U.S. venture capital firms are no longer just testing the European waters—they’re diving in. Drawn by world-class talent, competitive valuations, and a thriving innovation scene, American investors are backing Europe’s next generation of category leaders.
Once viewed as a secondary market, Europe has become a global powerhouse. Cities like London, Berlin, Paris, and Amsterdam are producing unicorns faster than ever, while valuations remain more grounded than Silicon Valley. Whether it’s Sequoia building out its London hub or General Catalyst launching Europe-focused strategies, U.S. investors are planting deep roots across the continent—and betting big on long-term growth.
Firms:
General Catalyst
Investment Focus: Agnostic
Investment Stages: Early and Growth Stage
Typical Check Size: $10M–$100M+
Notable Portfolio/Exits/Unicorns: Stripe, Airbnb, Snap, CRED, Spinny
Recent Investments (2024–2025): Lila Sciences ($115M), CipherOwl ($15M Seed), Karius ($100M)
Investment Approach: GC takes a long-term partnership view – investing not only capital but also co-building new ventures through its “creation” strategy. The firm focuses on systemic transformation and category leadership.
Insight Partners
Investment Focus: Enterprise Software, Fintech, AI, Cybersecurity, Digital Health
Investment Stages: Early / Growth / Late Stage
Typical Check Size: $20M–$200M
Notable Portfolio/Exits/Unicorns: Checkout.com, Wiz, Monday.com, Mural, Tractable
Recent Investments (2024–2025): Optoscale, Tractable, Vinted, Databricks
Investment Approach: Insight specializes in scaling software companies globally, providing operational support through its “Onsite” platform to help portfolio companies grow efficiently.
Sequoia Capital
Investment Focus: Agnostic
Investment Stages: Multi-Stage (Seed to Growth)
Typical Check Size: $1M–$100M+
Notable Portfolio/Exits/Unicorns: Klarna, Revolut, UiPath, Google, Airbnb
Recent Investments (2024–2025): Peregrine ($190M), Abby Care, Zed
Investment Approach: Sequoia focuses on enduring companies and founders with global ambitions, offering deep operational guidance and long-term capital support.
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)
Investment Focus: Agnostic (AI, Web3, Enterprise, Health, Games, Bio)
Investment Stages: Seed to Growth Stage
Typical Check Size: $2M–$200M+
Notable Portfolio/Exits/Unicorns: Coinbase, Databricks, Slack, Stripe, Roblox
Recent Investments (2024–2025): Databricks ($10B), Wiz ($1B), EliseAI, Kalshi
Investment Approach: a16z operates as a network-driven firm, offering founders direct access to policy, talent, and corporate networks alongside capital.
Accel
Investment Focus: Agnostic (SaaS, Consumer Internet, Fintech, Cybersecurity, Marketplaces)
Investment Stages: Early and Growth Stage
Typical Check Size: $2M–$50M
Notable Portfolio/Exits/Unicorns: Spotify, Facebook, Slack, Celonis, Miro
Recent Investments (2024–2025): Laravel ($57M), Teal, Enso
Investment Approach: Accel bridges U.S. and European ecosystems, supporting early teams to scale globally with product-first and founder-centric guidance.
Index Ventures
Investment Focus: Agnostic (B2B SaaS, Fintech, Consumer, AI)
Investment Stages: Multi-Stage (Seed to Growth)
Typical Check Size: $1M–$100M
Notable Portfolio/Exits/Unicorns: Deliveroo, Revolut, Figma, Notion, Wise
Recent Investments (2024–2025): Quilter ($25M), Ryft ($8M), Wonderful ($34M)
Investment Approach: Index invests in globally-minded founders early and supports their international expansion through its deep network across Europe and the U.S.
Valar Ventures
Investment Focus: Fintech
Investment Stages: Early Growth (Series A–B)
Typical Check Size: $5M–$40M
Recent Investments (2024–2025): Gaia Family, PayTic, Miso
Investment Approach: Valar focuses on fintech disruptors with global potential, often backing founders modernizing financial infrastructure in underserved regions.
The Takeaway
U.S. investors are no longer treating Europe as an afterthought—they’re embedding themselves in the ecosystem. For founders, this means more access to top-tier funding and global networks without having to relocate to the Valley.
If you’re fundraising in Europe, now’s the time to build those transatlantic relationships early.
Ready to connect with U.S. investors expanding into Europe?
👉 Track your fundraising process with Flowlie
