They prioritize working with a limited number of companies at a time to provide concentrated support. They emphasize identifying market opportunities, investing early in exceptional founders, and actively helping them achieve initial traction. They aim to invest like founders, rather than simply providing capital. They believe that early-stage investing has become too focused on broad access and exposure, lacking the deliberate approach needed to build category-defining companies. Founders AS believes the best way to invest is to identify great founders and get involved early, building from zero to traction.
Founders Forum Group
Founders Forum Group (FFG) operates as a global community and a group of businesses aimed at empowering entrepreneurs across all stages of their journey. Their core strategy revolves around building and leveraging a peer-to-peer network of inspiring founders, pioneering investors, inventive CEOs, and impactful leaders. FFG facilitates connections, knowledge sharing, and deal-making through invitation-only forums held in iconic locations worldwide, addressing critical questions facing the tech industry. They are not solely an investment firm but provide investment opportunities, educational programs, professional services, and philanthropic initiatives. They aim to be key drivers of the startup ecosystem and provide opportunities for making friends, doing deals, and celebrating life, according to testimonials on their website. The group focuses on creating an environment where founders can openly discuss challenges and build relationships that can lead to business transactions. They support entrepreneurs from pre-seed to post-exit, evidenced by the range of services and businesses within the Founders Forum Group ecosystem, including venture studios, seed programs, and accelerator programs through Founders Factory. Their geographical footprint spans across Europe, Asia, North America, and the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA). They also highlight specific locations such as London, Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro, Tel Aviv, Mumbai, Paris, and Hong Kong. FFG also operates London Tech Week through a joint venture and spearheaded the relaunch of Tech Nation. They operate multiple sub-businesses and events and support entrepreneurs with a variety of needs. Their approach combines networking events, early-stage investment (through Founders Factory and firstminute capital), and community building to create a comprehensive platform for entrepreneurial success. The quotes from founders in various stages and industries emphasize the impact of the network on their journey and how it acts as a place where business relationships and deals are fostered. They aim to be more than just investors, as they also prioritize building relationships and supporting the personal and professional growth of their members.
Fraunhofer Technologie-Transfer Fonds
Fraunhofer Venture focuses on technology transfer through spin-offs, supporting researchers and entrepreneurs who aim to transform the world with Fraunhofer technology. They offer comprehensive support from the initial idea to the eventual exit, providing internal funding opportunities, access to seed capital, and a strong network within industry and venture capital. Their mission is to enable Fraunhofer employees and founders to build internationally successful companies based on cutting-edge Fraunhofer technology, offering professional assistance throughout the entire process. They also strongly emphasize the importance of sustainability and societal benefit. They bring the latest technologies to market with start-ups in a dynamic environment, which they are very passionate about. In terms of collaboration, they closely cooperate with Fraunhofer spin-offs in close coordination with their institutes.