TL;DR: Nico Rosberg's €86M Fund Empowers European Tech Diversity
Former F1 Champion Nico Rosberg's venture firm, Rosberg Ventures, secured €86M for its third fund, emphasizing a balanced investment model blending fund-of-funds and direct co-investments. This strategy builds exposure to leading VC networks while targeting innovative startups like ClickHouse and Ivy. Founders can adapt this diversified approach, testing growth strategies and revenue streams, for a resilient startup framework. Explore expert-backed insights, as seen in Baobab Ventures' strategies for funding AI & robotics startups here.
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In a move that seamlessly blends entrepreneurial tenacity with strategic diversification, former F1 World Champion Nico Rosberg has guided his venture capital firm, Rosberg Ventures, to close its third fund at an impressive €86 million. This milestone positions the firm as a prominent player in Europe’s increasingly competitive VC arena, with its total assets under management (AUM) crossing the €200 million mark.
What does this mean for the European VC ecosystem?
At its core, Rosberg Ventures exemplifies the rise of niche fund managers who balance specialization and diversification. Unlike traditional VC firms that lean heavily on single-sector expertise, Rosberg Ventures has adopted a dual-focus strategy, one part fund-of-funds, the other direct co-investments. This strategic split isn’t just smart; it’s becoming essential in a market brimming with both emerging tech startups and saturated verticals.
To contextualize this development, Rosberg Ventures isn’t alone in this dance. European mid-sized VC funds have collectively raised over €600 million recently, with peers like Backed VC closing its €86 million fund for DeepTech and Concept Ventures launching a €75 million pre-seed vehicle. But Rosberg’s choice to maintain diversification is what makes this fund stand out.
What sets Rosberg Ventures apart?
Unlike funds tied to a singular theme or vertical, Rosberg Ventures manages exposure across multiple high-growth ideas. On the fund-of-funds side, early exposure to leading global VCs ensures access to top-tier deal flow. Simultaneously, the firm’s direct investments give it control over pivotal deals. How does this play out? Their portfolio includes standout names like:
- ClickHouse: A real-time data analytics platform addressing the expanding real-time data needs of organizations.
- Ivy: Builder of a universal API for instant bank payments, solving critical payment processing delays in fintech.
- Fuse Energy: A UK-based energy innovation platform that raised €59 million to scale operations in December 2025.
- Cardino: A Berlin-based used-EV marketplace focused on accelerating sustainable transport transitions.
Rosberg Ventures’ deliberate dual strategy is highly reflective of my own entrepreneurial world in building both deeptech solutions like CADChain and diversified startup ecosystems through Fe/male Switch. Here’s why this approach resonates beyond venture capital.
Why flexibility in funding strategy is a founder’s best asset
Navigating today’s startup ecosystem is less about having one bet and more about placing multiple, interconnected ones intelligently. Rosberg’s dual focus mirrors an emerging playbook: fund-of-funds enable controlled exposure to high-performing VCs while direct investments allow for hands-on influence in core markets.
For founders, the same principle holds true. Diversifying not just revenue streams but also testing growth strategies offers a much greater cushion against failure. For example, in CADChain, I structured IP protection as both a technical compliance layer (B2B licensing) and an education play for engineers (B2B SaaS tooling). The system inherently diversifies value delivery.
Similarly, in Fe/male Switch, adopting game dynamics in startup education has allowed me to blend traditional mentorship with rewards-based, experiential learning, a hybrid for scalability and impact. Founders who fail to experiment with such intersecting strategies miss key opportunities to accelerate product-market-fit or win over investor support.
Key lessons for founders navigating the VC funding landscape
- Think like a fund manager: Adopt a portfolio mindset when planning revenue streams or investment rounds. Don’t fixate on one customer segment or growth hypothesis, test three or four.
- Start with controlled risk: Use market-inspired pilots like Rosberg’s fund-of-funds. Founders can apply this by fundraising smaller pre-seed rounds to validate assumptions before scaling.
- Embrace complementary revenue channels: Blend business models for resilience. A SaaS product might layer on consulting services, that’s your fund-of-funds equivalent.
- Map scalability early: Just as Rosberg balances long-term growth with niche specialization, founders should ensure their model can scale globally if required.
Rosberg Ventures’ €86 million fund closing is a bellwether for Europe’s startup investors, and, as I see it, a masterstroke in capitalizing on both proven strategies and untapped opportunities. Whether you’re a founder, an aspiring investor, or an entrepreneur like me betting your own chips in multiple sectors, the takeaway here is simple: flexibility wins. Build your bets across a spectrum, just as Nico Rosberg has driven outcomes both on and off the F1 track.
To explore hybrid strategies for building startups or integrate game-based learning methodologies into your entrepreneurship playbook, feel free to dive into Fe/male Switch resources.
FAQ on Nico Rosberg and Rosberg Ventures' €86 Million Fund
What is Rosberg Ventures' strategy with its €86 million fund?
Rosberg Ventures employs a dual-focus strategy of fund-of-funds investments combined with direct co-investments in high-growth startups. This enables diversified exposure to leading global VCs while maintaining influence on pivotal deals. Learn how diversification impacts VC funds.
How does Rosberg Ventures contribute to the European startup ecosystem?
By investing in both early-stage funds and individual startups, Rosberg Ventures fosters innovation across sectors such as fintech, electric vehicles, and green energy. This approach supports Europe's competitive VC landscape. See Europe's leading startup trends: Female Founder Trends 2026.
What are some notable startups in Rosberg Ventures' portfolio?
The portfolio includes ClickHouse, Ivy, Fuse Energy, and Cardino, all of which address distinct challenges, from data analytics to sustainable transport. These firms reflect the fund's focus on transformative technologies and industries.
What lessons can founders draw from Nico Rosberg's VC approach?
Rosberg emphasizes diversification and calculated risks, mirroring his F1 strategy. Founders should adopt a portfolio mindset, blending multiple revenue streams with scalable solutions. Build unstoppable core competencies.
How does Nico Rosberg’s sports background influence his investment vision?
Rosberg's career in Formula 1 instilled decision-making under pressure and a focus on long-term impact, translating seamlessly to his investment framework. His ability to anticipate opportunities is a key asset.
Can fund-of-funds strategies benefit startups indirectly?
Yes, fund-of-funds like Rosberg Ventures provide emerging startups with indirect advantages by connecting them to top-tier VCs for mentorship, funding, and resources. Explore startup accelerator benefits.
How does this fund reflect European venture capital trends in 2026?
Rosberg Ventures aligns with Europe's shift toward multi-sector specialization and mid-sized funds prioritizing sustainability and innovation. Learn from successful European VCs.
Why is flexibility a critical funding strategy for founders?
Flexibility allows startups to manage uncertainty and pivot effectively, much like Rosberg Ventures balances fund-of-funds with direct investments. Diversification helps mitigate risks and maximize returns.
How do diversified investments support the green energy transition?
By funding energy startups like Fuse Energy, Rosberg Ventures accelerates innovations in decarbonization and renewable tech, reinforcing sustainable solutions for the future. See decarbonization-focused funds.
Where can female founders find resources to emulate similar funding success?
Women entrepreneurs can access curated resources, including investor links and mentoring networks, to navigate the funding landscape with confidence. Leverage resources for female founders.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the “gamepreneurship” methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the point of view of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.