TL;DR: Startup Investors Europe Directory 2026, with Verified Investors, Cheque Sizes and Events
The Startup Investors Europe Directory 2026 in 2026 shows you which of 8 verified investor and capital sources to pitch first, at which stage, and through which route.
- Most "European" investor lists send you to the wrong people. In one "Europe" sample, 3 of 16 funded startups (about 19%) were based in Dakar, Tel Aviv and Tórtola.
- AI and climate took 50% of the March 2026 deals. Seed rounds made up 56%. Verigraft raised $10-15M at seed, so compare cheque sizes, not stage labels.
- EIC Accelerator selected 61 of 121 interviewed companies. That is roughly a coin flip once you reach the interview. Put your hours into the written proposal. If you want non-dilutive money first, compare routes in the European startup grants directory.
- Match your round to the bottom of the cheque range, not the top. HV Capital writes €0.5M to €60M. Vaekstfonden starts at $830k. KfW co-invests up to €50M but needs a private lead.
Founder Violetta Bonenkamp (CADChain, Fe/male Switch) checked every entry against named sources on 10 October 2026. No organisation paid for placement. Angels are often your first cheque, and city-level networks such as the active Dutch angel investors can beat national lists.
Pick five investors that fit your geography and stage. Score them with the 40-point checklist. Book your Web Summit or Slush meetings three weeks ahead, while partners still have open slots.
Check out latest news, stats and trends that you might like:
European AI Accelerators Directory 2026
The Startup Investors Europe Directory 2026 exists for one reason: finding the right investor should not require founders to dig through DOZENS of outdated lists, dead portfolio pages, and “Top 100” rankings that mix Dakar, Tel Aviv, and the British Virgin Islands into something called “Europe.” This directory brings together 8 investor and capital sources, 16 recently funded startups as deal-flow signals, and 6 investor-heavy events for pre-seed to Series B founders, with details on stage, cheque size, and evidence of recent activity.
I am Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as Mean CEO. I run CADChain and Fe/male Switch in parallel, and my startups have gone through grants, accelerators such as Yes!Delft, Brightlands and TU/e Launch, and plenty of investor meetings that were a waste of everyone’s time. This guide is written for EU and wider European founders, freelancers turning into founders, and small business owners deciding whom to pitch first. It helps you decide who to contact, when, and through which route. Unlike a raw list, every entry here separates confirmed facts from my opinion. Entries were last reviewed on 10 October 2026.
What is the quick answer for founders in a hurry?
Here is the short version. The labels below follow the criteria defined in the methodology section (stage fit, disclosed cheque range, and evidence of recent activity), not brand fame.
- Broadest stage coverage: HV Capital. It reports tickets from €0.5M to €60M and describes itself as able to finance startups through ALL growth phases.
- Most active seed investor in this set: Vaekstfonden VC Fund, with 158 investments listed by Shizune and a disclosed range of $830k to $23M.
- Largest no-equity or blended public option: EIC Accelerator, which selected 61 startups and SMEs from 17 countries with €467 million in total proposed funding in its first 2026 results.
- Relevant for early-stage health founders: SPEX Venture Health-Tech Fund, a €100M fund writing €500,000 to €5,000,000 equity tickets at Seed to Series A.
- Relevant for growth-stage founders in Germany: KfW Future Fund (Zukunftsfonds), with co-investment of up to €50M at Series A to C alongside VCs.
- Country-specific option: PSV Tech in Copenhagen, which closed Fund II at €56 million in October 2026.
- Important caveat: none of these sources publish acceptance rates, and several “Europe” lists include companies outside Europe. Check geography before you pitch.
Which European startup investors are in the directory at a glance?
