Highland Europe Closes €1.1B Fund VI to Double Down on European Tech Scaleups

Highland Europe has raised €1.1 billion for its sixth fund, bringing its total capital raised to €3.75 billion since 2012. The growth-stage VC firm backed the move with over €1 billion in liquidity generated last year, including a $3B exit and a Nasdaq listing.

Highland Europe has closed its sixth fund at €1.1 billion, continuing its focus on growth-stage technology companies across Europe. The London- and Geneva-headquartered firm has now raised €3.75 billion across six funds since its founding in 2012, backed more than 80 companies, and completed 30 exits.

Strong Exit Momentum Behind the Raise

The fundraise comes off the back of a productive year for the firm. Highland generated more than €1 billion in liquidity in the past 12 months alone — a meaningful signal to LPs that growth-stage European tech remains a viable asset class.

Key milestones driving that liquidity include:

The $3 billion sale of Nexthink
The acquisition of Huel by Danone
The $7.5 billion merger of EGYM and Playlist
The Nasdaq listing of Bending Spoons

These aren't marginal wins — they represent the kind of scaled, institutional outcomes that validate a growth-stage strategy and make LP re-ups easier to justify.

Recent Bets Signal AI and Deep Tech Appetite

Highland's most recent investments reveal a clear tilt toward enterprise AI and infrastructure:

$70 million Series B for Wordsmith, a legal AI platform
$50 million Series B for Unframe, an enterprise AI delivery platform
$105 million Series D for Ecorobotix, a precision agriculture company

These deals suggest the firm isn't just chasing AI hype — it's looking for sector-specific applications with defensible moats and clear enterprise distribution paths.

"We are deeply grateful to our limited partners for their continued trust and commitment to Fund VI. Their support enables us to continue backing Europe's most ambitious founders at a transformational moment as AI reshapes every industry." — Sam Brooks, Partner, Highland Europe

Internal Promotions Signal Firm Maturity

Alongside the fund close, Highland announced the promotion of Helena Richardson and Jacob Bernstein to Partner. Richardson joined in 2016, Bernstein in 2017 — both have been embedded in the firm's investment decisions for nearly a decade. Promoting from within at this stage is a deliberate signal of institutional continuity to both founders and LPs.

The firm now operates with a team of 36 people, including 20 investment professionals, across its London and Geneva offices.

What This Means for European Founders

For founders operating at the growth stage — typically post-product-market fit and scaling into new markets — Highland's fresh capital is relevant. The firm's portfolio already spans a wide range of verticals: 9fin (financial data), Camunda (process automation), GetYourGuide (travel), n8n (workflow automation), and Nothing (consumer hardware), among others.

The €1.1B war chest also puts Highland in direct competition with other growth-stage players active in Europe, including General Atlantic, Permira Growth, and Insight Partners — all of which have been increasing European exposure as the continent's scaleup ecosystem matures.

For founders building in AI or enterprise software, Highland's recent deal flow suggests a firm that's willing to write large checks at Series B and beyond, with a track record of shepherding companies to meaningful exits rather than simply holding paper.