HomeEstonia-StartupsKarma Ventures announces launch of a €40 Million fund to invest in...

Karma Ventures announces launch of a €40 Million fund to invest in seed and Series A rounds of European startups

Karma Ventures just announced the first closing and launch of a €40 million, Luxembourg-domiciled fund targeted at early stage investment in the most promising startups in Europe.

The fund will be managed by seasoned investors Margus Uudam, Tommi Uhari and Kristjan Laanemaa. Margus Uudam and Kristjan Laanemaa previously worked together managing Ambient Sound Investments’ global portfolio, and are joined by Tommi Uhari to form the three founding partners of Karma Ventures.

Ambient Sound Investments was created to manage the minority stake in Skype held by its four founding engineers, and subsequently to invest the proceeds of its sale. Ambient Sound Investments is a cornerstone investor in Karma Ventures’ fund, and two of those founding engineers of Skype, Ahti Heinla and Jaan Tallinn, are exclusive advisors to Karma Ventures.

Skype, extraordinarily, was acquired at valuations in the billions of dollars not once but three times – first by eBay, then a majority stake was purchased by an investment group headed by Silver Lake, and finally by Microsoft for $8.5 billion in 2011.

European Series A investments made by Ambient Sound Investments included the London-based startup Mendeley, which developed a collaboration platform for scientists and was acquired by Elsevier in 2013, as well as the health and beauty marketplace Wahanda, now known as Treatwell, in 2015. Both were acquired at significant multiples. Other Ambient Sound Investments portfolio companies which achieved successful exits include Modesat, Armorize and Versita.

Margus Uudam, founding partner of Karma Ventures, said: “We’re seeing more excitement in Europe as more startups reach high valuations and manufacture successful exits. More talent is deciding to found or build startups, either instead of moving into traditional business, or after experiencing success and seeking a new challenge. That creates plenty of opportunity for early stage investment, but also means that the options both for startups and investors have multiplied.”

“In the early stage, the kinds of companies we are interested in – companies with strong ideas delivered with unique technology, which are gaining traction with customers – need not just capital but smart capital, connected to deep knowledge and extensive international networks,” said founding partner Tommi Uhari. “We specialise in helping entrepreneurs to figure out the path – commercial, strategic and technical – through the expanding expectations and challenges of venture-backed growth.”

The key investors in the new Karma Ventures fund are Ambient Sound Investments and the Baltic Innovation Fund, an initiative created by cooperation between the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania and the European Investment Fund (EIF). A number of pension funds and family offices have also joined the fund. The fund is targeting its second funding close by the end of 2016.

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Thomas Ohr
Thomas Ohr
Thomas Ohr is the "Editor in Chief" of EU-Startups.com and started the blog in October 2010. He is excited about Europe's future, passionate about new business ideas and lives in Barcelona (Spain).
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