The table shows only decision-critical fields. Currencies are shown exactly as the source reports them; no VAT applies to investment amounts. “Not disclosed” means the source did not publish the figure, and I refuse to guess.
| Investor | Type | HQ / markets | Stages | Typical cheque | Sectors | Status | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HV Capital | VC fund | Europe (Germany-rooted) | Early stage to growth | €0.5M to €60M | Internet and technology | Active | 10 Oct 2026 |
| Vaekstfonden VC Fund | Public-backed VC | Denmark, US, UK | Seed, Venture | $830k to $23M | Software, IT, SaaS | Active | 10 Oct 2026 |
| PSV Tech | VC fund | Copenhagen, Denmark | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Tech | Fund II closed at €56M | 10 Oct 2026 |
| SPEX Venture Health-Tech Fund | VC fund | Global | Seed to Series A | €500k to €5M | Digital health, medtech | Active | 10 Oct 2026 |
| EIC Accelerator | EU public, blended finance | EU and associated countries | Startups and SMEs | Not disclosed per company | Deep tech, broad | Rolling cut-offs | 10 Oct 2026 |
| KfW Future Fund | Public co-investor | Germany | Series A to C | Up to €50M | Broad | Active | 10 Oct 2026 |
| DeepTech & Climate Fund | Public-backed equity | Germany | Scale-ups | €10M to €100M | Deep tech, climate | Active | 10 Oct 2026 |
| EBAN network | Angel federation | 45+ countries | Angel, early stage | Varies by angel | Broad | Congress held June 2026 | 10 Oct 2026 |
How was this directory built and verified?
Let’s break it down. I do not trust directories that hide their method, so here is mine in full.
- Scope: investors, public co-investors, and angel networks serving startups in Europe, plus 2026 deal-flow and event signals. Stages from pre-seed to Series B, with growth capital included where it matters for planning.
- Discovery: the Shizune ranking of the top 50 startup investors in Europe, the LeadMagic list of recently funded startups in Europe, the GrantsFinder overview of European startup funding and grants for 2026, the 28DIGITAL catalogue of startup opportunities, EU-Startups funding news, and the Seedblink guide to top European startup events in 2026.
- Inclusion criteria: evidence of activity in 2026, a disclosed stage or cheque range, and a clear relevance to European founders.
- Exclusion criteria: no evidence of recent activity, pay-to-play listings, or claims I could not trace to a named source.
- Verification: stage, cheque size, fund size, and activity date were checked against the cited sources on 10 October 2026.
- Ranking: unranked. Order follows founder stage, from earliest to latest.
- Commercial relationships: none. No organisation paid for inclusion.
- Limitations: several sources are aggregators. Where an official fund page was not available in my data, I label the entry Partially verified.
“Verified” here means that the key details were checked against a named source on the stated date. It does not mean I endorse the organisation or guarantee a meeting, a term sheet, or a reply.
What source hierarchy did I use?
- Official fund, program, or investor statements, including self-descriptions quoted by aggregators.
- Official EU and national program data, such as EIC Accelerator results and German federal programs.
- Funding news reported by named journalists with dates.
- Investor databases such as Shizune and Crunchbase, clearly labelled.
What do the 2026 numbers say about European startup investors?
This is a statistics article, so let me give you the numbers that actually change how you should raise. I ran my own tally of the 16 named startups in the March 2026 LeadMagic sample. It is a small sample, so treat it as a signal, not a census.
Which sectors got funded in the March 2026 sample?
| Sector | Count | Share of 16 | Startups |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI | 4 | 25% | Another Earth, General Tensor, Qdrant, Wonderful |
| Climate | 4 | 25% | FieldFactors, KINEWELL ENERGY LTD, AIRMO, AmpliSi |
| Healthcare | 2 | 12.5% | heycare, Combat Medical |
| Biotech | 2 | 12.5% | VALANX Biotech, Verigraft AB |
| SaaS | 2 | 12.5% | Endform, Scopey |
| Cybersecurity | 1 | 6.25% | Cleafy |
| EdTech | 1 | 6.25% | Eyone |
AI and climate together account for 50% of the sample. Health and biotech add another 25%. If you run a classic B2B SaaS company with no AI angle and no climate angle, you are competing for a smaller slice of attention. That is not a reason to fake an AI story. It is a reason to target investors whose thesis already includes your category.
Which stages got funded?
- Seed: 9 of 16 (56%), including heycare in Munich ($2-5M), Another Earth in Vienna ($2-5M), Verigraft AB in Gothenburg ($10-15M), and AIRMO in Weßling ($5-10M).
