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4 days ago | 
pitchbook.com | Leah Hodgson
Plug and Play Tech Center has topped the list of the most active investors in European AI since 2020 as momentum for the vertical accelerates. In Q1, for the first time, AI and ML topped SaaS in terms of deal value, ranking behind only fintech. As of May 27, €7.5 billion had been invested across 961 deals, according to PitchBook data. At the current pace, deal value is projected to surpass 2022’s peak of €18.3 billion.
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2 weeks ago | 
pitchbook.com | Leah Hodgson
From rising valuations to faster deal cycles, Europe’s VC landscape has gained momentum amid increased dealmaking. Take a look at these five charts from PitchBook’s Q1 2025 European VC Valuations Report, which showcase the key trends across deal sizes and valuations. Median deal sizes increased for all stages, as the stabilization of VC dealmaking, particularly for more mature companies, has increased rounds.
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2 weeks ago | 
pitchbook.com | Leah Hodgson
After three years of subdued activity, VC investment in Europe’s fintech space is making a comeback. This year, Europe’s fintech investment is hitting levels not seen since 2022, with €6.3 billion invested, according to PitchBook data—more than 70% of last year’s annual deal value total. “We’re seeing for the first time since 2021 a more stable environment for European fintech,” said Josh Bell, general partner at Dawn Capital.
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3 weeks ago | 
pitchbook.com | Leah Hodgson
Ask investors what the buzziest sectors in VC are right now, and climate tech isn’t at the top of the list. The vertical was once the darling of the VC world, with funding levels soaring during the pandemic. Between 2019 and 2021, total deal value in the space grew by over 225%, more than SaaS, fintech or even AI by a fair margin over the same period.
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3 weeks ago | 
pitchbook.com | Leah Hodgson
The UK’s private markets are set for an influx of cash with the launch of a new government plan to boost pension providers’ alternative allocations to 10% of assets, or £50 billion (around $66.1 billion). On Tuesday (May 13), 17 workplace pension providers signed up to the new “Mansion House Accord” that commits them to put at least 10% of defined contribution funds, in which individuals do not choose their own investments, into private market assets, including PE and VC, within five years.
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4 weeks ago | 
pitchbook.com | Leah Hodgson
PE has become an increasingly attractive asset class for high-net-worth individuals, and firms are putting in a lot of effort to draw them in. But with greater exposure comes greater complexity, especially when it comes to dividing assets in a divorce. Unlike traditional investments, PE holdings are often illiquid, difficult to value and bound by restrictive partnership agreements.
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1 month ago | 
morningstar.co.uk | Leah Hodgson
Deliveroo listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2021 amid a boom in food and grocery delivery services in the wake of the pandemic. At the time, it was the UK’s biggest in a decade in terms of market cap, reaching around £7.59 billion. However, trading quickly turned sour as controversies over worker pay and its dual-class share structure caused its shares to plummet by as much as 30% in its public debut.
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1 month ago | 
pitchbook.com | Leah Hodgson
France has registered its worst quarter for VC investment in five years as internal political turmoil weighs heavily on the country’s economy. According to PitchBook’s Q1 2025 France Market Snapshot, only €1.4 billion was invested in French startups in the first three months of the year—a 36.4% drop from the same period last year. This is the country’s lowest quarterly total since Q2 2020. Deal count was also lower than historical norms.
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1 month ago | 
pitchbook.com | Leah Hodgson
South Korea has launched a new startup fund as it seeks to revitalize the country’s struggling VC market. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups of South Korea is reportedly seeking 600 billion won (around $420 million) for the fund, the second vehicle established under the “Startup Korea Fund” project. The initiative aims to raise over 2 trillion won between 2024 and 2027. The majority of the fund’s capital comes from the private sector, with 30 LPs contributing over 250 billion so far.
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1 month ago | 
pitchbook.com | Leah Hodgson
Europe’s VC market got off to a good start this year despite increasingly volatile macroeconomics. Deal value reached its highest quarterly figure in over a year in Q1, although the dwindling number of rounds suggests that investors are still prioritizing quality over quantity. Here are five charts from PitchBook’s Q1 2025 European Venture Report highlighting key trends across dealmaking, exits and fundraising. Deal value in Q1 reached almost €17 billion, up 4.9% from the previous quarter.
