VÅR Ventures
VÅR Ventures is an impact-driven venture capital firm focused on investing in companies with sustainable business solutions and technologies that address pressing global challenges within energy, education, and the global food system. They aim to help founders create sustainable impact by providing capital and expert guidance to navigate critical areas for building and scaling their businesses. The firm leverages a unique pipeline and expert network to identify and support innovative companies in these sectors. They employ an active ownership strategy to ensure progress and impact throughout the holding period, ensuring portfolio companies receive the necessary support to achieve their sustainability goals. Their investment strategy centers around three core categories: Energy Innovation, Food & Agriculture, and Education Technology. Within these categories, they seek out companies developing technologies and solutions that contribute to a more sustainable future. This includes companies working on renewable energy, sustainable agriculture practices, innovative food production, and educational tools that improve access to quality education. They are committed to supporting companies that not only generate financial returns but also create positive social and environmental impact. VÅR Ventures' team consists of experienced entrepreneurs and experts with proven track records in sustainability, tech, finance, and venture capital. They also have a global network of expert advisors that provide valuable insights and guidance to both the firm and its portfolio companies. This network supports the firm's due diligence process and helps portfolio companies navigate the challenges of building and scaling their businesses. Their focus on sustainability and impact sets them apart from other venture capital firms.
Värde Partners
Värde Partners is a global investment firm specializing in credit and credit-related assets, operating across both private and public markets. They leverage three decades of experience and local investment teams in the U.S., Europe, and Asia to invest through economic cycles and capitalize on market dynamics. Their investment approach is flexible, integrated, and partnership-oriented, emphasizing bespoke solutions and a commitment to integrity. They aim to deliver superior risk-adjusted returns for their investors by navigating complexity and drawing on deep experience. The firm values its investors, partners, employees, and heritage, prioritizing transparency and long-term relationships. Värde focuses on providing flexible capital solutions and capitalizing on inefficiencies in secondary markets. They aim to source investments through an expansive network of industry platforms and partnerships, enhancing their in-house investing capabilities with unique insights developed over decades. The firm's integrated platform is designed to originate, execute, and scale quickly. They are 100% partner-owned, which ensures alignment with investor interests and allows for a long-term perspective in investment decisions. The firm's mission is to serve its investors by seeking to deliver superior risk-adjusted returns. This is supported by their core values of integrity, excellence, collegiality, innovation, and humility. Värde is committed to maintaining high standards, unlocking complexity with an entrepreneurial approach, being intellectually honest, demonstrating ambition without arrogance, and working as one team on behalf of its investors. The firm’s early focus was on distressed credit and asset investing, which has informed their approach to risk assessment and capital allocation as they expanded into more performing credit asset classes.
Vækstfonden
Vækstfonden, now known as Danmarks Eksport- og Investeringsfond (EIFO), functions as Denmark's state-backed business bank and investment fund. Their core mission is to assist Danish companies in initiating and scaling their ventures. They operate with a strategic focus on several key areas vital to Denmark's economic prosperity, including national security, green transition, fostering growth and entrepreneurship, and supporting innovative technologies. EIFO aims to generate wealth for Denmark by investing in initiatives that make a significant impact. The organization's commitment is reflected in their stated aim to "Sæt ting i gang" (Get things started), emphasizing their role in enabling both their own and other businesses' enterprise and enthusiasm. This commitment is supported by their recent financial performance, demonstrating their success in bolstering Danish business. They reported a profit exceeding expectations and secured significant funding for Danish businesses, highlighting their commitment to supporting the growth and development of Danish businesses through targeted investments. The fund invests across multiple stages in a company's lifespan to help Danish firms scale. EIFO's strategic priorities involve providing resources and support in sectors critical to Denmark's future. Their focus on national security indicates investments in defense and security technologies and infrastructure. The green transition agenda targets investments in scalable and effective green solutions. The growth and entrepreneurship priority aims to support companies of all sizes and boost entrepreneurial activity, aiming at value creation and wealth generation for Denmark. Finally, innovative technologies aims to transform future technologies into scalable businesses.