- Pre-seed: 2 of 16 (12.5%): Scopey in Dublin (under $1M) and AmpliSi in Sheffield ($2-5M).
- Series A: 1 of 16: Combat Medical in London ($2-5M).
- Series B: 3 of 16: Cleafy in Milan ($10-15M), Qdrant in Berlin ($50-100M), and Wonderful in Tel Aviv ($100M+).
- Series D: 1 of 16: Eyone in Dakar ($1-2M).
Look at the seed numbers. Verigraft raised $10-15M at seed, a figure that many founders would associate with Series A. Biotech and climate hardware need more capital earlier, and investors know it. On top of that, notice the Eyone data point: a Series D of only $1-2M. Stage labels mean very different things across sectors and regions, so compare cheque sizes, not labels.
How “European” are European startup lists?
Here is the provocative part. 3 of the 16 startups (about 19%) in a list labelled “Europe” are based in Dakar, Tel Aviv-Yafo, and Tórtola. I am not criticising those companies. I am warning you that if almost ONE IN FIVE entries in a “European” list sits outside Europe, any investor list built the same way can send you to people who never back your geography. Always open the investor’s own page and check where they actually write cheques.
What other 2026 figures should founders know?
- 43 European startups raised $10M+ in February 2026, according to a LinkedIn list of European startups that raised $10M+ in February 2026, led by Wayve ($1.2B, autonomous driving AI) and OLIX ($220M, optical AI accelerators).
- Universal Quantum secured €89 million, described as the UK’s largest quantum Series A, in October 2026.
- Sava Technologies in London raised €32.08 million for its glucose microsensor.
- Swiss rounds in one day: Klarent in Zurich raised €7.13 million and Besso in Bern raised €4.29 million on 9 October 2026.
- SpectaCell in Ghent launched with €6 million, and NeoFleet Capital in Limassol raised €3.5 million.
- EIC Accelerator: 61 companies selected from 121 interviewed, which means roughly 50% of companies that reached interview got selected, and 85% chose blended finance.
- Germany’s €1 billion large VC fund is being extended from 2026 for scale-ups that have outgrown seed instruments.
That EIC statistic deserves a second look. Getting to interview is the hard filter. Once you are in the room, your odds look close to a coin flip. That tells you where to put your preparation hours: the written proposal, not the slide polish.
How should you use this directory?
- Confirm hard eligibility: geography, legal entity, stage, sector, and whether the investor leads or follows.
- Compare the real value: a €60M ceiling means nothing if your round is €400k. Look at the bottom of the cheque range.
- Calculate the trade-off: equity, board seats, co-investment conditions, reporting, and the time a public program takes to decide.
- Verify current details: open the official page before pitching.
- Shortlist 3 to 5 investors: record fit, next action, owner, and deadline in a simple tracker.
Before you pitch: the single most common mistake I see is confusing an investor’s MAXIMUM cheque with what they usually write. HV Capital’s €0.5M to €60M range spans growth rounds most readers will not raise for years. Ask yourself where your round sits inside that range, not whether it sits inside it at all.
Which investors fit pre-seed and seed founders?
This category serves founders raising their first institutional money. Filter: the investor must disclose seed activity or a cheque starting below €1M.
1. Vaekstfonden VC Fund
One-line summary: a Danish public-backed venture investor with 158 recorded investments, writing seed and venture cheques in software and SaaS.
| Type | Public-backed VC fund |
| Best for | Software, IT and SaaS founders with Nordic ties |
| Geography | Denmark, United States, United Kingdom |
| Stage | Seed, Venture (series unknown) |
| Main value | $830k to $23M |
| Cost / equity | Equity, terms not disclosed |
| Status | Active, Partially verified |
| Last verified | 10 Oct 2026 |
Why it may fit: 158 investments is a strong activity signal, and the $830k floor sits right where many seed rounds land. Watch-outs: the active markets list is short, so a founder in, say, Portugal with no Danish link should check fit first. Next step: look up its recent portfolio additions and confirm a company similar to yours.
