Samaipata Secures €70M for AI-Focused Venture Fund
▼ Summary
– Samaipata, a pan-European VC firm, has launched its third fund targeting €110M, with a first close of €70M and a specific focus on AI-native startups at the earliest stages.
– The fund’s investors include major institutions like Germany’s KfW and Spain’s SETT, signaling growing state-level support for European AI investment.
– The firm is shifting its investment thesis from backing digital platforms to focusing on companies building AI systems from the ground up for generative intelligence.
– The fund plans to invest in 25-30 B2B companies, allocating up to €10M each, that simplify AI deployment for real-world applications.
– Samaipata provides portfolio founders access to a network of operating partners from leading tech companies to bridge AI capability and commercial deployment.
A Madrid-based venture capital firm has successfully secured a significant initial investment for its newest fund, which is dedicated to supporting the next generation of European artificial intelligence companies. Samaipata announced the first close of its third fund at €70 million, representing strong early momentum toward its ultimate target of €110 million. This capital infusion comes from a notable consortium of backers, including Germany’s state development bank KfW, Spain’s industrial and digital transformation entity SETT, and several influential Spanish family offices.
The firm, established in 2016 by partners Eduardo Díez-Hochleitner and José del Barrio, is steering its investment focus toward a new frontier. While Samaipata built its reputation on funding digital marketplace and platform businesses, Fund III marks a strategic pivot to explicitly target AI-native startups. The objective is to identify and finance European companies that are constructing foundational AI systems from the ground up, rather than merely applying AI as an additional layer on existing software.
This new fund plans to make between 25 and 30 investments, with the potential to commit up to €10 million per company throughout its lifecycle. The investment thesis centers on B2B enterprises that can simplify the deployment of complex AI for practical business applications. This broad category encompasses everything from specialized vertical software to essential tools that help larger organizations integrate artificial intelligence effectively.
Beyond capital, Samaipata emphasizes providing strategic value to its portfolio founders. The firm offers access to a network of operating partners with firsthand experience at leading technology companies such as Anthropic, Google, and Airbnb. This hands-on expertise in bridging advanced AI capabilities with commercial implementation is becoming a critical differentiator for venture firms seeking to add genuine value beyond financing.
The pan-European nature of the fund and its institutional supporters highlights a growing consensus. There is an increasing belief that Europe must cultivate its own robust ecosystem for early-stage AI investment to remain competitive globally. The participation of major state-backed institutions like KfW and SETT underscores a strengthening commitment at the national level to nurture homegrown AI innovation.
With approximately €250 million in total assets under management and a history of backing 44 startups, Samaipata is now positioning itself at the forefront of Europe’s generative AI wave. The firm will continue building its investor base in the coming months as it works toward the final close of Fund III.
(Source: The Next Web)
