Carlos Alberto Silva and Carlos Moreira da Silva, who have invested in the cybersecurity sector for over a decade, have announced a partnership with global asset management firm Alantra to launch a new venture capital investment manager, 33N Ventures (33N).
“33N offers a unique pan-European and Israeli approach and can cover the full investment lifecycle with the agility and active support that founders expect,” says Carlos Moreira da Silva, co-founder and Managing Partner at 33N Ventures. “We’ve all worked together for several years, and we’re launching 33N fully formed. We are ready to invest from day one – we’re looking for high-growth, scalable businesses with global potential, proven technology, and existing revenues – and in fact, we’re already actively exploring several investment opportunities.”
Raising €150 million
The newly launched VC is raising €150 million in funding to invest in cybersecurity and infrastructure software companies across Europe, Israel, and the US.
According to the company, the fund will primarily target investments at Series A and B, with an average ticket size of around €10 million, and has an investment capacity of €20 million already committed by Alantra and its Strategic Partners.
Over 20 investments in 10 years
Co-founders of 33N — Carlos Alberto Silva and Carlos Moreira da Silva have made more than 20 investments in cybersecurity and infrastructure software over the past ten years across Europe, Israel, and the US – including most notably Arctic Wolf, the cybersecurity unicorn founded in 2012 by former Blue Coat Systems CEO Brian NeSmith. They have also completed several exits, including one to Thales and one to Qualcomm, in 2022.
33N is also supported by a global network of leading entrepreneurs, experts, and cybersecurity decision-makers across industries, including Brian NeSmith (Arctic Wolf), Eyal Hayardeny (Reblaze), Nuno Sebastião (Feedzai), and Pierre Polette (Hackuity), all founders of the team’s previous portfolio companies.
“We are very happy to have partnered with a team with the reputation and capabilities of Carlos Alberto Silva and Carlos Moreira da Silva, who have completed more than 20 investments in cybersecurity and infrastructure software and services companies across Europe, Israel, and the US over the past decade,” says Jacobo Llanza, CEO of Alantra Asset Management. “Moreover, this announcement represents a new milestone in Alantra’s plan to develop a pan-European, diversified, and highly specialised asset management business and will further increase our exposure to highly-specialised VC strategies.”
“We’re convinced that – with our team’s strong industry knowledge and track record, with our high-quality founder network, and with Alantra’s support in this new venture – 33N can become a leading player in the European and Israeli VC ecosystem,” says co-founder and Managing Partner Carlos Alberto Silva. “With secure digital transformation being a top priority for governments, institutions, companies, and investors across the globe, the opportunity in this space is massive. The cybersecurity market alone is expected to reach more than $160 billion in 2022, with robust annual double-digit growth forecast for the coming years as investment opportunities grow at an accelerating pace.