WCM Investment Management
Invest in global quality growth companies with strengthening competitive moats supported by aligned cultures and durable tailwinds for long-term excess returns.[1][4]
WEX Venture Capital
WEX Venture Capital, through its parent company WEX, focuses on simplifying the business operations of its clients across diverse industries, including fleet management, corporate payments, and employee benefits. Their core strategy revolves around offering technology-driven solutions that streamline financial processes, reduce operational complexities, and facilitate growth for businesses of all sizes. WEX's investment approach centers on creating strong partnerships with companies to deliver innovative payment processing and business solutions, allowing businesses to concentrate on their core competencies and future innovation. The firm strategically aligns with its four primary business segments - fleet mobility & fueling, corporate payments, travel industry payments, and employee & member benefits - to leverage its expertise and market presence. WEX aims to empower businesses by offering cutting-edge technologies, valuable data insights, and robust integration capabilities. They foster long-term partnerships, prioritizing flexibility, compliance, security, and a global reach, understanding the nuances of regional and global payments. WEX emphasizes its commitment to corporate sustainability, viewing it as integral to its culture and long-term strategy. They address sustainability through data-driven insights and technology solutions, focusing on environmental innovation, stewardship, social impact, and the wellbeing of communities, customers, and employees. This comprehensive approach underpins their mission to drive environmental innovation, reduce their environmental footprint, and improve the health of their stakeholders, including employees, customers, and the communities they serve. They also maintain a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, aiming to create a supportive, engaged workplace that fosters collaboration and employee wellbeing. In essence, WEX's strategy is centered on providing advanced technology and financial solutions to simplify the business of running a business, underpinned by a commitment to sustainability and a diverse, inclusive company culture. Their business model hinges on offering financial, payment and operational products that facilitate improved management of payment processes, employee benefits, and fleet operations for its broad range of clients. This focus on simplification, innovation, and sustainability are key pillars of their market approach.
Waldencast
Waldencast aims to build a global, best-in-class beauty and wellness multi-brand platform. Their strategy involves creating, acquiring, accelerating, and scaling high-growth, purpose-driven brands within the beauty and wellness sectors. They offer a unique operating model that respects the independence and entrepreneurial spirit of each brand while providing the resources and expertise needed for scaling and achieving their ambitions. The firm's spirit is rooted in a blend of dreaming and making, combining vision and artistry with practical execution and a focus on positive impact. They prioritize brands with a soul that integrate purpose, art, beauty, and design with commercial success to improve the planet and the lives of individuals.
Walerud Ventures
Walerud Ventures focuses on Nordic, deep tech, pre-seed projects that contribute to a sustainable future for the planet. They aim to be the first investor and "last cofounder," suggesting a high level of involvement and long-term commitment to their portfolio companies. The firm seems to take board positions in many of their portfolio companies.
Wallonie Entreprendre
Wallonie Entreprendre (WE) partners with Wallonian entrepreneurs to foster sustainable value creation and employment through targeted financial support, sector identification, and adherence to social and environmental standards.
Warburg Pincus
Warburg Pincus is a global private equity firm with a history dating back to 1966, emphasizing long-term growth investing. Their investment strategy focuses on partnering with management teams and leveraging their deep sector expertise and global network to build sustainable, profitable businesses. They aim to create value by increasing operating profits within their portfolio companies, rather than relying solely on financial leverage or multiple expansion. The firm emphasizes alignment of interests with its management teams, fostering a collaborative environment where all stakeholders can thrive. With a 'One Firm' model, they seamlessly integrate their diverse expertise across sectors to identify and capitalize on cross-industry insights and opportunities. They consider themselves pioneers in private equity global growth investing, adapting successful strategies to new regions and customizing knowledge to the unique needs of each business.
