Concept Ventures Secures $88M Fund II, Dominates European Pre-Seed Landscape
October 1, 2025, 9:49 am
Concept Ventures has closed its second fund. Fund II secured $88 million. This solidifies its status. It is now Europe's largest dedicated Pre-Seed fund. The oversubscribed fund attracted significant interest. Its first close completed rapidly, in just three weeks. This capital targets the most promising early-stage tech talent. Investment focuses on the UK and wider European markets.
The investor base is truly global. It includes prominent Limited Partners (LPs) such as Aldea Ventures and Top Tier Capital Partners. Marktlink Capital, Dominus, and Granite Capital Management also invested. A striking 80 percent of institutional investors hail from the United States. This reflects strong transatlantic confidence in European innovation. Furthermore, over 70 percent of Concept Ventures' portfolio founders also joined as LPs. ElevenLabs CEO and co-founder Mati Staniszewski is a notable participant. Their investment signals profound trust. It validates Concept Ventures' unique, founder-centric investment model.
Concept Ventures now manages substantial capital. Its total assets under management (AUM) have reached an impressive $200 million. This rapid growth trajectory underscores its market impact. Its inaugural fund, Fund I, launched in 2022. That fund secured $65 million in commitments. Fund I's performance is exceptional globally. It ranks as a top one percent performing fund for its vintage. This outstanding track record underpins robust investor confidence for Fund II.
The firm boasts an enviable track record of success. Concept Fund I backed over 44 companies at the crucial Pre-Seed stage. Every single one of these portfolio companies successfully closed its subsequent funding round. This represents a perfect 100 percent success rate. Startups nurtured by Fund I have collectively raised over $450 million since 2022. Such compelling results highlight Concept Ventures' keen eye for early potential. They also demonstrate its effective, hands-on support for burgeoning ventures.
Concept Ventures employs a distinct investment philosophy. It operates on an "outsiders backing outsiders" mindset. This core principle informs its strategy. All team members possess non-VC backgrounds. This diverse experience is a foundational strength. It enables the team to identify unconventional talent. They spot emerging market sectors earlier than traditional venture capital firms. This differentiated approach provides a significant competitive edge. It allows them to pioneer new investment frontiers, unearthing hidden gems.
The firm prioritizes deep founder relationships. For 90 percent of its portfolio founders, Concept Ventures provides their very first VC conversation. This early engagement is immensely valuable. It offers foundational guidance and support at the most critical concept stage. Proprietary sourcing tools enhance their deal origination process. An "open sourced" fundraising process ensures complete transparency for founders. This clarity builds stronger trust and more effective partnerships.
Fund II will continue to expand this successful strategy. It plans to back up to 50 new companies. These investments will be at the Pre-Seed stage. They will span across the UK and the broader European continent. The average cheque size for these early investments will be $1 million. Concept Ventures aims to lead over 90 percent of these crucial initial funding rounds. This active, lead investor role provides essential stability. It offers strategic guidance for nascent companies navigating complex early growth.
The fund maintains a proudly sector-agnostic approach. It actively seeks exceptional founders. These founders must harbor truly global ambitions for their ventures. This broad focus allows maximum flexibility. It ensures Concept Ventures can capture innovation across diverse technology domains. The firm's Pre-Seed specialization also significantly reduces signaling risk for founders. This is a critical benefit. It avoids the alignment issues often common in larger, multi-stage funds. Founders can then graduate to Seed and Series A rounds more smoothly, attracting further capital.
The portfolio already showcases remarkable success stories. ElevenLabs stands as a prime example. This voice AI giant achieved highly coveted unicorn status. It did so in less than two years after Concept Ventures' initial backing. Its current valuation impressively sits at $6.6 billion. Other notable investments include VSim, a cutting-edge physics simulation AI. Treefera, a decarbonisation data platform, also features prominently. Anam, an innovative AI avatar generator, represents another success. Arondite, a defense software firm, received early pre-Seed backing. Archestra also secured its pre-Seed funding with Concept Ventures as the lead investor.
The European venture capital landscape is both dynamic and increasingly competitive. Other significant funds operate actively across the continent. Evantic Capital recently debuted with a €341 million fund, targeting B2B AI companies at later stages. Expeditions Fund II secured over €100 million for defense, AI, and quantum technology in Poland. KAYA closed nearly €70 million to expand support for Central and Eastern European founders. Amidst this vibrant activity, Concept Ventures carves a truly unique niche. Its unwavering focus on sector-agnostic, pan-European Pre-Seed investment bridges a critical gap. It effectively connects smaller, early-stage startup raises with much larger, later-stage capital pools.
Concept Ventures also demonstrates a strong commitment to social responsibility. It pledges one percent of its total carry pool to charitable causes. Founders themselves choose the specific beneficiaries. This impactful initiative has already made a tangible difference. It enabled school facilities construction in rural India. It committed vital funding for youth mental health provision across the UK. It also supports LGBT communities affected by HIV and AIDS. This commitment extends beyond mere financial returns. It seamlessly integrates purpose with profit, creating broader societal benefit.
This latest fund close marks a pivotal moment for Concept Ventures. It firmly confirms its leadership position in early-stage investment across Europe. The firm's proven ability to spot, nurture, and accelerate exceptional tech talent is undeniable. Its unique "outsider" perspective continues to fuel its success. It empowers the next generation of European tech innovation. The new $88 million Fund II provides substantial firepower. It ensures continued, impactful support for founders from their very earliest stages. Concept Ventures not only builds successful companies. It also builds a better future through its principled, impactful investments. Its strategy is precise. Its impact is profound. Its future is bright.
