Circles Ventures

The 𝗦𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝟮𝟱𝟬: 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱, highlights the top hubs driving innovation in European tech. The 🇬🇧 UK hosts (68) of the top 250, closely followed by 🇩🇪 Germany (33) and 🇫🇷 France (24). 🏙 Top Cities included: London (57), Paris (19), Stockholm (16), Berlin (13) and Milan (11). Just mentioning some 🇮🇹 players 1000Farmacie Fiscozen BizAway Up2You WeRoad Exein Doctorsa knokcare Zappyrent. At the other end we saw a low performance from Central Europe (19) and Benelux (14) regions. The fastest growing Central European startup was 48th; the fastest growing Benelux startup was 46th. ⬇️ Download the full report here: https://lnkd.in/e_FQaJyn 💡 Discover the full 250 startups here: https://lnkd.in/ejq8PX2r

🎉 2024: What a Year for Circles Ventures 🎉 As we close out an incredible 2024, we’re reflecting on the milestones we’ve achieved and the exciting journey ahead. Every step we’ve taken is a testament to the bold ideas and visionary founders we are proud to support. Here’s a glimpse of what made this year unforgettable: ✨ $M+ in Assets Committed – Strengthening our mission to creat a better future. 🤝 30+ Founders Trusting Us – Thank you for believing in our vision and the potential of our support so far. 🔒 7 Stealth Investments – Excited to partner with game-changing projects in AI Agents, Wellness Tech, Food Retail, and MedTech. 🔄 +10 Follow-On Investments – Reinforcing our commitment to the talent we believe in. 🟣 One mission - support positive-impact tech realities to grow sustainably, with the mission to make a #better #future. 🏆 Named Among Italy’s Most Active VCs – Recognition that fuels our ambition to go even further. 🤖 AI - the biggest trend of 2024 (P.D. and our image below has been created with that). None of this would be possible without the collaboration, drive, and vision of our #founders, #investors, #partners, and #team. Here’s to building, growing, and investing in what’s next – together. 🎊 Let’s make 2025 even brighter! 🎊

Exciting news from Sifted: the 2024 Sifted 250 list has landed, spotlighting Europe’s fastest-growing startups! 🚀 With an average annual revenue of €17M and a combined €4.2B in total revenue, these companies are leading the charge across industries like #fintech, #climate tech, B2B #SaaS, and more. Here are 10 incredible startups from this year’s list that stand out in different industries: Allica Bank – Transforming digital banking in the UK. Zoe Health Care – Pioneering personalized nutrition and health research. HYDROGRID – Enabling smarter, more efficient hydropower solutions. Ringy – Revolutionizing CRM systems for SMEs. knokcare – Innovating telemedicine platforms in Europe. NatureMetrics – Bringing biodiversity into measurable business data. Montonio – Simplifying payment and financing for merchants. OTHERWORLD – Immersive VR experiences redefining the entertainment sector. Seasy – Streamlining the booking experience for sailors and yacht owners. CleoAI – A next-generation financial assistant making budgeting accessible. 🌍 London leads the pack with 57 companies, followed by Paris (19), Stockholm (16), Berlin (13), and Milan (11). Notably, B2B SaaS dominates with 75 companies, followed by fintech (64) and climate tech (41). Proud to share that Circles Ventures has three amazing portfolio startups in this year’s lineup, shaping the future of European innovation! Which startups on the list are you rooting for? #Startups #Sifted250 #Innovation

🚀 The European startup landscape is evolving each year. Europe leads the Emerging Ecosystems ranking with 42% of the Top 100 Emerging Ecosystems. 🚀 The United Kingdom, especially #London, dominates the European startup scene. London is the top city in both country and city rankings worldwide. 🚀 #Paris and #Berlin are the cities after London on the list of emerging startup hubs in Europe. 🚀 #Barcelona and #Stockholm are also on the list of top emerging startup hubs in Europe, as Spain and Sweden are making significant efforts to strengthen the startup #ecosystem in their respective countries. Let’s take a closer look at some of the top emerging startup hubs in Europe👇 London - Paystone, Voices, GoodLife Fitness, Curve, Rapyd, Wise, eToro, GoCardless Paris - Ledger, Contentsquare, Deezer, Shift Technology, Pennylane, Malt, Back Market, Ankorstore, Aircall, Qonto, Beem Berlin - Ada Health, Uberall, TIER Mobility, Enpal, Trade Republic, wefox, SoundCloud, Mambu, Flink, Razor Group Barcelona - TravelPerk, Wallbox Chargers, Glovo, Stuart, Colvin, Typeform, Wallapop, Badi, VICIO Circles Ventures is looking to support realities in this landscape, DM us! #fundraising #startups #funding #startupecosystem #europenastartup Thanks Startup Rise EU News for the references.

Finding the Right Co-Founder: A Roadmap for #Startups At Circles Ventures , we know that having the right co-founder can be a game-changer for a startup's journey. Here’s a quick guide on how to navigate this important decision: 🚀 Why Have a Co-Founder? Beyond splitting tasks, co-founders can boost productivity and increase resilience. Just look at companies like Apple and Google – most successful ventures were built by co-founding teams. 🔍 Where to Find Them? Start close—look for colleagues, former classmates, or people you already trust. If that doesn't work, expand your network at industry meetups or consider programs like Y Combinator’s Co-Founder Matching. 👥 How Many is Best? Studies show that two co-founders are optimal. More than three can create complexity, while going solo might increase burnout risk. 🧪 Test Compatibility First Spend a few months working on a small project together. This trial run reveals how you’ll handle collaboration, stress, and decision-making when stakes are high. 🤝 Key Qualities to Look For Seek alignment in vision, risk tolerance, and complementary skills. A co-founder with a shared long-term commitment and mutual respect is invaluable. 💼 Setting Up for Success Define roles clearly, especially the CEO position. And, formalize your partnership with a clear equity split and vesting schedule. Choosing a co-founder is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make. With the right person beside you, the path to growth becomes more achievable. #CirclesVentures #StartupAdvice #CoFounders #Entrepreneurship #StartupJourney

