
Highland Europe
Description
Highland Europe is a prominent growth-stage venture capital firm based in Geneva, Switzerland, dedicated to investing in rapidly expanding European internet, mobile, and software companies. Established with a clear focus on the continent's burgeoning tech ecosystem, the firm seeks out businesses that have achieved significant revenue traction and demonstrate robust unit economics, typically engaging in Series B, C, and later-stage funding rounds. Their strategic approach involves partnering with ambitious founders and management teams to scale their operations and achieve market leadership across various sectors, including SaaS, fintech, consumer internet, and enterprise software.
The firm's investment strategy is characterized by substantial capital deployment, with typical first cheques ranging from €10 million to €100 million. This enables Highland Europe to provide meaningful growth capital to companies poised for significant expansion, supporting their product development, market entry, and team scaling initiatives. Beyond capital, Highland Europe emphasizes a hands-on partnership model, leveraging its deep industry expertise and extensive network to assist portfolio companies with strategic guidance, operational improvements, and talent acquisition. Their commitment to fostering long-term relationships underscores their role as a value-add investor in the competitive European tech landscape.
Highland Europe has demonstrated consistent growth in its fundraising efforts, reflecting its increasing influence and capacity within the venture capital sphere. The firm successfully raised its fifth fund, Highland Europe V, closing at €1 billion in 2023, bringing its total capital raised across all funds to over €2.7 billion. This substantial financial backing allows them to continue identifying and supporting the next generation of European tech champions, reinforcing their position as a leading growth equity investor in the region. Their disciplined investment thesis and focus on high-potential, scalable business models have contributed to a strong track record of successful partnerships and exits within the European technology sector.
Investor Profile
Highland Europe has backed more than 119 startups, with 7 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 69 rounds, about 58% of its total and boasts 21 exits across its portfolio.
Investment Focus Highlights
- Concentrates on Series B, Series C, Series Unknown rounds (top funding stages).
- Majority of deals are located in United Kingdom, Germany, France.
- Strong thematic focus on Software, SaaS, E-Commerce.
- Led 5 rounds in the past year.
- Typical check size: $10.8M – $108M.
Stage Focus
- Series B (33%)
- Series C (22%)
- Series Unknown (13%)
- Series A (13%)
- Series D (8%)
- Series E (6%)
- Series F (2%)
- Secondary Market (2%)
- Convertible Note (1%)
- Debt Financing (1%)
Country Focus
- United Kingdom (34%)
- Germany (18%)
- France (15%)
- United States (13%)
- Finland (6%)
- The Netherlands (3%)
- Switzerland (3%)
- Spain (2%)
- Denmark (2%)
- Lithuania (1%)
Industry Focus
- Software
- Saas
- E-commerce
- Analytics
- Information Technology
- Artificial Intelligence (Ai)
- Crm
- Fashion
- Machine Learning
- Internet
Frequently Asked Questions
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