Waterfall Asset Management LLC
Waterfall Asset Management is an experienced leader in asset-backed finance, focusing on structured credit securities, whole loans, and related strategies. They source complex and differentiated investments in specialized corners of the asset-backed finance markets globally, covering over 60 sectors across both publicly traded and privately negotiated markets. The firm tailors solutions to meet clients’ risk tolerances and liquidity needs, offering evergreen and drawdown fund structures for commingled and single-investor preferences. Founded in 2005 by Jack Ross and Tom Capasse, who previously built Merrill Lynch’s ABS Group, Waterfall leverages the extensive experience of its senior team who were early participants in numerous asset finance sectors. Waterfall's approach is characterized by its diverse viewpoints and a solutions-oriented methodology. The firm's investment strategies span a wide range of asset classes, including private asset-backed credit, commercial real estate equity, and CUSIP dislocation funds. They have a long history of launching successful strategies, starting with their flagship high yield asset-backed credit strategy and expanding into areas like small balance commercial loans, private equity focused on lower middle-market financial services, and insurance asset management. With approximately 90% of their client base comprising institutional investors such as public and corporate pensions, endowments, foundations, sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies, and family offices, Waterfall has built a strong reputation and demonstrated consistent growth. The firm emphasizes structural protections in private asset-backed credit and capitalizes on opportunities in CRE debt, including CMBS and whole loan acquisitions. Their team includes partners, investment team leaders, and business leaders, strategically located in New York City, London, and Dublin, enabling them to maintain a global presence and capture investment opportunities across various geographies.
Waterland
Waterland is a European private equity firm that partners with ambitious entrepreneurs to build future-proof companies. Their investment strategy focuses on strengthening companies' competitive positions and driving sustainable growth through tailored buy-and-build strategies. With over 25 years of experience and a history of more than 1,300 investments, Waterland emphasizes a hands-on, entrepreneurial approach that combines collaboration, efficiency, responsibility, and thoughtful execution. They aim to create lasting success for their portfolio companies, leading to measurable results and attractive returns for investors. Waterland distinguishes itself by building long-lasting relationships with entrepreneurs, adding their experience to companies, and enriching their strategies to enhance resilience. They actively integrate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into their investment processes and portfolio, demonstrating a commitment to responsible investing and sustainable growth. Their local teams across Europe provide dedicated support to help companies achieve their growth ambitions. Waterland's investment strategy also appears to involve forming strategic partnerships between portfolio companies to facilitate expansion and market leadership, as evidenced by the strategic partnership between Palletways and Waterland, and the formation of strategic alliances like the Specialty Ingredients Distribution Group (SIDG). They actively pursue add-on acquisitions for their portfolio companies to create larger, more competitive entities, like SIDG's acquisition of i-ingredients and Deimos Group. They also occasionally exit investments through sales to larger companies or strategic partners.
Waverley Capital
Waverley Capital is a venture capital firm exclusively dedicated to investing in innovation and disruption within the global media, entertainment, and sports industries, a market estimated to be over $1 trillion. Their mission revolves around partnering with exceptional entrepreneurs within the media ecosystem, with the goal of assisting them in building category-defining companies. They achieve this through a combination of experience, proprietary access, a world-class network, and an engaged approach. Waverley's approach involves leveraging decades of experience investing in, building, and operating transformative media companies. They emphasize their 'Proprietary Access' to deal flow, key individuals, essential resources, and unique industry insights. The firm also boasts a 'World Class Network,' consisting of current and former C-level media and technology executives, board members, and influential figures within the broader public and private equity investment communities. A key element of Waverley Capital's strategy is an 'Engaged Approach.' The team and its extensive network actively collaborate with founders and senior management of portfolio companies, contributing to strategic and operational excellence. This hands-on approach underscores the firm's commitment to actively shaping the growth and success of its portfolio companies, making them a valuable partner beyond just providing capital.
Wayra Germany
Wayra Germany invests in startups to drive innovation for Telefónica, transforming ideas into profitable growth. Focuses on enabling startups to scale by connecting them with Telefónica’s resources, networks, and corporate partnerships.
