Cherry Ventures vs Nauta

Cherry Ventures Report: European Startups Mostly Solo Founders

Cherry Ventures' 'Heartbeat' report, based on 10,000 European startups in their first 18 months, reveals key trends: 75% are solo founders, women found only 10.1% of startups, and master's degrees are more common than MBAs. Co-founders are typically met at work, not university. Only 7% went through accelerators. Amsterdam and Zurich lead in per-capita startup creation. AI-first software has overtaken classic SaaS as the largest category. Munich is Europe's hardware hub. The report also highlights a brain drain pattern where many SF founders studied in Europe, and founders with US degrees raise double the capital.

• Cherry Ventures analyzed 10,000 European startups in their first 18 months.
• 75% of startups are founded by a single person.
• Female founders account for only 10.1% of startups.

75% of European Founders Start Solo: Cherry Ventures Report

A new report by Berlin-based VC fund Cherry Ventures, titled 'Heartbeat', analyzes 10,000 European startups in their first 18 months, spanning 10,000 founders across 89 cities and over €5 billion in capital raised. Key findings reveal that 75% of startups are solo-founded, with only 10.1% of founders being female. Master's degrees are 4.3 times more common than MBAs, and co-founders are typically met at work. Only 7% attended accelerators, with Y Combinator most common. Amsterdam and Zurich lead per capita, while London leads in absolute numbers. AI-first software has overtaken classic SaaS as the largest category (22.5% vs 20.9%). Munich is Europe's hardware capital. The report highlights a brain drain: 72% of San Francisco founders were educated in Europe, and U.S. degrees correlate with double initial funding.

• 75% of European startups are solo-founded; only 10.1% of founders are women.
• Master's degrees are 4.3 times more common than MBAs; in deep tech, doctorates outnumber MBAs nearly 10 to 1.
• AI-first software is now the largest startup category at 22.5%, surpassing classic SaaS at 20.9%.

Antler Study: Key Factors for German Startups' Series A Success

A new analysis by venture capital firm Antler reveals that only 24% of German startups successfully transition from Seed to Series A funding. The study, which examined 27,602 funding rounds from over 3,000 startups between 2015 and 2026, identifies five key factors that significantly increase the likelihood of reaching a Series A round: raising at least €2 million in the Seed round, having an institutional VC as lead investor, having at least three investors in the Seed round, having a Pre-Seed investor participate in the Seed round, and completing the Seed round within twelve months of the Pre-Seed. Startups meeting all five criteria achieve Series A in 51.1% of cases. The analysis also highlights the growing gap between new startup creations and follow-on financing, with 3,568 startups founded in 2025 but only 71 reaching Series A. Despite this, Germany's conversion rate of 18.9% for the 2022 cohort remains strong compared to other European markets.

• Only 24% of German startups successfully transition from Seed to Series A funding.
• Antler analyzed 27,602 funding rounds from over 3,000 startups between 2015 and 2026.
• Startups meeting all five key criteria reach Series A in 51.1% of cases.

Nauta closes €60M first close for sixth fund

Nauta, a London-based pan-European VC, announced the first close of its sixth fund at €60 million. The British Business Bank anchored the fund with a €30 million commitment, marking its fourth consecutive participation in a Nauta fund. Other LPs include SETT, Merifin Capital, and Institut Català de Finances. The fund targets a total size between €150 million and €200 million, with a final close expected in H2 2027. Nauta invests in B2B software and DeepTech startups from pre-Seed to Series A, with a focus on high-performance computing, AI infrastructure, cybersecurity, industrial automation, digital health, and energy frontier technology. The firm has backed over 200 founders across 100 companies and generated nearly €3 billion in exit value.

• Nauta announced the first close of its sixth fund at €60 million.
• British Business Bank committed €30 million as anchor investor.
• Other LPs include SETT, Merifin Capital, and Institut Català de Finances.

Universal Quantum raises over $100M Series A to scale quantum computing globally

Universal Quantum, a Nauta Labs portfolio company, has raised over $100M in a Series A funding round to scale quantum computing globally.