Diana Stefanova’s Post

Welcome to the world, BrightCap II 👋 We just completed the first close of our €60m successor fund and we are buzzing with excitement! With BrightCap I, we partnered with exceptional entrepreneurs and proved our thesis that Bulgarian founders can build category-defining technology companies. 22 investments, 5 exits, more than $150m in follow-on capital and many lessons later, we are ready to level up. With our second fund, we are expanding our reach across the Southeastern Europe region and its diaspora. Fund II will focus on Future of Work, Digital Health, and Fintech, with initial tickets ranging from €0.4m to €3m. Our team is also evolving. Diana Stefanova is joining us full-time after 16 years at VMware. With this, BrightCap II becomes one of the very few VCs with a female majority among its General Partners. Diversity of experience, ideas and perspectives is at the core of BrightCap’s decision-making process and this is clearly reflected across our whole (amazing) team. Thank you to all our founders, anchor investor European Investment Fund (EIF), our private investors and everyone who's been part of our journey so far! @SEE Founders: Fund II is open for business 👀 See our full press release in the comments below 👇 More about Fund II in the media: The Recursive: https://lnkd.in/dHFaNz3C Капитал: https://lnkd.in/ddCt9Ygs Forbes Bulgaria: https://lnkd.in/dSge7hUC #brightcap #fund2 #venturecapital #southeasterneurope

European tech investment bounced back by 18% from its Q1 lull, from $13.8bn to $15.7bn. What was behind the revival? 📈 We turned to six of the quarters most active VCs — Antler Kima Ventures, FJ Labs, Fuel Ventures 🚀, HTGF | High-Tech Gründerfonds and Notion Capital — to learn why they're feeling so resolute about the ecosystem, and where they're allocating their capital. 👉 Find out here: https://hubs.ly/Q01-GMv00 Want more market insights into Q2 2023? Our briefing — exclusive to Sifted Pro subscribers — finds out which trends defined the quarter, the most active investors and the key deals you should have on your radar for the rest of the year. 👉 Read the briefing: https://hubs.ly/Q01-GM5J0 #europeantech #venturecapital #VC #investors

ICONIQ Growth raised $5.75 billion for his seventh flagship fund #ICONIQ Growth just raised an impressive $5.75 billion for its seventh flagship fund. This late-stage investment unit, part of the renowned ICONIQ Capital, has surpassed expectations, cementing its position as a powerhouse in the tech investment landscape. Founded in 2011, ICONIQ Capital operates as a private office managing capital for tech luminaries like Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey. With this latest fundraise, ICONIQ Growth has not only met but exceeded its target, signaling strong investor confidence in its strategy and leadership. Behind the scenes, ICONIQ Growth has been actively shaping the tech industry, with notable exits from its portfolio including the likes of Snowflake, Airbnb, GitLab, and HashiCorp. In 2023 alone, the firm invested a whopping $1.1 billion across 22 companies, showcasing its commitment to fostering innovation and growth. But what sets ICONIQ Growth apart from its peers? Unlike some other large-growth investors who struggled to reach their targets, ICONIQ Growth's success speaks volumes about its investment approach and the satisfaction of its backers. With Fund VII-B securing $3.95 billion from 291 investors and Fund VII closing at $1.26 billion from 462 backers, the firm's reach and influence in the tech investment realm are undeniable. Looking ahead, ICONIQ Growth's seventh vehicle is poised to make significant strides in the tech sector, aiming to invest in 20 to 25 tech companies. This bold vision underscores the firm's commitment to driving innovation and shaping the future of technology. The article on TechCrunch in the first comment. Want to stay up to date with the market? Here my newsletter: - Linkedin: https://t.ly/s541W   - Substack: https://lnkd.in/dzfGJzmW

CTech by Calcalist's 2024 VC Survey - Today featuring insightful commentary from Amplefields Investments Managing Partner Moran Chamsi on investing in Israeli high tech during wartime, the liquidity crisis, and internal political turmoil. Thanks to James Spiro and Elihay Vidal! #IsraelInnovation #nomatterwhat #IsraeliTech #TechInvestment #VentureCapital #secondaryinvestment #secondaries #privateequity

Have you heard? 🚀 Despite a YoY decline in deals, the UK remains a top European market and among the top 5️⃣ globally for VC funding volume and value. 🌍💸 Don't miss out on the chance to secure your startup's future success! Get in touch 👉 https://bit.ly/3OsFx6h An analysis of GlobalData Plc's financial deals database reveals that UK startups raised an impressive $7.2 billion in VC funding during H1 2023! 🚀 Read the article linked in the comments 💬 Future Planet Capital #Midven #VentureCapital #Investment

📢 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 - 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐃𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 - 𝐀𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Fundraising x Regulation x Europe vs America vs China 1. Investors will gladly take technical risk, particularly at the early stage 2. Lack of later stage rounds means there is no metrics framework to aim for 3. The #regulatory environment may become a hurdle to home grown innovation. We're always looking to gain further insights. Please comment below if you can add some colour to the summary ⬇ #deeptech #industryinsights Hailey Eustace Tom Watts Steve Leith James Peck Andrew Holloway

Great news, European VC investments were up 18% in Q2 versus Q1as shown in this Sifted article...Good signal for angel investors and family offices to resume their great work to support businesses, especially those with a purpose...the planet temperature also is increasing and innovation is more than ever vital to disrupt our current polluting ways of producing. #vc #vcfunding #familyoffice #angelinvesting #investment #investmenttrends https://lnkd.in/dCCVHzze

👏 European tech funding landscape in Q2 2023: It is bouncing back, with an 18% surge from Q1. At FO-Next, we're particularly thrilled about the emphasis on climate tech, a sector we passionately believe in. 🌍 A personal insight: - The rise in climate tech investments aligns with the global urgency to address climate change. It's not just about capital; it's about creating a sustainable future. - And as for the 'silver tsunami' in Europe, it's a testament to the adaptability and resilience of our ageing population. Tech-savvy seniors? For those keen on diving deeper, here's a link to the full article of Sifted. Knowledge is power, after all! 💡 https://lnkd.in/esbqsgce

Our journey has been marked by significant support from key VCs and CVCs, from the UK, France, Austria and Romania, with over €3M in backing to date. This funding has come from both established and new investors, reflecting our compelling vision and progress. 🚀 Here's a breakdown of our funding milestones: 1. Pre-seed (€185k, equity, Nov 2019 - Aug 2020): Early support laid the foundation for our growth. 2. Seed (€1.435M, equity, Jul 2021): Substantial backing accelerated our development and innovation. 3. Bridge Round (Currently raising €2M): Our ongoing effort to secure €2 million in the current Bridge round demonstrates our continued growth and vision for the future. In this latest round, which began earlier this year, we've witnessed renewed support from VC funds that backed us in our earlier stages: Pi Labs, Axeleo Capital (AXC), Growceanu, and Sparking Capital. Additionally, we're excited to welcome new investors, including Hellen's Rock Capital, Clearance Capital Limited, and Fortech Investments. 🤝 As part of this journey, we've launched a campaign on SeedBlink to raise an additional €150,000. We invite Business Angels across Europe to join us, with investment tickets starting at €2,500. If you want to support us, follow the link in the comments.