European Investment Fund boosts Scaleup Europe Fund with €200 million investment for tech scaleups

The Scaleup Europe Fund: Driving Innovation and Growth in European Tech Companies

The European Investment Fund (EIFO) has recently pledged €200 million towards the Scaleup Europe Fund, a crucial initiative under the European Commission’s Startup and Scaleup Strategy. The primary goal of this fund is to position Europe as the premier destination for nurturing and retaining global tech companies.

Alongside EIFO, seven other institutional investors, including Novo Holdings, Wallenberg Investments from Sweden, and Allianz from Germany, form the founding group of investors for this groundbreaking fund.

“Europe clearly needs stronger capital in the later growth stages if we are to retain our most promising companies on the continent. With the Scaleup Europe Fund, we are helping address a critical gap and ensuring that more of these companies stay in Denmark and Europe,” states Peder Lundquist, CEO of EIFO.

“We have been closely involved in shaping the fund’s framework, and it has been essential for us to ensure a commercially viable model that can attract the strongest European companies. At the same time, we’ve had a clear focus on ensuring the fund also benefits Denmark. We’re therefore pleased that it targets several areas of Danish strength,” adds Erik Balck Sørensen, CIO of EIFO, who anticipates one or more Danish investments from the fund.

The Scaleup Europe Fund is designed to invest in the most promising technology companies in Europe, with a focus on key sectors such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, robotics, energy technology, space technology, BioTech, MedTech, and AgriTech.

The fund aims to bridge the late-stage financing gap that often compels European scaleups to seek capital outside of Europe, thereby encouraging them to remain within the continent.

The Scaleup Europe Fund was proposed jointly by the European Commission and top-tier private investors from various European countries in October 2025.

As the sole state-backed anchor investor in the fund, EIFO envisions that innovations in these sectors will bolster European resilience and competitiveness amidst global uncertainties, supporting EIFO’s commercial strategy to facilitate the growth of promising companies in Denmark.

EIFO, serving as Denmark’s national promotional bank and export credit agency, operates globally, offering financial solutions to Danish companies and their international partners, while also investing in startups and funds.

Despite Denmark’s rich history of innovation, only a limited number of Danish-founded companies that have achieved unicorn status have maintained their base in Denmark or Europe. EIFO’s investment aims to provide access to growth capital in crucial later stages, empowering companies to scale while retaining their presence in Europe.

The Scaleup Europe Fund is expected to make around 30 to 40 investments in total, with the first investment anticipated in autumn 2026. The fund will operate within the EIC Fund structure but will be managed by the independent, market-based fund manager EQT from Sweden.

“EIFO’s commitment is a powerful signal and a reflection of the leadership the founding investors have shown in making this fund a reality. Europe has the talent, the technology, and the ambition to produce the next generation of global tech leaders. What has been missing is the capital and conviction to back them at scale and speed. With the Scaleup Europe Fund, we are here to change that,” says Christian Sinding, Institutional Partner at EQT and Chair of the Investment Committee for the Scaleup Europe Fund.

The Fund, operating under the EIC Fund umbrella structure, will be overseen by a privately-owned and market-based fund manager, ensuring independent and market-driven investment decisions.

A subsequent fundraising round, led by the selected fund manager, is expected in the latter half of 2026, opening up the Fund to additional investors aligned with its objectives.