StartupsNov 3, 2026, 6:30 PM UTC·2 min read

Creandum Closes Record $750 Million Fund VIII for Early-Stage Startups

European VC firm Creandum has closed Fund VIII at $750 million, its largest ever, to back seed and Series A founders in Europe and the US, with a focus on AI.

Investors and founders at a modern European venture capital office, with a city skyline in the background. — Image: MamStartup

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European venture capital firm Creandum has closed its largest fund to date. Fund VIII raised $750 million, topping the firm's previous vehicle of 500 million euros, or roughly $560 million.

Seed, Series A and a strong AI focus

The money will back founders at the seed and Series A stages. Half of the capital is earmarked for new companies, while the rest is reserved for follow-on rounds. The firm plans to invest heavily in artificial intelligence, a sector already represented in its portfolio by Lovable, Olix, Modal and Black Forest Labs.

Creandum says it raised the capital from a range of American and European institutional investors.

Deeper roots in San Francisco

The firm has had a presence in San Francisco since 2012 and has just opened a new office there. Its US staff will work with teams in Stockholm, London and Berlin, giving founders a single partner on both sides of the Atlantic.

Creandum points out that capital flows between the US and Europe remain largely one-way. Over the past year, roughly half of all money invested in European technology came from the US, while American startups received only a small share of their funding from Europe. As US funds compete more aggressively in Europe, Creandum is strengthening its Bay Area presence without stepping back from European entrepreneurs.

Staffan Helgesson, founder and partner at Creandum, says that after almost 25 years in business, the founders it backs remain what matters most. The new fund is meant to find the boldest and most ambitious early-stage founders in Europe and the United States. The firm says that approach has led it to back companies including Lovable, Spotify, Modal, Black Forest Labs and Rillet.

For startup founders, a larger pool of early-stage capital with reserves for follow-on rounds could mean steadier support as companies grow, particularly in the competitive AI field.