Finnish Industry Investment Ltd (FII) has made a $9.4 million commitment to Balderton Capital V fund. The fund’s total capital is $305 million at final closing. Balderton manages $2.2 billion in assets in five funds.
Balderton invests in European early stage start-ups across the consumer internet, software and ecommerce sectors.
Through international fund investments, FII aims at attracting international investors to Finnish technology companies. In addition to financial backing, the Balderton team’s past experience as founders of billion-dollar companies and senior executives in the international financial services sector makes them well equipped to support entrepreneurs from an early stage and help them build high potential, global businesses.
”Balderton is one of Europe’s most significant and well-known venture capitalists. Balderton has the resources to take a long-term approach to developing companies globally. We are expecting Balderton to take its portfolio companies successfully to the US market, for example”, says Investment Director Tapio Passinen from Finnish Industry Investment.
“Balderton aims to be the first venture capital fund with a global outlook to invest in European early stage start-ups. We are delighted to welcome FII as an investor into Balderton Capital V. We are excited about the quality and volume of investment opportunities we see coming out of Finland and will be spending an increasing amount of time in Finland looking for and investing in new early stage ventures,” says Daniel Waterhouse, general partner at Balderton Capital.
During the past decade, Balderton has invested in more than 100 companies. Previous investee companies include Betfair (IPO in London, today worth $1.9 billion), LoveFilm (acquired by Amazon), MySQL (acquired by Sun Microsystems), NaturalMotion (acquired by Zynga) and Yoox (IPO in Milan, today worth $2 billion). The current portfolio includes many identified as the next set of Europe’s breakthrough companies, including Housetrip, Kobalt, Lyst, Scytl, Talend, Tictail, Wonga and Wooga.
For further information, please contact:
Tapio Passinen, Investment Director, Finnish Industry Investment Ltd
+358 40 840 3681, tapio.passinen@industryinvestment.com
Carmen Murray, Powerscourt (PR advisers to Balderton Capital)
+44 20 7324 0496, carmen.murray@powerscourt-group.com
Finnish Industry Investment Ltd is a government-owned investment company that promotes Finnish business, employment and economic growth through venture capital and private equity investments. Finnish Industry Investment invests in companies both directly and through private equity funds, together with and on the same terms as private investors. With 900 million euros in assets under management, the company is currently an investor, directly and through funds, in altogether 510 companies. For more information, please visit www.industryinvestment.com, and follow @TesiFII.
Balderton Capital is one of the largest venture capital firms in Europe, committed to finding and helping talented entrepreneurs build great companies. Based in London, the firm manages $2.2 billion. Since 2000, Balderton has invested in over 100 companies, principally across Europe. Notable realised investments include Betfair (the online betting exchange, 2010 IPO), LOVEFiLM (the home entertainment subscription service, sold to Amazon in 2011), MySQL (the open-source database software, sold to Sun Microsystems in 2008), YOOX Group (the online retailer of leading fashion brands, IPO in 2009). The current portfolio includes innovative companies such as 3D Hubs, Globoforce, Kobalt, Natural Motion, Openet Scytl, Talend, The Hut Group, Wonga, Wooga and WorldStores. For more information, please visit www.balderton.com and follow @Balderton.