Iris Fund

What they do

IRIS is a pan-European investment firm that distinguishes itself by having two distinct but collaborative teams: a Venture team for early-stage and a Growth team for later stages. Historically backed by corporate giants like Orange, Publicis, and Valeo, IRIS has evolved into a financially independent powerhouse that leverages this corporate DNA to offer portfolio companies significant business development support. They are particularly known for their "geocentric" strategy, acting as a gateway for startups to expand across the French and German markets-the two largest tech ecosystems in continental Europe. Their reputation is that of a "thesis-driven" investor that prioritizes deep technological differentiation ("Tech comes first") over hype.

What they look for

Their core thesis is "Tech comes first." They invest in Vertical Tech Platforms-companies that use technology (AI, cloud, data) to disrupt specific vertical industries or horizontal business functions. They believe the next wave of innovation will come from "intelligent" platforms that replace legacy systems in complex environments.

Stage

Seed, Series A, Series B+

Sectors

Deeptech, SaaS, Fintech, AI, Climate

Based

Berlin, DE