- EQT Ventures secures commitments totaling EUR 566 million; to support fast-growing tech-enabled companies across Europe throughout all stages of growth
- Team combines successful specialists and serial entrepreneurs; with experience from success stories including Booking.com, Uber, King and Spotify
- Introducing Motherbrain – a software-driven approach to proactively source investment leads
Global private equity group EQT announces the successful closing of the EQT Ventures Fund (the “fund”), a multi-stage venture capital fund advised by the EQT Ventures team at EQT Partners (“EQT Ventures”). The fund will invest in fast-growing, innovative and tech-enabled companies across Europe, supporting great entrepreneurs throughout different stages of growth.
Thomas von Koch, Managing Partner and CEO of EQT, said: “There is a huge opportunity for venture capital investing in Europe – transformational shifts in technology are occurring across numerous industries and this disruption is spurring on new, innovative companies. EQT Ventures is ideally equipped to support great entrepreneurs in this fast-paced environment, combining the team´s own entrepreneurial skills with EQT’s proven industrial approach to building better companies.”
The fund has received strong interest from global investors. It is also backed by a network of prominent entrepreneurs, contributing approximately 10% of committed capital. In addition, key professionals within EQT Partners have contributed with approximately 10% of committed capital, showing a strong alignment of interest. Five investments have already been made – Riskmethods (Germany), Wolt (Finland), Holidu (Germany), Min Doktor (Sweden) and Oden Technologies (UK).
EQT Ventures is headed by technology industry veterans Hjalmar Winbladh, Kees Koolen and Lars Jörnow. The team combines investment specialists with operational experts that have experience in helping some of Europe’s most successful companies scale in technology, design, analytics, global roll-out, marketing and communications. Portfolio company growth will be further supported by EQT’s established network of over 250 independent Industrial Advisors, which features a variety of global business leaders and successful entrepreneurs. The initiative also includes an ambitious software driven approach called Motherbrain, where tech will be used to proactively source investment opportunities, and Together, a matchmaking tool for angel investors and early-stage startups.
Hjalmar Winbladh, Founding Partner, EQT Ventures, said: “Innovation is hard, and turning it into a global tech company is even harder. It requires focus and stamina as well as resources and teamwork – and this is something our team has had first-hand experience in, as we’ve created our own start-up companies. This is where we can help. The aim is to provide the resources, skills and experience to help partnering companies deliver sustainable, profitable growth.”
Kees Koolen, Founding Partner, EQT Ventures, adds: “EQT Ventures is modeled after what VC we would have wanted on our own entrepreneurial journeys. I don’t think anyone in Europe rivals our team no matter if it’s about earlier stage innovation or about scaling a company to become a global winner.”
The fund is backed by a global investor base including, among others, HarbourVest Partners, Ilmarinen, Finnish Industry Investment, European Investment Fund (EIF), The Fourth Swedish National Pension Fund (AP4), Vaekstfonden and SEB Pension och Försäkring AB.
Tapio Passinen, Investment Director, Finnish Industry Investment, said: “EQT Ventures and its team have several alluring elements to us. In addition to its interest in Finnish tech market its founders have proven skills and experience in helping tech companies to achieve high growth. They are serial entrepreneurs who also have operational experience from high tech companies.This all is badly needed among the Finnish tech industry.”
The fundraising for the fund has now closed. Accordingly, the foregoing should in no way be treated as any form of offer or solicitation to subscribe for or make any commitments for or in respect of any securities or other interests or to engage in any other transaction.
Contacts:
Hjalmar Winbladh, Founding Partner EQT Ventures +46 70 886 63 49
Kerstin Danasten, EQT press contact +46 8 506 55 334
Tapio Passinen, Investment Director, Finnish Industry Investment +358 40 840 3681
About EQT
EQT is a leading global private equity group with approximately EUR 29 billion in raised capital. EQT has portfolio companies in Europe, Asia and the US with total sales of more than EUR 17 billion and approximately 140,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership. For further information please visit www.eqt.se
About EQT Ventures
The EQT Ventures Fund is a multi-stage Venture Capital fund which will make minority investments, ranging between EUR 1 million and EUR 75 million, in fast-growing and innovative technology companies primarily in Europe. The fund can also invest in global companies that need support scaling. EQT Ventures applies EQT’s proven industrial investment approach to younger-stage, fast growing and exciting companies. The advisory team offers support to the next generation of market leaders by providing access to capital, operational expertise and a unique network of over 250 independent advisors, featuring numerous leading entrepreneurs and successful business developers.
For further information please visit https://eqtventures.com/
EQT refers to EQT AB and/or CBTJ Financial Services B.V. (Netherlands) and/or SEP Capital B.V. (Netherlands) and/or one or more of their respective affiliates, as the context requires.