European Commission launches Trusted Investors Network for deep-tech VC

The European Commission has brought together a group of investors ready to co-invest in innovative deep-tech companies in Europe together with the EU. Dubbed the Trusted Investors Network, the 71 venture capital funds, public investment banks, foundations and corporate venture funds collectively represent 90 billion euros in assets. The EU’s investment comes from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund, which is part of the EU research and innovation program Horizon Europe.

The launch of the Trusted Investors Network was part of the first EIC Scaling Summit, bringing together for the first time 120 companies selected from the EIC portfolio and national programs with the potential to scale up and become global champions in their fields. 72 of these companies were added today to the 48 members already enrolled in the EIC Scaling Club. The EIC provides tailored support to the club’s members, aiming to scale 20 percent of them into unicorns – companies with a valuation exceeding 1 billion euros. Collectively, these member companies have raised over 73 million euros to date.

“With the launch of the Trusted Investors Network, we’re making an important step forward in strengthening Europe’s innovation ecosystem and ensuring that our most promising companies have the capital and support they need to scale up. By joining forces with venture capital, we’re responding to the urgent challenges laid out in the Draghi report that call for bold action to ensure Europe’s competitiveness in critical technologies,” says Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.