A New Player in the European VC Landscape

In a bold move within the European venture capital scene, Robin Capital, led by former entrepreneur Robin Haak, has successfully closed its inaugural ‘Robin Fund One’ at €13 million. Together with an additional €2 million growth-focused investment vehicle, the fund now boasts a total of €15 million. This is a commendable achievement in the European market, where Solo GPs typically raise less than their counterparts in the U.S.

Targeting the Future of Enterprise SaaS

Launched in 2023, Robin Capital is setting its sights on European B2B mid-market enterprise SaaS startups, particularly within the DACH region. The fund is keenly focused on Pre-Seed and Seed stage investments across diverse sectors such as HR, AI, Fintech, Climate, DevOps, Robotics, and Industrial Tech. With 28 companies already within its portfolio and half of its funds deployed, notable investments include Kombo Dev from Germany and Phacet Labs from France.

The Man Behind the Fund

Robin Haak, who co-founded Jobspotting (later acquired by SmartRecruiters Inc.), is no stranger to success. His first check went into the German neo-bank N26. With his extensive network of 70 Limited Partners—including GPs from Private Equity and Venture Capital firms as well as founders and operators—he’s managed to attract significant talent as venture partners. These include Renaud Visage of Eventbrite fame and Jerome Ternynck from SmartRecruiters.

“These one and a half years were probably the toughest times in venture history due to macroeconomics. I don’t have institutions in the fund, not even the EIF.” Haak told TechCrunch with a hint of determination.

– Robin Haak

Navigating Challenges with a Strong Network

Despite facing one of the most challenging fundraising environments in recent history, Haak emphasizes the strength of his community-driven approach. “The LP base I have today are 70 people, all professionals,” he notes. “The good part now is it’s an amazing value-add community.”

The Solo GP Movement

Robin Capital is riding a wave of Solo GP-led funds emerging across Europe. These single-person ventures often operate much like supercharged angels—quick in decision-making and rich in network access. Hypernova’s $25 million fund was launched to support these trailblazers. As TechCrunch observes, while there are 28 Solo GP VCs recently launched in Europe, some like 20VC and Unruly Capital have outgrown their solo status.

As Robin Capital carves out its niche within this evolving landscape, it stands as a testament to innovation and perseverance in Europe’s venture capital sector.