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Data will be the ultimate moat in AI development for years to come — and that is where we are focusing as early-stage investors.

In the second part of Scaling AI, we explore how AI is transitioning from experimentation to delivering real-world impact for enterprises.

For those following these developments, it’s evident that AI-driven systems are no longer just emerging—they are fundamentally changing the landscape, making data management smarter, faster and far more adaptable. Here’s what we think 2025 will hold for us regarding the future of database management in an AI-driven world.

In the first part of our Scaling AI series, we reflect on the past 12 months and set our sights on the upcoming year.

OpenOcean, in partnership with Oxford's Saïd Business School, has launched O³, an open-access startup insights platform aimed at fostering a data-driven startup ecosystem. Historically, the tech industry has struggled with transparency, leading policymakers, investors, and startups to base decisions on partial information. O³ addresses this gap by providing comprehensive data about startups, their technologies, market strategies, and more. This collaboration of Saïd Business School's research with OpenOcean's know-how offers unmatched insights for evaluating startups and understanding market shifts.

We are now happy to share the results of our 5th annual ESG report with you to unpack the current ESG statistics of our portfolio companies and to establish transparently where and how we must continue to collectively push for greater progress. This year we achieved a 100% response rate and the survey was based on our internally developed ESG Starter Pack.

OpenOcean portfolio company Hygraph, a leading federated content platform, announced the closure of a $30 million Series B funding round led by One Peak. OpenOcean is delighted to continue to be part of the journey since it led Hygraph’s Series A, and welcomes the participation of both existing and new investors, including Peak, SquareOne, and business angel Boris Lokschin, Co-Founder and CEO of Spryker Systems.

At the beginning of the year, Lisa Edgar joined our team as our Strategic Advisor. We sat down with Lisa for a Q&A to pick her brain and hear her unique perspective on various topics related to the startup ecosystem and venture capital industry. From her thoughts on the current state of the European venture capital market to her belief in the importance of ESG, Lisa offers invaluable insights for entrepreneurs and investors alike.

Our Investor Relations Director, Naureen Zahid, has written a detailed article on the market turmoil of 2022 and how this has impacted the investment approach of both GPs and LPs. Geopolitical and macroeconomic factors caused significant financial market turmoil in 2022, triggering soaring global inflation, which has had a significant impact on both public and private market investments.

MariaDB's listing on the New York Stock Exchange is a milestone moment – our founding of the company in 2010, and our investments in the company are a milestone – representing the team's culmination of 12 years of hard work and innovation.

Together with IQM, fellow investors at Lakestar, in association with The Quantum Insider (TQI), we wanted to produce an in-depth report to help investors and decision-makers bridge the gap between the speed and direction of quantum development and what customers are ready and already planning for. 

We sat down with three key people who’ve been there from the beginning to understand how MariaDB was able to break records. Read the whole story of MariaDB here.

We are happy to share the results of our 6th annual ESG report to unpack the current ESG statistics of our portfolio companies.

New analysis from O3 platform highlights growing regional strength of UK AI startup ecosystem over last decade.

We are proud to announce that OpenOcean led Droppe’s 3,9M€ seed funding round. Droppe, a pioneering Finnish company in B2B distribution, is changing the way how businesses source, order and manage supplies. Their platform enables direct shipments from suppliers to customers, making supply chains more efficient and sustainable.

Our Enterprise Automation Map 2023 offers an extensive overview of the ever-expanding landscape of enterprise automation software, featuring a selection of over 810 enterprise automation companies, boasting valuations exceeding $100M.