Web3.com Ventures
Web3.com Ventures is a venture capital firm built by founders, for founders, with a focus on backing the next generation of internet builders. They invest early, often at the zero-to-one stage, bringing operating experience and deep sector insight to help founders turn bold ideas into enduring companies. The firm aims to be more than just investors, striving to be trusted partners, sounding boards, and strategic allies to the founders they back, redefining how technology touches everyday life. They focus on foundational technologies that unlock new paradigms in ownership, coordination, and computation, staying close as these systems grow and evolve. Web3.com Ventures seeks to provide real support, backing bold founders with capital, experience, and conviction at every stage.
Wendel Group
Wendel is a private assets-focused investment firm operating across two activities: third-party private asset management and Principal Investments. The firm invests in the best private assets for its clients and shareholders, shaping the future of growth through partnerships. Wendel's strategic focus is on Europe and North America, with offices in Paris, New York, and Luxembourg. The firm has a history spanning over 315 years and 40 years of investment experience. Wendel operates through two primary business lines: Wendel Investment Managers and Wendel Principal Investments. Wendel Investment Managers focuses on third-party asset management, while Wendel Principal Investments makes direct investments using the firm's own capital. This dual approach allows Wendel to generate returns through both investment management fees and capital appreciation from its principal investments. The firm prioritizes ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) factors in its investment process, integrating ESG considerations into its strategy and priorities. Wendel aims to drive long-term, sustainable value creation for its stakeholders by supporting the growth of its portfolio companies and adhering to high ethical standards. Wendel's investment strategy emphasizes building strong alliances and partnerships. The firm aims to be a long-term partner for its portfolio companies, providing support and resources to help them achieve their growth objectives. Wendel's international network and experienced team enable it to identify and capitalize on investment opportunities in its target markets.
West Hill Capital
West Hill Capital operates two main divisions: West Hill Capital (venture capital) and West Hill Corporate Finance. West Hill Corporate Finance focuses on advising small, mid-cap, and large corporates on transactions, including IPOs and M&A deals, particularly within the financial services sector. The firm leverages an extensive network built over decades to access opportunities, including larger transactions and SMEs with strong management teams. The partners frequently invest alongside investors, aligning their interests and demonstrating commitment. West Hill Capital, on the other hand, focuses on smaller transactions and capital raisings, typically ranging from £1-20m, for growth companies in the UK and overseas, across multiple sectors. They have deployed £500m into various high-growth companies, also investing their own capital into these ventures at the same terms as other investors. This division frequently structures deals to allow individuals to invest alongside major financial institutions, often with EIS tax benefits. West Hill Capital focuses on EIS qualifying high-growth investments for private individuals. A key part of their strategy involves taking advantage of EIS and SEIS schemes, allowing investors to benefit from tax advantages. They aim to provide access to investment opportunities that might otherwise be available only to larger institutions. The firm's partners have a track record of generating attractive returns for investors through originating, advising, and structuring transactions. Their experience encompasses EIS private placings, AIM IPOs, and significant deals within the UK financial services sector, contributing to a broad network and a robust deal pipeline. Their differentiated proposition includes a strong track record, extensive experience, and aligned interests. The firm's experience in structuring transactions and advising on deals exceeding £20 billion provides them with access to high-quality businesses. The alignment of interests, where the partners personally invest alongside investors, ensures a shared financial commitment to each project. West Hill Capital seeks to identify companies with the potential for high growth and scalability, often leveraging innovative technologies. Examples of their investments include companies in cyber security, digital wealth management, ESG monitoring, AI-driven social care, and medical technology.
