The U2V €60 million fund is giving Europe’s top technical universities a powerful new path from lab to market.
University research in Europe is world class. Yet too many breakthroughs stall before becoming real companies. U2V, short for University2Ventures, wants to change that. The newly launched early-stage investor has announced the first close of its €60 million debut fund, built specifically for science-based spin-offs from European universities.
The fund targets pre-seed and seed startups born inside technical faculties. Its mission is simple but ambitious. Move deep research out of academic silos and into scalable businesses faster than before.
U2V is backing startups built on hard science. That includes artificial intelligence, novel computing, industrial technologies with dual-use potential, and clean tech. These are areas where Europe already excels on paper, but often struggles to commercialize at speed.
By focusing early, U2V aims to fix that gap before it becomes fatal.
The fund plans to invest in up to 25 startups across Europe. Each company will be supported at the earliest stages, when scientific founders often lack market access, industry feedback, and commercial confidence.
This is not a generalist VC play. U2V only invests in startups rooted in university research. That focus shapes everything, from deal sourcing to portfolio support.
The founding team brings deep experience in this niche. Before launching U2V, the partners helped build Earlybird-X, one of Europe’s first funds dedicated entirely to deep-tech spin-offs. That background heavily influenced the new fund’s structure and strategy.
U2V’s approach starts with proximity. The team works closely with leading technical universities across Europe. That includes TU Munich, ETH Zurich, RWTH Aachen, École Polytechnique, Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, DTU Copenhagen, and Politecnico di Milano.
This access gives U2V early visibility into research that has commercial potential. It also allows founders to engage with investors who understand both science and startups from day one.
But capital alone is not the main differentiator.
U2V has built a network of more than 500 industrial partners across Europe. These companies act as early validators, pilot customers, and sometimes future acquirers. For deep-tech startups, that access can make or break early momentum.
Many university spin-offs fail because they build in isolation. They perfect the technology but miss the market. U2V is designed to prevent that mistake.
According to the team, early industrial feedback helps founders avoid years of misalignment. It shortens development cycles and speeds up the path to revenue.
This industry-first mindset sits at the heart of the U2V €60 million fund.
The founding partners are Philipp Semmer, Michael Schmitt, and Johannes Triebs. Together, they bring more than three decades of venture capital experience. Across previous funds, they have worked on more than 50 investments.
Their track record spans some of the hardest technology categories. That includes quantum sensors, photonics chips, carbon capture systems, battery analytics platforms, and satellite-based risk analysis tools.
More than ten of those investments have already exited.
The team also understands the academic world firsthand. Their backgrounds include research and work at institutions such as TU Munich, ETH Zurich, and UC Berkeley. They have also held roles in large industrial and technology companies.
That mix matters. University founders often struggle to translate scientific excellence into commercial storytelling. U2V positions itself as a bridge between those worlds.
The fund’s first close includes backing from strategic and institutional investors. Names include Jungheinrich, Uplift Ventures, several family offices, experienced founders, and senior industry operators.
This investor base reflects the fund’s dual focus. Financial returns matter. So does strengthening Europe’s industrial and technological base.
European policymakers often talk about technological sovereignty. U2V is trying to operationalize it.
Europe produces outstanding research. Yet many globally dominant tech companies still emerge elsewhere. The U2V €60 million fund is designed to keep more of that value creation at home.
By supporting startups at the spin-off stage, the fund hopes to build companies that scale globally while staying rooted in Europe.
U2V officially launched in 2025. It operates from offices in Berlin, Aachen, and London. From there, the team works closely with universities, founders, and industrial partners across the continent.
Beyond capital, U2V offers hands-on support. That includes go-to-market strategy, hiring, customer introductions, and long-term positioning. The goal is not quick flips. It is durable technology companies that can compete on a global stage.
For researchers sitting on promising technology, the message is clear. There is now a dedicated fund built around their needs, timelines, and realities.
The U2V €60 million fund is not trying to be everything to everyone. It is betting that focus, depth, and proximity can unlock Europe’s next wave of deep-tech leaders.
If it succeeds, fewer breakthroughs will die in the lab. More will become companies.
And Europe’s universities may finally get the venture turbo they have been missing.