2. SPEX Venture Health-Tech Fund
One-line summary: a €100M global fund for Seed to Series A digital health and medtech startups, listed through 28DIGITAL.
| Type | Sector-specialist VC fund |
| Best for | Digital health and medtech founders |
| Geography | Global |
| Stage | Seed to Series A |
| Main value | €500,000 to €5,000,000 equity tickets |
| Status | Active, Partially verified |
| Last verified | 10 Oct 2026 |
Why it may fit: a clear thesis and a cheque range that matches founders like heycare or Combat Medical. Watch-outs: this is its first Digital Technologies Fund, so the portfolio track record is still forming. Next step: prepare clinical validation evidence before your first call; health investors ask about it early.
3. EBAN network of business angels
One-line summary: Europe’s leading angel investing federation, whose 2026 Congress in Vilnius gathered 500+ angels and investors from 45+ countries.
Why it may fit: angels are often the first cheque for pre-seed founders, and EBAN connects national business angel networks (BANs) across borders. Watch-outs: the June 1-2 Congress has passed, and cheque sizes depend on individual angels. Next step: find the BAN in your own country and ask about their next pitch session.
Which investors fit Series A and growth founders?
4. HV Capital
One-line summary: one of Europe’s leading early-stage and growth investors, with €2.8 billion in managed assets and around 225 internet and technology companies backed.
| Type | VC fund |
| Best for | Internet and tech startups planning several rounds |
| Track record | Nine fund generations in 23 years |
| Portfolio examples | Zalando, Delivery Hero, SumUp, Depop, Enpal, Flixbus, Sennder, Isar Aerospace |
| Main value | €0.5M to €60M tickets |
| Team | More than 40 people |
| Status | Active |
| Last verified | 10 Oct 2026 |
Why it may fit: few European firms can follow a company from seed to late growth, which reduces the “who leads our next round” problem. Watch-outs: a portfolio this size raises conflict questions, so check whether they already back a competitor. Next step: map their portfolio against your category before you request an introduction.
5. PSV Tech
One-line summary: a Copenhagen VC that closed Fund II at €56 million in October 2026, building on Fund I.
Why it may fit: a freshly closed fund has new capital to deploy, which is the best timing signal you can get. Watch-outs: stage and cheque size were not disclosed in my sources. Next step: check their official site for thesis and preferred round size.
Which public co-investors and EU programs belong in an investor directory?
Public money is investor money too, and in Europe it often decides whether private VCs say yes. My own companies received national and EU-level grants, and I can tell you that a public stamp of approval changes investor conversations.
6. EIC Accelerator
Key numbers: 61 startups and SMEs from 17 countries selected in the first 2026 results, €467 million in total proposed funding, 85% choosing blended finance (grant plus equity). Top countries: Germany, Spain, France, and Sweden. Watch-outs: the application process is long, and the equity part comes with its own diligence. Next step: if you are not ready, Eurostars (Calls 10 and 11 in 2026) serves R&D-intensive SMEs as an entry point.
7. KfW Future Fund (Zukunftsfonds)
Key numbers: up to €50M co-investment at Series A to C, alongside VCs. Watch-outs: it follows private investors, so you need a lead first. Next step: ask your lead VC whether they already work with the fund.
8. DeepTech & Climate Fund
Key numbers: €10-100M equity for deep tech and climate scale-ups in Germany. Watch-outs: scale-up only. Next step: compare with Germany’s EXIST grants (up to €3,000 per month plus €30K materials) if you are still a university spinout.
Other national routes mentioned in GrantsFinder: Spain’s NEOTEC (non-repayable, no equity) and Italy’s CDP Venture Capital, the National Innovation Fund. For investor lists filtered by fund-raising activity, the Crunchbase list of European investors that raised funds in 2026 is a useful timing filter.
