Tag: founders
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Fund II second close strengthens Unconventional Ventures’ bet on overlooked founders
Today, Unconventional Ventures (UV) announced the second close of Unconventional Ventures Fund II. In a challenging global climate — marked by economic uncertainty and tightening capital markets — this close represents more than a fundraising milestone. It signals strong conviction that backing underinvested founders building scalable, category-defining companies remains a resilient and forward-looking investment thesis. read more
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Inside Lithuania’s effort to build founders from the classroom
Across Europe, education systems are under pressure to keep pace with rapid technological change. Countries are experimenting with new approaches, with Estonia introducing artificial intelligence into classrooms, while Lithuania is placing students directly into startup environments. At the centre of this shift is MVP (Moksleivių vienaragių paieška, or “Student Unicorn Hunt”), a prime-time national TV read more
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UK government-backed fund aimed at backing female founders reaches £130m first close
The flagship fund of a UK government-backed initiative addressing the shortage of equity capital for women in the UK who are building businesses has reached a £130m first close of the fund, it said today. The “Women Backing Women” fund is aiming to raise £250m in totalto invest in female fund managers to back female-led read more
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EU–INC campaign warns: Without a pan-European standard, founders will keep choosing Delaware
Europe’s startup community is urging the European Commission to ensure that its upcoming proposal for a new pan-European company framework delivers on its promise of a true “28th regime”. Today, EU–INC, Allied for Startups, and the European Startup Network released a joint statement on behalf of the European startup ecosystem calling for a genuine European read more
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FIRSTPICK raises €25M to find the Baltics’ next breakout founders
Vilnius-based first-check VC fund FIRSTPICK has launched a new €25 million fund focused on early-stage investments. The aim is to support Baltic founders who don’t fit the typical VC mold. No FAANG background or Ivy League degree needed. In a startup ecosystem where half of the founders are starting their first company, this approach is read more
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UK women founders powered by human connection – Rise Report
Today, The Rise Report, a new nationwide study, has found that UK female entrepreneurs identify human connection as the cornerstone of resilience, growth and business success. This report is commissioned by one of the UK’s biggest communities of female founders, in partnership with Barclays. The detailed research is one of largest grassroots studies of read more
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Founders House launches in Helsinki for Finland tech
Founders House has officially launched in Helsinki, bringing a highly successful Swedish “founder factory” to Finland. Founders House Helsinki is a highly selective workspace and community for Finland’s most ambitious startup founders. The launch follows the success of Founders House Stockholm, which has become a cornerstone of the Swedish technology ecosystem and a launchpad read more
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Syndicate One closes €22M second fund to back Belgian tech founders
Syndicate One, an international network-driven investment firm backing Belgian startup founders, has completed the first close of its second fund at €22 million. The fund was oversubscribed within eight weeks of the initial pitch, reflecting strong investor interest in the Belgian tech ecosystem. The new capital follows Syndicate One’s €6.5 million fund raised in late read more
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Synthesia and Flatpay founders back Pluto.markets in $6M raise
Danish tech luminaries, including leaders from Synthesia, Pleo and Flatpay, are backing Pluto.markets, a Danish YC-backed investment platformlooking to disrupt the brokerage market in the Nordics, in a new funding round. Danish challenger neobroker Pluto.marketswas founded in 2021 by Joakim Bruchmann, a former base metals trader at Goldman Sachs, and Oscar Vingtoft, a software engineer. read more
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Constructor Capital closes $110M Fund I for science-first founders
Constructor Capital, the Swiss venture arm of the Constructor Group ecosystem, has closed its first fund at $110 million to invest in seed and Series A startups across deeptech, software, and edtech. The fund follows a science-focused approach to sourcing, due diligence, and company support, drawing on a network of more than 50 universities and read more
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Three-quarters of UK fintech founders use AI to speed up recruitment, says survey
Three-quarters of UK fintech founders are using AI to identify candidates and speed up recruitment, says a new survey. But findings from the survey also showthat human judgement remains critical to ensure founders are finding the right talent and mix of individuals to recruit. The survey gauged the opinions of early-stage fintechfounders, with 45 founders read more
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