Western Development Commission
The Western Development Commission (WDC) operates as an evergreen fund, reinvesting proceeds from its investments back into new ventures within the Western Region of Ireland. Their investment strategy centers around providing equity finance and loans to businesses, communities, social enterprises, strategic initiatives, and the creative industry. They seek both financial returns and socio-economic dividends for the region, investing across multiple sectors and at all stages of the business lifecycle, from start-up to scale-up. The WDC's approach combines long-term capital investment, EU partnership leadership, research and policy development, and regional engagement. With over €35 million to be reinvested through their Western Investment Fund and a target to secure €15 million in new EU funding, their strategy is focused on measurable impact across enterprise, investment, and community development. The WDC strategy, "Unlocking Potential, Driving Change," emphasizes four interconnected growth drivers: Heritage, Horizons, Harnessing Talent, and Hubs. Heritage aims to protect and build on the region's unique culture and natural capital. Horizons focuses on growing globally competitive sectors like MedTech, AgriTech, renewable energy, and the creative industries. Harnessing Talent ensures inclusive access to the future of work through lifelong learning, AI readiness, and digital skills. Hubs strengthens delivery and innovation through a network of Connected Hubs. The WDC's role extends beyond investment to include advising the government on policies impacting the Western Region and promoting government policy to improve social and economic standards. The organization promotes regional development by raising the profile of the region and highlighting its appeal to those seeking to live or work there. The WDC operates with a blended model, utilizing long-term capital investment, EU partnership leadership, research and policy development, and on-the-ground regional engagement.
White Start Capital
White Star Capital is a global multi-stage technology investment platform that partners with market leaders to help them become global champions. They believe that technology is borderless and that consumer preferences, competitive dynamics, and other elements make every market unique. They aim to build a brighter, more convenient, and inclusive future through technology. Operating out of multiple locations including New York, London, Paris, Montreal, Toronto, Tokyo, and Singapore, they partner closely with founders to help them define the future. Their unique team reflects their distinct strategy, possessing depth of entrepreneurial, operational, and financial experience. Their international team has a proven track record of helping companies scale across the globe from founding through to exit. Venture investing is at the core of their founding and they partner with exceptional founders at the Series A and B stages who believe in the global potential of their companies.
WiSeed
WiSEED is a crowdfunding platform enabling individuals to invest in real estate and startups/SMEs. The platform focuses on providing access to innovative projects and simplifying investment decisions through its technology. It highlights its experience since 2008, emphasizing careful analysis of projects based on sector-specific expertise, and aims to diversify investor portfolios through investments in obligations and shares. WiSEED makes investment accessible to a wide audience by allowing investments starting from €100. The firm acts as a digital partner offering investments tailored to investor needs and objectives. They aim to democratize access to investment opportunities in sectors like real estate and startups. The platform provides investors with detailed project descriptions and clear analysis to aid in their investment choices. The company has facilitated significant investment and repayments, demonstrating its track record. WiSEED offers investment opportunities in two primary sectors: crowdfunding in real estate and startups/SMEs. Real estate investments offer potential returns up to 12% annually, with target durations between 18 and 36 months. Startup and SME investments offer returns based on the investment instrument, with durations ranging from medium to long term. WiSEED emphasizes the risks associated with investing in non-listed securities, including the potential for partial or total loss of invested capital and illiquidity. The platform features testimonials from investors and mentions its presence in financial news outlets, seeking to reinforce its credibility and trustworthiness.
Wille Finance
Wille Finance is a family office with an entrepreneurial spirit that invests across private equity (venture capital and buyouts), real estate, and listed assets. Established in 2007, it initially focused on wealth management but has evolved into a platform for executing ventures in diverse sectors. Their investment approach centers on a long-term vision, fostering trustworthy relationships, and leveraging their entrepreneurial drive. The combination of a diverse and talented team and their core philosophy makes Wille Finance a unique platform. In private equity, they pursue both Venture Capital and Buyout opportunities. For real estate, they utilize a value-add strategy. In listed assets, they operate a net-long portfolio strategy. The firm emphasizes trust, entrepreneurialism, and a long-term vision as cornerstones of their investment philosophy, providing flexibility and commitment. Wille Finance aims to cultivate credible and reliable partnerships, combining passion and a lean approach across all facets of their business. Their long-term perspective, characteristic of a family office, allows for unparalleled commitment and flexibility in their investment decisions. This allows them to operate differently compared to traditional institutional investors that are bound by shorter investment horizons. Their commitment to trust, entrepreneurialism, and long-term commitment allows them to establish valuable relationship and create value across different asset classes. While the information is limited on the website, the firm's unique value proposition appears to stem from their ability to leverage their family office structure and entrepreneurial spirit to pursue investments with a flexible and patient approach.
