The Periodic Table of European Tech

We originally put out The Periodic Table of Tech, which covered major players in the overall tech ecosystem. Now we turn our attention to Europe’s tech scene as a followup to our increasing focus on European tech ecosystems (see prior research on Germany and the UK)

So today, we’re happy to introduce the The Periodic Table of European Tech – a resource to understand the key players in the Europe’s universe of tech investors and acquirers. The firms on the list were drawn from analysis using CB Insights data around investor quality, activity, and network strength (Investor Mosaic).  We, of course, used some of our prior analyses and research on European investors as well.

See below for the table (click to expand)

We expect that this list of 93 will change over time as new entrants emerge and gain prominence and others falter and get removed.  If you believe someone should be added, please leave a comment with your rationale.

It is worth noting that this is not EVERY investor or acquirer in Europe.  We track several thousand European investors and acquirers on CB Insights. The Periodic Table of European Tech is a prioritized, highly curated and data-driven view into these players and so does not aim to show every single player. This is ultimately more useful than a simple laundry list of every participant in the ecosystem.

Navigating the Periodic Table

The table focuses on six different investor types as follows (from left to right). They were selected based on a combination of factors including historical exits, network strength, reputation/brand prominence and deal activity. Many of these criteria are considered as part of our Investor Mosaic scoring algorithms which rank VCs, angels and corporate venture firms.

Venture capital firms

Venture capital firms included make venture equity investments across the stage spectrum focusing on high-growth opportunities in European tech companies.

Corporate investors

Corporate VCs and investors which have made a high volume of investments in European tech companies.

Growth/late-stage firms

Growth and late-stage investment firms focus on growth-stage companies with established revenue typically in the tens of millions and/or a record of significant traction.

Angel investment groups

Angel groups often bridge the gap between angel investment and institutional VC, providing either a managed fund or direct investment from angel group members.

Accelerators/venture studios/incubators

Accelerators and startup venture studios typically offer some combination of equity investment, mentorship and resources around company development. We’ve previously taken deep dives into the investment activity of Rocket Internet.

European Tech acquirers

Public and private corporations acquiring private tech companies for business growth, sales expansion, new technologies and/or talent. Acquirers selected were based on M&A activity of European tech companies as well as M&A momentum based on deal pace.

Again, if you believe someone should be added, please leave a comment below with your rationale. Also, since the Periodic Table is finite in terms of the “number of elements”, indicate who they should replace.

Want to track the investment and acquisition activity of these 93 key players and the entire European tech ecosystem? Check out the CB Insights private company financing and exit database. Sign up free below.