Where can you meet startup investors in Europe in 2026?
| Event | Dates | City | Why investors attend | Status on 10 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panathēnea Festival | May 27-29 | Athens | 10,000 founders and investors, 70+ side events, voices from Index Ventures, Sequoia, Atomico, Accel, Balderton | Closed |
| EBAN Congress | June 1-2 | Vilnius | 500+ angels from 45+ countries | Closed |
| Health & Life Science Venture Day | June 2 | Hamburg | Health and life science deal flow | Closed |
| AustrianStartups Summit | October 15 | Vienna | Pitches and networking at Ottakringer Brauerei | Upcoming |
| Web Summit | November 9-12 | Lisbon | Tens of thousands of founders and investors | Upcoming |
| Slush | November 18-19 | Helsinki | Founder-investor meetings | Upcoming |
Forbes also covered the season in its list of the 10 best startup events in Europe for 2026, noting that European startup funding is “finding its rhythm in 2026.” My advice: book meetings three weeks BEFORE an event. Walking the floor hoping to bump into a partner is a lottery ticket.
Which investors fit different founder profiles?
Bootstrapped founders
Start with non-dilutive money: EIC Accelerator, Eurostars, EXIST, or NEOTEC depending on country. Then add angels through EBAN member networks. Avoid growth funds until you have revenue that justifies their cheque floor.
Women founders
None of the investors in this directory publish a women-only mandate, and I will not pretend otherwise. My view, built from running Fe/male Switch: women do not need more inspiration; they need infrastructure. That means practising the pitch, the negotiation, and the cap table conversation before the real meeting. Target investors whose thesis fits your sector, then rehearse until the numbers come out without hesitation.
Solopreneurs
Many funds expect a team. Angels and public grants are more forgiving. I default to no-code and AI agents as a first team, and I built Fe/male Switch that way, so show investors how much you shipped alone. Endform and Scopey raised small SaaS rounds; small rounds are realistic for solo builders.
EU and wider European founders
Treat the UK and Switzerland separately. Klarent, Besso, Sava, and Universal Quantum all raised outside the EU. EU programs such as the EIC have their own country rules, while national co-investors like KfW serve Germany. A fund headquartered in Europe does not automatically serve every European country.
How do you score an investor before pitching?
Score each factor from 1 to 5. Anything below 25 out of 40 goes to the bottom of your list.
- Stage, sector, and geography fit
- Typical cheque match with your round
- Ability to lead
- Portfolio relevance and conflicts
- Follow-on capacity
- Partner knowledge of your sector
- Evidence of investments in the last 6 months
- Accessible, appropriate contact route
A high score does not make an investor universally better. It means a stronger match for your profile. I treat fundraising like a strategy game, a principle I call gamepreneurship: the goal is to collect information and relationships faster than competitors, not to avoid every “no.”
Which shortlist fits your scenario?
| Founder scenario | Recommended options | Why they fit | Main caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danish SaaS team raising seed | Vaekstfonden, PSV Tech | Local, active, fresh capital | PSV stage not disclosed |
| Digital health startup at seed | SPEX, EIC Accelerator | Sector thesis plus blended finance | Clinical evidence expected |
| German deep tech scale-up | DeepTech & Climate Fund, KfW Future Fund, HV Capital | Large cheques, follow-on capacity | Needs a private lead |
| Pre-seed solo founder | EBAN member angels, national grants | Small cheques, team flexibility | Cheque sizes vary widely |
| AI startup aiming at Series B | HV Capital | Qdrant shows AI Series B appetite in Berlin | Portfolio conflicts |
What is the investor outreach playbook?
- Filter by stage, cheque, geography, sector, and recent activity.
- Find the right partner only through public professional sources.
- Check portfolio fit and conflicts.
- Prepare a short deck, a one-page metrics snapshot, and a clear funding ask.
- Use the official submission route or a relevant warm introduction. Never mass-email a list of 50 investors.
- Track contact date, response, follow-up date, and outcome.
Things to avoid: pitching a growth fund at idea stage, sending the same deck to competing portfolios, and quoting your “target investor list” in the deck. Also avoid ignoring IP. At CADChain we built IP protection into the product because investors in deep tech ask who owns what on day one.
What can this directory not show?
- Cheque sizes and terms change without notice.
- Several investors do not publish deployment pace.
- Funding bands in LeadMagic are ranges, not exact amounts, and investor names were masked.
- “Europe” is used loosely; 19% of one sample sat outside Europe.