Willgrow
Willgrow is an ambitious investment firm that evolved from a first-generation family office in the Baltics, originating from the founders of a multi-billion logistics business (Girteka). They aim to generate high risk-adjusted returns through a thoughtful investment strategy that leverages their entrepreneurial experience. They are active investors in private equity, venture capital, credit funds, real assets, and prospective companies worldwide. Their strategy is consistent but their portfolio is constantly evolving and they always look for new investments, themes, sectors and fund strategies to which they can allocate capital. In Private Equity, Willgrow employs a partnership-oriented strategy, investing with GPs that have sector expertise, differential access, and emphasize value creation via digitalization and modern management techniques. Capital is allocated to top quartile established buyout and growth managers. They also seek investments in emerging firms, concentrated portfolio managers and, single-country / single-sector strategies that are expected to generate superior risk-adjusted returns. They selectively target co-investment opportunities in companies operating in Western Europe and North America. In Venture Capital, Willgrow selects entrepreneurial and thesis-driven managers with the potential to outperform. They invest in both well-known and emerging venture managers, taking a global view with a primary focus on Europe and North America. They favor early-stage investments but maintain flexibility to move up and down the capital stack and embrace novel strategies. Their goal is to achieve a well-balanced portfolio through a selection of emerging funds, established funds, and co-investments.
Wind
Wind is a conviction-led VC firm based in Europe that focuses on backing deeptech companies addressing challenges related to sustainable change and European sovereignty. The firm aims to support entrepreneurs with sharp business instincts, bold ideas, and deep purpose, helping them reimagine various aspects of life, from how we eat and move to how we live, by creating more balanced and sustainable systems. They also focus on technologies that foster European strategic independence through investments in AI, cybersecurity, space, and defense. Wind aims to partner with founders relentlessly, providing advice and support, daring to innovate and investing in areas others might avoid, and propel positive change through their investments. Wind aims to provide substantial support for startups, leading to stellar returns for investors. They emphasize their commitment to advising and supporting founders through all stages, good or bad. The firm actively seeks game-changing innovators and seeks new ways to support them, investing boldly in areas others might avoid. The firm prioritizes investing in technologies that are impactful and contribute positively to society and the planet. Wind demonstrates a strong belief in the potential of deeptech to drive both economic growth and positive societal impact, investing in founders who are working to shape a better future. They actively seek out and support visionaries with the potential to transform industries and create strategic independence for Europe.
Woodstock Fund
Woodstock Fund is a thesis and research-driven investment firm focused on early and growth-stage Web 3.0 companies and protocols. They believe the world is experiencing a paradigm shift across technological, economic, social, and ecological dimensions, creating both opportunities and challenges. Their investment strategy is centered around three megatrends: Convergence, Financialisation, and Virtualisation. Convergence focuses on the melting of physical borders facilitated by Web 3.0, leading to greater convergence of cultures, communities, economies, and governance globally. Financialisation recognizes the potential of DeFi to recreate financial architecture without intermediaries, aiming to solve real-world problems under regulatory oversight. Virtualisation anticipates the continued blurring of physical and digital realms, with Web 3.0 enabling new forms of entertainment, community, and commerce within gaming and the creator economy. They seek to partner with inspired teams building technologies, tools, infrastructure, or applications that will define the future of the internet.
Work-Bench
Backing founders building the next generation of applied AI and infrastructure software in NYC, with a focus on customer understanding, distribution, and go-to-market (GTM) strategies as competitive moats. NYC-biased but open to founders anywhere who aim to win customers in the region.