Mon, Jan 5, 2026
A A A
Welcome Guest
Free Trial RSS pod
Get FREE trial access to our award winning publications
Alternative Market Briefing

European venture capital industry records strongest quarter ever

Thursday, May 16, 2019

Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia:

European companies raised €5.1 billion of venture capital funding during the first three months of 2019, an increase of 76% year-over-year, and marking the strongest first quarter ever recorded, says financial market data company Refinitiv in a new review.

Despite the record-breaking deal values in the period, a total of only 339 venture capital deals were completed in the first quarter. This was down 4% from Q1 2018 and marked the slowest start to a year since 2008.

European companies saw buyout and related deal values of €18.8 billion in Q1, down 12% from the same period last year and 1% from the same period in 2017.

A total of 326 buyout and related private equity deals were completed during the first three months of 2019. Against the drop in values throughout the period, these volumes were up 53% from the previous year.

London-based OneWeb raised the most venture capital in Q1, with investors SoftBank Investment Advisers, Qualcomm Technologies and Grupo Salinas ploughing €1.1bn into the satellite internet company.

German fintech N26 had the second-largest fund raise at €259.9m, backed by Insight Venture Partners, GIC, Allianz X and Earlybird Venture Capital.

Meanwhile, European companies saw buyout and related deal values of €18.8bn in Q1, down 12pc from the same period last year and 1% from the same period in 2017.

However, 326 buyout and related private-equity deals were completed during the first three months o......................

To view our full article Click here

Previous Opalesque Exclusives                                  
Previous Other Voices                                               
Access Alternative Market Briefing

 



  • Top Forwarded
  • Top Tracked
  • Top Searched
  1. Other Voices: Nvidia extraordinary growth and the challenge of sustaining demanding valuations over time[more]

    Antonio Di Giacomo, Senior Market Analyst at XS.com, writes: Nvidia has established itself as one of the most extraordinary growth companies in the global technology sector. Over the past two fiscal years, its revenues have risen from levels close to $60 billion annually to well above $120 billi

  2. Secondaries take center stage: What the 2026 PE landscape means for GPs and investors[more]

    Matthias Knab, Opalesque for New Managers: The 2026 edition of Dechert's Global Private Equity Outlook - "Signs of a Gradual Thaw" - marks a notable shift in industry sentiment. After years of compr

  3. Other Voices: Life settlements hedge funds are gaining acceptance among institutional investors[more]

    By Donald A. Steinbrugge, CFA - Founder and CEO of Agecroft Partners, a global hedge fund consulting and marketing firm. Over the past decade, life settlements hedge funds have steadily gained acceptance among institutional investors. Their appeal lies in the potential to deliver

  4. And, finally: Time to share it with the people[more]

    From Newsoftheweird: Leavenworth, Washington, has become a tourist destination because of the Bavarian theme businesses have adopted there, NPR reported. One shop, the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum, houses the world's largest nutcracker collection, thanks to 101-year-old Arlene Wagner. Wagner sta

  5. Opalesque Exclusive: High-profile fraud dispute hits alternative investment firm[more]

    Matthias Knab, Opalesque: Former Tennis Champion Coco Vandeweghe Sues AC Investment Management for $1 Million+ in Missing Funds In a developing legal dispute that underscores the risks athletes and private clients face in trusting financial managers, professional tennis star Co