- Public program headline amounts differ from cash received upfront.
- Absence from this directory reflects scope and evidence, not quality.
Frequently asked questions
Is this directory free to use?
Yes. There are no affiliate links or paid placements.
How often is the Startup Investors Europe Directory 2026 updated?
Quarterly, with event statuses checked monthly. Latest review: 10 October 2026.
What does “verified” mean?
Stage, cheque size, fund size, and activity date were checked against a named source on the review date. “Partially verified” means at least one of those was not disclosed.
Can non-EU founders pitch these investors?
Some, yes. Vaekstfonden lists the US and UK, and SPEX invests globally. EU and German public programs have stricter rules.
Are closed events removed?
No. They stay labelled “Closed” so you can plan for the 2027 editions once officially announced.
How are entries ranked?
They are unranked and ordered by founder stage.
How can I suggest a correction or new entry?
Send the official URL, current terms, eligible geography, and a contact for verification. Submission is free and does not guarantee inclusion.
Update log
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| 10 Oct 2026 | Verified all entries; added PSV Tech Fund II; marked May and June events as closed. |
- Last fully reviewed: 10 Oct 2026
- Next planned review: January 2027
- Reviewed by: Violetta Bonenkamp, founder of CADChain and Fe/male Switch
What should you do next?
Next steps. Filter by geography and stage first, then compare the bottom of each cheque range and recent activity. Shortlist no more than FIVE investors, verify their current terms on official pages, and give each one a next action and a deadline. If Web Summit or Slush is on your calendar, start booking meetings this week.
Your one action today: build your five-investor tracker using the scorecard above, and send me a verified correction if you spot an entry that changed.
FAQ on Startup Investors in Europe in 2026
How do angel investors in the Netherlands fit into a European investor shortlist?
Dutch angels are still writing cheques in 2026, but they reward evidence, sector fit and discipline over storytelling. Fintech, B2B SaaS, climate, health tech and Eindhoven deep tech attract most of the capital. Track city-level players such as Lumaux in Eindhoven and IImpulse in Utrecht, not only national lists. Explore active angel investors in the Netherlands
What is the real overall EIC Accelerator success rate beyond the interview stage?
The interview pass rate looks generous, but the reported overall success rate is about 5.9% across the three-stage process. The next main cut-off is 4 November 2026. Start your short proposal now and allow months for the full application and the jury pitch. Compare EIC Accelerator and other European startup grants
How large is the funding gap for women founders raising venture capital in Europe?
Gaps vary by country. Women are 28% of founders in France but receive only 4% of VC, and they make up just 2% of funded founders in German deep tech. Finland reportedly directs about 30% of VC to women. Build a pipeline of women angels and combine it with EU programs like WEgate. See women angel investor statistics
Are founders in smaller European countries at a disadvantage when raising VC?
Not necessarily. Finland and other small economies outperform larger nations in venture capital per capita, producing companies like Oura and ICEYE. Because European innovation is spread across many countries, pitch home-market funds first. Then use local traction to attract cross-border leads from bigger hubs. Read the European Startup Playbook
How can founders keep investors warm between fundraising rounds?
Send short monthly updates and share visible progress on LinkedIn and your blog. Automating distribution with an API-first scheduler like Late connected to n8n keeps you consistently visible to prospective investors, at a fraction of what Buffer or Hootsuite cost. Automate investor-facing content with Late and n8n
Are paid mentoring programs worth the equity for European deep tech startups?
Compare the terms carefully. 28DIGITAL's MentorMe costs €33,000 or 3% equity. Its Access to Finance program supports Series A and B raises, and its Champions program targets fast-growing deep tech companies. Calculate what 3% equals at your next valuation before signing. Browse the 28DIGITAL startup opportunities catalogue
How do you know when a European VC fund has fresh capital to deploy?
Track recent fund closes. Crunchbase lists European investors that raised funds in 2026, and funding news sites report final closes every week. New funds usually make their first investments during their early years, so contacting them soon after a close improves your timing. Check European investors that raised funds in 2026
How can founders find the investors behind recently funded European startups?
