Many European B2B tech founders struggle to find consistent funding for IP-heavy projects in AI, cybersecurity, techbio, and industrial technology. This often slows early progress due to cautious investors and limited support.
Elaia’s DV5 fund provides €1-15 million investments from pre-seed to Series B, along with hands-on guidance from engineers to improve product-market fit, scale, and exit. With over 100 successful portfolio companies like Mirakl and Shift Technology, Elaia’s quick first close and its first investment in Mimic Robotics show growing momentum in top hubs like Zurich’s ETH ecosystem.
Digital Venture Fund V (DV5) has already reached a €120 million first close on its way to a €200 million target, with backing from Bpifrance (France 2030/Spark), MACSF, BNP Paribas, SMABTP, Arundo Re, and Groupe AG2R LA MONDIALE.
Speed up the growth of Europe’s strong, fast-growing companies
Elaia was founded in 2006 by Xavier Lazarus, a serial entrepreneur with successful ad tech exits, along with a team of former founders and engineers from Stanford, EPFL, and École Polytechnique. The team brings a wealth of experience in scaling deep-tech companies.
Their mission is simple: help Europe’s high-growth companies move faster with full-stack support, and build real, lasting partnerships between founders and VCs. Alumni like Dexory and SeqOne are proof of that commitment.
What sets Elaia apart? Their in-house deal flow engine and hands-on platform. Early tech scouting meets practical playbooks for tough sectors, giving them an edge over early-stage VCs like Point Nine or Atomico.
Elaia’s main strengths are its full-stack support from pre-seed to growth, deep expertise in cyber, techbio, and industrial AI, and strong LP backing through France 2030, which helps reduce risk when scaling.
What’s next for Elaia?
They’re racing toward a €200M final close for DV5, planning to back 10-15 new startups each year across Europe and grow their operator network to boost portfolio companies.
Elaia’s plans include working more closely with France 2030, investing in additional spin-offs from ETH and MIT, such as Mimic, and aiming to lead in new fields. The firm wants to increase investments to keep up with Europe’s top funds and compete globally by 2030.