Introducing the AI agents stack: breaking down today’s tech stack for building AI agents into three key layers: (1) agent hosting/serving, (2) agent frameworks, (3) LLM models & storage. Sarah Wooders and I got so tired of seeing bad “market maps” for LLM / AI agents shoved in our feeds that either had layouts that made no sense or were littered with random companies on them (ie that don’t have serious community adoption), or both. As researchers / engineers actually working in the agents space, we decided to make a serious attempt at making one of these market map diagrams that actually reflects real world usage by today’s developers building AI agents. Basically - if you’re starting a vertical agents company today (November 2024), what software are you most likely to use to build out your “agents stack”? In our opinion, the AI/LLM agents stack is a significant departure from the standard LLM stack. The key difference between the two lies in managing state: LLM serving platforms are generally stateless, whereas agent serving platforms need to be stateful (retain the state of the agent server-side). Building stateful services is a lot harder of an engineering challenge compared to building developer SDKs, so unsurprisingly very few agent serving platforms actually exist today (Letta being one of them). For a full breakdown of the stack, check out our full post (link in comments).

Looking for France’s fastest-growing startups in 2024? 🇫🇷 We’ve ranked the top 50 high-growth companies in the region based on revenue growth over the past three financial years. From AI and robotics for drug discovery to virtual restaurants to mobile gaming, there’s plenty to uncover. Here are some of the highlights: 🎯 The average two-year revenue CAGR is 133% 🏙️ Paris is home to the most companies (34) 💸 B2B is the most dominant industry (21), followed by climate tech (9) and fintech (8) 💰 An average of €39m has been raised Here are some of the startups leading the way: 1. Kovalee - Accelerating app growth with data-driven marketing. 2. Swan - Fintech platform simplifying embedded finance solutions. 3. Dalma. - Pet insurance redefined with user-friendly, flexible plans. 4. Clone - Digital twins for industrial processes to optimize operations. 5. ARIA - Robotics startup focusing on automation in industrial sectors. 6. Kinetix - Enabling user-generated animations for the metaverse. 7. Qovoltis - EV charging solutions with integrated smart tech. 8. BioEsol - Sustainable energy storage for renewable integration. 9. Greenly - Carbon footprint management for businesses. 10. Beem - Making renewable energy accessible with solar tech solutions. With so many innovative startups, France continues to be a powerhouse of growth and creativity in Europe. Circles Ventures is looking forward to support similar realities - DM us! #Startups #Innovation #France #TechTrends #Growth

The Next Wave of $1B+ AI Companies is Coming - And it’s All About Apps according to Rubén D. 📲 “During the cloud and mobile transitions, ~20 companies with $1B+ in revenue were created at the application layer. Companies like Meta, Uber, and Zoom emerged as billion-dollar giants. We’re about to see the same with AI. The foundation layer is stabilizing with players like OpenAI, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Meta, and Anthropic. Now, the most exciting opportunity lies in the application layer, where new agentic apps with cognitive architectures are starting to take shape. These AI apps aren’t just "wrappers" anymore—they’re evolving into sophisticated systems capable of reasoning, problem-solving, and delivering outcomes. This is where the next generation of $1B+ companies will come from. The question is: Who’s going to fill the space?” Thanks Rubén D. for the thought about this interesting topic.

🇺🇸 100+ Climate VCs in the US to Know according to ClimateHack From the first time funds that are writing checks at the earliest stages to the generalists that have spun out dedicated climate tech strategies - ClimateHack listed them, and their decision makers, below. Get to know the US venture scene with our latest cheatsheet and discover new funds earmarked for climate solutions. Plus 5 active investors to hear why their perspectives on US Climate Tech Investing: Alex Prather Newlab Nare Janvelyan, PhD, Voyager Ventures Murat Aktihanoglu, Remarkable Ventures Climate Ventures Dan Altschuler, Unovis Asset Management Noramay Cadena, Supply Change Capital Plus meet the VCs behind these 100+ Funds including: Rob Leclerc, PhD - AgFunder Megan Phelan - ACCELR8 Mira Inbar - ArcTern Ventures Amy Duffuor - Azolla Ventures Yaniv Tepper - Angeleno Group Mike Annunziata - Also Capital Matt Caspari - Alumni Ventures David Haber - Andreessen Horowitz And that's just the VCs beginning with 'A' Check the full A-Z list: https://lnkd.in/ePeZzEHt Circles Ventures aims to support climate leaders globally!

🌍 16 Energy Software Startups to Watch in 2024, According to Top Investors 🚀 While the energy sector has largely focused on hardware, a new generation of software startups is reshaping the energy landscape. These companies, spanning Overstory, Plexigrid, Ostrom and more, are pushing forward innovative solutions — from managing grid balancing to enabling direct agreements between companies and renewable energy providers. Sifted asked five European climate tech VCs to spotlight these emerging players. Their selections reflect where the next wave of software innovation might have the biggest impact on our path to a sustainable energy system. We see promising steps in decentralization, AI-driven energy management, and battery optimization. From AI monitoring with accure to managed EV charging solutions at ev.energy, this list showcases how software innovation can support decarbonization goals. Circles Ventures is looking to support companies with high impact towards the future!