Funded-startup databases mask investor names, so cross-check each company's press release, LinkedIn announcements and Crunchbase profile. Identify which funds backed companies one step ahead of you in your sector. Then request warm introductions through those portfolio founders. View recently funded startups in Europe
How should founders read investor rankings like a top 50 European VC list?
Shizune ranks investors by their number of investments in European startups and updates the list monthly. A high deal count signals activity, not whether the fund leads rounds or fits your cheque size. Use rankings to build a long list, then filter by stage, cheque floor and lead behaviour. Explore the top startup investors in Europe
How can founders get more investor access at European startup events?
Side events and curated 1:1 meetings often give better investor access than keynotes. Panathēnea in Athens ran 70+ side events spanning AI, defence, climate tech, deep tech and life sciences. Choose sector-specific side events, request 1:1 slots early and follow up within 48 hours. Plan your calendar with top European startup events
People Also Ask:
What is the best startup investors directory for Europe in 2026?
Popular options include the EU-Startups Investor Database, Investor Hunt, Poach VC, and Leapfunder. EU-Startups lists investors by investment area, typical ticket size, and funding stage. Investor Hunt lets founders filter angels and venture firms by stage, geography, and past deals. Poach VC profiles European VC firms with their investment stages and sector focus. Many founders combine two or three of these sources to build a more reliable target list.
Where can I find startup investors in Europe?
Founders can find European investors through online databases such as EU-Startups, Investor Hunt, and Poach VC, and through angel networks like Leapfunder. Industry events, accelerator programs, LinkedIn, and warm introductions from other founders are also common routes. Annual lists of the most active investors, published by outlets like EU-Startups, help identify who is currently investing.
Are there free startup directories in Europe?
Yes. Leapfunder lets startups list their company for free and gain exposure to active angel investors. EU-Startups also publishes a browsable investor database, and community-made spreadsheets of EU investors circulate on sites like Scribd. Free lists can be outdated, so it's wise to check each investor's current focus on their website before reaching out.
Who are the most active investors in Europe in 2026?
EU-Startups publishes a regularly updated ranking of the most active investors in Europe based on deal count. These lists usually include a mix of seed-stage VC firms, government-backed funds, and large multi-stage firms. Reviewing these rankings is a quick way to spot investors who are currently deploying capital rather than those who have slowed down.
Which European countries have the most unicorns?
The United Kingdom has the largest number of unicorns in Europe, followed by Germany and France. The Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland also rank high. Cities like London, Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, and Stockholm have produced many billion-dollar startups. Rankings shift each year as new companies reach unicorn status and others exit or lose value.
What are the best startups in Europe in 2026?
VivaTech's Top 100 Rising European Startups list for 2026 names the most promising young companies across all business sectors. The UK leads that list with 28 startups, while France and Germany each have 23. Sectors such as AI, climate tech, fintech, health tech, and deep tech appear often among top-ranked companies.
Which startups are good to invest in during 2026?
Startups with clear traction, strong founding teams, and rising sales tend to attract investor interest. In 2026, many investors are focusing on AI applications, energy and climate technology, defense tech, cybersecurity, and health tech. Curated lists like VivaTech's Top 100 can serve as a starting point, but anyone investing should do their own due diligence and keep in mind that early-stage investments carry high risk.
Do European startups hire remotely?
Many European startups hire remotely or offer hybrid work, especially for software, product, design, and marketing roles. Job boards such as Welcome to the Jungle and Wellfound, along with the jobs section on EU-Startups, list remote positions. Some companies limit remote hires to certain time zones or countries for tax and legal reasons.
What is a startup directory in Europe?
A startup directory is an online database that lists companies along with details like location, sector, funding stage, and team size. Investors use these directories to source deals, while founders use them to research competitors and potential partners. Examples include Dealroom, Crunchbase, EU-Startups, and Leapfunder's startup directory.
What is the EU-Startups Summit?
The EU-Startups Summit is an annual conference organized by EU-Startups that brings together founders, investors, and corporate representatives from across Europe. It has taken place in Malta in recent years and features talks, panels, networking sessions, and a pitch competition for early-stage startups. Many founders attend to meet investors face to face.
