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Our Investment Into Purple Dot – Building the Future of E-commerce

We are excited to back Purple Dot, a London-based pre-ordering and waiting list platform.

Sam Hields

Principal

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Macro and Market update 2023 – “Is this hangover finally over?”

In this update we will provide you with our assessment and view on the current macro and market environment, highlighting key changes, and how this has been impacting public and private investments.

Naureen Zahid

Investor Relations Director

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OpenOcean Forecast: Trends & Predictions to Watch in 2024

Every year, the OpenOcean team compiles its investment insights for the upcoming year by closely analysing the evolving global economic landscape and the technology developments of the previous year. Reflecting on 2023, it’s impossible not to mention the transformative and groundbreaking impact of Generative AI on the technology industry, affecting not just end-users but also many larger companies that have successfully integrated Large Language Models (LLMs) into their existing products and processes, thereby speeding up the digitalisation and automation of societies at large.

Tom Henriksson

General Partner

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From AI Surge to Unicorns: The State of Enterprise Automation in 2023

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.

Tom Henriksson

General Partner

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OpenOcean x Oxford's Saïd Business School: Why We Created O³, Startup Insights Platform

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.

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OpenOcean ESG Report 2023: ESG Maturity at an All-Time High

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.

Patrik Backman

General Partner

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Meet the OpenOcean Team in Spring/Summer 2023 Events

The OpenOcean Helsinki and London teams will attend various spring and summer events around Europe. We're on a mission to unite with entrepreneurs, professionals, and fellow investors to exchange and discuss new ideas and dive into exciting business opportunities – on and off the stage.

Tom Henriksson

General Partner

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"You can either retain your culture or have hyper-growth - getting both is a fool's choice.” – A Q&A with our Operating Advisor Kulpreet Singh

In this Q&A blog post, we have the pleasure of featuring Kulpreet Singh, OpenOcean's Operating Advisor since 2018. Kulpreet joined the team after a successful tenure at UiPath, the world's leading robotic process automation (RPA) software. We dive into Kulpreet's insights on company growth, common challenges fast-growing tech companies face, and essential qualities for startups aiming to make their mark globally.

Tom Henriksson

General Partner

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"London needs to demonstrate why it remains the best place for firms to raise funds and grow their business" – Naureen Zahid's Letter to the City AM Editor

OpenOcean's Investor Relations Director Naureen Zahid's Letter to the Editor was published today on City AM.

Naureen Zahid

Investor Relations Director

External news

7 ways that quantum computing is making an impact in the real world

The number of VC-funded quantum startups in Europe is growing fast, with many making bold claims that their technology could one day revolutionise the world economy. Yet it's still difficult to answer one fundamental thing: what can quantum computers actually do? Ekaterina Almasque, our GP, shares her thoughts on this topic in the Sifted article.

Sifted

External news

How can Europe create a thriving deep tech economy?

Europe's deep-tech sector, growing at about 50% annually since 2015, offers robust potential in various fields including AI and quantum computing. However, numerous firms are shifting focus to the US for better expansion opportunities, strategic support, and a tech-friendly market. Europe’s tech ecosystem, despite investment declines and competition from substantial US and Chinese state-backed initiatives, has shown resilience, adding $2 trillion in value since 2017 and maintaining a consistent innovation culture.

BetaNews

External news

Letter: Diversity initiatives will unlock start-ups’ potential

Ekaterina Almasque highlights the urgency of bolstering venture capital for UK female entrepreneurs, pointing to a concerning underinvestment highlighted by the Treasury committee. It validates the effectiveness of gender-balanced start-up leadership through notable successes in Europe and encourages VCs to enhance women's empowerment and leadership within their ranks, citing the discrepancy in control of assets under management by female GPs in Europe.

Financial Times

External news

11 European open source startups to watch, according to VCs

Ekaterina Almasque shares with other VCs a list of open-source startups that are on their radar across Europe, from those already making headlines to the ones they expect will soon take the spotlight.

Sifted

External news

Letter: Pension plan will require actions to match words

Naureen Zahid shared her thoughts on Jeremy Hunt's reforms which encourage UK pension providers to allocate 5% of assets to unlisted equities, freeing £50bn for the market by 2030. Zahid emphasizes that tech startups need firm financial support and policy commitments for expansion, not just pledges. For efficacy, reforms should offer start-ups capital, favourable market conditions, and reliable policies.

Financial Times

External news

Government ‘to unlock £75bn pension fund capital for startups'

The government is aiming to unlock £75 billion of investment for UK tech companies from the nation’s pension funds. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has secured a deal with nine major pension funds to invest at least 5% of their assets into startups, scaleups and venture capital firms by 2030. Naureen Zahid welcomed the pension reforms as well as the creation of a new trading platform for private companies.

Business Cloud

External news

Jeremy Hunt unveils pension reforms to boost UK start-ups

The article discusses proposed pension reforms in the UK aimed at boosting funding for start-ups and enhancing the attractiveness of UK capital markets. Naureen Zahid, Director of Investor Relations at OpenOcean, welcomed the move, emphasizing the need for decisive action to implement these proposals and encourage active participation from the private sector.

Growth Business

External news

City eyes Hunt reforms on pensions in Mansion House speech to boost London

The Evening Standard article featuring Naureen Zahid's comments covers all of the key announcements expected at Mansion House and discusses what the pensions reforms could mean for the UK’s investment scene.

Evening Standard

External news

Deeptech startup founders can now apply to use CERN’s world-famous technologies

The European Organisation for Nuclear Research, known as CERN, is opening access to some of its cutting-edge technologies to selected deeptech startups as part of a new programme dubbed CERN Venture Connect (CVC). Ekaterina Almasque notes that the programme’s attempts to solve challenges at different stages will be particularly beneficial. “Many founders will be particularly gratified by Venture Connect giving them the tools to meet multiple needs at once,” she tells Sifted.

Sifted