Graduate Ventures unveils €125 million second seed fund
Commitments stand at €100 million, with Invest-NL, Oost NL and a group of entrepreneurs backing the new fund.
A second seed fund launched by Graduate Ventures has a size of €125 million and has received commitments of €100 million. Its backers include Invest-NL and Oost NL, alongside entrepreneurs Frank Slootman, Michiel Muller, Jonas Ruyter and Peter Wennink, the former ASML chief executive.
Graduate Ventures also manages a separate pre-seed fund. The two vehicles invest across fields including climate, healthcare, deep tech and artificial intelligence. Frans van Houten, the organisation’s co-founder and chairman, said the platform brings entrepreneurs and alumni together to provide founders with capital and practical assistance.
Alumni from Erasmus University Rotterdam and Delft University of Technology established Graduate Ventures in 2021. The organisation says its investments now span more than 90 technology startups. Its partnerships cover eight universities as well as three university medical centres, while its network comprises more than 200 experienced entrepreneurial alumni who offer expertise, contacts and help with market introductions.
One portfolio company is QuantWare, the quantum technology business based in Delft. Graduate Ventures provided early-stage investment in 2021; QuantWare later completed a Series B round that raised €152 million.
