Invested VC volume increased by 17% in April compared to the previous month
Number and amounts of announced funding rounds over the past 6 months*
(1) All data from CrunchBase, as of May 7, 2024
Software startups lead with 75 investments. The AI trend persists, with 39 investments in AI startups, equal to the number of investments in IT startups.
- During April, 389 financing rounds were announced.
- The total amount invested in the announced financing rounds was $$3.2bn, a 17% decrease since last month.
- Most investments were made in AI businesses, amounting to 39 investments.
Top 10 industries of financed startups according to the number of conducted investments
SFC Capital was the most active VC investor
Investors with the highest number of investments in April
Number and total volume of financing rounds per stage
The largest round of April was a Series A Round of $214.8mn
In April, most investment rounds were Seed Rounds (~36%). Despite that, the largest volume of $933mn was invested in 102 Venture Rounds.
London is the European VC industry hotspot, while Paris takes the 2nd spot
- The most investments in April were conducted in the UK (138), followed by France (49) and Germany (40).
- When ranking by investment volume instead of the number of conducted investments, London and Paris maintain their top two positions, but Saint-Denis and Dublin move up to positions 3 and 4, respectively, surpassing Berlin.
In the spotlight
Largest Round: HysetCo raised €200mn ($214.8mn)
Company
Industry
Energy management
Founded in
2020, Saint-Denis (France)
One-Sentence-Pitch
HysetCo is a pioneering hydrogen mobility start-up that helps its clients shift to zero-emission transportation.
Financing round
Money raised
€200mn
Type of financing round
Series A
Investors
Largest Seed-Round: FlexAI raised $30mn
Company
Industry
AI
Founded in
2023, Paris
One-Sentence-Pitch
FlexAI delivers universal AI compute by rearchitecting compute infrastructure at a system level.
Financing round
Money raised
$30mn
Type of financing round
Seed-Round
Investors
Private equity acquisitions increased by 37%
The number of PE acquisitions increases compared to VC investments
- In April, 37 PE acquisitions were conducted, representing a share of 9% of all investment rounds (VC + PE) in April (426). This is the highest share in the last 6 months.
- With a total of 6 acquisitions, London saw the highest number of companies acquired during the month of April, followed by Amsterdam with 4.
Highlight of European PE acquisitions in April
Largest known acquisition – $5.3bn
Aquirer
(Chicago-based PE firm)
Acquiree
(AI cybersecurity solutions)
Partner with us
Unlock the full potential of your financial strategy with Trustventure’s expert guidance. Whether you’re navigating challenges in the financial sector, seeking advice on corporate financing, or enhancing your planning and controlling processes, we’re here to empower your journey and help you create transparency and confidence for you and your investors.
Ready to elevate your financial game? Reach out to us today using our contact form or drop us a direct message at office@trustventure.de. Work with us to achieve your financial success! 🚀
Other articles
M&A European Roll-Up Market Report – February 2026
February 2026 presented a 44% year-over-year increase in the number of PE-backed acquisitions. In addition to Software, private equity investors are also targeting Consulting, Manufacturing and Health Care. Learn all about it in our report and case study, including Ryan’s acquisition of WYM Real Estate.
March 12, 2026
VC Landscape European Venture Capital Landscape – February 2026
With 339 investments and $4.4 billion raised across Europe, February saw a 6% increase in volume and 13% rise in deal count month over month. The largest round of the month was a $1.2 billion Series D by the London-based company Wayve, which develops autonomous driving technology using end-to-end deep learning models that enable vehicles to navigate urban environments.
March 5, 2026
M&A European Roll-Up Market Report – January 2026
January 2026 presented a 8% year-over-year increase in the number of PE-backed acquisitions. In addition to Food and Beverage, private equity investors are also targeting InsurTech and Consulting. Learn all about it in our report and case study, including ClearScore’s acquisition of Acre.
February 17, 2026
VC Landscape European Venture Capital Landscape – January 2026
With 299 investments and $4.2 billion raised across Europe, January saw a 7% decrease in volume and 1% reduction in deal count month over month. The largest round of the month was a $414 million Venture Round by the Montabaur-based company Klöckner Pentaplast, which is a manufacturer of plastic films and packaging for food, pharmaceutical, health, and durable products.
February 5, 2026
VC Landscape 2025 Recap: European Venture Capital & Private Equity Landscape
2025 presented an 9% increase in invested Venture Capital volume and the Crypto Startup Binance raised the largest round of the year. Learn all about it in our in-depth analysis.
January 21, 2026
VC Landscape Germany Venture Capital Landscape – Q4 2025
Between an decrease of 66% in invested VC volume and a €343mn funding round in the Health Care space, Germany is closing its venture capital landscape Q4 2025. Learn all about it in our latest analysis.
January 12, 2026
M&A European Roll-Up Market Report – December 2025
December 2025 presented a 0% year-over-year development in the number of PE-backed acquisitions. In addition to Software, private equity investors are also targeting FinTech and Marketing. Learn all about it in our report and case study, including Create Music Group’s acquisition of Cr2 Records.
January 9, 2026
VC Landscape European Venture Capital Landscape – December 2025
With 302 investments and $4.5 billion raised across Europe, December saw a 13% increase in volume and 7% reduction in deal count month over month. The largest round of the month was a $1.0 billion Venture Round by the London-based company Kraken, which is a global customer and culture platform for energy, water, and broadband.
January 7, 2026
M&A European Roll-Up Market Report – November 2025
November 2025 presented a 29% year-over-year decrease in the number of PE-backed acquisitions. In addition to Software, private equity investors are also targeting FinTech and Marketing. Learn all about it in our report and case study, including Octopus Energy’s acquisition of Kuppa.
December 9, 2025
VC Landscape European Venture Capital Landscape – November 2025
November 2025 saw a decline in VC activity, with 324 investments and $4.0 billion raised across Europe, representing a 25% decrease in volume and 18% reduction in deal count month over month. The largest round of the month was a $495 million Venture Round by Amsterdam-based tech company Picnic, which develops a mass-market home delivery system for fast moving consumer goods.
December 5, 2025