The investor base is truly global. It includes prominent Limited Partners (LPs) such as Aldea Ventures and Top Tier Capital Partners. Marktlink Capital, Dominus, and Granite Capital Management also invested. A striking 80 percent of institutional investors hail from the United States. This reflects strong transatlantic confidence in European innovation. Furthermore, over 70 percent of Concept Ventures' portfolio founders also joined as LPs. ElevenLabs CEO and co-founder Mati Staniszewski is a notable participant. Their investment signals profound trust. It validates Concept Ventures' unique, founder-centric investment model.
Concept Ventures now manages substantial capital. Its total assets under management (AUM) have reached an impressive $200 million. This rapid growth trajectory underscores its market impact. Its inaugural fund, Fund I, launched in 2022. That fund secured $65 million in commitments. Fund I's performance is exceptional globally. It ranks as a top one percent performing fund for its vintage. This outstanding track record underpins robust investor confidence for Fund II.
The firm boasts an enviable track record of success. Concept Fund I backed over 44 companies at the crucial Pre-Seed stage. Every single one of these portfolio companies successfully closed its subsequent funding round. This represents a perfect 100 percent success rate. Startups nurtured by Fund I have collectively raised over $450 million since 2022. Such compelling results highlight Concept Ventures' keen eye for early potential. They also demonstrate its effective, hands-on support for burgeoning ventures.
Concept Ventures employs a distinct investment philosophy. It operates on an "outsiders backing outsiders" mindset. This core principle informs its strategy. All team members possess non-VC backgrounds. This diverse experience is a foundational strength. It enables the team to identify unconventional talent. They spot emerging market sectors earlier than traditional venture capital firms. This differentiated approach provides a significant competitive edge. It allows them to pioneer new investment frontiers, unearthing hidden gems.
The firm prioritizes deep founder relationships. For 90 percent of its portfolio founders, Concept Ventures provides their very first VC conversation. This early engagement is immensely valuable. It offers foundational guidance and support at the most critical concept stage. Proprietary sourcing tools enhance their deal origination process. An "open sourced" fundraising process ensures complete transparency for founders. This clarity builds stronger trust and more effective partnerships.
Fund II will continue to expand this successful strategy. It plans to back up to 50 new companies. These investments will be at the Pre-Seed stage. They will span across the UK and the broader European continent. The average cheque size for these early investments will be $1 million. Concept Ventures aims to lead over 90 percent of these crucial initial funding rounds. This active, lead investor role provides essential stability. It offers strategic guidance for nascent companies navigating complex early growth.
The fund maintains a proudly sector-agnostic approach. It actively seeks exceptional founders. These founders must harbor truly global ambitions for their ventures. This broad focus allows maximum flexibility. It ensures Concept Ventures can capture innovation across diverse technology domains. The firm's Pre-Seed specialization also significantly reduces signaling risk for founders. This is a critical benefit. It avoids the alignment issues often common in larger, multi-stage funds. Founders can then graduate to Seed and Series A rounds more smoothly, attracting further capital.
The portfolio already showcases remarkable success stories. ElevenLabs stands as a prime example. This voice AI giant achieved highly coveted unicorn status. It did so in less than two years after Concept Ventures' initial backing. Its current valuation impressively sits at $6.6 billion. Other notable investments include VSim, a cutting-edge physics simulation AI. Treefera, a decarbonisation data platform, also features prominently. Anam, an innovative AI avatar generator, represents another success. Arondite, a defense software firm, received early pre-Seed backing. Archestra also secured its pre-Seed funding with Concept Ventures as the lead investor.
The European venture capital landscape is both dynamic and increasingly competitive. Other significant funds operate actively across the continent. Evantic Capital recently debuted with a €341 million fund, targeting B2B AI companies at later stages. Expeditions Fund II secured over €100 million for defense, AI, and quantum technology in Poland. KAYA closed nearly €70 million to expand support for Central and Eastern European founders. Amidst this vibrant activity, Concept Ventures carves a truly unique niche. Its unwavering focus on sector-agnostic, pan-European Pre-Seed investment bridges a critical gap. It effectively connects smaller, early-stage startup raises with much larger, later-stage capital pools.
Concept Ventures also demonstrates a strong commitment to social responsibility. It pledges one percent of its total carry pool to charitable causes. Founders themselves choose the specific beneficiaries. This impactful initiative has already made a tangible difference. It enabled school facilities construction in rural India. It committed vital funding for youth mental health provision across the UK. It also supports LGBT communities affected by HIV and AIDS. This commitment extends beyond mere financial returns. It seamlessly integrates purpose with profit, creating broader societal benefit.
This latest fund close marks a pivotal moment for Concept Ventures. It firmly confirms its leadership position in early-stage investment across Europe. The firm's proven ability to spot, nurture, and accelerate exceptional tech talent is undeniable. Its unique "outsider" perspective continues to fuel its success. It empowers the next generation of European tech innovation. The new $88 million Fund II provides substantial firepower. It ensures continued, impactful support for founders from their very earliest stages. Concept Ventures not only builds successful companies. It also builds a better future through its principled, impactful investments. Its strategy is precise. Its impact is profound. Its future is bright.