Prime Highlights

• Highland Europe raises 1.1 billion euros for Fund VI, bringing total capital raised since 2012 to 3.75 billion euros.  

• The firm promotes Helena Richardson and Jacob Bernstein to Partner as it begins investing the new fund.  

Key Facts

• Highland Europe has invested in more than 80 companies and supported 30 exits since its founding.  

• Recent portfolio exits include Nexthink’s 3 billion dollar sale and Bending Spoons’ Nasdaq listing above 18 billion dollars. 

Background

Highland Europe has raised 1.1 billion euros for its sixth fund, continuing its strategy of backing European technology companies at the growth stage. The new fund brings the firm’s total capital raised since 2012 to roughly 3.75 billion euros across six funds, following a year in which it generated more than 1 billion euros in liquidity for investors.

Fund VI will back founders building companies with the potential to become global category leaders, typically investing after a business has achieved product-market fit and needs capital to expand internationally, strengthen its team or accelerate development.

Highland operates from London and Geneva with 36 employees, including 20 investment professionals, and invests across enterprise software, consumer technology, fintech, healthcare and artificial intelligence.

Since its founding, the firm has invested in more than 80 companies and supported 30 exits, including 9fin, Bending Spoons, GetYourGuide, Huel and Wolt.

Highland plans to use Fund VI to back companies using AI as a core product capability, alongside businesses applying the technology across existing industries.

Recent investments include a 70 million dollar Series B round for legal AI platform Wordsmith, a 50 million dollar Series B for enterprise AI platform Unframe, and participation in a 105 million dollar Series D for precision agriculture company Ecorobotix.

The fund closes following several major exits from Highland’s portfolio. Digital employee experience firm Nexthink sold for about 3 billion dollars, while Huel agreed to be acquired by Danone.

Fitness technology company EGYM completed a 7.5 billion dollar merger with Playlist, and Bending Spoons listed on Nasdaq at a market capitalization above 18 billion dollars.

The fundraising also coincides with the promotion of Helena Richardson and Jacob Bernstein to Partner, expanding Highland’s senior investment leadership as it begins deploying the new fund.