Red Brick Accelerator

Red Brick Accelerator is held twice a year in Tampere, Finland. Teams must attend onsite for the 12 weeks of the program. Autumn batch starts in October. Current information on application period is preliminary.

Notion Capital

Notion Capital is a B2B SaaS & cloud fund. They also invest into B2B2C and B2G IT solutions. Hardware is ok as a distribution method, but value has to be focused in the software.

They often invest when MRR is 50k – 200k, but revenue is not as relevant as evidence of demand (significant pain it addresses), knowing the ideal customer profile, having a distribution channel that works. They then come in to help open new distribution channels, hire talent and scale the operations. 20 people team, 10 investing and 10 in the “platform team” working closely with the founders. Helping decide who to hire, how to price, best ways to enter market and measure success.

Most of their tickets are 3-7M. They’re interested in talking already a bit outside this range, and occasionally make exceptions to the ticket size. They may also invite founders to events even if they’re a bit outside their ticket range, especially cases that are a bit earlier stage.

They’re looking to follow on at least once, more for good performers, all the way through to exit (IPO or acquisition). They often lead rounds and are ideally looking for 12.5% or more.

Boost Turku Startup Journey

Startup Journey by Boost Turku is a free early-stage acceleration program: no charges, no equity taken. Next batch is digital. Earlier ones have been onsite in Turku, Finland, and upcoming ones may be physical with digital participation possibly an option. Most selected teams will be from Turku region in Finland as the organization’s mission is to support the local ecosystem.

They select teams (not solo founders) that have done at least some work already on the idea, e.g. competitor identification and evaluation. Teams have to be able to clearly state their solution that has some competitive advantage.

The goal of the program is to help you develop your concept and get you towards first revenue.

Their community page with mentors etc. can be found at facebook.com/BoostStartupJourney.

ValueTech

ValueTech seed fund is focused on transformative technologies that benefit multiple types of industries, such as solutions in energy, cybersecurity and manufacturing.

Investment companies have to have a Polish legal entity, but don’t need to move entirely to Poland. They’re often the lead investor.

They’re happy to serve on a supervisory board, but not get actively involved with company management.

Revo Capital

Revo Capital invests into developing East-European markets. Traction is required and B2B is preferred, but B2C is also ok.

They often look for a board seat. Their home market is in Turkey.

They consider themselves active helpers of their companies, especially in expanding beyond the home market. Founders of the fund have C-level background in the largest Turkish telecom.

Startup Wise Guys

They have three main programs: B2B (SaaS), Cyber Security, Fintech, and a pre-accelerator for idea stage companies. The applications are ongoing, but the programs are done in batches.

Strong focus on B2B. B2B2C is possible if it’s B2B focused. B2G is possible in especially strong cases. They invest in software and marketplaces. Hardware is ok, as long as the main value in the software side.

Main acceleration programs take companies from proof-of-concept stage onwards. Idea stage companies can apply into the pre-acceleration program.

Initial ticket almost always solo, follow-on is a co-investment with possibility to lead.

 

Insta Ventures

Prefer B2B, certain B2C niches are also interesting. Prefer cases with over €15k monthly revenue.

Only co-invest in rounds that already have a lead investor. Majority of deals (70%) from Nordics and Baltics, especially Finland, Sweden, Estonia and Lithuania so far. 15% from Central and Eastern Europe and 15% elsewhere from the world.

Does not invest in mobile gaming or hardware. Hardware-enabled software is interesting.

Karma Ventures

Karma Ventures invest into early-stage deep tech software in Baltics, Nordics, and in especially strong cases also elsewhere in Europe.

They’re looking for companies with technological advantage. Doesn’t have to be IPR, but something valuable and very hard to imitate. They look for companies with traction, first clients validating the demand, but in exceptional cases pre-revenue can also be considered.

In terms of sectors, life sciences are not their focus, but deep tech B2B health software can be interesting.

They prefer to lead, co-lead or invest solo.

Contrarian Ventures

Contrarian Ventures is a European fund investing into companies transforming the energy sector, including where and how it is used, with an emphasis on sustainability. They are also interested all energy tech, e-mobility, automation, AI, hydrogen, energy grids, and energy storage. They have an especial liking for software and hardware-enabled software.

They focus on B2B, but are interested in especially strong B2C and B2G cases as well.

The partners have extensive expertise and networks in energy and its associated sectors in addition to startups and venture capital. They have a singular focus on helping the best energy-related startups succeed.

They prefer to lead or co-lead in deals. They’re an active investor, seeking to add value through their network, expertise and services for all portfolio companies. They often look for a place on the board, at least as an observer. Their HQ is in Vilnius with partners based in London and other key European cities.

Helen Ventures

Helen Ventures is the €50M energy CVC fund of Helsinki energy company Helen. Their investments are connected to energy: production, storage, transmission, usage, saving, carbon neutrality, digital and other operational solutions for a large energy company, and related solution areas like mobility and circular economy.